There was a time when stock photographers lived on a very profitable set of royalty numbers that very nicely supplemented their normal commercial photographic activities. Those days are long gone, largely due to the perceived value of a stock image and the price depreciation that the stock giants have rapidly imposed as a baseline normal.

So how can any of us justify submitting images for resale via a stock library? From my perspective, there are a number of ways to stay away from the mass market and to retain high-value image sales. Here at Domeble, we are a rights managed agency, selling a high value, high quality and specialised image product at a fair price that reflects the commercial use of those assets, retaining a USP.

As a photographer or 360° HDRI creator, the key is without a doubt that you must submit your imagery in a specialised collection that doesn’t let your imagery get lost in the masses. That in itself isn’t the answer to a sustainable revenue stream from royalties. The submitted content will only create revenue for you if you actually submit content that people want to license. So to just submit a bunch of leftover images from a shoot, or a set of quick-fire shots you captured just because you have a chance to offer them via a recognised stock shop window is not the answer. The content that will bring you returns via royalties, will only do so if the content is of the same thought and quality that you would supply to a client on a commissioned shoot.

As a photographer, you must approach the stock process in the same way you would a client commission, and if you do this, then the imagery will reflect your focus and creative output that in turn will be attractive to license to a potential client as rights managed license sale. The next mistake that is often made by photographers submitting content is the belief that submitting a few bits of content here and there will produce a waterfall of cash.

The reality is that a collection like Domeble or any good stock agency needs fresh and continual imagery. This means as a photographer or image creator, you must submit your content on a regular ongoing basis. This has many benefits, primarily that your fresh content is showcased by the stock agency, and clients love new fresh content. They get bored searching through the same images over and over again. It’s also a game of numbers, the more images you have in a collection, the more of your images will sell, and your royalty statements will look much more attractive as a result.

There is still good royalties to be had in the stock game, but you need to stay on top of it with regular submissions, high-quality creative content and you must approach the whole process in the same way you approach a commissioned shoot from a client. My personal view on this is, that we are in an evolving marketplace as photographers, and there isn’t the commission flow there used to be, and as photographers, we have a lot of time available that would previously have been expended on shooting.

So it’s quite simple from where I stand, don’t let your kit gather dust, and get yourself out shooting speculatively. Not only will you feel better as a creator, but it will also give you the chance to supplement your income with stock royalties.

Written by Carl Lyttle- Founder @Domeble

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