Saturday 27 January 2024

Images used elsewhere

 I upload photos to shutterstock mainly these days, but in the past  lot were put on geograph and can be freely downloaded but they are supposed to add a credit to site and me.
So once in a while it's interesting to search for photo by Colin Grice

Here's a good recent one but I only got $0.20 for that one.
https://www.commercialriskonline.com/storm-babet-aline-to-cost-insurers-e509m-estimates-perils/

Whereas this one netted just short of $150 which is a bit more inspiring.
https://www.facilitatemagazine.com/content/news/2021/02/01/engie-allies-premier-inn-national-ev-charging-network

A lot seem to have been lifted from Geograph by bots and used in travelogue type guides.
In a way that is what that site was for - accurately located photos of places in the UK.
Since many were uploaded 20 years ago with less capable cameras and uploaded only at 640 pixels the quality is often rather disappointing though still adequate for small web page images.

Shutterstock is a bit of a joke really but if you have photos already and/or enjoy taking them no harm in trying a few. I average between $5 and $10 most months from there but sometimes you don't make even $1 then a few weeks later have 2 or 3 really good sales as what they pay depends on if they buy as one off or have a plan like 50 images monthly, also they can buy increased rights for more commercial uses e.g. the charger photo I suppose.

I make more from short video clips uploaded on BlackBox but that too is feast or famine with some clips now under $10 while others can make $100s but mine are typically £25 or so.
No way is there a sensible income to be made unless you invest a great deal of time and not insignificant money in cameras and computer gear to process the files.