Advice on stock agencies - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

12/21/2010 12:25:49 PM · #1

I have accounts with iStock, ShutterStock and Dreamstime, but haven't uploaded anything in years. I had grown a bit disillusioned with stock work, but I'm looking at my library now and I think I've got a fair amount of work I could upload. Unfortunately, I'm a bit out of touch with the stock game and I'm not sure if I should hit all three agencies or maybe go exclusive with iStock. What I'm wondering is where I might fit in... I'm mainly a portrait photographer although I dream about shooting fashion. Most of my potential stock images will involved people and is the result of projects I create to challenge myself either creatively of technically. If anybody can offer some current thoughts on agencies it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Dave

bjoern

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

12/21/2010 03:13:40 PM · #2

Why don't you just try? Select let's say 50 pictures you think might fit, upload them, and see which get accepted and how those that are accepted are doing. Then take it from there.

I have a few (ca 120) photos with all three of the agencies you mention, and the shots generate overall between 10 and 20$ a month. So I'm certainly not someone from whom to get much advice, and I have only very few portraits (that don't sell at all) and no fashion shots, so can't comment on that specifically either.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

12/21/2010 03:22:44 PM · #3

Originally posted by bjoern:

Why don't you just try?

I can certainly try, but first wanted to check here first and see if there is some common knowledge or wisdom to apply before I start from scratch again. I know this area of photography is changing constantly and wasn't really sure how things have evolved.

Thanks for the input, your idea might be the most logical approach.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

12/21/2010 03:23:53 PM · #4

I get most of my (very modest) sales through Shutterstock, but I don't really see the advantage of going exclusive unless you really don't like the hassle of dealing with multiple agencies.

You could calculate the possibly advantage of an exclusive deal by comparing your earnings at the other agencies with iStock, first at the rate you've gotten now, and then with what you would have earned under iStock's exclusivity scale. If your downloads at iStock under the exclusive deal would have yielded more than what you currently get then I suppose it makes sense.

However, if you are "resuming your career" after a hiatus, and you think you have "good" stuff, why not try getting into one of the rights-managed agencies ("macrostock") such as Alamy, Corbis, and/or Getty?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

12/21/2010 03:42:50 PM · #5

Originally posted by GeneralE:

I think maybe good enough for the current microstock arena, but I've looked at what is on iStock (a step below Getty, right?) these days and much of it is outstanding. Maybe I just looked at top sellers or hotshots, but in either case I know I will need to push very hard to be competitive. So, no illusions of grandeur here, just wanting to get a foot back in the door and wasn't sure if it was better to focus on one door or multiple.

Thanks Paul, I do really appreciate in the input.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

12/21/2010 03:59:05 PM · #6

Sometimes, you just never know ... the other day this picture was downloaded at Shutterstock under their extended license -- $28.00 worth of Brussels Sprouts shot years ago with my Olympus P&S ... these security monitors have been downloaded 69 times (about $20 in royalties), and even this shot taken on the freeway (originally a challenge entry here!) has been downloaded 44 times, including yesterday.

dmadden

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM A

12/23/2010 03:51:38 PM · #7

The MS industry is'nt near what it was when it just started. If you want to do it in your spare time, it just is'nt worth all the effort anymore. When you look at processing images, keywording, uploading, getting rejections for a lot of nonsense. And then have that images sit on four different top sites earning sometimes $1 a month. I dont think the model works anymore for part timers. If you want to do it full time, it will definitely work. Upload all day long, everyday and you'll definitely reap some serious rewards. If I were you, I would put every effort in to getting into Gettyimages, they also do all the keywording for you. And sell a lot better than MS agencies, or Alamy for that matter. If you cant get into Gettyimages, then I would try Alamy.

But my opinion on Microstock being for casual photographers, as it started out is that its an EPIC FAIL.

leaf

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/28/2010 10:54:06 AM · #8

The exclusive / non-exclusive debate is getting to be a tough decision. iStock recently made a bunch of changes which essentially cut the majority of photographers commissions but a fair bit making more people think twice about becoming exclusive or reconsider an earlier decision to go exclusive. We won't really know how everything will play out until next year.

My advice would be to try uploading your images to 6-10 sites (depending on the time you want to spend) and then after a year or so simply calculate if you feel going exclusive would be to your advantage financially.