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| I went out and got some new shots, what lenses do I need?? |
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/03/2008, 10:49:15 AM by Noonie |
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What I have to put up with!!!!!!
If you marry a rich woman, like my husband did, you can eat tarts and money at the same time!!!
Just a joke--I WAS rich until I built a house on the property I inherited. Now, I take pictures for money.
Thanks for all the info on the camera and lenses. If I ever make good progress I may take back what I said about the D200 being all the camera I need. That's what I said to justify buying it in the first place.
Hatman--get out more! If your "equipment" is your only friend you're working too hard.
Dan--try truffles! |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Danp68
191 posts
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Message posted at 03/03/2008, 23:45:19 PM by Danp68 |
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FYI - DanP68 made the front page of DT yesterday. Pretty cool editorial football image. It'll probably be gone by the time you check, but hey I got 2 quick DL's out of it. Nice honor. |
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Canon EOS 5-D and 1-D MarkIIn
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm ...
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Uploaded files: 576 | Total Sales: 588
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/04/2008, 06:57:36 AM by Noonie |
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Saw it, great shot!! I need your autograph-------------- |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Hatman12
185 posts
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Message edited at 03/05/2008, 03:37:19 AM by Hatman12 |
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Let's talk about tarts.......
Dan, if you want to sell pictures of tarts, you've got to do thorough research. Which ones sell best? Apple tarts? Apricot Tarts? Isolated tarts? A search here at Dreamstime brings up about 2,400 tart images, some of which aren't tarts at all, and some of which are pies.
Your five or six tart pictures are going to get lost amongst all those delicious tarts.
I've spent six months building my collection of tickets. I have the largest individual collection of tickets available from any photographer anywhere. Each one has been meticulously processed and many have isolation and a clipping path. When people want a ticket, they know where to come....
If you want to build a collection of tarts, you've got to approach it as a year long project and aim to 'get noticed'. That means slices of tart, whole tart, tart with custard, tart with cream, tarte tatin, tarts wearing black lace lingerie (ooops, sorry I got distracted). As I keep saying, every agency has two or three million images and its now more difficult to be noticed; the solution is to have more and better than anyone else.
But first of all you have to be sure that people actually want to buy your subject. Noonie has found this out with her wooden decks and antique photos - find a subject the buyers want, then swamp the world with the best, the most variety, the most individual, the most creative. Give them what they want, not necessarily what you like or what you THINK they want.
I recall our conversation about books and magazines. Compare the top sales of those subjects with other subjects (hint). |
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Uploaded files: -4 | Total Sales: 1285
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/05/2008, 13:04:15 PM by Noonie |
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I'll just bet that a lot of men spent a lot of time looking for the tarts in the black lace lingerie!! Next time give them a link. |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Ilbcnu
70 posts
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Message posted at 03/05/2008, 19:55:27 PM by Ilbcnu |
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Fairly new to dreamstime but want to thank you for your fun exchange on this thread. I find that advice from the back and forth on this post interesting and informative not to mention the occasional good laugh-thank you hatman for the new look at tickets, dan for insight into goal setting and sports photography and noonie for keeping the two going and allowing us to watch you learn and build. |
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Canon Rebel XT, Canon 28-135mmIS lens, Canon 55mm lens, Cano...
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Uploaded files: 130 | Total Sales: 85
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/06/2008, 07:06:31 AM by Noonie |
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OOPS--we've been caught!! Hey, Amanda, want to help me keep these characters straight??
I'm kinda excited-I had my first really fast sale! Posted one day and sold the next. Please feel free to leave me any feedback and as Hatman has found out, you don't need to be gentle. Of course, I may choose not to heed the advice--but that's not my only personality flaw--------
Noonie |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Danp68
191 posts
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Message edited at 03/07/2008, 03:38:24 AM by Danp68 |
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Hat -
I see what you are saying, and I defer to your experience. One thing I don't want to do is submit all of them at once, as that tends to get reviewers annoyed. Plus spending some time between shots will give me better ideas for how to shoot them the next time around.
But I'll let you in on one secret. Tarts are not my end goal. Actually my focus the last 30-45 days in terms of food has been strawberries. Strawberries, like flower and business shots, have a huge amount of competition. But they also tend to sell a lot too.
Tarts are just part of the whole strawberry plan. Next week you might see a strawberry pie, or an isolated strawberry, or a milk shake. Who knows. I am well aware of how deep the strawberry selection is on DT and elsewhere, which is why I am building it in various scenarios and topics.
I agree with you regarding books and magazines - I think the "stock chart" and financial newspaper is just as fertile a ground. I'm building those too. |
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Canon EOS 5-D and 1-D MarkIIn
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm ...
