A while back I finished a contract and decided I would generate extra income by selling my photography on Alamy...
Stock is 'a numbers' game, is fiercely competitive, is undercut by good amateurs who only require to see their works in print, who pay to put images in quantity on Flickr and expect to make no money whatever...
To make any sort of income from Alamy you will need over 1,000 very good, different, technically top notch, well keyworded images taken on an above average digital SLR with pro-am (or better) lenses - if you cannot deliver this - don't bother - period.
Now, to add futher dismay, by 'different' I mean a subject that's not covered or is covered in a way that makes your shot worth someone finding it, noticing it, zooming to it and then buying it - Alamy as at August 2011 - 25M images for sale! Add to this that if you have a person in the image that is recognisable, even by silhouette, you need a model release to be signed - if you have a private building or a design protected public building in your photo you need the owner to sign a property release.
I told you it was easy.....!
If this just saved you a lot of time and expense, consider buying via a link from this site... thanks!
Newer update:
From 924 shots of Miscanthus available on top stock agency site Alamy, on 1 March 2011, The Guardian (UK National newspaper) chose mine!
Shots below from iPhone app and the Alamy site
So fame and fortune you may think...
National newspaper wide use etc. how much after commission?
£25!
Old update: Strange things happen - yesterday I had a look at my Alamy account and discovered that:
I had 62 photos on sale
I sold one at $227.71 on 20/2/09
I sold one at $76.58 on 2/4/09
Because the total sale value less 40% commission came to less than $250 I had no cheque and therefore didn't know I'd sold anything!