No money in microstock? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/16/2006 03:10:28 PM · #26

Originally posted by Kaveran:

I am looking at it as more than just income. Im looking at it from a standpoint that I can possibly make some money doing something I enjoy and the image evaluation process will also help (to a certain degree) my skills.

I'm looking at it more as a retrement plan. I know I won't be able to shoot forever, if I can get a large portfolio going and sustaining an income while I'm still young enough, I think it will be well worth the effort.

That's one of my concerns since I'm self-employed is how will I live in the future.

Ofcourse money now isn't bad either :-)

hanneke

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/16/2006 03:20:26 PM · #27

you gotto have a lot of spare time to shoot 1000s of photos for stock...

I don't have the time / money / models to do that.

but, I will be famous and rich. but I'lll be walking another path ;-)

edit: I was kidding ;)

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 15:24:13.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/16/2006 03:27:19 PM · #28

Originally posted by biteme:

but, I will be famous and rich. but I'lll be walking another path ;-)

edit: I was kidding ;)

Yeah, you're going all Hollywood on us now that you are shooting CD covers ;-)

hanneke

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/16/2006 03:29:50 PM · #29

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by biteme:

but, I will be famous and rich. but I'lll be walking another path ;-)

edit: I was kidding ;)

Yeah, you're going all Hollywood on us now that you are shooting CD covers ;-)

haha ofcourse!

no, ofcourse not. But I do believe this is a step in the right direction. And I'm happy with that!

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

10/16/2006 03:31:12 PM · #30

I wish I had the talent to do this. Heaven knows I need the extra money since I have been out of work for over two years.

Could someone look through my portfolio and let me know if it would be worth submitting to one of these companies and which one would be good.

Thanks,
SDW

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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

10/16/2006 03:36:51 PM · #31

Originally posted by Southern Gentleman:

Here's my link to Shutterstock. I just looked at the thumbs for your top three finishers and the three you display, and any of those would probably be suitable, especially if they are low-noise, which SS seems to be real picky about lately.

Check out some of the top-downloaded photos at the various sites, and learn to look for subject matter which works -- it's not always best to be "artistic" but rather think about how someone might want to use it in an ad or on a card or something, usually with associated typography. No one is supposed to just be making prints of these ...

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 15:39:27.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

10/16/2006 03:37:19 PM · #32

Originally posted by Southern Gentleman:

I wish I had the talent to do this.

You do. :-)

Originally posted by Southern Gentleman:

Could someone look through my portfolio and let me know if it would be worth submitting to one of these companies and which one would be good.

Your birds collection, your animals collection, your abstracts collection, I think all have stuff that could sell for you.

The best piece of advice that I can give you is to go to some of the sites, such as shutterstock and look at thier top keywords and ask your self, how can I best fill those keywords. In that, it's a bit like the challenges here. Same rules - mass appeal wins.

//submit.shutterstock.com/top50.mhtml

This link might help ya get an idea of what is really selling well.

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 15:37:39.

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

10/16/2006 03:42:31 PM · #33

But is all the money you make worth living with the guilt of ruining the stock photography industry and taking food out of real stock photographers mouths? :)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

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

10/16/2006 03:45:24 PM · #34

Originally posted by LoudDog:

But is all the money you make worth living with the guilt of ruining the stock photography industry and taking food out of real stock photographers mouths? :)

You could also submit directly to a rights-managed site like Alamy -- search for the thread on that ... in fact, I suggest you read through several of the microstock vs. macrostock threads before you make a commitment to either (or both) models.

dagaleaa

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 ASPH

10/16/2006 03:46:00 PM · #35

I see where Shutterstock is also accepting video clips now too---up to 60 seconds long, and you make a lot more money if these sell..

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

10/16/2006 03:50:30 PM · #36

I am thinking of giving this a try, however this thread sounds like an infomercial to me. Make lots of money, very little work, look these guys are really doing it...

What is the catch?

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 15:52:57.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

10/16/2006 03:53:57 PM · #37

Originally posted by boomtap:

What is the catch?

To do really well, you have to have more than 1000 photos uploaded and accepted, and they have to be of popular subjects, sharp/low-noise, well-composed pictures. Model-released photos of people will do better than fruit or architectural photos (see my portfolio for examples of the latter).

The people making $$$ have thousands of photos at multiple sites working for them.

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 15:55:16.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

10/16/2006 04:03:32 PM · #38

Could I make even a couple hundred a month with a 1000 accepted photos realistically? Lets say of non model subjects.

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

10/16/2006 04:07:14 PM · #39

I make about $100/year with about 40 images each at three sites. Note all the images I have there currently were taken with a 3 or 5mp P&S.

I need to go through my photos and upload more...

Elvis_L

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

10/16/2006 04:07:18 PM · #40

Originally posted by boomtap:

Could I make even a couple hundred a month with a 1000 accepted photos realistically? Lets say of non model subjects.

if they were shots people wanted. put your shots on several websites and you up your chances.

