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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 01:31

Title: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 01:31
Was just guessing what the average mstocker makes. By average, I'm referring to those who has like 5000 online files specially vectors. I always see lots of pessimistic trends from this forum and was wondering if there are 'new' successful mstockers out there. Of course, geography plays its role. May be someone making $1000 in the US is not considered rich while in India he is. But the question is, how many actual contributors make a minimum of this number per month? Are you in this group yet?


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Bad Company on July 01, 2017, 08:59
Was just guessing what the average mstocker makes. By average, I'm referring to those who has like 5000 online files specially vectors. I always see lots of pessimistic trends from this forum and was wondering if there are 'new' successful mstockers out there. Of course, geography plays its role. May be someone making $1000 in the US is not considered rich while in India he is. But the question is, how many actual contributors make a minimum of this number per month? Are you in this group yet?


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Way too many variable to correctly address your question.  I know some folks with only 1,500 images making from $5,000 to $7,000 a month and other with over 15,000 images barely making $2,000 a month.  I depends on what subject areas (Categories) you select (i.e., Business, Education, Medical) and if you are the best in those categories.   
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 09:20
Was just guessing what the average mstocker makes. By average, I'm referring to those who has like 5000 online files specially vectors. I always see lots of pessimistic trends from this forum and was wondering if there are 'new' successful mstockers out there. Of course, geography plays its role. May be someone making $1000 in the US is not considered rich while in India he is. But the question is, how many actual contributors make a minimum of this number per month? Are you in this group yet?


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Way too many variable to correctly address your question.  I know some folks with only 1,500 images making from $5,000 to $7,000 a month and other with over 15,000 images barely making $2,000 a month.  I depends on what subject areas (Categories) you select (i.e., Business, Education, Medical) and if you are the best in those categories.

I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 09:48


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


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Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 09:52


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


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Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?

I have 300
Vectors on Shutterstock. I'm making like $15\months.

What about you and with how many files ?


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 10:23


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


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Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?

I have 300
Vectors on Shutterstock. I'm making like $15\months.

What about you and with how many files ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When did you start uploading?

Considerably more
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 10:23


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?

I have 300
Vectors on Shutterstock. I'm making like $15\months.

What about you and with how many files ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When did you start uploading?

One year now


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 10:26


One year now


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Do you upload to other agencies too? If yes, is there any return from those?
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 10:44
Anyhow, regardless... This may sound harsh, but this niche that you are in clearly has no commercial demand. If you were making 20-40 times more, there could be hope after some serious changes, but this is too low. You should drop it immediately and do something else.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 10:50
Anyhow, regardless... This may sound harsh, but this niche that you are in clearly has no commercial demand. If you were making 20-40 times more, there could be hope after some serious changes, but this is too low. You should drop it immediately and do something else.

I upload only to shutter. Yea may be you are right. But again my portfolio is too little to consider changing direction. May if I had a port of 5000 quality vector files but no actual serious income, then I would surely drop everything. Don't you think stopping now is like someone who just placed the first brick and is quitting just because he is not seeing anything that looks like a house!


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: ShadySue on July 01, 2017, 11:49
Anyhow, regardless... This may sound harsh, but this niche that you are in clearly has no commercial demand. If you were making 20-40 times more, there could be hope after some serious changes, but this is too low. You should drop it immediately and do something else.

I upload only to shutter. Yea may be you are right. But again my portfolio is too little to consider changing direction. May if I had a port of 5000 quality vector files but no actual serious income, then I would surely drop everything. Don't you think stopping now is like someone who just placed the first brick and is quitting just because he is not seeing anything that looks like a house!


You've certainly got lots of patience. I was earning more than that in my first full month on iStock, but that was photos and that was Jan 2007 (started in mid-Dec 2006) - things are VERY different now. I wouldn't have stuck it if I'd been earning $15 a month, even with probably < 50 pics uploaded then (you could only upload so many a week and the standards were really strict back then. Still, good vector artists  seemed to be doing even better back then.

As you're learning, there's no value in having a niche if there aren't any buyers for that niche. (Or maybe there are other, better, people in that niche, maybe on other more relevant sites for that market? I haven't a clue, but you should check.)
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 12:58
Anyhow, regardless... This may sound harsh, but this niche that you are in clearly has no commercial demand. If you were making 20-40 times more, there could be hope after some serious changes, but this is too low. You should drop it immediately and do something else.

I upload only to shutter. Yea may be you are right. But again my portfolio is too little to consider changing direction. May if I had a port of 5000 quality vector files but no actual serious income, then I would surely drop everything. Don't you think stopping now is like someone who just placed the first brick and is quitting just because he is not seeing anything that looks like a house!


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I am not suggesting to quit. I am suggesting using bricks that have the required specs rather than turning into dust when touched.

