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Author Topic: Not a single sale for three weeks  (Read 18597 times)

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derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #25 on: April 18, 2017, 13:19 »
+3
"anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK

Really??  well I am down about 50% since new year and I have a very high commercial value portfolio. Sorry but I dont buy that at all. Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?


« Reply #26 on: April 18, 2017, 14:09 »
+3
"anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK

Really??  well I am down about 50% since new year and I have a very high commercial value portfolio. Sorry but I dont buy that at all. Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?

I'm stating my own experience. You can believe whatever makes you feel happy.

I'm sharing this experience because I'm convinced that a curated collection is beneficial not only for the uploaders, but especially for customers, therefore also for me, indirectly. Even if we are competitors!

So, I'm not sharing the exact amounts, since it can be easy for someone working for my agencies to break my anonymity with a simple database query.
Anyway, I'm attaching a SS screenshot showing the number of digits earned yesterday and so far, today.
I'm also attaching a screenshot showing an approximation of my SS port size (add some videos to that)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that everyday is as good as these days, but these big sales come regularly and they add up. If that matters, today I also got an EL on FT, yesterday another EL on 123RF, etc.

My microstock income is roughly 2.4 times the minim wage in my state. If before doing microstock I use to get back several thousands after filing my tax return, now I'm the one paying IRS several good thousands in additional taxes >:(

So do your math, and believe what you want!

 8)

« Last Edit: April 18, 2017, 14:13 by Zero Talent »

derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #27 on: April 18, 2017, 14:42 »
0
"anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK

Really??  well I am down about 50% since new year and I have a very high commercial value portfolio. Sorry but I dont buy that at all. Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?

I'm stating my own experience. You can believe whatever makes you feel happy.

I'm sharing this experience because I'm convinced that a curated collection is beneficial not only for the uploaders, but especially for customers, therefore also for me, indirectly. Even if we are competitors!

So, I'm not sharing the exact amounts, since it can be easy for someone working for my agencies to break my anonymity with a simple database query.
Anyway, I'm attaching a SS screenshot showing the number of digits earned yesterday and so far, today.
I'm also attaching a screenshot showing an approximation of my SS port size (add some videos to that)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that everyday is as good as these days, but these big sales come regularly and they add up. If that matters, today I also got an EL on FT, yesterday another EL on 123RF, etc.

My microstock income is roughly 2.4 times the minim wage in my state. If before doing microstock I use to get back several thousands after filing my tax return, now I'm the one paying IRS several good thousands in additional taxes >:(

So do your math, and believe what you want!

 8)


Sorry but I dont get it!  I had a single sale the other day just before Easter at SS for 230 dollars and an EL on a saturday of all days but that still dont add up to being a money-spinner and it certainly dont mean its a brilliant site. I am still down about 50%. Four guys I know run what you call a factory with over 100K files and THEY of all people are down 40%.
Anyway if youre happy thats good and thanks for the info. :)

« Reply #28 on: April 18, 2017, 17:12 »
+4
 "Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?" Well if they are not uploading what do they expect....self fulfilling prophecy is the term that springs to mind.

angelawaye

  • Eat, Sleep, Keyword. Repeat

« Reply #29 on: April 18, 2017, 20:35 »
+1
"anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK

Really??  well I am down about 50% since new year and I have a very high commercial value portfolio. Sorry but I dont buy that at all. Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?

Me too. I keep uploading (not as much as before) and it is actually getting worse! I started in 2008. Made good money but I see it is ending even with a high (unique) commercial value port. This is month is looking just awful! I'm wondering how low it can go now ...

« Reply #30 on: April 18, 2017, 21:01 »
+1
anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK.

Exactly! And just to be clear: several means more than a couple ;)

This may shatter a common belief on this forum, but I know what I mean when I say that quality trumps quantity and when I advise people to curate their uploads.

Also to be clear: I have more than a "few hundred", I have almost 1,000!

Are these photos or illustrations?   Either way, you should change your screen name.  You must have talent to make that kind of bank on less than 1k images.

« Reply #31 on: April 18, 2017, 22:10 »
0
anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK.

Exactly! And just to be clear: several means more than a couple ;)

This may shatter a common belief on this forum, but I know what I mean when I say that quality trumps quantity and when I advise people to curate their uploads.

Also to be clear: I have more than a "few hundred", I have almost 1,000!

Are these photos or illustrations?   Either way, you should change your screen name.  You must have talent to make that kind of bank on less than 1k images.

Thanks! I only do photos and some videos.

Zero Talent for illustrations!  ;D

« Reply #32 on: April 19, 2017, 01:36 »
+1
anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK.

Exactly! And just to be clear: several means more than a couple ;)

This may shatter a common belief on this forum, but I know what I mean when I say that quality trumps quantity and when I advise people to curate their uploads.

Also to be clear: I have more than a "few hundred", I have almost 1,000!

I believe it. I don't spend a lot of time curating, but notice some categories sell incredibly well compared to others. I reckon you're contributing in some of those categories. They're very  competitive, but with the right content, you can get multiple downloads per day for some images.

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #33 on: April 19, 2017, 05:59 »
0
I agree with the above comments and would add that there doesn't appear to be too much thinking behind each of the snapshots leading to subjects which are boring, poor lighting and poor composition. To add insult to injury some of the keywording (as others have pointed out) could improve. One that stood out for me was the "city view from above" and none of the keywords mentioned where the city is!

