Where to sell Drone Pictures?

[Meta4]

You already posted that

 

[sweetcraver]

As the last 3 posts show, there is some positive experience as well.

What I’m perhaps sensitive to is the general practice of creating truth out of what one has read on the internet. Experience counts for a lot. And, one experiment is worth a thousand internet opinions.

Everybody knows there is no money in stock anymore. That’s a suspect statement, because, actually, some people are making money in stock. A little more fact, a little less opinion.

Was there experience represented in posts 1 through 12? That wasn’t clear to me from comments that seemed to be: OP, you’re asking a bad question.

I’m not familiar with what success looks like on SmugMug, Society6, Redbubble, and Fine Art America. As far as I know those are user-generated content sites for artists to sell direct to consumer, not stock agencies, but again, I could be wrong, I’m not that familiar with them.

What I am most familiar with is buying and selling for advertising and marketing purposes with the agencies that cater to that very profitable market. Which agencies also serve editorial markets. As far as I know, that’s where business gets done, and is where the money is.

My own experience is in 35 years of professional photography, video, sound, and more recently emerging digital media technology like drones, 360 photo/video, VR, etc. I’ve transitioned to college teaching in these subjects, where it’s important that I stay up to date on employment trends so as to best advise students and help steer our curriculum towards their gainful employment.

My info from my experience, from practicing professionals, and from program graduates I speak with very much echos what @JimWest wrote above. The stock media markets aren’t what they used to be. Some people still make money in them. Yesterday’s stock agency isn’t today’s. Building significant income from this source takes time and takes skill. By its nature, it’s more of a side job that can work with some other filming / photo job that you have.

I would never advise a student to choose stock as a job or career. Getting to a family wage income is unlikely in the extreme. For those who are visiting places and doing things with drones (or still/video cameras) who learn the ropes of stock and create excellent imagery? It’s potentially good supplemental income.

What’s your experience been?

In my opinion:
Inspiration is a delicate thing. We should have a care about crushing it.

My own experience is from sixteen years on the outdoor art circuit in the Eastern half of the country. This was my second career after running another business. It’s not for everyone but my wife and I enjoyed it.
There are many other venues for selling your photos and it sounds like you’re no stranger to the hard work it takes to make it happen.

 

[SethB]

Looking for references on the best sites to sell drone pictures?

We’ve been over the river and through the woods in this thread!

There doesn’t seem to be a market for casual uploads to earn more than lunch money, if that. In other words, some good photos/video clips uploaded to the likely websites don’t do much. (Meta4, others)

There is a real market for those who create excellent imagery and learn the ropes of spotting opportunities to create something desirable but not already abundant for advertising, marketing, and editorial markets. This is a years-long practice area of spotting, shooting, uploading, keywording, and developing a large library that can lead to supplemental income. Shutterstock & Pond5 are leading sites - both come in for justified criticism. (JimClark, me)

There was a time before the democratization of access to these tools when stock photography could be lucrative. That time is long gone.

 

[New England Droning]

I have sold a lot on Fine Art America BUT... as fine art and traditional art sales from canon cameras. I got my drone last Nov and started learning the ropes and this May I got my part 107 cert. In June I started uploading my small inventory of what I believe are "sellable" drone images, mind you these are from a mini2. I have 29 images up so far in a gallery on FAA Jeff Folger Drone images of New England Wall Art
I don't know if any of these are sellable but I'm hoping the ones of the fall colors are. I'm personally waiting to buy a newer/bigger sensor drone to see if my current drone images sell at all... (so no sales no upgrade in my drone)
I have a friend who is all-in on his drone are and sells his Panos from his old phantom and his new air 2s... For me, the jury is still out but I'm having so much fun with the drone flying that I hope I get a few sales in order to justify buying the new drone...

 

[Mharz]

I think the best advice I've ever heard about selling stock is to do it as a side income source. Let me explain.

You book a job for a client and while you're there you see something interesting. Snap a few extra shots, light edit and upload. As others point out, this isn't a viable market anymore unless you have 10's of thousands of images and even then you're not going to make a sustainable income.

Essentially it's a side hustle for your side hustle.

