Author Topic: Microstock or Getty ? (Read 6397 times)

eliastheGreek · « **on:** May 08, 2012, 03:32 »

Hi everyone!

I am an amateur photographer who's trying to earn some extra cash from stock photography. It's been a year that I am active on various microstock sites such as Shutterstock, iStock , Fotolia & Dreamstime. But at the same time I managed to get into Getty through flickr. From the microstock sites I have managed to earn some 350$. Getty has given me about 200$. Problem is that sometimes Getty asks for the same photos that are good sellers on microstock and so I am forced to remove them and wish they sale on Getty.
I would like to have your opinion on where I should give focus.
My porfolio on Getty is this :
http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=creative&p=kordelakos&assetType=image

and on SS,iS etc is this :
http://www.shutterstock.com/g/eliaskordelakos

Thank you in advance for your time!
Cheers,
Elias

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2012, 06:51 »

Tough call. Not a simple decision as noted by your earnings. And the pros and cons are many.

Your Getty stuff is pretty nice. But as you may have learned already, the Premium Access Time Limited licenses can earn micro-level royalties. Plus, even regular RF licenses seem to be heavily negotiated to where they don't sell at anywhere near where the site pricing shows. My Getty RF RPI has been dropping and is now averaging close to my micro RPI. The nice big macro sales are happening way less frequently these days. I did an analysis and 15% of my downloads are earning me lower than micro levels with stuff like .20 cent royalties. Another 40% are about the same as micro. The remaining 45% are higher than my micro sales.

So I would suggest spending time on both depending on the image or shoot. Images that are rare, unique, don't have much competition, or would sell in low volumes should probably go to Getty in the hopes that those images get more larger sales than PATL sales. Stuff that is more generic should go to micro. Also, if you have access to Getty RM you may want to try to get some stuff in those collections since the commission percentage is higher and prices have the potential to go much higher. But, negotiation happens with RM also.

Good luck.

wut · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2012, 08:52 »

Your stuff looks a lot more macro. One can see you enjoy taking them and ppl post such photos at flickr. Micro is not a good place to sell portraits, buyers don't understand creativity, great lighting and composition. I'd stick to macro if I were you, unless you plan on starting to shoot generic stuff that sells well on the micros.

lagereek · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2012, 10:04 »

Go for the Getty-RM, see if you can get in there. Its far too late in the day to even start thinking about building a port in Micro, many here have been at it for 6, 7, years and are still struggling, unfortunately.

eliastheGreek · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2012, 10:14 »

I understand that the point is "Generic" photos go to micro and "Special" to Getty. The thing is that Getty asked for images like this one http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/small-plant-on-pile-of-dirt-royalty-free-image/141249909 that I had it on various micros and sold well. I "transferred" it to Getty and no sales since!

Unfortunately the fact that I am in Getty through flickr does not give me the benefit of choosing if one of my photos will be RM or RF. It is determined by the curators.

Thank you for your time and please excuse my English.

Wim · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2012, 10:29 »

That's the hardest part mate, trying to figure out what sells where, I'm still working on that

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2012, 10:39 »

Quote from: eliastheGreek on May 08, 2012, 10:14

I understand that the point is "Generic" photos go to micro and "Special" to Getty. The thing is that Getty asked for images like this one http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/small-plant-on-pile-of-dirt-royalty-free-image/141249909 that I had it on various micros and sold well. I "transferred" it to Getty and no sales since!

Unfortunately the fact that I am in Getty through flickr does not give me the benefit of choosing if one of my photos will be RM or RF. It is determined by the curators.

Thank you for your time and please excuse my English.

I'd say that's a good example of a generic photo and I'm not surprised it's not selling at Getty. There are tens of thousands of similar ones on micro sites.

So are you sure you understand? Why would a buyer spend hundreds of dollars at Getty when they can go to micros and get the same shot for a few dollars. Or go to Shutterstock and download several hundred photos for the same cost as one photo at Getty.

eliastheGreek · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2012, 02:26 »

Thanks Paulie! I shall keep in mind these things. I feel better now that I know that are others with the same dilemma as me. Thought I had misunderstood the whole thing!
Good luck to your sales everyone! Thanks again for your time!