Hi Andrew, Don't be too hard on yourself about that mistake. They're super super super super picky these days on taking on new contributors for the reasons they've/you've mentioned. If I had applied with my initial batch today I'm sure I wouldn't have got in and would never be writing this. I haven't looked at your shortlist but just from the small selection you've disclosed here I don't think they were strong enough anyway to be accepted even if not for the SS link. AC look at images at 100% and will reject for the tiniest of reasons (no detail on blacks / whites, focus, composition - including too busy textures, choice of colours, lack of relevant subject matter). I still get lots of rejections, average still about 70% or so which is fewer than my historical average. I'm happy to critique your next batch if you would like and promise to be brutally honest, as always! :D You don't have to deviate from your established niche and go for model-released stuff...just be more picky about your own selection. A trip to the Dutch beach should yield you, on an average day, lots and lots of interesting book covers, regardless of the lighting conditions. All the best Alex
Hi Alex, Thanks a lot for that great pep talk. I think I needed it 🙂. I'll be sure to take your advice and send you a selection to critique. I've been reading your blog with interest and am happy to see your success with the covers, especially from the drone perspective. Have fun in Portugal and thanks again!
@@andrewbalcombe1338 You're only seeing the tip of the iceberg! Soooo many rejections, but I'm enjoying the journey :D Only one sale so far this year but I feel like I'm consolidating for a huge 2024, let's see!
@@BrutallyHonestStockGuy you deserve some more sales that is for sure. You have to come to the dark north to get some gloomy and moody cover shots! Fingers crossed for a good August.
Hello Andrew! Thanks a lot for your video!👍I also had a negative experience with AC - just a waste of my time. There are probably those who have been more successful in this. I even forgot about them now.
Arcangel are very difficult, with AI creating lots of images now it’s even more difficult to get anything published possibly more trouble than it’s worth. Publish your book yourself, that’s what I did, it works well ATB.
Bummer about the rejection Andrew. Alex had some great advice in these comments and I encourage you to try again. Good see your Alamy earnings, Alamy is very random for me. The biggest disappointment is the video sales being so low on SS. That really bums me out.
Thanks Joel, Yes I'm taking his advice seriously. It will be quite the adventure working on my next batch of images 🙂. I've been lucky with Alamy but the video price slump is a worry.
I failed at Arcangel already twice, and then gave up. In July I made 130 dollars (with istock it will be probably around 150 or 160). Andrew, you used to be my stock guru few years back, and now my earnings are similar to yours, which I like very much! Also my port sizes are similar (bit smaller, especially less videos). Looking forward to the Alamy video.
Thanks for the updates Andrew. I never tried with Arcangel, some sites are just too big for their boots. Of all the novels printed in the world today, I'd be willing to bet that very few were from that site. You don't need them. Congrats on the Alamy sales, very nice. Alamy take 60% commission unless you're an exclusive contributor if I remember right. I made a few sales on there these past few months but nothing to write home about. I am curious why you get so few sales on SS, considering your portfolio, 47 seems quite low. Perhaps it's just the subject matter? I have some great performers on SS that don't do well at all on other sites, it's weird like that. Anyway, thanks again Andrew and cheers!
Hi Brett. Thanks for the info on Alamy rates. That's good to know. And also your kind words about the book cover situation. I think my sales on SS have slowed because my uploads have slowed. Hopefully this will change in the short term. All the best for now!
Thanks again for your video. I am so sorry to hear about your rejection by Archangel, and feel your pain. Hopefully, you'll be able to create a new portfolio soon. I did very well last month with Adobe and earned around $70, the best ever. I have a small portfolio of 400+ images. They are now taking very long in moderating the submissions, which is frustrating. RPD from videos has dropped across agencies. BTW, your videos are very inspiring. Keep up the good work my friend.
thanks for reaching out with your encouragement! Means a lot. It's good to hear that Adobe is performing well for you. Regarding video, yes, I see a substantial drop too. Thanks for the well wishes and the inspiration!
Sorry to hear about Arcangel, i am contributor. I find the post processing really important. You need to be really good in post preparing the image almost ready to sell for the book. Like this the designer just need to insert text
Thanks for the very helpful advice. One of my weaknesses is photoshop and post processing, so I'll be sure to brush up on the technical side. All the best!
