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Macro Stock / Midstock => General Macrostock => Topic started by: MrTeck on May 20, 2008, 10:27

Title: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: MrTeck on May 20, 2008, 10:27
Hi all.
Some time ago was thinking to sell some photos on microstock sites, like istockphoto and SS.
Sincerly, in the first time I think to use only my actual photos (most are landscapes) and not shoot especifically for stocks.

Its hard and long to explain for me, but in resume I feel like I will sell really low quantity of photos and never will get real benefits.

So now start to think in macrostock, where I know is more hard and complicated, maybe more long time, etc.. but I can focus only in one stock.

¿Any recomendation about macrostock sites?

The most I know is Age Fotostock and Alamy, and I'm doing a portfolio to try, but any comment or sugestion is welcomed ;)

2 samples:
(http://www.enfoca2.com/galeria/data/1/enfoca2-_MG_9782.jpg) (http://www.enfoca2.com/galeria/showphoto.php?photo=2202)

(http://www.enfoca2.com/galeria/data/11/perlas.jpg) (http://www.enfoca2.com/galeria/showphoto.php?photo=1832)

Thx :)
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: PeterChigmaroff on May 20, 2008, 18:19
It;s not like your images aren't good it's just that there are so few markets for that style of imagery. AGE is a good agency and would probably look at your images but I wouldn't expect a lot of sales. It's a tough racket these days.
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: microstockinsider on May 20, 2008, 19:27
I have the same problem, the photos that I don't take for stock are either travel or fineart nature/landscapes. The travel ones work well on microstock, they either have landmarks or reflect the country they were located in.

I think i would give that "grass with dew drops" image ago at microstock, the painful thing about microstock is that while I think it's a great image, looks wonderful on my screen, the buyer will see your blade of grass as a tiny thumbnail with white specks and the impact will be lost in amongst 'all those other images'.

I've learnt that if my image looks good as a thumbnail then it will sell. I have an image of a spider web with covered in dew in the morning sun, but as a thumb you can just see a sort dull blue background, of the sites that accepted it, it get very little views. Conversely the dreamy sunset long exposure image I have somewhat like yours sells well, but only because it is sunset across a bay with a city in the background, and I think it's the fact that the city is there as a subject that sells the photo.
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: Slimshady on May 22, 2008, 20:29
Photoshelter and make them RM.  . with RF.
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: runamock on May 23, 2008, 03:53
I’m not sure if you work for Photoshelter Slimshady but your many posts about them would suggest that you do. The problem that I have with them is the strange way they want to put travel images into the ‘News’ or ‘News Plus’ collection. The majority of travel images are not news so why make this the only option? It states on the site that there is a ‘gray’ area between ‘News’ and ‘Creative’. A terrorist action is news; a picture of a sailboat off a Greek island is not. A confusing situation for both the contributors and buyers. Which further goes on to complicate things with pricing and whether you can sell them as RM or RF. Other agencies manage to get this right why not Photoshelter?

If you are connected with Photoshelter could you let me know just how long it takes to get a reply to sitemail, so far I have been waiting two weeks for a reply to the above question?

Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: MrTeck on May 27, 2008, 04:49
I was looking for the conditions in some macrostock sites, like AGE Fotostock/Pixtal.
Some of the conditions are a bit strict, like mundial exclusivity for 3 years...... so I can't use for my own proposits, or have to send arround 1000 photos/year.

Some of you are working with a macrostock?
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: cphoto on May 27, 2008, 14:58
I was looking for the conditions in some macrostock sites, like AGE Fotostock/Pixtal.
Some of the conditions are a bit strict, like mundial exclusivity for 3 years...... so I can't use for my own proposits, or have to send arround 1000 photos/year.

Some of you are working with a macrostock?

I work with Alamy and have a pretty good success so far (about 2 or 3 sales a month ranging from $80 to $500 with 300 pictures).

I just started with Photoshelter, looks promising, but so far no sale.
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: alex123rf on May 28, 2008, 05:29
You can try Inmagine's IRIS: http://submission.inmagine.com

Good luck!

Alex.
Title: Re: Thinking about Macrostock
Post by: DanP68 on May 29, 2008, 03:16
Photoshelter and make them RM.  . with RF.

I’m not sure if you work for Photoshelter Slimshady but your many posts about them would suggest that you do.


Hmmmm.  Sure looks that way, seeing as almost every post is about Photoshelter.