If you look at the most popular images of Arnhem, the difference is night and day.

https://www.shutterstock.com/search?search_source=base_landing_page&language=en&searchterm=arnhem&image_type=all

Keep going, some of my early stuff is cringe worthy but i'm glad I made an effort to improve.


nicksimages

  • contact : nicksimages.com
« Reply #34 on: April 19, 2017, 07:29 »
0
everyone can get a few sales while his/her images are new on any subject.

To produce images that are downloaded again and again for long periods of time is much harder work.

If you want to get there, you have to improve. A lot.

« Reply #35 on: April 19, 2017, 08:35 »
+2
anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK.

Exactly! And just to be clear: several means more than a couple ;)

This may shatter a common belief on this forum, but I know what I mean when I say that quality trumps quantity and when I advise people to curate their uploads.

Also to be clear: I have more than a "few hundred", I have almost 1,000!

Are these photos or illustrations?   Either way, you should change your screen name.  You must have talent to make that kind of bank on less than 1k images.

Thanks! I only do photos and some videos.

Zero Talent for illustrations!  ;D

 :) Nice pun.

derek

    This user is banned.
« Reply #36 on: April 19, 2017, 09:25 »
0
"anonymous poster claims to make thousands of dollars per month with a few hundred images. OK

Really??  well I am down about 50% since new year and I have a very high commercial value portfolio. Sorry but I dont buy that at all. Everyone I know with quality portfolios are down with the magical 40-50% and none of them are uploading including myself. Whats the point?

Me too. I keep uploading (not as much as before) and it is actually getting worse! I started in 2008. Made good money but I see it is ending even with a high (unique) commercial value port. This is month is looking just awful! I'm wondering how low it can go now ...

Ha! exactly this is whats happening with long term members the more uploading the less money. I've heard the same from about 20 people being with SS and who joined around the beginning or a few years after.
My theory is that SS looks upon old members as " safe"  they can be screwed around with because theyve invested so much work during so many years that they would never leave or create any noise.

MRommens

« Reply #37 on: April 19, 2017, 13:11 »
0
Thank you all, for you comments about my port!
It is usefull to receive some critism



MRommens

« Reply #38 on: April 19, 2017, 13:17 »
0
I agree with the above comments and would add that there doesn't appear to be too much thinking behind each of the snapshots leading to subjects which are boring, poor lighting and poor composition. To add insult to injury some of the keywording (as others have pointed out) could improve. One that stood out for me was the "city view from above" and none of the keywords mentioned where the city is!

If you look at the most popular images of Arnhem, the difference is night and day.

https://www.shutterstock.com/search?search_source=base_landing_page&language=en&searchterm=arnhem&image_type=all

Keep going, some of my early stuff is cringe worthy but i'm glad I made an effort to improve.
Good point! I thougth that location info was not important (only for editorial)
you are right, my nice city view image must appear in the search results when a customer search on Arnhem (or the Netherlands).

Yesterday i uploaded 2 more Arnhem images (they appear in the Arnhem search results)

« Reply #39 on: April 19, 2017, 13:33 »
0
zero talent, are you based in italy? do you have photos of young people in your portfolio staging a criminal running?

« Reply #40 on: April 19, 2017, 13:34 »
0
If you look at the most popular images of Arnhem, the difference is night and day.

https://www.shutterstock.com/search?search_source=base_landing_page&language=en&searchterm=arnhem&image_type=all


Those are the most popular images of Arnhem? To be honest, I think a lot of those city images on the first page look pretty ordinary. Though I guess some buyers might have a use for them.

« Reply #41 on: April 19, 2017, 13:53 »
0
zero talent, are you based in italy? do you have photos of young people in your portfolio staging a criminal running?

No, I'm US based.


« Reply #42 on: April 19, 2017, 13:58 »
0
ok, there was a guy a while back on shutterstock, based in italy, he had like 500 photos but was making mad money, made like a grand per month, thought that could be you

MRommens

« Reply #43 on: April 19, 2017, 14:24 »
0
Agree with too low commercial value. + I'd add more editing to the photos, more description of titles and more keywords.
What a kind of editing do you mean?

« Reply #44 on: April 19, 2017, 16:07 »
0
ok, there was a guy a while back on shutterstock, based in italy, he had like 500 photos but was making mad money, made like a grand per month, thought that could be you
I think I know that guy. Is this the port you are thinking at?

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/ViewApart


Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk


« Reply #45 on: April 19, 2017, 17:14 »
0
yup, good find

angelawaye

  • Eat, Sleep, Keyword. Repeat

« Reply #46 on: April 19, 2017, 20:53 »
0
That guy is good!

« Reply #47 on: April 19, 2017, 21:20 »
0
yup, good find

If I remember well his statements, he is doing 50% better than what I do.

« Reply #48 on: April 24, 2017, 15:49 »
+3
Ever since I've signed up here and probably going forward over the next many years this topic has been an ongoing thing. People complaining about a lack of sales.

When in comes to stock photography or photography in general, or even life in general there's a pretty simple rule: Great work usually gives you great returns. It's really not that complicated.

« Reply #49 on: April 24, 2017, 16:27 »
+1
Normally I don't complain about bad earnings since a) there are so many variances out there and b) my works are not very commercial oriented, so no big expectations from the start. But this month is my worst in the last 24 months, 60% down compared to March '17, and 65% down to April '16. Many days with 0 downloads, sometimes even on workdays. Medium port (1100 images), regular downloads each day and flat to small increases in revenues up until this month. What happened?

I know there were Easter holidays, but not so much as to ruin monthly sales. Anybody else can report something similar this month?


 

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