BTW, knowing when to quit is also a valuable quality.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: niktol on July 01, 2017, 13:15
But again my portfolio is too little to consider changing direction. May if I had a port of 5000 quality vector files but no actual serious income,

It maybe too small to lead a decent life in the West, but it's not too small to assess its performance. And quickly changing directions is something small entrepreneurs have the luxury to do. Unlike large corporations. Use it to your advantage.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: gnesher on July 01, 2017, 13:27
I have 850+- photos, mostly local area, some travel and some textures which I've uploaded over the past year. I make around 15$ a month with a few exceptions (an image sold for 42$ or so last month out of the blue).

I'm also selling in Adobe / iStock but making < 5$ a month there. Alamy made nothing in the past 6 months and then sold an image for 115$ so who knows.

Goal is consistent 100$ a month  I'm not even close
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 13:31
I have 850+- photos, mostly local area, some travel and some textures which I've uploaded over the past year. I make around 15$ a month with a few exceptions (an image sold for 42$ or so last month out of the blue).

I'm also selling in Adobe / iStock but making < 5$ a month there. Alamy made nothing in the past 6 months and then sold an image for 115$ so who knows.

Goal is consistent 100$ a month  I'm not even close


I have 300 files only on shutter and make between 15 to 20 per months. You should consider uploading more and increase the quality of you think there are some lackness. Although i make amount for this tiny portfolio which I think is a positive thing, I am afraid to use my time uploading more and more and at the end I see no real prospects.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: cobalt on July 01, 2017, 13:42
Why dońt you just widen your niche?

Make the next 300 files a mix of different subjects or themes.

Then you can compare if they sell better or worse than the niche you have chosen.

I would try to reach 1000 files but with a large variety of themes. Then you can see what sells best and make more of that.

Let the customer show you what they like and listen to them.

And yes, I would upload to more agencies. Fotolia/adobe, dreamstime. Maybe istock too.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 13:44
Why dońt you just widen your niche?

Make the next 300 files a mix of different subjects or themes.

Then you can compare if they sell better or worse than the niche you have chosen.

I would try to reach 1000 files but with a large variety of themes. Then you can see what sells best and make more of that.

Let the customer show you what they like and listen to them.

And yes, I would upload to more agencies. Fotolia/adobe, dreamstime. Maybe istock too.

1000 is my objective actually. But since a year I'v been asleep a bit. I'm stuck on 300 lol. The problem is I don't master other niche more than Arabic calligraphy. On Shutterstock I am medine art you can look me up. I have two vector on the first page when you search for the words Arab, Arabic and calligraphy.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: gnesher on July 01, 2017, 14:04

I have 300 files only on shutter and make between 15 to 20 per months. You should consider uploading more and increase the quality of you think there are some lackness. Although i make amount for this tiny portfolio which I think is a positive thing, I am afraid to use my time uploading more and more and at the end I see no real prospects.


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This is my portfolio, always happy to get feedback - https://www.shutterstock.com/g/guyn (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/guyn) (I know there's a duplicate there, was a bad upload in the process of deletion). I can't shot models (cost money and I'm not making nearly enough to justify it) I'll try setting up a small home studio later this year, but I doubt there's much I can do there that haven't been done before. I've also started experimenting with some editorials, but I live in Israel and there's limited audiance
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 14:11

I have 300 files only on shutter and make between 15 to 20 per months. You should consider uploading more and increase the quality of you think there are some lackness. Although i make amount for this tiny portfolio which I think is a positive thing, I am afraid to use my time uploading more and more and at the end I see no real prospects.


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This is my portfolio, always happy to get feedback - https://www.shutterstock.com/g/guyn (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/guyn) (I know there's a duplicate there, was a bad upload in the process of deletion). I can't shot models (cost money and I'm not making nearly enough to justify it) I'll try setting up a small home studio later this year, but I doubt there's much I can do there that haven't been done before. I've also started experimenting with some editorials, but I live in Israel and there's limited audiance

Shoot broader topics.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: gnesher on July 01, 2017, 14:23

Shoot broader topics.

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I'm still trying to figure out how to do that with my current gear (aka I'm sure there's some lovely macro / wildlife shots out there, but I don't have the gear) which leaves me with landscape / street photography and some product photography that I will try once I'm settled here (moving flats next month). If there are other suggestions I'm all ears
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: nazlisart on July 01, 2017, 14:38


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?

I have 300
Vectors on Shutterstock. I'm making like $15\months.

What about you and with how many files ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

15$/m is way too low for 300 vectors... Find an additional niche
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 01, 2017, 15:03


I'm more into vectors specially calligraphy. I know Arabic calligraphy and I'm trying to attract mid eastern customers. Don't know what to expect in the future with this niche.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not being a mid eastern customer, it's hard for me to relate or predict.  How much are you making now if you don't mind me asking?

I have 300
Vectors on Shutterstock. I'm making like $15\months.

What about you and with how many files ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

15$/m is way too low for 300 vectors... Find an additional niche

Actually it's 256. But it's still low I agree.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: AnS on July 02, 2017, 01:57
Your earning compared to your portofio size seems like you really need to change or broaden your subject and concept. It is a good idea to test some new vectors, after a while you will see which could work for you. I always have at least 3-4 different category and subjects covered, those that I have noticed that work for me the best.

