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Author Topic: it's possible to live only selling photos in microstock site?  (Read 51600 times)

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jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #25 on: February 15, 2017, 12:43 »
0
I think the ideal situation is for people who have another source of income that leaves them a lot of spare times (teachers for example).
Especially if shooting photo/video is your hobby and you enjoy it in your spare time, even better if you have already a few thousands of images sitting in your computer.
Microstock can give you a complementary income while having fun

yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.


« Reply #26 on: February 15, 2017, 16:46 »
+2

yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.

which may be so.. but first, stocksy is too artsy fatsy and not all buyers need that...
secondly, today it may reflect how bad stock shots are,
but ss still have a lot of very well-shot and well-produced shots before the 7/10 criterion was
removed to make way for bolstering the inventory with bad stuff.
then again, that is only a fraction of the whole inventory...

also, no one wants to pay stocksy prices either for a simple ad shot which are
a dime a dozen , mostly well done, at ss.

the bar was lifted so high at one time, i say ss micro stuffs were far superior to
getty or even stocksy today.
eg. you see a lots of clipped hlights and blocked shadows at stocksy or even offset
which would never get passed ss during the time ss was 90%
and when istock too was something else.

« Reply #27 on: February 16, 2017, 03:41 »
+2
I think the ideal situation is for people who have another source of income that leaves them a lot of spare times (teachers for example).
Especially if shooting photo/video is your hobby and you enjoy it in your spare time, even better if you have already a few thousands of images sitting in your computer.
Microstock can give you a complementary income while having fun

yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.
That would depend on your budget I would think. Stocksy is great for some but a tiny market share compared with SS I would imagine.

derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #28 on: February 16, 2017, 07:46 »
+1
I think the ideal situation is for people who have another source of income that leaves them a lot of spare times (teachers for example).
Especially if shooting photo/video is your hobby and you enjoy it in your spare time, even better if you have already a few thousands of images sitting in your computer.
Microstock can give you a complementary income while having fun

yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.
That would depend on your budget I would think. Stocksy is great for some but a tiny market share compared with SS I would imagine.

Correct it all depends on the budget. Go buy at Trevillion and the price tag is three times that of stocky or offset. Besides I think the higher end of micro-stock can offer equal quality perhaps not as trendy or unique but many microstockers can equal in terms of quality.

« Reply #29 on: February 16, 2017, 08:42 »
+3
Is it possible?

Yes, just like it is possible to earn a living as a painter.
Still I wouldnt recommend it, because it will only work for a short period of time and only if you are very good.

There are some qualifications you need to have.
You need to have some kind of unique visual talent.
You need to have above average computing and technical skills. (global parameter)
You need to have above average language skills. ( It helps if you are a native English speaker, but you are better off being bilinqual and have a good knowledge of other languages)
You need to have above average business skills.
You must have a knowledge about legal issues and terms.
You need to have excellent photoshopping skills.
You need to have excellent communication skills.
You need to know about trends in the global market of photographty, and you need to be able to produce state of the art Photos, or above.
I will not recommend it, because no matter how good you fare, when all your time and talents are at work, after a short time (five years) you are being outcompeted and you will loose your position and your sales.
The nature of microstock is predatory, and when the agencies have sucked all the blood out of you, there will only be a skeleton left.
Been there done that, we are a few.....

outoftheblue

« Reply #30 on: February 16, 2017, 08:49 »
+3
yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.
That would depend on your budget I would think. Stocksy is great for some but a tiny market share compared with SS I would imagine.

Furthermore, am I the only one who can't stand Stocksy? Their pictures look all the same and very fake - although in its own special way, different from the typical microstock fake. They are trying too hard to look "authentic" but the result is just the opposite.

« Reply #31 on: February 16, 2017, 09:30 »
+2
yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.
That would depend on your budget I would think. Stocksy is great for some but a tiny market share compared with SS I would imagine.

Furthermore, am I the only one who can't stand Stocksy? Their pictures look all the same and very fake - although in its own special way, different from the typical microstock fake. They are trying too hard to look "authentic" but the result is just the opposite.
Whether you and I like it is not really an issue. I detest the Yuri "look" but it was/is in demand and sells but can recognize its success from a business perspective. Like sincerity if you can fake authentic youve cracked it  :P

« Reply #32 on: February 16, 2017, 09:36 »
+1
Personally I like the Stoksy look.
What I really cannot stand is the lifestyle high key look of microstock images with young people always smiling and looking extremely happy playing with electronic gadgets

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #33 on: February 16, 2017, 11:29 »
+1
yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.
That would depend on your budget I would think. Stocksy is great for some but a tiny market share compared with SS I would imagine.

