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 05/25/2005 03:22:38 PM · #101
alright - i've got 35 photos on shutterstock and 15 on dreamstime ... seems like dreamstime is more picky .. cause some images that they didnt approve - shutterstock did.
but then again ... no money earned on dreamstime ... and 1.60 on shutterstock

and i'm still waiting on istockphoto to get accepted

going to upload more tonite :)

Message edited by author 2005-05-25 15:23:26.
 05/25/2005 04:11:30 PM · #102
Originally posted by PhotosByAyme:
alright - i've got 35 photos on shutterstock and 15 on dreamstime ... seems like dreamstime is more picky .. cause some images that they didnt approve - shutterstock did.
but then again ... no money earned on dreamstime ... and 1.60 on shutterstock

and i'm still waiting on istockphoto to get accepted

going to upload more tonite :)


that is a great start! Keep Going!
 05/25/2005 04:20:49 PM · #103
Originally posted by melking23:


that is a great start! Keep Going!


THANKS :)
 06/03/2005 07:29:07 AM · #104
This seems to be the neverending thread!:D

any way, I have had 36 images on shutterstock for about 48 hours
and so far I have made $3.19. I know I'm not going to get rich off of
this but it can be a few extra dollars on the side to help pay for
equipment. So from that perspective, I'm pretty excited about this!

Message edited by author 2005-06-03 08:08:45.
 06/03/2005 08:58:47 AM · #105
What is the link to your Images?
 06/03/2005 09:43:42 AM · #106
Originally posted by melking23:
What is the link to your Images?

//www.shutterstock.com/gallery.mhtml?id=8811
 06/03/2005 09:52:34 AM · #107
Dave, you have some very nice images and should make a bit of cash but in all honesty and without trying to stir up old debates, your images are worth far more then what you will get for them at shutterstock.Please take that as a compliment and not as a put down :)
 06/03/2005 10:01:02 AM · #108
Originally posted by keegbow:
Dave, you have some very nice images and should make a bit of cash but in all honesty and without trying to stir up old debates, your images are worth far more then what you will get for them at shutterstock.Please take that as a compliment and not as a put down :)


I do take that as a compliment! Thank you!
My biggest problem is marketing. I really don't know how to break into
the market with these types of images. I have only sold 1 image by
word of mouth and that was 5x7. I have donated a couple to be auctioned
for charity. But that is about it. Ofcourse, I think my work is more valuable that what I am making at shutterstock, but I'm not making any
money anywhere else, so, something is better than nothing! That's how
I justify it.
 06/03/2005 10:18:00 AM · #109
i have had my shutterstock images up 2 weeks now ... up to 59 images :)
and im up about $7 :)
its neat to see the stats ... those are just about as addictive as the update button :)
 06/03/2005 10:53:18 AM · #110
Since Joined all these stock sites, I have sold more of my work at other places....it gets your name out there I guess.....I have one Image going in Children's Book with My name in the book and I have a image being used as a road sign and I am getting paid for it


06/03/2005 11:31:04 AM · #111
my goal by the end of june will to have 100 images on shutter stock ... and 50 on dreamstime ... i'm getting there :)
 06/03/2005 12:05:09 PM · #112
Originally posted by keegbow:
Dave, you have some very nice images and should make a bit of cash but in all honesty and without trying to stir up old debates, your images are worth far more then what you will get for them at shutterstock.Please take that as a compliment and not as a put down :)


Do people come up to you at fast food restaurants and say ... 'you know, your body is far more worthy than that greasy burger - you should put it down and go eat a carrot!'?

Everyone has opinions and they are certainly entitled to them. Similarly everyone has the option to do what they want (within legal restrictions of course). If he or anyone else doing microstock was able to market their images for hundreds or thousands they would be it doing it. Some people do both. Some people may not be interested in doing so.

The whole 'I dont want to start up a debate BUT...' just gets tiresome. If you dont agree with micropayment stock sites then dont open up a thread about a micropayment stock site. Then you dont have to be so offended or worried about someone not getting what you think they are worth.

Grrrrr

06/03/2005 12:11:09 PM · #113
Originally posted by thatcloudthere:
If you think you take good photos...collect good money for them.


Unless you are contracted with a stock agency directly, and get paid well for it. Using Stock Photo sites, should not be anything you'd sell for more than $0.20. I don't put anything I'd sell in my gallery on a stock site. And the shots I have on the stock sites are sitting on my HDD. Instead of the trash bin in a few months, why not make something, even if a little off it it. I've been with Shutterstock for a few months. But only the past month have I tried putting anything on there. I have $12 after 1 1/2 months of downloading with 15 referrers. Only like 25 images on there too.

No need to knock free money. Especially when some people don't have that much to begin with (like me).
 06/03/2005 12:22:40 PM · #114
Free Money. Hmmm. So at at a normal work week of 40 hours (and $12 in 1.5 months), that would be 5 cents an hour. And your time is worth that? IE: Taking the picture, ediing, uploading, keywording, etc. 5 cents an hour...what a deal. (C:
 06/03/2005 12:33:49 PM · #115
Originally posted by moodville:
Then you dont have to be so offended or worried about someone not getting what you think they are worth.

