Ayup! When I share over-excited posts about Unsplash stats, a recurring question frequently pops up: How much did you get paid? Of course, they already know the answer. More often than not, it’s absolutely nothing. For two reasons, they’re somewhat missing the point.
- The photo would only have sat on my hard drive for the rest of its sheltered life. Almost inevitably, never to be seen again.
- Any photographers who want to earn an income from Unsplash can do just that. Paid briefs are available monthly via Unsplash+.
I value and enjoy my work, yet I’m not overly precious about it. Let’s get real here. If I didn’t upload an image to the free Unsplash library, it still wouldn’t earn anything. Therefore, you could argue, why not give it away? I’d much rather folks get some use out of it.
Overly Precious
Lots of amateur photographers build a lifetime of images that are shared once, then forgotten about. At a push, when fresh photos are in short supply, they’ll be summoned for a second outing. Then that’s it.
This is a very personal opinion, and I’ll most likely be in the minority when I say: What a waste. You were proud enough to share your image online; now it’s sat collecting dust. Sad times.
There are two extremes to this scenario. Overly precious and not overly precious. Which camp are you in? Neither is right or wrong, but it’s interesting to compare different mindsets. You rarely see a photographer sitting somewhere in the middle.
Added Purpose
For me, contributing to Unsplash gives my photography that little bit of extra purpose. Motivation to head out when I might otherwise not have. Enthusiasm to visit new locations and gorgeous architecture or botanical gardens. An incentive, if you will, to do what I’m doing.
It’s not for everyone. I get that. Personally, though, seeing your stats go wild following a homepage feature is all the encouragement I need. Yes, it’s shallow and self-indulgent, but as far as mini dopamine hits go, it certainly beats any social media platform.