 

[HOsiHO Drone Stock Images]

Sorry being so late on this thread, but well, never too late one says!
Well I have been in the stock image business since the 90’s so here’s my voice if it can be of any help.
Assuming you are very talented and you fly your drone legally, better forget making money with only photos. I really can’t see anyone nowadays making a living with still images, and this is sad of course. The only way to make a living from images is shooting Videos in 4k. This apply to Ground or Aerial imagery.
About where you can sell drone images, I have written a whole piece about this subject in this article: Image Bank Survival Guide

There’s also other links to many source that could be helpfull.
Of course, you are also welcome to join our niche aerial collection!
Wishing you a good reading, and feel free to ask questions!

 

[Robert Prior]

I have written a whole piece about this subject in this article: Image Bank Survival Guide

Excellent article. Thanks.

I pulled out of Getty when they were bought by a private venture firm and changed their cut from 15% to 90% of sales. (And also put images out at 10¢ each for perpetual license with no photographer control over price.)

 

[RoarRoar]

I set up at a local street festival. I bought a booth and ran off a bunch of prints from the local area. Nothing crazy just basic prints 5x7, 8x10, and 16x20. I priced everything modestly nothing more than 20 dollars. I sold every single print I had. The key was keeping it local.

 

[New England Droning]

I set up at a local street festival. I bought a booth and ran off a bunch of prints from the local area. Nothing crazy just basic prints 5x7, 8x10, and 16x20. I priced everything modestly nothing more than 20 dollars. I sold every single print I had. The key was keeping it local.

Did you cover your cost? The rental on the tent, $15/hour for your time and the print cost? Going cheap is not always the best policy. But if you covered it all AND paid yourself then you did good...
I used to do this as well at a local farmers market and somedays I sold well and others nothing... Yes Local sometimes sells really well

 

[New England Droning]

As the last 3 posts show, there is some positive experience as well.

What I’m perhaps sensitive to is the general practice of creating truth out of what one has read on the internet. Experience counts for a lot. And, one experiment is worth a thousand internet opinions.

Everybody knows there is no money in stock anymore. That’s a suspect statement, because, actually, some people are making money in stock. A little more fact, a little less opinion.

Was there experience represented in posts 1 through 12? That wasn’t clear to me from comments that seemed to be: OP, you’re asking a bad question.

I’m not familiar with what success looks like on SmugMug, Society6, Redbubble, and Fine Art America. As far as I know those are user-generated content sites for artists to sell direct to consumer, not stock agencies, but again, I could be wrong, I’m not that familiar with them.

What I am most familiar with is buying and selling for advertising and marketing purposes with the agencies that cater to that very profitable market. Which agencies also serve editorial markets. As far as I know, that’s where business gets done, and is where the money is.

My own experience is in 35 years of professional photography, video, sound, and more recently emerging digital media technology like drones, 360 photo/video, VR, etc. I’ve transitioned to college teaching in these subjects, where it’s important that I stay up to date on employment trends so as to best advise students and help steer our curriculum towards their gainful employment.

My info from my experience, from practicing professionals, and from program graduates I speak with very much echos what @JimWest wrote above. The stock media markets aren’t what they used to be. Some people still make money in them. Yesterday’s stock agency isn’t today’s. Building significant income from this source takes time and takes skill. By its nature, it’s more of a side job that can work with some other filming / photo job that you have.

I would never advise a student to choose stock as a job or career. Getting to a family wage income is unlikely in the extreme. For those who are visiting places and doing things with drones (or still/video cameras) who learn the ropes of stock and create excellent imagery? It’s potentially good supplemental income.

What’s your experience been?

In my opinion:
Inspiration is a delicate thing. We should have a care about crushing it.

Well Seth, I tried Red B and Society6 and they are not stock but mediums to sell your work, FAA is another way to sell prints but they also offer a half-assed stock sales. but unlike a true stock Co. they don't track you usage by the purchaser... I've sold a fair bit of regular images (prints and things) on FAA and the yearly buy in is cheap ($30) but as is noted all through here you have to do the marketing because no one is going to sell it for you...
I've only sold one drone image so far but hope for more...