Grrrrr


I'm glad that somebody cared enough to tell me that some of my photos might be worth more. I have changed my mind because of it and I will try and help others to see this as well.

Even if my motive isn't completely altruistic (after all, a healthier market benefits me as well) I see it as a way of educating other photographers on the worth of their craft.
 06/03/2005 12:43:03 PM · #116
I think I am going to wait and once I buy the 20D work on Alamy
 06/03/2005 01:23:56 PM · #117
Originally posted by thatcloudthere:
Originally posted by moodville:
Then you dont have to be so offended or worried about someone not getting what you think they are worth.

Grrrrr


I'm glad that somebody cared enough to tell me that some of my photos might be worth more. I have changed my mind because of it and I will try and help others to see this as well.


All you need to do is look in the forums and see people praising images that are quite boring and not sellable images to see that some people are just really nice and will say everything someone does is great. Note that isnt directed at your you or your images or anyone else specifically but as a generic statement.

Originally posted by thatcloudthere:
Even if my motive isn't completely altruistic (after all, a healthier market benefits me as well) I see it as a way of educating other photographers on the worth of their craft.


Most people who get involved with micropayment sites are aware of these debates. Hell, we have enough of them on this site, and yes this is unfortunately becoming one too. Telling someone what they need to think and do is not educating - at least not in my little world.

All I would like is to have a thread for those people who are interested in micropayment stock sites to be able to have a thread with information or news without having anti-micropayment people bashing the sites and telling people what to do with their photographic career.

You may believe your images are above micropayment then great for you. Keep your images for when you can sell them for hundreds. Hold out for the bigger buck and yet not make any money if that is what makes you sleep better at night, but dont then expect everyone else to do the same.

Yes, some people dont like those micropayment stock sites, fine, go play in your own thread.

Message edited by author 2005-06-03 13:33:29.
 06/03/2005 01:36:43 PM · #118
OOh I hadn't seen this thread.

I am making about $100 / month on
Shutterstock
IstockPhoto
Dreamstime

I Only started at Dreamstime recently.

My comment on the matter is that I have a family and a busy job where I work at least 50 hours a week.
In the evenings I often enjoy doing a bit of photography after the kids are in bed rather than watch television. I don't have the time to invest in marketing myself or my photos, and don't want to have to use my weekends as I try to save these for time with my family. Therefore I use Stock as an alternative to make a bit of extra cash on the side. I try to constantly add a little to increase my portfolio, and it is still fun, so I am still doing it.

Peter.
 06/03/2005 01:43:25 PM · #119
For those that are interested in signing up for ShutterStock. You may want to know that they currently have 2 cobranded sites (with 15 total coming soon) that will offer you 20% of $6.95 minimum/$29.95 maximum(depends on size)at one site, and $8.95 minimum/$19.95 maximum (depends on size) at the newest site.

Uploading to ShutterStock will mean you are automatically uploaded to these other sites.

Marketing #'s are really good to get your stocks out there especially if you don't have a high pixel or dslr to submit to the higher out of the gate sites.

My ShutterStock gallery all taken with 2 different, 3 megapixel cameras:)

Message edited by author 2005-06-03 14:15:47.
 06/03/2005 02:37:07 PM · #120
Originally posted by moodville:
You may believe your images are above micropayment then great for you. Keep your images for when you can sell them for hundreds. Hold out for the bigger buck and yet not make any money if that is what makes you sleep better at night, but dont then expect everyone else to do the same.

Yes, some people dont like those micropayment stock sites, fine, go play in your own thread.


Talk nice, moody.

The original poster said "how much can you realistily make doing stock photos ? not 0.10 but 1000$
is anyone here making 'real' money ?

Please explain to me how this is your thread...or at least why I need to "go play in my own thread".

06/08/2005 06:57:54 AM · #121
One of my Photos in on Dreamstime this week is FREE IMAGE of the week, so you can go and download it for free.

Click here and See FREE IMAGE of the week

Melissa
 06/08/2005 07:20:29 AM · #122
Mel
Is that someone you know or did you book some models for a shoot?
 06/08/2005 07:22:22 AM · #123
Originally posted by Kavey:
Mel
Is that someone you know or did you book some models for a shoot?


That is my Dad!...hehe
 06/08/2005 07:24:26 AM · #124
Originally posted by dacrazyrn:
Free Money. Hmmm. So at at a normal work week of 40 hours (and $12 in 1.5 months), that would be 5 cents an hour. And your time is worth that? IE: Taking the picture, ediing, uploading, keywording, etc. 5 cents an hour...what a deal. (C:

Your maths is faulty, unless that during that 1.5 months it was a full time job taking and prepping those few images.

