Author Topic: What would you recommend for my photography style, iStockPhoto or ShutterStock? (Read 3307 times)

canelson · « **on:** February 27, 2012, 14:29 »

Hello everyone, looks like here is a good place to ask for advice.

I'm a contributor for Getty Images Latin America, but so few people know about it that I'm starting to think about wider services to sell my photos. I applied to be a Getty+Flickr contributor, but had no news from them (I think they are close for the moment). So I was thinking about iStockPhoto, but after reading some post here, looks like ShutterStock is very popular too.

The kind of photos I take are casual shots of places and situations while I travel, so I wanted to know what would you recommend: iStockPhoto Exclusive photographer (if they allow me to enter) or ShutterStock (again, if I pass all the filters). I don't plan to live as a stock photographer, just get some extra money by the end of the year to update my photo gear.

Here is a link to my work, hope you like it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knel/sets/72157626969673667/ [nofollow]

Greetings from south america!

Matias.

aeonf · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2012, 15:12 »

You can't be exclusive to IS before you have 250 downloads so why not apply to both in the mean ime ?

ShadySue · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2012, 15:13 »

Can't advise (know nothing of SS), but just wanted to say how much I like Eso es queso.
But, FWIW, at the moment, there wouldn't be any point in supplying iS or SS exclusively, so why not submit to both, and see which works out best, or if you'd be best served supplying both.

bad to the bone · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2012, 15:28 »

try both...1:10 of the accepted ones will be at SS, have a look which of them sells more and then if you can, make a decission. This will take you 1-2 years.
Meanwhile if you don't give up you will have learned something about this business... you will have learned you have not to decide between one of them....

MarcvsTvllivs · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2012, 15:40 »

Bienvenidos, dude.

Those photos look beautiful. I am sure some will do well as microstock, and I concur with the others that you should submit to both iStock and Shutterstock. You might also want to use an RM agency like Alamy for those pictures that are not typical stock...

Love your country and your city (and your women

), BTW.

jsnover · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2012, 16:52 »

Your photos are lovely, and I think you should try to sell via the top four microstock sites (see the chart on the right). If you later decide that you want to try exclusivity at iStock, the only issue will be planning to deal with the 6 month wait on removing images at Dreamstime. Right now, I would strongly recommend against planning to be exclusive at iStock (I was exclusive with them and returned to independence last June), but things change and perhaps when you're eligible the answer will be different.

I think some of your lighting may give you trouble with Shutterstock - your lighting is fine, but Shutterstock can sometimes be very odd with lighting other than flat bright even white. For what they do accept, the sales are very good

bad to the bone · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2012, 17:15 »

as said, but don't try Dreamstime until you're shure to don't go exclusive anywhere.
It takes 1-2 years until DT gives you earnings...and to stop there taakes too much time.

steheap · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2012, 17:20 »

I would agree - it is definitely not either or - it is as many as you can comfortably support! I currently upload to about 20 sites, and it is surprising how the income can grow with occasional sales at these smaller agencies. $40 here and there add up month by month.

Steve

Of course, you could buy my eBook on getting started in stock to save yourself a lot of time and hassle...

bad to the bone · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2012, 17:24 »

Lol...

canelson · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2012, 10:56 »

Thanks for all the information!

I didn't know I could upload the same photos to various sites at the same time (Getty Latin America asks for exclusivity, so I thought all the sites did the same thing).

I'll try to be accepted on both sites and see how it goes. I'll let you know!

Can any of you tell me what is the difference between Getty and iStockPhoto or Shutterstock? Why it's not listed as a "Big 4"?

BTW (MarcvsTvillis), I'm from Argentina but I moved to Bogotá 4 months ago. The company my wife works for in Argentina sent she here for 2 years and I came too.

If you have more advices, I'll be glad to read them, greetings!

ShadySue · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2012, 11:21 »

Quote from: canelson on February 28, 2012, 10:56

Can any of you tell me what is the difference between Getty and iStockPhoto or Shutterstock? Why it's not listed as a "Big 4"?

Getty is considered 'macrostock', not microstock. It's occasionally mentioned in the forums, but this is MicrostockGroup, so is mainly concerned with the microstock agencies, and e.g. Alamy, which comes in as 'midstock'.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2012, 14:59 »

Honest, BOTH and skip the rest until you are settled in and have a collection of a couple hundred to drop on them.

By then you'll know if you want to bother with the small agencies.

PLUS: If you can make it on IS and SS, you can make it anywhere. Start at the top and work down.

leaf · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2012, 15:37 »

Quote from: RacePhoto on February 28, 2012, 14:59

Honest, BOTH and skip the rest until you are settled in and have a collection of a couple hundred to drop on them.

By then you'll know if you want to bother with the small agencies.

PLUS: If you can make it on IS and SS, you can make it anywhere. Start at the top and work down.

Agreed, start with the top sites (look on the right side) and work your way down. As you feel it is worthwhile add more sites. If you only have a few images to start with, there is no sense submitting to the lower end sites as you'll never get enough downloads for a payout. Wait until you are at least getting a payout every month on your best sites before bothering with the sites lower on the list.

You should also check out Alamy

canelson · « **Reply #13 on:** February 29, 2012, 09:36 »

Just upload three photos to iStockPhoto, crossing fingers!

ibogdan · « **Reply #14 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:00 »

Good luck!

MarcvsTvllivs · « **Reply #15 on:** February 29, 2012, 16:17 »

Good luck. iStock took me 5 attempts, mostly because I didn't really know what they are looking for. If it doesn't work, ask here. People are really helpful.

An Argentinian in Bogotá... I hope the locals aren't giving you too hard a time

. Especially since Colombian for "not being given too hard a time" is not being robbed too much...