Has anyone ever joined a stock photo website as a photographer? About This Page:

[akleos]

I'm trying to get a grip on the (slightly overwhelming) business of stock photography and whether or not it would be a natural step for me to take, or just a waste of time and effort. Does anyone have experience they can share? You can post here or PM me.

[A & J's Dad]

I gave it a cursory evaluation a couple years ago and decided it wasn't worth my time using a service like iStockphoto. With the availability of high resolution cameras at a reasonable cost there simply much more supply than there is demand.

However, I do have a good friend that is a very accomplished wedding and architecture photographer that sells stock he shoots from his own site and does make a decent bit from those sales.

G'Luck
Craig

[Tonichelle]

I don't know of anyone who makes money off of that...

okay, I lied I know of one person but it's because he has the market of Alaska Stock Photography...

[Cam22]

I've never really checked this out to see if it would be worth it because I tend to take more pictures that wouldn't qualify than would.

[Disney*Dreams*]

I am a photographer and if people are not in the photo 9 times out of 10 they don't want to buy them. If you are talking about your trip photos, this could be different, but then you always have those who know they could take pics of this as well if they have a chance to go. You could always try ebay to sell as well. If you were just wanting to know about using one of these sites just to store your photos I say that it is a good idea, you know that they will keep your photos there and it frees up your computer.

[A & J's Dad]

Any of us could not realistically use vacation photos for stock. We would have provide model releases for ANY identifiable face, included those in the background. Disney, and any other park, can because if you read the fine print on the back of your ticket or the envelope it came in it states something to the effect of, "use of this ticket provides consent". And don't forget about property releases. Try to sell an image of the Alamo without permission from the Daughters of the Texas Revolution. You'll have a contract out on you before you can cash the check.

I don't mean to discourage you. There is potential to make a residual income from something you enjoy. Just looking at iStock you could make $0.30-6.00 per image download.

Cheers
Craig

[muphoto]

My only experience has been with a sports photography site,
I upload photos that I take at various events, clients serch the site, buy the photos and I get 50% of the selling price.
While I don't make enough for that to be my only source of income, the extra money does come in handy.