Unsplash Is A Good Idea
Before you crucify me, hear me out. As a creative, it is a slap in the face when anyone, especially financially capable businesses want your work for free. It’s a cruel truth in this world, that there will always be people who want to take without reciprocity. I originally felt that Unsplash.com was in that group. So, what changed my mind?
A YouTube video. I started watching more youtubers that were also Unsplash contributors, and many people who felt like me about the royalty-free stock site. Both the ‘yays’ and the ‘nays’ had great points, however, the ‘yays’ had something extra, a growth model.
Yes, there was a method to the madness that in this year, made giving away your images a viable financial plan. With the site pushing ‘community’, people were able and encouraged to link other social media and webpages to their Unsplash page to drive more eyes to the site, that meant more eyes on contributor's work. This allowed for connections to be initiated, and contributors to find work. This is a ‘sharing community’ version of Instagram. I mean really, how many photos have you posted to the ‘Gram, with the intent and hope that it would be seen, admired, and sought after? The difference is that you are agreeing to let your images to be used on an endless list of publications all over the world. That does seem unfair, as some photographers feel that this means they are taking paid work from photographers and artist, but really, you're not.
Stock agencies pretty much ended the longstanding reciprocity of continuous paid work for photographers. It also opened the door for photographers who had no chance to ‘break into’ the field, regardless of their skill to be seen. And what did they do? They used this new disruptive practice to build their own personal brand, in order to get paid work. That is what the contributors on Unsplash are doing now. Stock agencies aren't going anywhere, and buyers will keep using them. Even if you went through a ‘traditional’ stock agency, the royalties are so low in some cases, and the competition so vast, you really wonder if it is worth it. Unsplash, may not pay royalties, but it can get your work out in front of people and create a record of your work that may provide more value for you.
With Unsplash contributors reporting getting work from brands who saw their work and went to their site page for contact information. Unsplash has taken it further with creating a “Hire” button for those who are available. This is the pay off, and why Unsplash is a good idea.
With Instagram no longer a “Photography platform” photographers have to look elsewhere to display their work. Stock agencies are so full, that major sites like Shutterstock are cutting the already low royalty payments. In a field where you have to market yourself, why not market your skills on a site that gets millions of views? Build your page and make sure your information is available and your best work is waiting to be displayed…on a personal webpage.
It is sad that the value of photography is so low, at least until a buyer needs a specific image, but that is the system we are in. What should and what is, are two very different things. It’s normal to want to rage against it, but that won’t help you. It’s time to get practical and create a strategy. For me it’s to keep a separate file of my work that is to be used only for Unsplash. Good images to show and advertise my skills on the site and send those interested to my contact info and my other platforms. Essentially what I and many planned for Instagram, before the site started focusing on video content. And that is how I see it: Usage = a share, Viral = a contact that can lead to sale, there is even a way to let admirers get good quality prints of photos they like via a link to a good print-on-demand site. This is a great marketing tool, especially for film photographers as Unsplash actually has a dedicated section for images shot on analog and instant film. There is money to be made with this site.
So, there you have it, why Unsplash is actually a good idea.