Did your contact at Arcangel say anything about style requirements, particularly post processing? Even if I had a good book cover portfolio, I wouldn't know how they prefer the edit, the requirements/guidelines don't really match the contributions they showcase on the website...
We didn't get into those details, but they are pretty clear in the info on their website. I think at the application stage they're just looking to see if the images fit their basic requirements before they devote to many resources on fine-tuning them.
No I marked the photo info upload details on the Alamy site as not having a model release, and the pic as editorial. The emphasis of the photo was on the structure rather than the people. Each country in Europe has different rules for privacy though, so act on the side of caution when uploading pics containing humans.
Andrew - Sorry to hear about your Archangel rejection. I didn't put near the effort into it than you did - but have been rejected twice. I love the thought of one of my photos being on a book cover - but any book cover images will have to be sold through the stock agencies I'm already affiliated with. I'm not going to put any more time|energy into getting into Archangel - from what I can tell the effort isn't worth the payoff. I'll cross my fingers your written book gets accepted by a publisher. Please keep us informed. Thanks for sharing your stock photography highs and lows with us!
Oh I am so sorry about the book cover photo agency! You have all year trying to do that and you were very hopeful and exited about it! Such a shame! I hope you can find some way you can make it happen. Like I always say there's always another way you just have to find it. Me on the other hand I am having trouble with the people in my country, they are such backward and closed people. Every photo or video I take there's gotta be some idiot coming up to me demanding me to tell them what I am doing and why and also threaten me to leave or else! Even if I am right in the middle of a park or main road or smth! They think just because I am filming their property then they have the right! What do you do in these situations which for me is becoming with the frequency of every photo?
Thank you for the kind words. I'm reluctant to shoot people I don't know and private property.on certain occasions There are privacy laws here that make it problematic too. I'm lucky with the people though, as the Dutch are usually pretty good about it.
@@andrewbalcombe1338 From what I've read as international laws anything you see from public spaces can be photographed no? I don't photograph people as much either but if I don't photograph the city at least then what the heck am I going to photograph! I think in my country though, laws aren't as specific about things like photography but still this is crazy! I've been told to leave even for trying to take a photo of a decorative flower in a pot! And this other guy thought that I was photographing stuff so that I could steal them later! He didn't even want me to leave just was warning me the whole time and ruined my mood! No matter how much I tried to explain that these were artistic photos he kept saying beware there's cameras so if you take smth I m going to find you! God I wish I was a foreigner in my own country! I am actually considering of making a fake passport and speak a foreign language to everybody so that they leave me alone! Anyways I guess these are the difficulties of the trade right?! Thank you for the advice and I really hope things pick up for the better for you! Can't wait for your next video...
@@MysticalJessica It sounds like a big difference where you live. I don't have to many hastles like that in the Netherlands. I know smart phones attract a lot less attention, maybe an option?
@@andrewbalcombe1338 How lucky! Really... it's so nice to just go about not worrying that someone will just pop up from behind and ruin your shot, mood and concentration! I tried taking photos with a phone until last year but the sales were very limited and also I decided to go for a camera after an incident I had with a neighbor when I was trying to photograph a flower of his at night and he didn't recognize me nor did he see my phone in my hand and thought I was stealing his flowers so he charged at me screaming in full speed! I thought I was going to get punched! I started screaming my name back at him and also the word "photos" "I am taking photos" which stopped him from punching me but the next day I heard that he was convinced I was going to steal the flowers because he didn't see a camera in my hand! What a world huh?! I never took photography for such a dangerous profession! I m not going to give up though...
![[Part 1] ทารกน้อยถูกทิ้ง👶 หญิงชราเก็บขวดขายเลี้ยงดูเขาจนโต #โลกการละคร](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nPTDvFCExks/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Andrew,
Don't be too hard on yourself about that mistake. They're super super super super picky these days on taking on new contributors for the reasons they've/you've mentioned. If I had applied with my initial batch today I'm sure I wouldn't have got in and would never be writing this.
I haven't looked at your shortlist but just from the small selection you've disclosed here I don't think they were strong enough anyway to be accepted even if not for the SS link. AC look at images at 100% and will reject for the tiniest of reasons (no detail on blacks / whites, focus, composition - including too busy textures, choice of colours, lack of relevant subject matter). I still get lots of rejections, average still about 70% or so which is fewer than my historical average.
