RailRoadFan.com

I was wondering if anyone here sold their photos and if so where?

I've had offers from friends to buy some of my work, but I won't let them pay.

It's a hobby, and I share it with people.

Trains magazine turned down some of my pictures, but that is no big deal.

Istockphoto.com but you have to be really really good, I've got an account but I have not tried to submit anything yet. There are a few shots of non-rr material that I have that I may try but we shall see

I have looked at Istockphoto but they seem to have too many restrictions.

My pictures aren't of the selling caliber

Mike Tabone wrote:Istockphoto.com but you have to be really really good, I've got an account but I have not tried to submit anything yet. There are a few shots of non-rr material that I have that I may try but we shall see

Shooting for the stock sites (big and small) is tough. VERY tough. Stock photography isn't what it used to be due to the amount of micro-stock sites that have popped up. You really have to offer something different to get your work accepted.

Years ago a good stock photographer could bring in upwards of $500 for usage of an image, not so much now.

If you want to sell your railroad images then get yourself an account with smugmug (or something like it) and sell direct.

Thats the way I was thinking of going but didn't know if there was a service that someone here had used and could recommend.

I use Collages.net for my events, here's a list of a bunch and there's more than this out there....

Online Proofing/Sales Options

Thanks, right now I am looking at photoreflect because thats what one of the other local photographers uses and is happy with it.

I sell many of my fine railway photographs in sizes up to 24x36", framed and matted. If interested, contact Jodi at SRI, or PM me directly.

I've had photos published in railroad magazines, CTC Board, Railfan & Railroad, Railpace, Railroads Illustrated, and Trains and also in school textbooks.

railohio wrote:I've had photos published in railroad magazines, CTC Board, Railfan & Railroad, Railpace, Railroads Illustrated, and Trains and also in school textbooks.

Do you have any samples of your photos? I'd like to see your work.

I sold a picture to a couple who lived in a house along the tracks when I used to hang out at 12 mile road in Green Oak all the time.

The key to getting published or just selling photos is to be different. Durand photos are a dime a dozen. How many of you have gone up to Cadillac or Petoskey, though, to shoot? How many shoot more than three-quarter wedges of every train? If you haven't already, find the "100 Greatest Railroad Photos" special issue from Trains magazine. That's easiest way for the majority of you to see the kind of photography I'm talking about.

It also seems to be rather common knowledge that the much-maligned Railpictures.net will accept "sub-par" photos if they are historically significant. The same idea, that rarer material is easier to sell, holds true with print media as well. As an example, I spent a day in northwest Indiana a few years ago. Instead of going to Wellsboro, Porter, or Pine Junction with all the other railfans I spent my time on the South Shore. In the end it netted me a news story in Trains magazine and that ended up paying for my expenses that day. Hey, if nothing else, crappy shots of something rare taken now will have a better chance of being accepted to Railpictures in the future if something better hasn't come along!

railohio wrote: It also seems to be rather common knowledge that the much-maligned Railpictures.net....

Much-maligned? How so? Quite strong words you used there.

So did I imagine all the threads on various forums complaining about the site? From rejected and jaded photographers to people who don't like pop-ups and talking banner ads there are a lot of people out there that, deserved or not, hold a grudge against Railpictures. The fact that members here call it "Railpicky" even shows a level of contempt for the site.

railohio wrote:So did I imagine all the threads on various forums complaining about the site? From rejected and jaded photographers to people who don't like pop-ups and talking banner ads there are a lot of people out there that, deserved or not, hold a grudge against Railpictures. The fact that members here call it "Railpicky" even shows a level of contempt for the site.

The last time I checked, no one was being forced to submit their images there only to be told they weren't good enough to meet their standards. That's a photographer's CHOICE. And if your images don't fall in the the standards that THEY have set for THEIR site, then post your pictures elsewhere. It's really that simple.

Gee, what would this world be like if we weren't faced with challenges and tried to improve the quality of our work?

In the 2+ years I've been a member of the RP forums, I've seen quite a few "newbie" photographers (including myself) make leeps and bounds in the quality of their railroad photography. Like many who got initial rejections, I came in swinging at RP with the bad attitude, but once I stepped back and saw how weak my images were compared to those in their database and how much room I had to improve, I approached it from a different attitude. I'm very self-competitive, and to be told my images weren't up to par didn't push me away, it only made me want to work harder to increase the quality and creativity. A few of those photographers I've seen improve are even members on this forum, and I can look at their work today and compare it with a few years ago and see a MAJOR difference. Yet, RP is a bad thing to people like you who can't see it for what it's worth. And I highly doubt rrarchives has had the same effect on the improvement of one's photography like RP has.

It's not surprising that a website that pushes people to work harder to improve would draw negativity from those who are unwilling to progress.

And for what it's worth, there is a member of this forum who I've heard use the "railpicky" term several times over the last year or two, and guess what...he continues to submit his images there and the quality of his photography has INCREASED immensely. Gee, I wonder why?

Why are you lecturing me? I never said I had any complaints about RP.net, only that many others did. We actually agree on the issues you bring up.

railohio wrote:Why are you lecturing me? I never said I had any complaints about RP.net, only that many others did. We actually agree on the issues you bring up.

Sorry, I thought you were presenting that from your perspective.

J T wrote:

railohio wrote:Why are you lecturing me? I never said I had any complaints about RP.net, only that many others did. We actually agree on the issues you bring up.

Sorry, I thought you were presenting that from your perspective.

wow, this section is becoming just as interesting as the P/R/E threads. for this one i'll just kick back and relax with this one