You really can't see how licensing a photograph rather than selling it outright makes sense? Many business owners here are selling the right to use their photographs for a specific purpose and for a specific length of time. It's simple to license photos based on use. Some images are licensed for a one time use in a local newspaper for $25.00 while others are licensed to use in million dollar ad campaigns for $10,000.00.
Many other businesses operate in this manner. Blockbuster rents me a video for my personal use for $4 a night. To "buy" the video (for unlimited personal use) is $15. If I want to publicly show the video and collect ticket fees for the viewing I'd have to pay a lot more.
Not all clients and photos benefit from licensing.
My RV clients for example need all a plethora of usages for a very short term,, usually a year. At the end of the year a new model is produced, new photos get shot and the old ones are toast. Heck here are many times a model will only last 6 months.
My client will not need additional rights, and I have no outlet for additional sales for the lions share of these images.
So we just do the pricing all up front. They get the rights they need, ( I don't release copyright) I get a check and I also get to shoot the images again in a few short months.
Years ago I tried to play the licensing model years back, only to lose every job to the competition...and really the licensing model really did not work in this industry.
So instead we make good money upfront.
Now my target market is difference than many, and what works for me may not work for others. The problem here, I think is the broad brush approach. Clearly for guys like Yelhsa, licensing works and works well. For others, not so much.