I ran through the maths (in another thread, I think) and came to the conclusion that if I can turn an average of $5.00 in the lifetime of an image on one of those sites then I'm actually doing quite well. That's not an unreasonable or unattainable target, as these sites are operating on a mass market basis.
 06/08/2005 07:30:04 AM · #125
Originally posted by dacrazyrn:
Free Money. Hmmm. So at at a normal work week of 40 hours (and $12 in 1.5 months), that would be 5 cents an hour. And your time is worth that? IE: Taking the picture, ediing, uploading, keywording, etc. 5 cents an hour...what a deal. (C:


Here's my (long) post from another thread, posted on the 29th May:

Originally posted by muckpond:
the POINT of this thread was that you can do better.

Doesn't that depend on what the goal is?

If the goal is to make money then it's clearly not wise to rule out these kinds of sites. I don't know if you followed the Alamy thread but both Melissa King and Jodie Coston posted their earnings from stock split down by the site from which they came and... the dollar/ image earnings per year seemed to match up VERY well with the long-time industry standard guidelines of how much one could expect to make averaged out by the number of images one had up... and those guidelines date back to before the rise of this kind of stock site. I certainly wouldn't dismiss this earning potential.

If the goal is to make money from images that would not be accepted (because of insufficient resolution, even after GF) by traditional agencies then it's not a case of "could do better" but of recognising the limitations of one's equipment and doing the best one can with what one has.

If the goal is to maximise potential earnings by targeting different markets then selling some images (for higher prices but in less volume) via traditional stock agencies AND some images (for lower prices but in higher volumes) via agencies such as we're discussing here is simply good business sense.

If the goal is to grow a reputation and a name for oneself as an artist and a unique creative talent then, absolutely, this isn't the path to take, but I doubt any of those happily selling images at Shutterstock, Dreamtime, Istock and all the others would claim otherwise for a moment.

Knowing the time I had invested in my very favourite images I too was very wary of this concept of sell 'em cheap and often. However, when I started thinking about it in more detail I realised that it doesn't have to be an either-or situation.

My plan is:-

-to retain control of my "hero images" (to borrow a phrase from Bruce Fraser) in the hope that I can develop a market for mounted, signed prints sold directly or via galleries. These will clearly be sold under my name.

-to reserve the best of the rest for traditional stock agencies (under rights managed licences). As my name will be clearly associated with these, I'll do my best to be a critical self-editor and submit only those I truly feel are good enough – technically good on focus, exposure, composition and content and with a bit of appeal, in my opinion.

-to submit those images that are good but not as good as the previous list to the sell-'em-cheap agencies and be grateful for any pennies they earn since those pennies may be few and far between but they'll still be that many pennies closer to a new lens/ accessory/ trip to somewhere cool. These images will be credited to a generic name, probably my company name, rather than my own name - not a case of denying that they are mine since it's easy to follow via the company name but of neutralising their direct impact on name for the more artistic/ creative stuff.

-to take a series of images specifically for this kind of market planning the shooting and processing to be done in bulk to maximise the number of good quality images produced within a minimal time. As above re credit.

As for the question asked above about whether one would sell a computer program for 20 cents, let me just do some hypothetical math here.

Let's say we're talking a pretty darn basic utility application… we're still talking a few days work minimum to spec it out, code it, test it and package it for sale. Assuming a rate of £200 a day (which is on the low side of what a contractor or self-employed software vendor might expect), we're looking at a minimum of £2000. So no, we wouldn't sell a computer program for 20 cents. I might entertain the thought of selling a website for 20 cents for each visitor to the site but that's the only way I can even vaguely relate the computer program analogy to the sales model we're discussing here.

Now to the earnings for the pics. With a minimal amount of thought before hand, thought that can be done in down times such as sitting on the train home from work, to plan a shoot list based on basic objects inside the home I think it's very achievable to spend no more than an hour to gather objects, set up the light box and camera and shoot a whole CF card of images of these objects in different lights, from different angles and so on. Let's give another hour to process the good shots from the shoot and another hour to load them up to the sites and keyword them. So that's three hours work. I'd hope to produce at least 20 shots suitable for upload in that time. At least. Given that I'd be producing more than one of each item I don't think that's an impossible or even improbable task. So 20 images in three hours. We're looking at <10 minutes per image. Incase you think I'm being over optimistic about what I can achieve let me point out that batch photographing and batch processing are very powerful time savers and I'm thinking of images that are simple (but well lit, well exposed and well composed). Assuming the same £200 a day rate I used above. we're talking about £30 an hour which comes to £5 per image. I don't think it's wildly unrealistic (though certainly optimistic, but then that's the kind of person I am) to hope for sales of £5 ($9) from any one of these images given that it can sit on these sites and keep earning ad nauseum.

Given that Pete uploaded roughly 20 images (less in most cases) to a handful of these sites less than a fortnight ago and has already earned $2.10 I think it's worth our time, especially given that it's something that's enjoyable, that improves our general photography skills and that provides with an alternative revenue stream.

.
.
Pete has now made over $7 from just a small handful of images loaded on a few of these sites. Those images took hardly any time to set up, take, process and upload. Even less time would be spent per image if a little planning was done beforehand.
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