Macro earnings/images online - DPChallenge Forums

01/11/2007 10:57:03 PM · #1

I know this is typically a question that people try to avoid answering, but I'm gonna throw it out there anyways. I just applied to some of the macros, as I'm trying to step up from microstock.. and was wondering what I had to look forward to.

How much do you all earn with the macro sites (Alamy, PhotographersDirect, myLoupe) on an average basis, and with how many photos in the gallery?

To delve even deeper, how does this compare with what you were seeing on microstock, IF you had previously been a microstock contributer?

PhantomEWO

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/11/2007 11:25:34 PM · #2

Well ... Well...
You've just opened a real can of worms that keeps getting opened every few months. I've tried them all, I do NOT submit to the $1 stocks anymore. My last Alamy sale (two in the week prior to Christmas) was for $356 dollars for a single pic that was to be used as an icon on a web site. So a half inch square photo gets $356 bucks. So if this was the micro it would have taken over 1400 downloads at 25 cents each to equal the one sale. Figure it yourself. If you like lots of DL's then micro, fewer but bigger pay macro. It is just as difficult or even more so to get approved at the micro sites as with Alamy. Just have fun, you will have arguments on both sides.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/12/2007 05:40:29 AM · #3

saying what one sale returned you doesn't really tell you anything.

I have had numerous large sales at alamy as well but that doesn't mean i am making big money on there in relation to the number of images i have.

If i say i made the best champagne in the world last year and am selling it for $200/bottle and i made 100 bottles of it. Does that mean i am going to profit more that coke will, just because they are selling their product for $1.00

I think a more accurate question is how many $/image we are earning or in terms of my example $/product.

my experience has been (from the micros, alamy, and myloupe) that alamy gives about the same return as a micro site does.

The advantage of micros is there are 5 different sites to sell on, so you will make 5x as much as on alamy. If there was 5 different macro agencies to upload to (that were possible to get into), it would probably be similar earnings potential.

I haven't got any sales on myloupe.

Message edited by author 2007-01-12 05:47:05.

ganders

Canon EOS-40D

01/12/2007 06:03:43 AM · #4

Have to agree with leaf there; individual sales are meaningless - you've asked the right question, it's all about $/image.

I haven't found micro quite as strong as leaf (probably because of the crap I put up there!) but my micro earnings (across the half-dozen I use) yield roughly the same $/image as Alamy does.

01/12/2007 07:11:07 AM · #5

thanks for your thoughts ganders.

I think like you said, it really depends on what types of images you upload where. Within the micros i know that people have drastically differnet results within the different sites. It is not too surprising that someone would find alamy more profitable that others.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

01/12/2007 11:40:57 AM · #6

Thanks for the reply PhantomEWO, this is the kind of info I've been looking for.

To give the kind of info I'm looking for, here's my average on micro:
I have 940 images up on Shutterstock. Of the 940 available, 280 have had one or more downloads. Grand total of DL's is about 600.
I have 55 images on Dreamstime, 18 of which have amassed 38 downloads.

I cover mostly editorial content, which would be great to release as RM, considering the events I find myself in.

From personal experience of those who made the switch to macro from micro, what were you seeing before the switch.. compared to what you saw after. How many sales do you average, more or less payout than micros (not per pic, but actual takehome), and how many images do you have on the site that have (and have not) sold.

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

01/12/2007 11:54:11 AM · #7

Originally posted by rabi9634:

Seems like micro is not the right thing for you. For comparison:
I am at shutterstock now for exactly 2 weeks and I have meager 21 (!) images there which produced so far more than 120 downloads. 20 images have been downloaded at least twice (the topseller has 20 dls) - remember: within two weeks!

Message edited by author 2007-01-12 11:54:57.

01/12/2007 12:51:58 PM · #8

Originally posted by rabi9634:

From personal experience of those who made the switch to macro from micro, what were you seeing before the switch..

I think you'll find most people haven't switched just diversafied and now do both macro and micro. The best would be to send good selling alamy images to alamy and good selling micro image to the micros.

what is an alamy image or a micro image....

trial and error.

PhantomEWO

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/12/2007 02:18:57 PM · #9

Originally posted by leaf:

saying what one sale returned you doesn't really tell you anything.

I haven't got any sales on myloupe.

I got three at Myloupe last year

PhantomEWO

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/12/2007 02:25:09 PM · #10

My guess is if I put all my Alamy and Myloupe photos on Shutterstock I might make more cash and faster. I just love the idea of selling and getting several hundred dollars for a pic. Everytime I get discouraged with Alamy / Myloupe and ready to jump back to $1 stocks I sell a couple and get motivated again. With sites like Shutterstock they have a client base that DL's a set amount each month. This makes them DL photos they don't need but might later. Alamy / Myloupe they have a specific need. I'm hoping that with a few thousand at Alamy / Myloupe eventually I can stop and still collect the benefits. Could do the same with Shutterstock. My final guess ... a couple thousand in either Micro or Macro will give about the same unless you really have top notch stock photos in the Macro. Best of luck

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

01/12/2007 03:01:40 PM · #11

At Shutterstock, I have 1441 downloads on 36 pictures.

My latest "upload" to my gallery was in June 2005.

All of them were taken with my sony 707, and I have done *nothing* with any stock photography since 6/05. (I got my rebel in January 06).

I simply can't decide if I want to fool with either of them.

01/12/2007 03:12:16 PM · #12

Karmat, that's the big reason I'm looking at macro instead of micro. The majority of my shots are very specific, and most wind up as editorial.. which by nature don't do as well at microstock. I'm going to cover the NAIAS in Detroit next week, and those certainly don't belong on micro (although I'll bet they'd be accepted). I'm sure they'd be much better on macro.

I applied to Alamy. Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Out of curiosity, what sort of images have sold for everyone through Alamy/myLoupe/PhotographersDirect??

01/12/2007 04:54:19 PM · #13

everything sells at alamy.

mind you, if you find a whole in their 5,000,000+ images, you might get some good sales :)

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/12/2007 06:33:35 PM · #14

Now that's very nice to hear. I did some searching for some of the bigger events I've covered in the past, and was rather shocked that nobody had submitted any. A perfect example was the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships. Those only occurs every 4 years, so I would have guessed more photographers would have covered it. Even just the local stuff was rather slim. Not a whole lot for my area.

Hopefully Alamy doesn't reject my initial QC submission.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

01/12/2007 06:55:56 PM · #15

I've also been curious how well editorial does on Alamy. I keep thinking their lengthy approval time would make many images much less valuable.