Behind My Alamy Sales – Dec 2025
RICKY GUI · 3 MINUTES READING TIME · 5 JAN 2026
Time really flies — another year has come to an end. Happy New Year to everyone reading this.
Looking back at 2025, I’m genuinely grateful for how my stock image sales performed, especially considering that the stock photography market has been in a state of heavy saturation for several years now — and realistically, this trend is likely to continue.
In 2025, 61 images were sold, compared to 82 images in 2024, representing a 25.6% year-on-year decline. While the numbers were lower, it’s worth noting that 2024 was an exceptional year rather than the norm. Approximately 20% of the 2024 sales appeared to come from a single bulk buyer, likely at a lower per-image value. In other words, higher volume did not necessarily translate into proportionally higher profit.
From that perspective, 2025 felt more organic and realistic. Each sale reflected genuine demand — someone intentionally choosing an image because it fit their editorial, commercial, or storytelling needs.
In today’s stock photography landscape, success is no longer about uploading in bulk and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding trends, writing strong captions and keywords, identifying niche subjects, and having the patience to let images find their audience. Algorithms change, buyer behavior evolves, and trends rise and fall — but consistent effort and thoughtful shooting still matter.
Above all, I’m thankful. Every download means the shot was useful to someone, somewhere — and in an oversupplied market, that validation is something I don’t take lightly.
Stock images sold
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting any images to sell in December, but four images were sold - and that came as a pleasant surprise.
The first was a Mario Kart–themed image. I’ve had successful sales from Mario-themed events in previous years, so when I learned that the pop-up event returned in 2025, I saw it as another opportunity to refresh my stock library with updated visuals. Interestingly, this image was sold within the same year it was taken, which doesn’t always happen in stock photography.
The second image was taken during Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in Singapore back in 2023. With fans flying into Singapore from all over Southeast Asia and China for her concerts, I wanted to capture a diverse mix of people from different ethnicities, reflecting the international appeal of the event. Seeing this image sell reaffirmed the value of documenting cultural pop music moments beyond just the main stage.
The final two images were shot at Bird Paradise, where I applied my architectural photography knowledge to showcase the outdoor design and spatial layout of the park. These two images, in fact, brought in a relatively strong sale value, which was especially encouraging and a great way to end the year.
Bear in mind that I may change the caption over time to suit the trend**
Mario kart racing game set-up pop up on physical display, tourists and visitors enjoy taking picture here. Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore.
7 March 2024. Indian fans and various diversity of people gather to sing Taylor Swift popular songs at Tay Tay The Eras Tour concert in Singapore.
Elevated view of beautiful walkway and within aviary compound at Bird Paradise. Singapore.
Tourists and locals tour within the aviary structure at Bird Paradise, Asia largest bird park. Singapore.
A quiet reminder about stock photography
December reminded me of something important: stock photography doesn’t always reward you immediately, but it does reward consistency, observation, and patience.
Some images sell quickly, others take years, and many never sell at all. Yet every photograph added to the library increases the chance of being discovered — sometimes at the most unexpected moment. Events return, trends resurface, and suddenly an image that once felt insignificant becomes relevant again.
What these sales reinforced for me is that context matters as much as content. Photographing events, architecture, or public spaces isn’t just about documenting what’s visually appealing — it’s about understanding how and where those images might be used in the future. Diversity, design, emotion, and timing all play a role in how buyers search and select visuals.
Stock photography is rarely about chasing instant results (unless you are in the news and sports industry). It’s about building a visual archive over time, trusting the process, and staying observant of the world around you. Sometimes, the quiet months teach you more than the busy ones — and that, to me, is just as valuable.
How can I buy/support your stock images?
On Alamy homepage key in the keywords for the type of images you are specifically looking for.
Search tip for my Singapore images.
Type - "SG" follow by keywords. SG represents Singapore.
Type - “Vertical” for portrait alignment follow by keywords.
Type - “Aerial” for high view shots follow by keywords.
