Mamma Maya

Archive for the ‘Photography Resources’ Category

Anyone with the ability to use a camera correctly has the potential to sell their images. Picture agencies handle images of every subject and are always looking for emerging talent.

Pictures libraries and stock agencies are in the business of selling images. The don’t give you advice on how to take better images. Their purpose is business – they sell images to magazines, book publishers, the travel industry and many other industries that use images.

Many photographers look upon agencies as a last resort to sell their work; if you have been unable to sell any of your images, the chances are that most agencies won’t accept them.

If you are interested in an agency selling your images, you must be able to produce high quality images which are suited to the agencies market. Check out their website to view samples that are currently in use.
If you feel your work meets their standards and suits their customers – then approach them by e-mail or by standard mail.

But, before placing your work at an agency make a short-list of the agencies that seem to suit your work. Contact each agency outlining your work and which magazines have already published your images. If an agency is then interested they will ask you to send them samples.

If an agency accepts your work, don’t take this as a guarantee that your images will sell.

Don’t approach an agency until you have a large collection of images. Minimum first submissions can consist of anything from 50 images to 500 and regular submissions are normally required thereafter. Most agencies work on a commission basis – 50 % being the standard rate. If an image sells for two hundred euro – the photographer receives a one hundred euro fee.

When an agency takes on a photographer’s work, they normally require a four or five year retention period. Agencies normally sell the reproduction rights of a pictures – the image being licensed to a buyer for a specified purpose.

It may take as long as six months before an agency sells a picture belonging to you. First they need to scan your images if they are submitted by film; then they need to contact their clients and let them know that there is new material available – all of this takes time, so you must look at supplying a picture agency as a long term investment. It is only when you have several hundred images placed in a library that you’ll start to see regular sales.

Remember: agencies can’t sell images if there isn’t a market for them and placing images at an agency does not guarantee you sales.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. If you are looking for some photo tips visit the photography directory he frequently writes for: http://www.goldprints.com To view some of his images visit his on line gallery @ http://www.goldenirishlight.com

Digital Photo Diary – memories that last a life time

The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.

A digital photo diary keeps some of the big and little memories of our life. With it, you can look back on these pictures, and appreciate the richness of our past.

Let’s look at a easy and effective way to keep a digital photo diary:

Get a easy to carry, point-and-click digital camera

The key is to have a cameras when you want to capture the moment. Portability is more important than image quality. Also, remember to set the date & time on your cameras.

choose a site for store your digital photos online

MyPhotoAlbum.com seems to be a good choice at this moment:

MyPhotoAlbum.com let you choose your own look for your digital photo albums from its professionally designed styles. It also allows free and unlimited storage space.

Over here, you can personalize your online photo album using easy to remember, Internet address such as “http://yourname.myphotoalbum.com”

Take a few pictures every day

Make it a habit to take at least 1 picture every day. Take a picture of your son’s drawings, or even the tree outside your house. It does not have to have professinoal quality, just something to show what your day was like. While it might seem boring, you would be pleasantly surprise thatwhen you relook at these pictures later.

Upload your picture to your online album regularly – says, once a week.

Remeber to add a few words to describe the photo. Do keep it easy and simple. Do not write an essay for each photo.

See you digital diary grow

Over time, you’ll see your digital diary grow and become quite interesting.

Archive your digital diary

I always recommend that you burn your diary to CDs or DVDs. I usually burn it to at least 2 CDs or DVDs: Just to ensure that my memories will be safe for many years to come.

Other ways to share your digital diary

If you have a personal web site, you may post your digital diary on it. Making a hardcover photobook is also a great way to share it with others.

Digital photography should be fun! At digital-photos-fun.com, you’ll find tips and guides on how to further enrich your photography experience.