MicrostockGroup

I just became a getty images artist last thursday and they have picked 7 of my pics.I am expecting new picks tomorrow.5 are already on sale.

The thing is I applied to SS with the 10 files that were approved by IS and DT at one go, without any resubmissions.They rejected 8 saying no commercial value.Ya!You read it right.4 of those (excluding the approved 2) have almost sold everywhere.I had 15 files on microstock of which getty picked 4.

The question is, should I still keep contributing to micros and bear their baseless rejections or now that I am contributing to the biggest player (besides corbis ofcourse), I should not bother about micros?

Should I just keep giving IS and DT stuff that is not picked by getty and try SS next month again or forget about micros and stop uploading all together?

just concentrate on Macro

I'd forget about micro in a heartbeat if I were in your shoes, so much hassle all the time, silly rejections, ridiculous earnings/DL, terrible support...

But the thing is how frequently the pix are sold in getty for the same bulk of photos as one has in his micro portfolio. If only 2-3 photos are sold in 1 or 2 months with 20% royalty then whats the use to be exclusive in getty ?

Oh come on Wut!  you must know this!  forget IS for the moment.  Photographers-choice, one of Gettys ideas, is the place where you yourself pay them 50 bucks per image that gets accepted, etc. The Getty RM-main-core house-collection, is where you find Image-Bank, Tony-Stone, etc, etc, their biggest flagship ever, been going since 93.
Nowdays its more or less a closed shop, unless your material is truly outstanding or totally unique. Yes!  if that where he was accepted, I would forget Micro but if not? micro is probably better then many of Gettys other subs.
Now I have been with their main-RM core for 20 years, came via Stones and in private/business and third party-accounts and I tell you, its no ducks-walk. Tough as hell and it will cost a lot of money to generate lots of money. Takes years to build a port.

No, you dont understand me. Ofcourse within the RM sector I am exclusive to Getty, has always been since 93. but that is RM!.  You can still shoot as much Micro and RF, as you wish, as long as it doesnt collide with your RM material.
Yes, RM sales can be huge!  but I think on an average they would sell for sround 200-300 bucks.

Im trying to establish if the OP, got into the main-core of Getty or just an ordinary sub agency, in order to give a proper advice, that is.

Sorry guys for taking this long to answer, had college.

First of all, no, I am not a part of photographer's choice.I am part of 2 of their collections:

1 - Getty Flickr
2 - Fototrove

Lagereek, I know about you.I also read the posts where you report your awesome sales!
I think now a days getty would be hardly letting anyone in their main RM house collection.But I would like to share with you some experiences of fellow flickr members, as you said if its not RM house collection, then its almost equal to micros.

Almost every second person is reporting sales good enough to clear threshold atleast just with 6-7 images online, every month.You guys would find this funny but 1 guy (ofcourse part of getty flickr collection) said it was his worst month on getty.Only 950$ he earned. Then there was this dad whom getty declined but his daughter is doing great!Her image was bought by sony and she got 3000$ cut.

What I am trying to say is it doesn't depend on what collection you are in but what kind of photos you have in your portfolio.I think only the biggest buyers would be searching by collections but the rest by keywords.I could be wrong but just what I feel.Ofcourse to be in their main RM collection is prestigious as hell!Getting there as difficult as hell too!Forget that, to catch getty's eye on flickr has become difficult too.I was fortunate enough to be picked by their editor.

Hey Wut!I also contribute to Alamy.Nice agency.I would wait and see the first 2 monthly statements from getty and then decide.I am pretty much optimistic that I will see sales.2 images were already keyworded within a week.

I wouldn't give up your day job just yet...

Oh, fie - Cloud Cuckooland is a nice place to live.

Is this guy for REAL?

I never said I am a pro.I didn't even mention I am a semi-pro.Lagereek, you are in the game since 90's may be, which is very prestigious and I respect you.

But having started photography in june 2011, and by Jan 2012 just having my photographs on their website and being a contributor to them does mean a lot to me.I am a college going student, 20, and have a long way to go.I am a student and don't do any job.I want to be a vfx artist in my career.This is just my hobby.And being given this opportunity to something that is just my hobby, does mean something to me.
May be I could just put this in those 'Extras' tab in my C.V. when I apply for the VFX artist job.No employer is going to ask me which collection do I submit to.Any collection, but you are a getty contributor.Small thing for a biggie like you and ShadySue, but big thing for me.

I don't do photography with a sole intention to earn.It is not going to be my primary income anyways.But something you are doing as a hobby and on top of that you get such an opportunity, well..It feels good.

I am not talking about becoming a getty contributor when I have only a handful of files on micros.

Could you point us to the portfolios of these friends of yours? It would be interesting to see.

I'd say if you're a student not relying on stock photography for income, you can do anything you like. If you stay with micros, you will continue to get rejections you don't agree with, that's a factor. With Flickr you can upload anything. Not sure how the Getty editing on Flickr works, but hey, it doesn't matter, your heart is in VFX.