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Uploaded files: 576 | Total Sales: 588
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Danp68
191 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 03:41:02 AM by Danp68 |
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Amanda,
Wow. You are off to a great start. I doubt you are a newbie to photography. Those sand dunes are nice - good exposures. Love the blank billboard - stuff like that tends to do pretty well in stock. In fact I have one on my "to do list."
Beautiful, classy pregnancy images too.
That's enough from me. I'm hungry for tarts again anyhow. |
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Canon EOS 5-D and 1-D MarkIIn
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm ...
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Uploaded files: 576 | Total Sales: 588
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 06:52:07 AM by Noonie |
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Dan--
Just for you, I added some truffles. Would have taken more shots, but I got a little sick to my stomach after the box was empty. And, NO I couldn't shoot and eat at the same time!
I wonder if chocolate sells? |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Danp68
191 posts
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Message edited at 03/07/2008, 07:33:51 AM by Danp68 |
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Heh, good for you Noonie. Yes, chocolate sells. Think colors. Be an artist and put together something which is visually interesting in the viewfinder. The colors can come from anywhere - a rose, a brightly colored plate, maybe even some props in the background thrown out of focus by your depth of field setting. Make it pop, and make it stand out from all of the other chocolate shots you are competing against.
I sound like I've done this before. Well, I've tried to do this before. Sometimes it works, most times I fall short of my vision. But I'm getting better at it.
Do a web search for "Michael Ray" - excellent food photographer. Take a look at his portfolio for visually interesting things you can do.
I think all things sell, provided you do them right. Remember the bottom line, besides shooting things you enjoy shooting, is overall sales. Whether you get those sales by flooding a very popular category, or dominating a small niche, is really up to you.
Think of it this way. Let's say you identify a huge concept which generates about 1000 sales per day. You own 1/1000 of the images in that category. On average, you will make a sale per day. On the other hand let's say you find a category which only generates 10 sales per day, but has few competitors. You own 2/10 of the images in that category. On average, you'll make 2 sales per day.
A rather simplified example, yes. And image quality plays a huge role too. The way I see it is, if I love to shoot flowers, then I need to shoot a ton of them, and I need to shoot them much better than the average contributor. Start keeping detailed statistics, maybe even a journal. For instance if you take 10 pictures of flowers, and you get 2 total sales over a few months, evaluate the reasons why. Is it because you need more flower shots to get sales, or is it because your images were lacking? Why did you get the 2 sales you got? Were those images your best, was it keywording, was it luck?
You might find that the numbers start to become predictable. "If I upload 10 decent pictures of apples, I will average an extra 1 sale per month in my portfolio." So if you want to add 3 sales next month, you need 30 apple shots, or at least 10 apples and 20 other things which sell about the same for you. |
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Canon EOS 5-D and 1-D MarkIIn
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm ...
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Uploaded files: 576 | Total Sales: 588
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 17:19:52 PM by Noonie |
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Hey- Cool-
Today I have 29992
Tried to get #300 on but they didn't get to it. Maybe I can get the 100th(+) sale next week if it goes anything like this week did.
I almost feel special.
I may think more chocolate, but first I have to make a trip back up to NC to the place that makes it. DARN |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Hatman12
185 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 17:29:36 PM by Hatman12 |
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If I were you Amanda I'd steer clear of this thread - it's becoming the hot bed of sex of Dreamstime's contributor forums. Dan is getting all gooey over tarts, and Noonie is telling us 'not to treat her gently....' Okay, I admit that I once mentioned Milla Jovovitch and on another occasion I might have accidentally mentioned tarts with lace lingerie, but I'm beginning to think I'm the only 'normal' person here....
Avoid, unless you want your life changed or you already get a small thrill from tarts and truffles...... |
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Uploaded files: -4 | Total Sales: 1285
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 18:48:31 PM by Noonie |
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LOL>LOL>LOL>LOL>LOL>
NORMAL????????
On that note, I shall abandon my work and retire to the upstairs boudoir in haste, so that I might have some sweet dreams---------if I can quit laughing!
Try to get some work done today but don't overwork your "equipment"! |
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Ilbcnu
70 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 18:59:24 PM by Ilbcnu |
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Not much into tarts or truffles....however I always say change is good! |
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Canon Rebel XT, Canon 28-135mmIS lens, Canon 55mm lens, Cano...
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Uploaded files: 130 | Total Sales: 85
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Hatman12
185 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 19:08:22 PM by Hatman12 |
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Interesting analysis Dan. But sadly its completely incorrect. The reason is that you are thinking logically and sensibly, and that is often a very dangerous thing to do (particularly when it comes to wimmin, but that's a whole new subject).