Furthermore, am I the only one who can't stand Stocksy? Their pictures look all the same and very fake - although in its own special way, different from the typical microstock fake. They are trying too hard to look "authentic" but the result is just the opposite.

personally no. they look good, film like and most have a real feeling.microstock people photography is terrible in my opinion. all those super white teeth...it's not a case the best shooter nowadays in microstok use a stocksy approach.
yuri arcurs photography was so boring even in 2009.

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #34 on: February 16, 2017, 11:31 »
+2
Personally I like the Stoksy look.
What I really cannot stand is the lifestyle high key look of microstock images with young people always smiling and looking extremely happy playing with electronic gadgets

bingo. terrible.
sotksyis mostly done by artist or creative people with a strong background..microsock is more made by amateur who take good photos.
personally i'm happy to not have given strong importance to micron in the first year...i would have developed a super boring approach to photography, who probably would have limited my career just to micro.
i remem,ber the time were flare or blown highlight were always a no no...where u had to light everything with soft 1:1 ratio so any shadow was there...where a slightly blown sky ws a rejection..shadow in face again rejection...
micostock is the discount supermarket of photography.

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #35 on: February 16, 2017, 11:33 »
+1

yes and the quality of micro stock today reflects this...and will be worsecause nobody could live in long time and the quality will reflect this.
if i were a buyer i would never bother with micro stock, i will go directly to stocksy for example.

which may be so.. but first, stocksy is too artsy fatsy and not all buyers need that...
secondly, today it may reflect how bad stock shots are,
but ss still have a lot of very well-shot and well-produced shots before the 7/10 criterion was
removed to make way for bolstering the inventory with bad stuff.
then again, that is only a fraction of the whole inventory...

also, no one wants to pay stocksy prices either for a simple ad shot which are
a dime a dozen , mostly well done, at ss.

the bar was lifted so high at one time, i say ss micro stuffs were far superior to
getty or even stocksy today.
eg. you see a lots of clipped hlights and blocked shadows at stocksy or even offset
which would never get passed ss during the time ss was 90%
and when istock too was something else.


completely disagree.
microstock is not up to offset or stocks or most of getty stuff.
i like food photography. micro is totally unprofessional stuff mostly. stocksy is very good stock food the best.
and i can say this also for still life. there are some author in stocksy who could produce campaign for major brand with their portfolio...i struggle to see this in micro.

« Reply #36 on: February 16, 2017, 12:13 »
0
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #37 on: February 16, 2017, 12:39 »
+1
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

well is your view. for me micro stock has not great  quality,mostly boring stuff....and most of the good  stuff i like is oriented towards stocksy style.

but taste vary.
i'm pretty sure if money were no problem a buyer would like to browse 2000 image of lettuce than 600000....

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #38 on: February 16, 2017, 12:44 »
+1
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

sure they don't have 40ooo useless images from amateur. lettuce isolated on white : 40000 and more images.
i'm pretty sure serious food magazine rarely will look into micro for food.

« Reply #39 on: February 16, 2017, 12:46 »
0
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

well is your view. for me micro stock has not great  quality,mostly boring stuff....and most of the good  stuff i like is oriented towards stocksy style.

but taste vary.
i'm pretty sure if money were no problem a buyer would like to browse 2000 image of lettuce than 600000....
or 2000 cabbages....I'm not commenting on image quality as you say its a matter of taste and enough people seem to like Stocksy to pay their premium. But if they are marketing themselves as higher quality you shouldn't get a picture of a cabbage if you are looking for a lettuce.

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #40 on: February 16, 2017, 12:50 »
+1
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

well is your view. for me micro stock has not great  quality,mostly boring stuff....and most of the good  stuff i like is oriented towards stocksy style.


but taste vary.
i'm pretty sure if money were no problem a buyer would like to browse 2000 image of lettuce than 600000....
or 2000 cabbages....I'm not commenting on image quality as you say its a matter of taste and enough people seem to like Stocksy to pay their premium. But if they are marketing themselves as higher quality you shouldn't get a picture of a cabbage if you are looking for a lettuce.

sure they have problem like any agency with keyword....microstock in this is champion. so they can have one error or any.
but i'm talking artistically. they are good enough to ask premium. i hope they open the apply to agency soon.

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #41 on: February 16, 2017, 15:06 »
0
In that case they need to do something about their search engine as if I search for lettuce most images contain little or no lettuce....rather like my favourite burgers which there are far more pictures of.  I particularly like the picture of a CABBAGE on the first page very professional key wording

well is your view. for me micro stock has not great  quality,mostly boring stuff....and most of the good  stuff i like is oriented towards stocksy style.

but taste vary.
i'm pretty sure if money were no problem a buyer would like to browse 2000 image of lettuce than 600000....
or 2000 cabbages....I'm not commenting on image quality as you say its a matter of taste and enough people seem to like Stocksy to pay their premium. But if they are marketing themselves as higher quality you shouldn't get a picture of a cabbage if you are looking for a lettuce.

by the way of food photography...how many people from eastern europe nowadays are flooding micro stock with food photography shot wooden table top view and something behind, mostly raw stuff cause they cannot even cook dishes....seems that everybody that needs some dollar or have a canon rebel in ex soviet union buy a wooden table and some vegetable and begins shooting like crazy.
i already come across 10 15 user from ukraine and russia with nearly 1 million images , i'd say 10000 could have been enough the rest are copy of copy of copy of copy.
so good welcome to agency like stocksy...even crestock but it not sell anything....but it's still what micro stockwas at beginning.

