Four months into the year, I feel like I should give a small update on how I’m progressing.
First Print on Demand Sales at Fine Art America
Almost exactly one year after signing up to Fine Art America, not only did I get my first sale, but after only a few days, another sale followed! I wrote about my struggles with Fine Art America here and here.
Here were the prints:
I’ve now finally broken even in my investment for a premium account at Fine Art America / Pixels. Here’s a link to my Fine Art America / Pixels portfolio.
My First Ever Footage Sale
Last night I casually checked my Pond5 account to see a surprisingly cool $19.17 credit, thanks to the sale of this New Years Copacabana video:
As mentioned in review of Daniele Carrer’s comprehensive footage course, footage is something I’m keen to get started on…combined with my photography. Just need to fix some issues I’m having with my tripod and I’m good to go!
To be honest, what I really want to get into are creating timelapses and hyperlapses…stay tuned!
Still pending sales at Arcangel Images
I’m slowing down my uploading at Arcangel Images. After 3 years and 585 images, I’m disappointed at the lack of sales of what are premium & exclusive Rights-Managed images. They’re a nice agency with competent marketing. Perhaps it’s my fault as I need more model-released fine art stuff. Anybody having any luck with them that they wish to share?
I’ll still throw at them some random rustic windows and doors backgrounds, but I’m through with them until I see some results.
They are now the only agency I’ve worked with which has not given me a return on investment (I mean even soon-to-be out of business Canstock for fuck’s sake has given me a little bit)
That’s it for this update – enough about Venice.
Time to tell some stories
I received some useful feedback on my portfolio from legendary photographer and educator, Laurin Rinder (you can see his portfolio here):
“Alex, You know I like your work…your Port is More Generic and shows all the Places one would go in a particular location which is fine. And your doing what your supposed to be doing, telling and showing stories and what I said to you at the beginning was you need to write More. The master Travel shooters were great writers. You should write Journals and diaries of Specific Places Instead of trying to teach Photo Know How, Tell the stories you shoot. guarantee your work will zoom forward.” – Laurin Rinder
I do take all advice as well as critiques I receive to heart and in this case, Laurin is spot on. From now one I’m going to try to tell more stories about my adventures using text, combined with images and footage.
Until next time from storyteller-Alex
Alexandre Rotenberg's Brutally Honest Guide to Stock Photography & Footage 
Leave a comment