Several months ago, I had done some work on creating a site to showcase my work, which was based on an off-the-shelf stock agency software package. I did this to offer buyers an additional way to search my stock content, and to get some valuable SEO that might head over to my image distributor (at the time). I also thought building it on an platform like that would be good, because I could easily turn it into a selling platform if worse came to worse (surprise, surprise!). It’s always good to have a plan “B”. Recently, though, with my new situation, I decided the development work was taking up too much of my time. Now, I have “outsourced” the behind-the-scenes work of selling my content to Photoshelter.
When the news of my leaving my previous distributor hit, I got a ton of email from various businesses all offering to help me find new ways to distribute my content. One of them was from Photoshelter, a company that allows you to host, market and sell your photographic work, while staying mostly out of the way, concentrating on the back end and software. This gives me an new outlet to market my photos from, with a minimum of risk, and maximum control. I’m happy to say that I have more than a thousand images up at Photoshelter now, with more on the way every day.
As a buyer, I think you’ll appreciate the simplicity of the interface. It’s clean, quick and uncluttered. The search works, and the buying process is easy. Here’s a few of my more popular series that you’ll find there.
For the largest selection of my non-exclusive stock work, please head over to my site at Photoshelter and spend some time looking around. If you don’t find what you need, use my contact form to get in touch. Thanks!
I went to this new site. I attempted to search for “people, couples, seniors, elderly” and said to use any 1 word and the results came back that there were nothing that fit the search.
Since I know that you have many great people pictures and I believe I have seen the other categories in your work as well, I assume there is a problem with the site search.
Try searching “people couple mature” . That should return something 🙂
[…] Now Licensing on Photoshelter […]
Good to see a successful *stock* photographer giving Photoshelter a go, so I headed over… Clicked an image, clicked to download, got the login box, clicked to signup, then saw link to Photoshelter Terms and Conditions… Photoshelter? Surely S Locke? Didn’t like that, clicked, liked the said terms even less. Not buyer friendly, as there are two parties to consider, not just one, on the seller side.
This was unexpected because I thought Photoshelter would be more “in the background”, only for the photographer to deal with, with no visibility to the buyer.
So I wonder now if you’re getting sales there? Are buyers not bothered, perhaps they don’t really read the terms? And lastly, is Photodeck any different, have you explored them?
Anyhow, keep up the excellent work.
I’m not sure which terms you’re referring to. The PS site terms? http://www.photoshelter.com/support/terms Nothing I can do about that. They are hosting the “site”, so they are in charge of that, but I don’t see anything devious in there. The licensing terms are mine though and there’s nothing groundbreaking there.
Yes, those are the terms. I see now what’s at play, the buyer must first sign up with PS, whereas my expectation was that the signup would be with the photographer directly. If you develop some clout with them, maybe you could lobby them on that as it is important. The buyer should sign up with you, never mind who’s doing the hosting.
Sean, I was just doing a Google search of my name and came across one of my best selling iStock photos, apparently for sale, on a page that says it is powered by Photoshelter. The next on the list was this post where you had been talking about Photoshelter.
I do not know anything about this company and have never uploaded or or agreed to do business with them. I also have never recieved any payment from them.
Here is the link to the page I found: http://goodfruit.photoshelter.com/image/I0000tN2XRMihi_4
If you know anything about this I would really appreciate it if you could reply to let me know.
Thank you,
Cathy