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Hi @blessingscaptured! 🙂 Just curious… I’ve been following your Lighstock account and I’ve noticed that you’ve been uploading a ton of photos (well done!! very inspiring!) I noticed that you it looks like you take pictures of a lot of random, everyday life things (as well as doing photo shoots of specific things) If you don’t mind, I was wondering how well these sorts of things sell? I always thought that things with a Christian message would sell best on Lightstock and that there was probably already a ton of random photos out there on stock sites, but maybe I was wrong? I don’t really have much experience. 🙂 Anyway, just curious as to what other stock photographers find sell best? @bennett-family @jamesstaddon I mainly have done photo shoots specifically for stock, but am thinking maybe incorporating every day life into stock photography is the way to go? As well as photo shoots when you have time (and the creative ideas! 🙂 ) off course! Interested to hear your thoughts!
Hi Caitlin! I’m glad you asked; it made me go back and evaluate. So here’s what I’ve found out.
My top selling shoot is “words on wood”. It’s also partly because I have so many of them.
Next up is “Graduation”, “Crayons”, “Counting”,then “KJV Bible verses”.
About half of the pictures I sell are “Christian themed” and half are “everyday”. Of course if a picture is really good(and especially if it gets on the new and noteworthy) it sells better.
What I normally do is do some specific shoots, but then go through the pictures that I randomly take in a month; and upload those to. Sometimes they sell and sometimes they don’t. When I do a shoot I try to take lot of variations, because both may sell. (For example I’ve sold this one and this one.
Lately I’ve also been taking pictures of food for Nature Friend ; so I upload those as well.
I hope that helps. I enjoy looking at the pictures you upload.
Oh, and I also have been trying to do more videos.
I started because my dad needed me to learn some videography, and stock was a good way to practice.
Selling a video you get four times as much (I’ve sold one so far). When I’m doing a photo shoot, I try to take both pictures and videos. It gives more options for people to buy. Also I have everything set up and it’s not that much harder.
I’m glad you brought this up, Caitlin! I had actually thought of asking this myself. I haven’t really sold a whole lot on Lightstock, and was also curious to hear what you and @blessingscaptured (and anyone else who sells on stock sites) have found to sell well.
This is very insightful, @blessingscaptured! Thanks for sharing. I enjoy seeing your photos as well – they are very creative!
Do you try to time your upload of photos ahead of upcoming seasons (like, uploading Christmas photos in October rather than December or January), or do you just upload them whenever you’ve shot them? I sometimes wonder if that makes a difference.
Since you mentioned shoots, I’m also curious to know if you or @creative-click-photography have had difficulty with creating shoots on Lightstock lately? I’ve been having problems with it, and am wondering if it’s just me or if others have had the same issues.
Do you try to time your upload of photos ahead of upcoming seasons (like, uploading Christmas photos in October rather than December or January), or do you just upload them whenever you’ve shot them?
People do start buying Christmas in October, etc; so it would be advantageous to have photos early, but for me it’s not always practical. Whenever I have the pictures I upload them.
I’m also curious to know if you or @creative-click-photography have had difficulty with creating shoots on Lightstock lately?
Yes, I have been having trouble for the past several months. I’ve contacted them and they’re trying to get it fix.
Fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing this, @blessingscaptured. I had gotten behind in taking the time to sort through pictures and upload them to Lightstock, but this conversation has re-inspired me! 🙂
@creative-click-photography, though my perspective a non-experiential when it comes to Lightstock, it seems to me photos taken on a shoot specifically for stock would sell better than just random photos from every-day shooting. I would make special efforts to conduct specific shoots for stock, and then, like @blessings-captured does, incorporate the every-day shots in between as you process them. Whatever the case, posting photos that are similar to what is trending as well as photos that are unique (like, of subjects/concepts that are not already on Lightstock) would be my approach for starters, and then I would keep track of statistics.
Thankyou so much, @blessingscaptured! Sounds like your experience has been pretty similar to mine. I’ve also found that actual stock shoots sell best. And scrabble/chalkboard words sell really well. I was pretty surprised as I hadn’t thought they’d be that much of a hit. (also really good when you’re lacking creative flair. 🙂 )
What I normally do is do some specific shoots, but then go through the pictures that I randomly take in a month; and upload those to.
Ok, that’s basically what I do, too. (But, I haven’t been taking as many random shots lately…😐)
I started because my dad needed me to learn some videography, and stock was a good way to practice.
That’s a great way to help out your Dad! I’ve never done much videography, but it’s sounds like it could be something good to branch out into. Do you just use your DSLR or do you have a video camera? What do you use to process your videos?
Really helpful – thankyou! 😀
Do you try to time your upload of photos ahead of upcoming seasons
I’ve often wondered if it makes a difference too. Last year I did specific shoots for Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. I uploaded them a bit prior to the actually days, but didn’t find that I sold that many. But then this year, I sold some of those shots around those times. So I thought that was interesting!
Since you mentioned shoots, I’m also curious to know if you or @creative-click-photography have had difficulty with creating shoots on Lightstock lately?
Haven’t been uploading much lately, but I just tried to create one and it didn’t work. Good to hear they’re trying to fix it!
Thanks, @jamesstaddon!
it seems to me photos taken on a shoot specifically for stock would sell better than just random photos from every-day shooting.
Yep, this is what I’ve found works best too, but was curious to hear what other people were experiencing. 🙂
I’ve also found that actual stock shoots sell best. And scrabble/chalkboard words sell really well. I was pretty surprised as I hadn’t thought they’d be that much of a hit. (also really good when you’re lacking creative flair. 🙂 )
I haven’t done many shoots specifically for stock, so I am definitely planning to do more of those, and see what happens!
Last year I did specific shoots for Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. I uploaded them a bit prior to the actually days, but didn’t find that I sold that many. But then this year, I sold some of those shots around those times.
Good to know!
For Videography I just use my DSLR.
A lot off times I turn of the sound in camera; if I don’t,I remove the sound in Window’s Movie Maker. Then I use Lightroom for Color correction,sniping,etc.
Thankyou for the tips! I didn’t realise that you could use Lightroom to process videos. Can’t wait to try it out. 🙂
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