Prof_Fate

10/16/2006 04:11:58 PM · #41

Originally posted by vxpra:

If you want to live cheaply, don't move to Durango. Jobs that would normally pay 15-20/hour somewhere else are lucky to pay 9/hour here. My wifes best friend moved to Durango to be with her boyfriend, she gave up a 48k a year job in Denver and now does the exact same job here and will be lucky to make 29k this year. The price we pay for love.

Maybe she should by a camera and get into micro. :)

Live cheaply and get paid low wages are not the same thing. Generally the cost of living is proportionate to the wages paid.
Around here (western pennsylvania) a new 2500sf house in a new subdivision can be had for $250-300k. My wife's family is from Baltimore Md and that area is growing - the same exact house there is $400-450k. Wages are lower here, but so is the cost to live. 50 grand goes a long way here, but not there.

It also depends on how you define 'live well'. Eat out every night? Every family member have a cell phone, $100/month digital HD cable, and shop at the mall every week? A new car every 3 years, vacations to Hawaii?

Also, to make 48k a year in microstock and have a portfolio as large as his with such pretty models means he incurs some costs and works pretty hard at it. There is no free lunch.

10/16/2006 04:15:13 PM · #42

Originally posted by LoudDog:

I make about $100/year with about 40 images each at three sites. Note all the images I have there currently were taken with a 3 or 5mp P&S.

I need to go through my photos and upload more...

Wow that is pretty good. I would be happy to find a way to get a flash or a new lens or something once a year.

Now if I am just skilled enough to get some shots they will accept.

10/16/2006 04:27:19 PM · #43

Originally posted by boomtap:

Could I make even a couple hundred a month with a 1000 accepted photos realistically?

Realistically, I'm looking at $1 per month per image uploaded. That number is getting larger as I become more in tune with what sells well. So, even with current numbers if I have 1,000 images up. I think $1000 a month is not out of the question.

Right now I'm brain-storming some ideas that I think will sell well and am setting up models (free through myspace and TFCD). Also, I'm calling around for some location shooting.

However, a lot of my best sellng images are not model shots. My purple ducky is one of my best sellers currently at Shutterstock and the wrench shot I entered into the Even challenge is a consistant seller.

It's all about concept, if you can sell a concept well w/o using a model, you'll have a money maker on your hands.

I don't shoot them, but I also hear that travel oriented shots do well.

10/16/2006 04:29:26 PM · #44

What type of model release do you have them sign so you can use them as stock photography?

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/16/2006 04:34:08 PM · #45

Originally posted by boomtap:

What type of model release do you have them sign so you can use them as stock photography?

Just a standard model release. I was having models sign releases from each site, but I was told a standard release will do and it does :-)

Here's the release I'm using:
//www.leroydickson.com/Model_release_generic.doc

It's been accepted by SS, istock, 123RF and Fotolia.

Edit to add:

oOWonderBreadOo was the person that gave me that advice.

Message edited by author 2006-10-16 16:37:35.

Kaveran

Canon EOS-50D

10/16/2006 04:44:01 PM · #46

Originally posted by LoudDog:

But is all the money you make worth living with the guilt of ruining the stock photography industry and taking food out of real stock photographers mouths? :)

I look at it this way, the world is changing and its not going to wait for you, me or anyone.

Im a computer hardware tech by trade and have been doing it for nearly 20 years. The things I used to do as far as upgrading computers was beyond the average user, sys admin and there were no schools who taught the skills.

Nowdays anyone can afford a computer and build or work on them. I could have stood by and complained that everyone buying or building their own system would put me out of work but the fact of the matter is if you are on top of your game thats where you should stay.

If "real stock photographers" are that good, then they shouldnt have to worry about losing money, they should stay on the cutting edge and their experience, skills, equipment and knowledge should have them firmly cemented in the industry.

The stock industry, like anything closely tied to technology is ever evolving, only those that fail to adapt should be truely in danger and if they are not the adaptable types then perhaps they chose the wrong profession to follow. Technology didnt just sneak up on us and take people by surprise, computers have been mainstream for decades and anyone who took the time to stop and think for a moment should have known the photo industry was going to advance as well.

digitalknight

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

10/16/2006 04:44:22 PM · #47

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I spoke with my financial planner about stock photos during tax season this year - first year I had to claim photography income thank you very much - and he said he had read articles on photographers willing their stock photo portfolio to their children - and the children continue to make a good income.

He was talking about a 100,000 image portfolio, so I have some photos to take, but over time I'm convinced this is a good source of residual income.

digitalknight

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

10/16/2006 04:45:28 PM · #48

Originally posted by digitalknight:

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I'm looking at it more as a retrement plan. I know I won't be able to shoot forever, if I can get a large portfolio going and sustaining an income while I'm still young enough, I think it will be well worth the effort.

I spoke with my financial planner about stock photos during tax season this year - first year I had to claim photography income thank you very much - and he said he had read articles on photographers willing their stock photo portfolio to their children - and the children continue to make a good income.

He was talking about a 100,000 image portfolio, so I have some photos to take, but over time I'm convinced this is a good source of residual income, despite the micro-macro debate. I think it works in both spheres.

10/16/2006 04:52:39 PM · #49

Dang 100,000 photos.

I am going to maybe give it a try. I will get back with everybody on how my littel experiment is working out.