I'm happy to critique your next batch if you would like and promise to be brutally honest, as always! :D You don't have to deviate from your established niche and go for model-released stuff...just be more picky about your own selection. A trip to the Dutch beach should yield you, on an average day, lots and lots of interesting book covers, regardless of the lighting conditions.
All the best
Alex
Hi Alex, Thanks a lot for that great pep talk. I think I needed it 🙂. I'll be sure to take your advice and send you a selection to critique. I've been reading your blog with interest and am happy to see your success with the covers, especially from the drone perspective. Have fun in Portugal and thanks again!
@@andrewbalcombe1338 You're only seeing the tip of the iceberg! Soooo many rejections, but I'm enjoying the journey :D Only one sale so far this year but I feel like I'm consolidating for a huge 2024, let's see!
@@BrutallyHonestStockGuy you deserve some more sales that is for sure. You have to come to the dark north to get some gloomy and moody cover shots! Fingers crossed for a good August.
Thanks for the update, Mr. Balcombe!
Don't worry about the book photos - keep pushing forward!
Thank you. Good advice, I will 🙂
legend mate, love the videos every month dont give up!
Thanks matey. That's really kind. I'll keep pressing on!
Hello Andrew! Thanks a lot for your video!👍I also had a negative experience with AC - just a waste of my time. There are probably those who have been more successful in this. I even forgot about them now.
Thankyou Olga, very kind 🙂 I hope you had a good July!
@@andrewbalcombe1338 July was hopeless, but I didn`t work🚴😊
Arcangel are very difficult, with AI creating lots of images now it’s even more difficult to get anything published possibly more trouble than it’s worth. Publish your book yourself, that’s what I did, it works well ATB.
Bummer about the rejection Andrew. Alex had some great advice in these comments and I encourage you to try again. Good see your Alamy earnings, Alamy is very random for me. The biggest disappointment is the video sales being so low on SS. That really bums me out.
Thanks Joel, Yes I'm taking his advice seriously. It will be quite the adventure working on my next batch of images 🙂. I've been lucky with Alamy but the video price slump is a worry.
Hello, thank you for another great video...! please can you tell us, at which photo stock agency you have made most of your sales ...? thank you
That would be SS 🙂
Better luck next time, keep at it with the book covers!
Thanks Man!
I failed at Arcangel already twice, and then gave up. In July I made 130 dollars (with istock it will be probably around 150 or 160). Andrew, you used to be my stock guru few years back, and now my earnings are similar to yours, which I like very much! Also my port sizes are similar (bit smaller, especially less videos). Looking forward to the Alamy video.
Aha, the student has become the master 🙂. Well done on your success! hard work, talent and perseverence!
Thanks for the updates Andrew. I never tried with Arcangel, some sites are just too big for their boots. Of all the novels printed in the world today, I'd be willing to bet that very few were from that site. You don't need them.
Congrats on the Alamy sales, very nice. Alamy take 60% commission unless you're an exclusive contributor if I remember right. I made a few sales on there these past few months but nothing to write home about.
I am curious why you get so few sales on SS, considering your portfolio, 47 seems quite low. Perhaps it's just the subject matter? I have some great performers on SS that don't do well at all on other sites, it's weird like that. Anyway, thanks again Andrew and cheers!
Hi Brett. Thanks for the info on Alamy rates. That's good to know. And also your kind words about the book cover situation. I think my sales on SS have slowed because my uploads have slowed. Hopefully this will change in the short term. All the best for now!
Thanks again for your video. I am so sorry to hear about your rejection by Archangel, and feel your pain. Hopefully, you'll be able to create a new portfolio soon. I did very well last month with Adobe and earned around $70, the best ever. I have a small portfolio of 400+ images. They are now taking very long in moderating the submissions, which is frustrating. RPD from videos has dropped across agencies. BTW, your videos are very inspiring. Keep up the good work my friend.
thanks for reaching out with your encouragement! Means a lot. It's good to hear that Adobe is performing well for you. Regarding video, yes, I see a substantial drop too. Thanks for the well wishes and the inspiration!