It might be a good idea to try Fotolia/Adobe and iStock too. I am doing only vector illustrations and out of the three sites Shutterstock tends to be my lowest earner. Who knows, you might have better "luck" with other agencies. :)
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: SpaceStockFootage on July 02, 2017, 02:13
I have about 400 items (mostly video, some After Effects... no stills) and make around $3250 a month. Give or take $500 or so.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 03, 2017, 02:16
I have about 400 items (mostly video, some After Effects... no stills) and make around $3250 a month. Give or take $500 or so.


Yup I heard videos and motion graphic do make better.


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Pauws99 on July 03, 2017, 02:45
To maintain any kind of sanity you need to look at the total return from IS and decide if its worth taking the hit of these insultingly small sales. I have a thick skin ;-).
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: SpaceStockFootage on July 03, 2017, 05:45
I have about 400 items (mostly video, some After Effects... no stills) and make around $3250 a month. Give or take $500 or so.


Yup I heard videos and motion graphic do make better.


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Yeah, on the whole... After Effects does better than motion graphics, motion graphics does better than stock footage and stock footage does better than stills. At least in my experience. And that's on average... an amazing photo or video is going to do better than a terrible After Effects template or motion graphics video!

AE templates a motion graphics stuff does take a bit longer than your average stock video (I appreciate some shoots can take a lot of time, cost and planning... but just on average), but it means I don't have to leave the house and interact with humans.... which is nice.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: raclro on July 06, 2017, 09:46
Probably not helpful since I only do photos and am IS exclusive.
I have just over 7000 files. I now average about $250 per month, down from an average of $1450 per month a few years back.
Anyone remember the iStock sales projections feature of our home page? When I watched that in my early years, the predictions for future sales would have me at about $50000 per month by now. It was a nice dream.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on July 06, 2017, 09:59
Somewhere I have printouts of those.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on July 06, 2017, 11:39
Several people have mentioned the issue of customer demand for the type of content you want to create, but you should read SS's 2016 annual report to understand just where the business is for SS - the bulk of it is in Europe and North America with 27% in the "rest of the world". I assume that's where the demand, whatever it may be, exists for Arabic calligraphy.

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/25/251362/FINAL%20-%202016%20Annual%20Report.pdf (http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/25/251362/FINAL%20-%202016%20Annual%20Report.pdf)

You should create whatever you feel moved to create, but if you're looking to make money, you should focus on what buyers want to buy. Unless you think there's some vast untapped market for your style of calligraphy that will become obvious once the supply increases/diversifies, you can't earn more money by making more items that no one wants to license.

The only other obvious move for you is to expand to other agencies, perhaps trying to find some that specialize? There was one, Fotoarabia, but there were reports earlier this year that people who had contributed were not getting paid and they weren't responding to calls/emails, so don't pick them :) Whatever demand is there, might be easier to tap at a specialist agency.

You just need to accept the realities of the market you're trying to sell into and decide what you want to do. Asking pointless questions about other people's portfolios won't help you with that.

Good luck
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Jeffrey on July 07, 2017, 00:43
My target was to earn more than x,xxx$ a month when I went full time in 2010. But I just could not hit even $500 a month. This was after iStock made changes in their royalty, everything in the microstock industry was also affected. I have currently over 1,400 images - photos and vectors spread across 4 agencies.

I had to make other streams of revenue online.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: WindyTai on July 07, 2017, 00:48
I have about 3000 files mixing with graphic vectors and jpg, photos, and videos.

I got about 2000-2600 per month starting in 2012.

But I don't upload still images for about 5 months now. Just using them as passive income.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: derek on July 07, 2017, 01:36
At one stage and in the good days IS alone could provide $ 3000 a month with a commercial portfolio of around 3K files. SS until last year could easily do the same. However all things taken into consideration I recon these sort of earnings have well and truly gone down the plughole.

I also find there are far more people looking for a way out of micro or looking for other avenues rather then people trying to get in to micro.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: dinostock on July 08, 2017, 08:30
I make 50$ a month with 5.000 images. 10 years ago I was earning much more....
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Pauws99 on July 08, 2017, 16:02


I also find there are far more people looking for a way out of micro or looking for other avenues rather then people trying to get in to micro.
I think in sheer numbers there are still a lot of people trying to get in.....but on the whole they do seem rather naive although I'm sure there are still a few talented ones making $$$  but if I were aspiring to make a serious living out of photography I think I would look on stock as a way of supplementing more lucrative work at best .....which is how it started.
Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: encrenciel on July 11, 2017, 06:00
I have about 3000 files mixing with graphic vectors and jpg, photos, and videos.

I got about 2000-2600 per month starting in 2012.

But I don't upload still images for about 5 months now. Just using them as passive income.

You still make that much though you don't upload more? Which agencies ??


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Title: Re: Is $1000/months a big amount?
Post by: Zero Talent on July 11, 2017, 14:42
I have about 3000 files mixing with graphic vectors and jpg, photos, and videos.

I got about 2000-2600 per month starting in 2012.

I have less than 1k assets (mainly photos) and I'm making ~2.5 the minimum wage in my state.
Feel free to do some math  ;)