Thoughts on Unsplash

[gracie]

What are your thoughts on posting your photos on sites like Unsplash for others to use/purchase use? If I understand it correctly, and if the system works correctly, you could get a small royalty when someone purchases use of your work.

I have friends who won't post there or only post pics they don't care much about so they aren't out anything if someone uses their work.

Unfortunately I also know of people who have used pics from the site and not given photo credit.

Just wanted to pick your brains and get your opinion.

Thanks!

 

[Jeff A]

I am not familiar with that site. I use Flickr because I take high resolution pictures and it's about the only place that does not downres your photos. I have a paid account there which allows me unlimited uploads without reducing them. I only wish I had your abilities.

 

[Brownie]

Not sure why you'd want to give your photos away. It's enough that anyone can download them from anywhere you post, putting them on a site that encourages free use just makes it worse.

1,000,000+ free images​

Explore the world's premier collection of high-quality pictures—submitted by our community of talented contributors and completely free to use for any purpose.

If you want to sell photos, then get them accepted at a stock photo site. They pay pennies every time someone uses your work, and the pay can escalate depending on if you grant exclusive rights to that site, have X number of photos uploaded, get X amounts of customers, etc. Still, it's tough to earn any kind of real money.

 

[MrFotoFool]

Never heard of Unsplash, but in my opinion all online stock sites these days rip off photographers. Don't' do it!

 

[gracie]

Never heard of Unsplash, but in my opinion all online stock sites these days rip off photographers. Don't' do it!

I was thinking the same thing. It's difficult enough seeing pics you know you took being used without your permission or at least a credit, but thought I'd ask.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Not one I've heard of. Picfair is about the fairest site I am aware of.

 

[Clix Pix]

I am a member of this forum, plus a couple of others which are photography-related and I share my images in these places. The rule on each, of course, is that other members are not free to simply download and help themselves to fellow members' images.

I also have galleries on Zenfolio, which I don't use as a selling mechanism, but merely a sharing mechanism with family and friends when I provide the links. Zenfolio, Smugmug and other similar sites offer hosting for photographers' images and in some case will also serve as a source for photographers to sell their work as well, but all of this is not free, there are fees for having the account and for selling one's images there.

Some people also share their images on Facebook and Instagram (both sites are owned by FB), but I am leery of that, as again it seems to be all too easy for someone to help him/herself to someone's images. Some members do put their images up in lower resolution or slap a watermark on there, but neither of these methods is foolproof.

The rule of thumb is: if you don't want someone to steal a cherished image, don't put it on the internet in the first place.