How agencies sell your images.

Photographic stock agencies sell images from contributing photographers to an increasing client base. There is a demand for images either from a digital camera or scanned transparencies. The formula is pretty much standard across these agencies. They will use the images for magazines, newspapers, web sites, advertising, billboards, and other digital medium's.

If you are just starting out in the digital photography world. And right now, you want to earn a little extra cash and have fun doing it. I would recommend approaching Micro stock agencies.Why? Well; because they market your images for you, they licence them for publication, and then they pay you a percentage usually 50/50 of the proceedings. This gives the micro agency licence to sell your image a thousand times. Whilst you sit back and wait for the cheque to arrive in the post.

And in case you are wondering. Yes most of the micro agencies listed will accept nudes. But double check with them first for the format requirements, styles etc. So basically do your research. And with out stating the obvious, always have a fully certified model release form to accompany the images you send in. This will add to your credibility as a professional and competent photographer.

The photography market is very competitive. So you want to be a head of the game. By being able to produce a high volume of great images on a regular bases, to get your name known by these and the larger agencies. One day you could be a fish in a bowl, the next you could be thrown out into the open sea. Its a matter of being consistent, committed, professional, dedicated, skilled and patient. As all these agencies are looking for a new photographer to deliver some thing fresh and new with a break from the cliche and expected. Agencies will usually offer a photographer two forms of a contract. A photographer is able to hold both, with different agencies at the same time. And will still be able to market the images held by the agency directly, keeping the sales potential unrestricted. An exclusive contract: Images can't be placed with any other agency, but those images can be sold by the photographer directly. Non-exclusive contract: Images can be placed with another agency, as long as they also are under a non-exclusive contract. The earning potential is lower, but this can be compensated for. If the photographer places the same image with a load of other agencies. These images can also be marketed by the photographer directly. Each image will also come with its own usage rights which in turn will have an effect on their monetary value. The buyer of an image is buying the licence to use an image, which depends on its use, its size, the length of the licence and the distribution of the image (local, regional, national or worldwide). Obviously the more flexibility required, the greater the cost. An image used for a full frontal cover in a popular monthly magazine will command a much higher fee, than an image which is further back in the magazine. However; a smaller image which is required for a whole year in a certain publication. Can command an even higher fee. If the buyer gets the assurance that the image will not be sold to another agency. They will also pay a higher fee for total exclusivity for that particular image. If you upload 500 images and only two are accepted. These two images could net you a little fortune if sold by the right agency at the right price over a given period of time. Even if it is just a hobby, and you want a little cash so your wife can get her two personalities done.

It's simple and fun and it works. Capture a few images, check and fix them up in photoshop. Embed them with a full description "your contact information, keywords/ data" so the agency can slide them into their database trouble free. On how to do this, please refer to a previous article I did :- Convert file type . Some agencies may have their own guidelines and templates which you will need to adhere to. The key is to be very descriptive. As the agency will delete what isn't needed. Never use the generalised form of description for an image i.e. nude model in studio holding guitar. This would be way too vague. Perhaps have the studio location, models name, rock theme, name of guitar, description of props etc. As this will be useful for them when they go to categorise your work. Then register with a few agencies via their own web sites. Upload a load of your images according to the guide lines they layout. Most agencies require a minimum initial submission of between 50 to 500 images. Once they have accepted you and a contract has been agreed. Log back into their web site from time to time to see how your sales are doing. Watch your earning increase, and with no further effort on your behalf. You will continue to earn an income. Most agencies will share their profits 50/50 and pay photographers on a quarterly bases, sending out statements with details of which image derived the most income, which sector that image was sold to "purchase history". It will never state the clients name as this will defeat the purpose of having the agency in the first place. What's also great is. You'll be able to get feedback on why that image sold more than the others. What worked and what went wrong. This is very useful information to have on your technical ability and skill as a photographer. As it will assist future photographic projects and increase your revenue stream and guide you in the right image submission direction.

The agency check list.