Sorry to hear about Arcangel, i am contributor. I find the post processing really important. You need to be really good in post preparing the image almost ready to sell for the book. Like this the designer just need to insert text
Thanks for the very helpful advice. One of my weaknesses is photoshop and post processing, so I'll be sure to brush up on the technical side. All the best!
Did your contact at Arcangel say anything about style requirements, particularly post processing? Even if I had a good book cover portfolio, I wouldn't know how they prefer the edit, the requirements/guidelines don't really match the contributions they showcase on the website...
We didn't get into those details, but they are pretty clear in the info on their website. I think at the application stage they're just looking to see if the images fit their basic requirements before they devote to many resources on fine-tuning them.
Helllo
When you submitted to ALamay did you have model releases of the people in the boat in Amsterdam?
No I marked the photo info upload details on the Alamy site as not having a model release, and the pic as editorial. The emphasis of the photo was on the structure rather than the people. Each country in Europe has different rules for privacy though, so act on the side of caution when uploading pics containing humans.
the book cover photos can still go I you stock port, so not a complete waste!
That's true Kityy. Thanks!
That's a good point. I've had many Arcangel rejected images sell OK on micros
Andrew - Sorry to hear about your Archangel rejection. I didn't put near the effort into it than you did - but have been rejected twice. I love the thought of one of my photos being on a book cover - but any book cover images will have to be sold through the stock agencies I'm already affiliated with. I'm not going to put any more time|energy into getting into Archangel - from what I can tell the effort isn't worth the payoff. I'll cross my fingers your written book gets accepted by a publisher. Please keep us informed. Thanks for sharing your stock photography highs and lows with us!
Hi Cindy, thanks for letting me know about your experiences. I'll be sure to update on the coming developments.
Oh I am so sorry about the book cover photo agency! You have all year trying to do that and you were very hopeful and exited about it! Such a shame! I hope you can find some way you can make it happen. Like I always say there's always another way you just have to find it. Me on the other hand I am having trouble with the people in my country, they are such backward and closed people. Every photo or video I take there's gotta be some idiot coming up to me demanding me to tell them what I am doing and why and also threaten me to leave or else! Even if I am right in the middle of a park or main road or smth! They think just because I am filming their property then they have the right! What do you do in these situations which for me is becoming with the frequency of every photo?
Thank you for the kind words. I'm reluctant to shoot people I don't know and private property.on certain occasions There are privacy laws here that make it problematic too. I'm lucky with the people though, as the Dutch are usually pretty good about it.
@@andrewbalcombe1338 From what I've read as international laws anything you see from public spaces can be photographed no? I don't photograph people as much either but if I don't photograph the city at least then what the heck am I going to photograph! I think in my country though, laws aren't as specific about things like photography but still this is crazy! I've been told to leave even for trying to take a photo of a decorative flower in a pot! And this other guy thought that I was photographing stuff so that I could steal them later! He didn't even want me to leave just was warning me the whole time and ruined my mood! No matter how much I tried to explain that these were artistic photos he kept saying beware there's cameras so if you take smth I m going to find you! God I wish I was a foreigner in my own country! I am actually considering of making a fake passport and speak a foreign language to everybody so that they leave me alone! Anyways I guess these are the difficulties of the trade right?! Thank you for the advice and I really hope things pick up for the better for you! Can't wait for your next video...
@@MysticalJessica It sounds like a big difference where you live. I don't have to many hastles like that in the Netherlands. I know smart phones attract a lot less attention, maybe an option?
@@andrewbalcombe1338 How lucky! Really... it's so nice to just go about not worrying that someone will just pop up from behind and ruin your shot, mood and concentration! I tried taking photos with a phone until last year but the sales were very limited and also I decided to go for a camera after an incident I had with a neighbor when I was trying to photograph a flower of his at night and he didn't recognize me nor did he see my phone in my hand and thought I was stealing his flowers so he charged at me screaming in full speed! I thought I was going to get punched! I started screaming my name back at him and also the word "photos" "I am taking photos" which stopped him from punching me but the next day I heard that he was convinced I was going to steal the flowers because he didn't see a camera in my hand! What a world huh?! I never took photography for such a dangerous profession! I m not going to give up though...
@@andrewbalcombe1338 Oh Andrew sorry I forgot I wanted to tell you that that photo of the cabins in a row at the beach was really breathtaking!