stock photography & making money

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 I

07/05/2005 05:45:30 PM · #151

Hi,
since I started doing stock photography on micro payment sites, I have payed back my equipment and I am starting saving money for my 1 ds mark II!
Moreover I have been contacted by other agencies to sell lincences as well... I never thought of selling my pictures before, but it seems to work fine and maybe one day....will get to to bigger agencies as well!

07/05/2005 06:41:13 PM · #152

Originally posted by cristy:

What are the links to your images on the stock sites? I would love to see your work!

cristy

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 I

07/06/2005 05:05:09 AM · #153

Melissa,
here is the link:
//shutterstock.com/gallery.mhtml?id=383

cheers

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

07/08/2005 04:51:47 PM · #154

Melissa-
Those numbers you posted in the begining of this thread, is that your total revenue so far? How long have you been at it- you have great portfolios out there!
Thanks! ~Laura
Oh & by the way- I made up a generic model release and they are all submitted, just waiting to hear the ok. If it works out I could e-mail you the word doc

07/08/2005 05:15:21 PM · #155

Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

Hi Laura,

I started Stock on Istock the last of Feb 2004.....But Never uploaded very many.....Only Started to upload and start making money about May 2004 with Istock.....it takes a while to get started....But with Istock now I make on Avg. $6.00 a day but sometimes as much as $12.00 a day

Dreamstime I only started in May 2004, but it was a new site then So it took a while to get started there too!

The other sites I have been on around the same time I guess...

and Those numbers I posted in the begining of the Thread are more than that now!

Melissa

The other sites I only been on

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

07/08/2005 05:28:49 PM · #156

Thanks! You have been such a help even before now & didn't even know it! :0)

07/09/2005 06:47:19 AM · #157

Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:

Thanks! You have been such a help even before now & didn't even know it! :0)

Glad I could help!

Melissa

Message edited by author 2005-11-15 07:18:34.

01/16/2006 07:54:34 AM · #158

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

I have heard of some images getting rejected for noise issues, not a problem with a dslr but could be with a prosumer level camera.

Yes some images get rejected for noise but I just use Neat Image to fix that problem.
Melissa

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

01/16/2006 08:22:19 AM · #159

Nice bump after 6 months. ;^)

Originally posted by melking23:

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

I have heard of some images getting rejected for noise issues, not a problem with a dslr but could be with a prosumer level camera.

Yes some images get rejected for noise but I just use Neat Image to fix that problem.
Melissa

01/16/2006 08:32:02 AM · #160

I Just joined about 2 maybe 3 weeks ago and I got my first downloads last weekend. I was pretty excited, I'm trying to add 20 photos per week. It will be nice to get to where you are Melissa, where I have so many great pictures and they do all the work for me. So that's what I'm working on. Looking at your portfolios keep me going.

01/16/2006 09:34:16 AM · #161

Originally posted by youngnova:

Wow thanks...20 images a week is a great way to build your portfolio up. Before long you will be making money everyday.

Melissa

01/16/2006 09:39:49 AM · #162

Originally posted by melking23:

Originally posted by youngnova:
I Just joined about 2 maybe 3 weeks ago and I got my first downloads last weekend. I was pretty excited, I'm trying to add 20 photos per week. It will be nice to get to where you are Melissa, where I have so many great pictures and they do all the work for me. So that's what I'm working on. Looking at your portfolios keep me going.

Wow thanks...20 images a week is a great way to build your portfolio up. Before long you will be making money everyday.

Melissa

Yeah now it's about every 2 or 3 days. I have been doing a lot of poker shots for now... I'm going to move to people soon... my kids.

01/16/2006 10:06:49 AM · #163

Originally posted by cghubbell:

Originally posted by melking23:
I order of the ones that make me the most money:

1.Istockphoto Over $1500.00
2.Shutterstock over $500.00
3.DreamstimeOver $400.00
4.Bigstockphoto Under $50.00
5.Canstockphoto Under $10.00

Those are some great numbers! And I must add that it looks to me like those images weren't just taking up space on your hard drive. You've put some effort into it and it shows.

About how long did it take you to make that much on Istock? (If you don't mind)

01/16/2006 10:16:12 AM · #164

Originally posted by youngnova:

Originally posted by melking23:
I order of the ones that make me the most money:

1.Istockphoto Over $1500.00
2.Shutterstock over $500.00
3.DreamstimeOver $400.00
4.Bigstockphoto Under $50.00
5.Canstockphoto Under $10.00

About how long did it take you to make that much on Istock? (If you don't mind)

Well it took me about a year to make my first $1500.00 on Istock but it keeps getting faster all the time. the more images you add the faster to make more money.

Melissa

01/16/2006 10:22:24 AM · #165

I really like your network security photo... did you think of that yourself? Great idea.

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

01/16/2006 10:32:24 AM · #166

Originally posted by youngnova:

I really like your network security photo... did you think of that yourself? Great idea.

Yes I did, but it was just becuase I had a bunch of items together and I just happen to put the to together...hehe and it worked.

LA_Sportsman

Nikon D70

01/17/2006 06:32:02 AM · #167

Wow, I'm making 5$ per day! Gee, how much did I make at my day job today? (and probably complain about the amount paid?)

At .20 per photo commission, who do you think is winning - the photographer or company? Yes I toyed with micro and yes I was making a $1 or two a day with less than 20 images. But I started thinking, "how am I going to feel when one of my photos is in a magazine and I made .20 off it?" Yes, I know the theory of volume and I also have a business degree and background in small business.

Some of you have 1'000's of photos on micro. How much would the same photos make you on alamy? I also think there is validity to the ethical argument against hobbyist (of which I am one) driving the market price down from photographers who depend on this for a living. So you want to compete head to head with pros on Alamy, Acclaim, etc? Go Ahead! I plan on doing so as well. But to sell your photos for chump change to buy a filter each year (quote from earlier thread), spring for the $50 bucks and sleep with a better conscious.

If you want to make money do some real reading. If you know the craft of photography, look at the business side. By "Photos that Sell" by Lee Frost. Also, I just got my copy of 2006 Photographer's Market in today and with the three random pages I've read it's worth the price. Among other things, it lists tons of magazines and how to submit to them. The first thing I did is look for magazines I already read or that cover my hobbies or preferred photography subjects. I already have knowledge of those areas allowing me to focus on the business aspect of submitting the photos.

btw, the first magazine I looked at pays $100-200 per photo and $300 for a cover. Lot better than .20 :)

Didymus

Canon EOS-20D

01/17/2006 07:30:00 AM · #168

Well, a magazine with any self respect won't buy a cover pic from microstock anyway. :-)

LA_Sportsman

Nikon D70

01/17/2006 07:43:22 AM · #169

I agree - but stock agencies with respect won't accept your photos if you sell to microstock. Alamy does - for now anyway. I'm curious if their policy will change.

On the one hand, I don't have a problem with 2MP files being sold cheap for internet uses, etc. But the truth is there are GREAT photos on micro and probably at 6MP or more. Those images can be interpolated by the user to make poster prints with the same software I would use prior to submitting to Alamy.

I had a Sydney night skyline with harbour reflection on ShutterStock. It immediately took off with several downloads per day which had the counter effect of making me think I sold myself short. The reason I posted it there rather than hold for Alamy was I had to crop out an element that I could not avoid in the original composition (without taking the photo from a boat). Well, last month my wife showed me a Sydney night skyline in a magazine she gets that was basically the same as mine. The byline was a photographer from Alamy and the shot was next to a photo from Getty and Corbis. Alamy's deal was sealed!

Now I just have to get my ten best together and hope I get accepted ! :)