Over the years I have been with many picture libraries, and in fact I used to make all my money by shooting with them in mind. I would get a good sized check each month with a statement telling me where and who had bought use of the image (magazines, commercial companies, private individuals and so on). Then along came the internet and suddenly all the images that flooded on to the ‘market’ literally cut away the bulk of stock photographers earnings. Many amateurs and enthusiasts simply didn’t understand that you need to charge for use of an image, and it was enough to have a picture published… Nowadays, stock photography is a poor comparison to the ‘good old days’. Never mind, I still contribute to some agencies, most of all to GapPhotos, who represent all my garden and plant photography (and very well they do too!).. If you are specialist and good at your subject, there are still fees to be made. Here’s a pic I am just sending them, part of a set I did for Country Living magazine a couple of years ago.
Garden at Beesands in Devon, for Country Living Magazine.