Saturday 27 January 2024

Images used elsewhere

 I upload photos to shutterstock mainly these days, but in the past  lot were put on geograph and can be freely downloaded but they are supposed to add a credit to site and me.
So once in a while it's interesting to search for photo by Colin Grice

Here's a good recent one but I only got $0.20 for that one.
https://www.commercialriskonline.com/storm-babet-aline-to-cost-insurers-e509m-estimates-perils/

Whereas this one netted just short of $150 which is a bit more inspiring.
https://www.facilitatemagazine.com/content/news/2021/02/01/engie-allies-premier-inn-national-ev-charging-network

A lot seem to have been lifted from Geograph by bots and used in travelogue type guides.
In a way that is what that site was for - accurately located photos of places in the UK.
Since many were uploaded 20 years ago with less capable cameras and uploaded only at 640 pixels the quality is often rather disappointing though still adequate for small web page images.

Shutterstock is a bit of a joke really but if you have photos already and/or enjoy taking them no harm in trying a few. I average between $5 and $10 most months from there but sometimes you don't make even $1 then a few weeks later have 2 or 3 really good sales as what they pay depends on if they buy as one off or have a plan like 50 images monthly, also they can buy increased rights for more commercial uses e.g. the charger photo I suppose.

I make more from short video clips uploaded on BlackBox but that too is feast or famine with some clips now under $10 while others can make $100s but mine are typically £25 or so.
No way is there a sensible income to be made unless you invest a great deal of time and not insignificant money in cameras and computer gear to process the files.



Monday 22 August 2022

Vero and instagram

 This seems to be taking off again after dying a death when first launched a few years ago now.
https://vero.co/moorsphotos

I'm also adding stuff to instagram intermittently - I don't know why really - it seems like hard work for a very low res image or video clip. Well they both do really ...
I do find it is a way to gauge what is popular to some extent.
https://www.instagram.com/moorsphotos/

Monday 30 May 2022

Fryup Explore

 A couple of weeks ago I met with James Hines for a couple of hours at one of the more rocky and remote parts of Fryup.
It was nice to meet someone so overflowing with enthusiasm and he is having some commercial success with his photos and video recently being featured on TV

It was interesting how we took noticeably different photos despite being more or less together.



Pushing @MoorsPhotos

 The past few weeks I started a more serious youtube and instagram channel called MoorsPhotos which to some extent will take over from previous themed (youtube) channels for drone video, biking video, farm videos and #4 for general bits and pieces.
The others won't be shut down but will perhaps be even more focused.
Youtube is on www.moorsphotos.westerdale.info for now and you can access the Instagram from there.
I really don't like Instagram however it seems curiously popular....


Thursday 27 January 2022

Sandsend Seaside

 Late in the summer I had a brief photo expedition to Sandsend, despite it being quite busy I got  a few striking shots, this my favourite.


 

Gentians last summer

 A significant colony of Gentians was 'discovered' on the North York Moors last summer.
They had been thought extinct locally since the last ones were recorded on moorland near Hartoft which has been densely planted with conifers in the 1950s

This second colony was hiding in plain sight in a not particularly remote location.
They only flower briefly and only open during the day when it is fine.
Plus they nestle among heather so easily missed unless you almost stand on them.



Sunday 27 June 2021

Noctilucent clouds

 These are a somewhat infrequent feature seen around longest day as sun is never far below horizon, and is still illuminating ice clouds in the high atmosphere.
It's possible some charged particle effect is involved too, they are not well understood.