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/g/africa+studio?sort=newest&search_source=base_gallery&page=2

from ukraine 1 million images. we must be ready to much more company like this.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2017, 15:12 by jonbull »


« Reply #42 on: February 16, 2017, 16:50 »
0
There are very good points of view,  a few more pessimistic than others. In short, I think the best thing about a job is to enjoy what you do. :)
I have hope in the microstock business.

alno

« Reply #43 on: February 16, 2017, 16:57 »
0

i disagree...well electronic cost sure...it' s the same...but try living in paris or rome and then go to budapest belgrade kiev outside moscow for russia,. in addiction the pay is in dollar....fo euro country is a minus due to exchange rate, for other country is big plus, especially in the last years.
in my opinion you can live well in some countries in other no. production cost are very cheap in those countries also.

Price of electronics is not the same in Russia and the US. Sony A6300 camera costs about $1700 versus $900 in the United States. And good luck to you buying beautiful food, lab props or shooting some business or medical footage somewhere in Lubertsy, it's right "outside Moscow". 

jonbull

    This user is banned.
« Reply #44 on: February 16, 2017, 17:51 »
+1

i disagree...well electronic cost sure...it' s the same...but try living in paris or rome and then go to budapest belgrade kiev outside moscow for russia,. in addiction the pay is in dollar....fo euro country is a minus due to exchange rate, for other country is big plus, especially in the last years.
in my opinion you can live well in some countries in other no. production cost are very cheap in those countries also.

Price of electronics is not the same in Russia and the US. Sony A6300 camera costs about $1700 versus $900 in the United States. And good luck to you buying beautiful food, lab props or shooting some business or medical footage somewhere in Lubertsy, it's right "outside Moscow".

well u can easily buy from eBay...beautiful food can be bought..and i doubt in micro stock is so important...medical again it can be difficult in very small cities....but if you want move to paris or rome and try to lieve of your  footage...i will be happy to take back my mouth...how much you pay of taxes?
i pay near 52% all included....u?=
how much you py to rent a studio one day? i pay 300 500 euro for good studio...u?
how much you pay model? u are russian...u easily know what i'm talking about..russian girl have photogenic skill that are natural...practically even girl is nice and know how to behave in front of camera..and u not need professional model who can cost you 400 500 euro a day like in europe....i go often russian ukraine. so i know what i'm talking about.
it's not offensive..it's the reality.
or do you think russian and ukraine or belarussian produce one third or near 1/3 of content in shutter stock because they like work more than western people?
ruble has fallen down against dollar...also and u earn in dollar...so this is another WHY of the flooding of content.
most of producer don't need fancy medical center, even if you can easily shoot in medical company in russia.

« Reply #45 on: February 16, 2017, 20:55 »
+1
NO

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #46 on: February 17, 2017, 01:54 »
0
Well some of these comments ignore that a lot of stocksy contributors also have portfolios on micro sites. So there's that.

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #47 on: February 18, 2017, 14:56 »
0
Quote
I live in Caracas Venezuela

I would imagine that due to the ongoing political and economic situation in Venezuela, you could make some good money from editorial shots (assuming you aren't already doing so). Simple and easy to do shots of people lining up to purchase what little food/supplies is left at supermarkets comes to mind. 

These would probably be much more in demand than the standard boring Microstock stuff.

If these editorials are rare/interesting enough it's probably better to license them as RM at Alamy, for example, rather than RF at Microstock.

« Reply #48 on: February 18, 2017, 15:22 »
0
Quote
I live in Caracas Venezuela

I would imagine that due to the ongoing political and economic situation in Venezuela, you could make some good money from editorial shots (assuming you aren't already doing so). Simple and easy to do shots of people lining up to purchase what little food/supplies is left at supermarkets comes to mind. 

These would probably be much more in demand than the standard boring Microstock stuff.

If these editorials are rare/interesting enough it's probably better to license them as RM at Alamy, for example, rather than RF at Microstock.
Well, it's not so easy. Goverment have some law that prohibit to shot photos to the lines of people. It's very risky.

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #49 on: February 18, 2017, 15:31 »
0
Quote
Well, it's not so easy. Goverment have some law that prohibit to shot photos to the lines of people. It's very risky.

Yes, I can imagine. Could you try to do it uncover with a point and shoot? Probably not worth going to jail for a few quarters though...


 

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