Progress of Phase I

So, first I need some pictures and then I need to access some stock places to begin selling. I already have an iStock account here. You'll notice when you look at my portfolio that there are a number of nature photos and only a few "staged" photos. I had been using iStock as a clearinghouse for my experiments to see what people are interested in. Also, I needed to get my chops up a bit to make myself a sellable photographer. Let's explore that a little bit. The photos peppering this post represent some of the latest photos I've uploaded to iStock in this phase of my Maniacal Plan - much smaller of course.

My most popular work and my most profitable

Just because something is popular, doesn't mean its profitable and vice versa. Now, I am not making massive amounts of cash from my iStock account, but I am on with one of the more profitable sites, though I'm not making oodles. This image is my most popular photo right now. Pretty cool, huh? I created the envelope by hand from, of all things, handmade paper! I was on a paper-making kick and created the envelope and card. That photo is all that remains of it, but it has made me small amounts of money. Now, my most profitable image is here. This was a photo I took while on assignment for another client (AZ Fish & Game). I have done a bit of photoshop work to make it better: the sky was hazy and white and the water needed some work. I have only one less download with that photo versus my most popular, but it's making almost twice what the most popular image is making. The difference? Larger files; you get more per download with larger images.

For a more detailed comparison, let's have a look at a mid-level photo. This photo comes third in popularity, but second in royalties. It's pretty plain, I know. It's a photo of flat, rough turquoise. Now, I uploaded this photo for one reason only: to see what would catch and what wouldn't. The envelope picture is very green - I think it capitalizes nicely on the current trend in business to make everything "green." Since the envelope is made from recycled paper and it's on wood, the entire setup screams green. I really like the palm trees photo. It took a minimum of work. It looks like it's on a tropical island near the ocean. Yet, it's only a couple palm trees at a public park in West Tucson. The turquoise photo captures plain turquoise and as long as southwestern art remains popular, I can use that as a draw. Now we get to something I've an interest: what works for the end-user.

Shooting for the end-user

Who is the end user? The average joe? Not likely. Instead, it's likely small-to-medium-sized companies with a single designer or a small team who need access to useable, inexpensive stock photos. They aren't spending oodles of time on finding these pictures. Instead, they have a short set of keywords and they use them to find pictures in several different stock photo sources. What are people downloading? How can I stack up?

The cheaper stock sources have been cropping up like mad and places like Getty Images, Corbis, and Jupiter are branching out with their own user-stock photo sites and snapping up these companies. They are profitable and they represent a different model of licensing: micro stock. It puts high-quality, inexpensive photos in the hands of smaller licensees. Now, there is also a distinct community developing around these sites - photographers help one another with their images, assist with photoshop work, compete for titles and prizes, give advice, etc. One great thing: iStock gives you a list of what's most popular for the last 3 months. For example, right now, the most popular images have to do with sunsets, green-ness, businesspeople, families and children. Let's do a little distillation: Nature, Business, and Family.

Where do I stack up? 

Hmmm, I'm in the middle somewhat. Having no cash to pay models, I don't have a large cache of photos with people (or any for that matter). My nature photos are good, but not stellar. I've learned how to take good pictures and how to make them better in photoshop, but I'm still very much an amateur. So, here's my idea: let's get some models in a natural setting. The agreement will be they will get headshots and photos (of my choosing) to use for themselves. These will be high-quality images they can use for prints or what have you, BUT they also agree to let me have free reign with the rest. It's a decent trade-off and a win-win. I seem to remember reading someplace this was a standard for many new photographers. Once I have a better picture of what will and will not sell, then I can move ahead and maybe even pay models.

I have the nature thing pretty well down. I'm guessing this is fairly typical of new photographers. What is new, however, is my plan to do stock footage. Since the mid-nineties, several inexpensive digital SLRs and cameras have come out. They have placed quality photographic equipment in the hands of the average user for less money. With the latest crop of DSLRs that also shoot HD video, it puts super high quality video in the hands of the average user. Now, many people still are not using these cameras or, if they are, they don't know how to use them effectively. Now is a great time to capture this market. Once the camera comes in, it's time to start shooting. I'm very excited.

Sorta sum it all up

Okay, so I'm not making what is popular now, but I know what is popular so I can start shooting these things. I need to include models in my photos and I have a rough plan for doing that. My nature photos may need work to get them up to par with the big boys - just because you've been accepted, doesn't mean you will be successful.

Something else: plan for holidays 3-6 months in advance. The biggies are coming: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine's. Your picture or design may be the trend everyone follows this coming year so be prepared.

All the best equipment won't guarantee your success. A good professional photographer will make the most from any equipment. Also, I am signed up with only a single micro stock photo dealer. I will spend this week refining images and getting them up to other stock places while I await the delivery of my new camera (arrives on Tuesday!). When the camera arrives, I'll run it through some paces and then begin shooting as much and as often as I can. Volume is key since I am getting about 2-5 good, usable photos for every 50-100 shot. If I can shoot 300+ per day, I can have at least 5 or 6 solid, usable photos and as many as 15-20 every single time I shoot. This simple numbers game may well be bankable.

Stay ahead of the curve everyone (even if you're starting behind).