Hi,
I've only been at this for about 6 months and am beginning to get concerned....
I am on SS, DT, FT, StockXpert, 123, and BS.
I have a total gallery of about 600 images and am making $800-$1000 per month.
I have noticed that 3 months ago, with half the # of images I would be getting DOUBLE the sales (if not more) - now they seem to have dropped DRASTICALLY, especially at SS.
I wonder if others are experiencing this and what the reasons and future look like.
I'd like to write this off to recession, but wonder if that's really it, or is it just seasonal, or what.
Any thoughts, validation, or reality check comments are very appreciated and THANKS FOR THIS BOARD - nice to find it!

3 months ago I had a big down down down.  Last months was my BME.   This one even better it seems.

You draw the conclusion    

I'd like to write this off to recession, but wonder if that's really it, or is it just seasonal, or what.
Any thoughts, validation, or reality check comments are very appreciated and THANKS FOR THIS BOARD - nice to find it!

Attribute part of it to the number of "Make money with your images" websites and "classes" that have appeared in the last year or so.

Thanks for all the replies - they do help.
I am then alone, in this observation?
I do continue to upload on a very regular basis, but have just noticed that downloads are HALF of what they were (with more images). Is this normal, or something unusual?

I don't think it is just about how many quality images you can produce.  There are areas that are saturated with great images and those are probably not worth bothering with now.  Find the less well covered subjects.  I have had the only image available sometimes, until someone comes along and copies it   The sites have big collections but they do not have a big variety, there are millions of similar images.  Produce something different and there is little competition.

Quote from: click_click on May 17, 2009, 22:05

The remedy is quite "simple". Do better, produce more.

If everybody is doing that, it won't help 

Imagine everybody soon having a 65Mp Hasselblad, shooting with 10 4000w lightboxes in a 50,000$ studio, with Claudia Schiffer as business model with headset, shaking hands with Brad Pitt, and selling those shots for 0.35$ on CheaperStock - what would change?

Haha. I know what you think but that's not what I meant.

Obviously you have to use your brain too!

First of not too many could afford what you mentioned above...

Secondly if you're smart you have to go into a niche market.

BUT

if you decide to go into a market that is saturated only make sure you do it better. Then you won't have to worry. It works.

There are still saturated areas with quite lousy images. Just because a lot of people do them means that the images are great. 

If you have an eye what sells and know what your skills are you will know which areas to cover. Like I said, use your brain.
Some people believe it's a no-brainer to sell photos online. And just because some people have 3000 or more images on there doesn't mean that they do well or have outstanding images...

You can make a living with 600 exceptional photographs/illustrations. There are people who do that. But they won't talk because then you would really see where the money is 

Keep browsing through popular portfolios. You'll see.

Hi,
I've only been at this for about 6 months and am beginning to get concerned....
I am on SS, DT, FT, StockXpert, 123, and BS.
I have a total gallery of about 600 images and am making $800-$1000 per month.
I have noticed that 3 months ago, with half the # of images I would be getting DOUBLE the sales (if not more) - now they seem to have dropped DRASTICALLY, especially at SS.
I wonder if others are experiencing this and what the reasons and future look like.
I'd like to write this off to recession, but wonder if that's really it, or is it just seasonal, or what.
Any thoughts, validation, or reality check comments are very appreciated and THANKS FOR THIS BOARD - nice to find it!

Actually, if you are making $800 - $1,000/month on 600 images I would say you are doing exceptionally well. 

But yes, in addition to everybody and their cousin flooding the micro sites with their images and expectations, there is also the summer slowdown coming.  It usually starts in late may and lasts until September.  Designers go on vacations and also seem to have less demand during the summer months. 

on top of this, the requirement to pass istock and others QC is just ridicolous, they even rejected some pictures i sold more than once on macros !

now, i can understand micros are not the right place for editorial images but my pictures were razor sharp and technically more than OK, yet they said "lack of focus" and yadda yadda.

Ah, so here's your frustration.  You're not able to pass QC.  99% of images that owners say are "razor sharp", aren't.

they were sharp enough to be sold on macros and that's all that matters in the real world.

micropayments : it's the same logic of micropayments and black hat sites as well... but it's still scratching the bottom of the barrel.

for editorial images, i don't know anybody making the same with micros.

i'm afraid the very ones who need a reality checks are the microtards excited to give away their photos for 0.25$ each.

there's obviously a huge market for cheap images but at the very least the price should be a minimum of 5-10$ per picture.

it's just insane to crank up 1000s of pics on micros and then complain you lost money and time.

on top of this, the requirement to pass istock and others QC is just ridicolous, they even rejected some pictures i sold more than once on macros !

now, i can understand micros are not the right place for editorial images but my pictures were razor sharp and technically more than OK, yet they said "lack of focus" and yadda yadda.

I just love reading stories like this! They always give me a good chuckle.

It never fails to amaze me how many old trad sellers cannot pass the quality threshhold for microstock. Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.

privacy reasons.

Last time I checked a macrosite after someone�s rant about micros I found a whole lot of exactly the same as in micro.   I even saw some snapshots of a coffecup between the keyboard and a shot from inside the fridge.  Razorsharp probably...

micros' QC is a good indicator of the whole rip-off :

if their concept is selling junk for few cents there's no reason to raise the quality bar.
micros were created for third rate images, that's their place and that's the place they should stick.

by opposite raising the bar forces photographer to submit good pictures and therefore making micros in direct competition with macrostocks.

the problem here is not the micros but the photogs willing to sell their picture for peanuts.