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12/13/2011 08:39:21 AM · #1 |
Hi,
I found this board when researching stock photography sites and their commissions, rates etc for a project I'm trying to decide whether to start or not.
I work for a design agency in Brighton who recently sourced 7 images for a client at a total of around £3.5K. I'm a web developer so when I was told the photographer would only see less than 20% of that I was surprised at how unfair it seemed.
I've been looking to see if this is how all the site's work and in general they all seem to be heavily weighted towards keeping all the money and giving the photographer a fairly small percentage or a slightly bigger percentage but charging a annual fee.
My question is this: Would photographers selling stock images use a site that either:
Charges a small fee to upload an image but then gives back 100% of the sales to the photographer?
Or
Takes a flat fee (say 25p) per download and the rest goes to the photographer?
Seems a bit unfair that for just hosting the images they get to keep so much of the proceeds.
Thanks. I appreciate any comments, help, constructive criticism etc. |
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12/13/2011 08:49:48 AM · #2 |
Seems like a genuine question.
I think, if I had some cash behind me and was already established as a photographer then an upload fee with 100% is the better option.
if I was relatively new and trying to get myself into the industry then the flat fee seems the better option |
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12/13/2011 08:52:33 AM · #3 |
Thanks @MAK
It's just an idea at the moment between me (web developer) and a friend (marketer). Not being a photographer makes it tricky to imagine if I'd actually use it or not. Image libraries are nothing without photographs on them so it's good to do a bit of research before diving into anything.
Would you use a two tiered system then? Where you could pick how you want to be paid/upload etc from either of the options mentioned? That's another option. |
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12/13/2011 09:11:36 AM · #4 |
At the beginning of stock photography some sites would charge photographers a starting comission if somehone wanted to go on board and sell the images on their site.
For royalty free photos I don't think that an upload "fee" would have much followers. Because you don't know if you will ever sell that image. And abou photographers that have tousands of images on their portfolio? just the cost of uploading might be prohibitive.
In other hand in mode excusive and high profit market like macrostock (rights managed) or in a more artistic (like limited copys of an image like an photo art gallery) could make sense, becase if you promote your artists in an active way that should be payed to the site/agency.
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12/13/2011 09:16:15 AM · #5 |
| This is good. Thanks for getting back to me. This is exactly the sort of thing I need to know from actual photographers. |
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12/13/2011 12:24:41 PM · #6 |
The flat low rate would, in my opinion, be easier for most photographers including myself
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12/13/2011 01:15:58 PM · #7 |
 SpaceBeers is an awesome user name ! :-)
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12/13/2011 01:16:49 PM · #8 |
| I would be apprehensive to pay on a per listing basis to enter into any market. The 100% fee returned guarantee is only a guarantee if the owner of the market keeps that money aside and does not use it. There is nothing stopping the owner from using the fee paid up front and then not having money on hand to return the fees should sales take off. I find it very risky and easy for a bankruptcy to occur. I would much rather pay a commision on sales when/if they happen. |
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12/14/2011 03:15:20 AM · #9 |
There are a number of sites that offer that, but the problem is it requires the photographer to do the advertising which costs money. There are also sites which pay out 40%, 50% or 60% which is a lot more fair than iStock's 15-20% for non-exclusives. alamy which is a very successful company pays out non-exclusive photographers 60%, one of the most fair IMO. Another site is PhotoDeck which gives 100% to photographers but doesn't do any advertising and it costs $30/month to have your images there.
Message edited by author 2011-12-14 03:15:48.
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