1) Contact details: Do your research and direct your images to the correct agency.
2) Minimum shots in initial submission: usually 50 to unlimited, once contract has been agreed.
3) File type, resolution required, approved cameras: File to be a minimum of 50MB, all meduim format backs, 1600 x 1200 pixels saved in sRGB etc
4) Contracts: Exclusive, Non-exclusive, royalty etc.
5) Comments: Sales potential, sells via other agencies increase to revenue, hard agency to join, must have exceptional quality images, accepts 12 MP camera's 1.6 crop factor sensor size, standards are very high.

Agencies you might want to consider:

1) iStockphoto: www.istockphoto.com
2) Photolibrary: www.photolibrary.com/
3) Fotolia: www.fotolia.com
4) Dreamstime: www.dreamstime.com
5) Shutterstock: www.Shutterstock.com
6) Robert Harding: www.robertharding.com
7) Alamy:www.alamy.com/
8) Getty Images: www.gettyimages.co.uk
9) Local-stock: www.local-stock.co.uk/
10) Local-stock: www.pond5.com/
11) Microstockgroup: www.microstockgroup.com/

Conclusion.

Put the pieces into the jigsaw puzzle.

With out stating the obvious. You will get rejected. It's a fact that not all your images will be accepted when uploaded and submitted. Look upon these rejections as a way to refine your technique and change bad habits. They are clues to assist you to improve your photography and increase the sales of your images. The key to rejection is to get straight back up. Review where you were going wrong and start all over again.

Getting a contract with these agencies is very tough. Only about 10% of photographers that apply actually get accepted after the agency has reviewed their portfolio. If you want to be one of these photographers. You will need to do your research, know what each agency is looking for, know the market you want your images to appear in, read all the guides and instructions off the agency web sites, scrutinise you own work, evaluate your skill and technique, perhaps even upgrade you equipment.

Supply & Demand.

Image that sell.

The key to financial gain. Is to diversify. Learn to think like an agency buyer. Capture images that have a multi purpose use no matter what the subject matter. A glamourous fashion model standing in front of the latest sports car, in front of a new modern building. Don't get trapped sitting in the corner of a circle, cause you'll just keep going round and round photographing the same subject matter. This will stiffen your creativity, dampen your spirits and decrease your profits. Magazine and newspapers use loads of conceptual images to illustrate business or dry stories. As you do your research, think about where page fonts, text, titles will be placed and where the layout of the wording will go around your image. Especially if you have been asked to capture a cover image. Variety is the spice of life and so should it be the life of your photography to increase your sales.

Think stock photography.

On location: Possibilities for a calendar, a tourism magazine, landscape & architecture magazine, fashion etc.
Adapt to suit the requirements of the client: Delve into image contradiction, juxtaposition, interaction, thought provoking images etc
Capturing images 24/7: Don't play it safe by capturing images during the golden hours. There is another unseen world at night.
Committment:Capturing stock images requires discipline and a relentless disposition for well thought out ideas with flexible plans.

How to hit the required file size.

You will find that most Digital SLR camera's produce TIFF files that don't meet the set requirements of agencies. This being the 8-bit 50MB 300 dpi limit which is a standard requirement. Once an image is produce from your camera, you will probably end up with an image that is 16-bit TIFF with much smaller size MB. In the second image below this is 38 MB. Once we convert the image to 8-bit the image is then only just 31.7 MB. Using photoshop CS5 I was able to increase the file size and up the resolution with out degrading the image.

1)Convert to 8-bit

Once you have converted your image in RAW to 300ppi at 16-bit and saved it. Proceed to convert it then to an 8-bit by going to (Please refer to image one) "Image"-> Mode -> 8bit.

2)Check file size

Check the image size: Image -> Image size. In this case as illustrated by image two. The Image size is 31.7 MB. Way below the requirements of an agency. Always make sure that Constrain proportions is checked and Bicubic Smoother (best for enlargement is also chosen).

3)Make the enlargement

As illustrated by the third image. I've changed the image height to 2389. Notice by doing this that the image file size has increased to 50MB. We have changed the image pixel resolution size and it meets the agency standard 50MB requirement perfectly.