Not only am I a Newbie to Dreamstime, but also to the micro-stock world. I have worked in the portrait photography industry for many years. I really thought about the question "Why would I want to work in the micro-stock industry?" I dove in on December 31, 2007. Here is my reason.
The photography industry has changed a lot since digital photography was introduced years ago. It was met with resistance by many in my field, with the thought that there would still be a great demand for film and the professional portrait photographer. After all, how could digital photography ever match the beauty of a print processed from film? Well, guess what. To the surprise of many, digital imaging has far surpassed and continues to improve over the quality of film photography in many ways.
We found that because of the new technology, more and more people got into photography. Not only new professionals, but amateurs as well. Family members were able to produce high quality images for their personal use and enjoyment. The competition was fierce. The era of premier pricing had passed for most. Only those that could SEE the subject in a more creative way (no matter what the tool was) AND adapt to change by coming up with an innovative marketing plan would survive.
One relatively new and creative way to market quality images in the digital age is through royalty free stock photography.
Of course, I still work as a portrait photographer, because I am able to be a bit more artistic when creating for a specific portrait client. Many of the images that I create would not be appropriate as stock photography. But the two industries seem to overlap quite a bit. My portrait clientele has stayed pretty much the same, but with a decrease in frequency, which means a decrease in income. Through Dreamstime, I will be able to market my stored images so that my files will continue to produce revenue for me. This is an ideal situation.
RF STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. I want to be part of the change. Come join me!
