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The Photography thread!

Anyone else sell stock photography? Use to be decent passive income a long time ago, but it seems like every year I make less and less to the point that I don't even check my monthly statements anymore. Market is probably way oversaturated these days on top of so much free content. Looked at my entire 2019 statement and I made like $300, lmao. That's by far the lowest ever. Back in the day when it was popping I could add another zero and more. I guess a select few popular photos of mine gets old after 7+ years on the market.

Also going to Japan and then Hong Kong in about 2 months. My sister in-laws will be joining us for half the Japan trip so I may get a few breaks from watching my kids and I can actually use my camera. I'll have 2 days to roam alone solo in Hong Kong so I'm hoping I can get back in that mode and do some street photography. If there's any protesting I may get right into the heart of it all and shoot away. Wife also wants me to take a few nice family photos and portraits of the kids so also bringing my Canon FF gear and tripod, but tbh I don't want to have to carry that around. I may just bring 2 primes and call it a wrap. Makes me wish I had Sony FF
 
Everything I'v heard seems to suggest stock shooting is dying as a career move unless you happen to have something very unique that ends up in fashion. As you say probably far too many people doing it as a hobby sideline these days. I'v always tended to focus on sales away from the net for that reason, actually getting a physical product infront of people seems to be more unique these days plus of course it means you can control what they see not having to deal with there screen settings and lower resolutions.

I'm going to be in Patagonia in a few weeks so hopefully some glacier/mountain shots around El Calafete/El Chalten, spending a week in the latter to hopefully get good conditions. Probably going to be most of my gear coming along, well minus the 300mm F/2.8 beast anyway.
 
Stock photos have become flooded, very small chance you can make money from that now.

Actual photography is definitely on the slide now
 
The idea of the professional photographer as technician has been on the slide for 20 years IMHO with the rise of digital and automation.
 
moreorless87 said:
The idea of the professional photographer as technician has been on the slide for 20 years IMHO with the rise of digital and automation.
Click to expand...

Its just changed a lot in the last decade and a bit. The capabilities and techniques you can do with cameras these days is pretty insane, also the amount of software for processing files and learning all the things you can do with it takes a long time. Learning about printing and all of the different types of papers, ink and materials is a hole other thing as well, add ICC profiles and soft proofing on top of that. The amount things you have to learn these days to try and be a self sufficient photographer takes a lot of work and time not even including video which is almost needed these days to supplement your skill set.

Sure you have take decent photos on your phone and add a quick filter or edit on in and have something cool but if you really want to do it for real it is mountain of information to learn.
 
The main shift I would say is that you need to bring something more than technical know how, just treating photography like a service is a naturally shrinking market were armature use is chipping away constantly. Most successful wedding shooters these days seem like they offer rather more than that and I can say from selling landscape work as well there is the expectation of some artistic skill/taste rather than the kind of postcard shots that could have made money 20 years ago.
 
My wife is a professional photographer. The money isn’t great but she makes it work. She’ll sell prints, assist at weddings, and when work gets lean she shoots products
For online companies.
 
moreorless87 said:
The main shift I would say is that you need to bring something more than technical know how, just treating photography like a service is a naturally shrinking market were armature use is chipping away constantly. Most successful wedding shooters these days seem like they offer rather more than that and I can say from selling landscape work as well there is the expectation of some artistic skill/taste rather than the kind of postcard shots that could have made money 20 years ago.
Click to expand...

You definitely need to bring something new to the table if you are going to stand out these days or are not already established, its not easy though.
 
Thread hasn't been bumped in a while. One of my old school cameras:

bBBHXUL.jpg
 
Here's an Updated picture on the Orion Nebula (See avatar for pic I took 13 years ago). Tracking is MUCH improved. Not bad considering the overcast and light pollution.
 
Went for a hike on Friday and saw some birds


DsOPxvW.jpg


wpoB8K4.jpg


And a pig
7NlTfHf.jpg
 
rj144 said:
Nice bro. I vibe with your style most in this thread.
Click to expand...
That means a lot, thank you.
Also, very nice vintage cameras. They are art objects on their own right.
 
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