The iPhone application Foap says $10. Actually…$5 after they take their cut. Here’s the rundown…
Foap is a micro stock photography app made exclusively for iPhone photography. You upload your photos for review using their app, and then when/if they’re approved they become available for purchase in their market for editorial or commercial use by third party companies. There’s no end to the number of times a single photo can be sold (at the fixed $10 rate), so there’s a lot of potential to earn money ($5 per sold photo) if your work is popular enough.
So what do you think? Sound like a good deal? Personally, I’m torn about whether or not I like this concept. Photographers get an incredibly easy way to put their photos on the market, buyers get super cheap images, and Foap gets to split the profits. So who wins in this scenario? Have any of you used this or other micro stock photography services with any success?
If this sounds intriguing to you, check out the Foap site for more information, or better yet, take the app for a test drive.
Initial thoughts:
A potential can of worms when it comes to model / property releases of images uploaded by people who don’t understand the implications.
Is it worth it? No. It’s RF and I know the argument will be “but it’s just and iPhone shot” a view that will just reduce images to being sold on file size instead of creative impact. As you say yourself, the best camera is the one you have in your hand. There’s no reason why I wouldn’t licence an iPhone shot as Rights Managed if the image had the impact the client wanted. And I’d want more than $5….
Ref your earlier commenter, quite what being based in Sweden has to do with copyright issues of images licenced globally is beyond me.
Just my 50% of $10… 😉
I wonder if it matters if you use dslr pics and upload them with your iphone…
No, I’ve been using Foap for a while and have been doing this regularly. The types of photos they say sell well (e.g. close ups) need a better camera than an iphone to take.
This is why I like following your blog. Thank you.
Oh, and they’re based in Sweden. This means vastly reduced copyright issues 😉
Sounds like a money making business concept to me. In my opinion it could take off if marketed correctly.
Ive been using Foap since last summer, mostly beach scenes ive already made $326.00 for 4 pics of different boats that were on the water. Believe me its LEGIT!! I continure using it. it pays via paypal which makes it simple. dont knock it till youve tried it. Just sayin.