What you need to do is to revise your analysis using logarithmic scales and parabolic curves.
Imagine for a moment that you own an apple store and I own a supermarket. A customer comes to you to buy apples. But when they buy apples from me they happen also to buy a few pears, some toilet disinfectant and a bar of chocolate.
Also, a customer might visit my supermarket to buy some dishwasher powder, then see my apples and buy those as well.
Also, all of those buyers who each week want a complete bag full of shopping will never visit your store but do their weekly shopping at mine.
You can have as many apples in your store as you like, perhaps twenty different varieties and the best quality in the world, and that might tempt the occasional customer to buy two bags instead of one, and to come back for repeat business. But the bulk of your sales will be lost to the supermarkets.
For these reasons as a photographer's portfolio grows bigger and gets more diversified, the sales grow not just in proportion but in a parabolic curve fashion. A portfolio of 100 pictures might sell two in a month, but double that portfolio and it will sell five. Triple it and it will sell eight, and so on.
There will always be exceptions to a rule, but broadly speaking sales 'take off' once a portfolio reaches a certain size. I don't know what that size is, and it might vary by each photographer.
If you work these calculations backwards you'll find that a collection of 100 flower pictures might sell ten in a month, but that a small collection of only ten pictures will more than likely sell zero (because they fall at the base of the parabolic curve). |
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Uploaded files: -4 | Total Sales: 1285
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Noonie
372 posts
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Message posted at 03/07/2008, 20:23:51 PM by Noonie |
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COULDN'T SLEEP
But now that Hatman has spouted off and tried to show his IQ to everyone, that may help!
I'm not a bag lady, however I am trying to fill it with an assortment. Sometimes my brain goes into overdrive and I do too much different stuff at one time. But I know that it will take a break at some point and then I can try to focus.
Amanda, are you following all this gibberish? Change is good. Just be glad that you know what you are doing already and feel pity on us lowly learners.
Thanks-
Now I will go read up on pararithmic curves or something and that should do it.
PS- I do understand what you are talking about, Hatman, and it makes sense to me. Scary thought, huh?
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Nikon D200, Olympus C5060
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Uploaded files: 847 | Total Sales: 557
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Hatman12
185 posts
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Message edited at 03/08/2008, 01:56:16 AM by Hatman12 |
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Well I'm afraid I don't have a big one (IQ, that is)....
And the rest of me is pretty well normal too.
In fact I'm just a plain ol' Joe tryin' to struggle through each and every day just like anyone else.
Be warned Amanda - stay away for your own good otherwise you'll deteriorate just like Noonie has, and you'll retire to your boudoir to toss and turn with sleepless nights.
Tomorrow I start my beer project. Glasses of beer, mugs of beer, lager beer, brown ale, bottles of beer, empty bottles of beer, German beer, Czech beer; it's taken me a month to find all the right shaped bottles and glasses but now I think I'm ready for this interesting project. I aim to have the largest collection of beer images anywhere. Yes, it'll take at least six months on and off, perhaps longer.
Gotta think of new ideas to stop this upstart Noonie catching up with my sales...... |
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Uploaded files: -4 | Total Sales: 1285
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Danp68
191 posts
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Message posted at 03/08/2008, 04:07:22 AM by Danp68 |
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I don't know Hat, that doesn't make much sense to me. I can buy it from the standpoint of a customer liking one of your photos, and then browsing your portfolio. The law of large numbers helps you there. But for that to work, I think your shots have to be pretty darn good. I think you need to do more than meet the customer's need. You need to wow them to get them to go through your port.
Unless of course, port size plays a role in search. But I doubt it does. There are some very small ports online with an amazing amount of downloads. |
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Canon EOS 5-D and 1-D MarkIIn
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm ...
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Uploaded files: 576 | Total Sales: 588
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Ilbcnu
70 posts
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Message posted at 03/08/2008, 08:41:25 AM by Ilbcnu |
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Well, I have been warned now twice. However now that hatman is bringing in the beer I may have to stay and see what happens.
I think I have to agree with the "supermarket" principal. I think it makes one a more rounded photographer and if you have an assortment of good quality plus a few extra departments specializing in certain items than interesting enough and scary-I agree with hatman that portfolio would give you a larger base of clientele. I see in my day job that alot of people truly lean toward the "one stop shopping" That is why supermarkets here are also becoming banks, outdoor stores, furniture and just about everything else!!
Anyway bring on the beer..(Actually interested in how you tackle lighting and reflections on some of those bottles) |
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Canon Rebel XT, Canon 28-135mmIS lens, Canon 55mm lens, Cano...
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Uploaded files: 130 | Total Sales: 85
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