Author Topic: Which are the best paying midstock (macrostock) agencies? (Read 27607 times)

Slovenian · « **on:** February 03, 2011, 15:53 »

I'm currently submitting my photos to a couple of microstock sites IS and SS. I used to UL on Fotolia and Dreamstime as well, but stopped after getting really low sales, just around 10% of what SS and IS bring me. And this are all a part of the big 4.

Can you please recommend me a few in the midstock, perhaps also macrostock range. Preferably the ones that I wouldn't have to completely change my style of photography and invest a ton of money to make it profitable. The style I'd go for and suit me the most is like Vetta collection on IS. More edgy, creative and conceptual than microstock.

Slovenian · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2011, 05:38 »

I've googled for those agency throughly, the only worth while seemS to be Alamy. Lots of the agencies are being closed down (like Zymmetrical etc). Any other suggestions besides Alamy? What I'm really looking for is selling RM, so I have the choice of becoming exclusive at IS if I wanted to in the future. I'm thinking of exclusivity mainly because of Vetta and the fact that SS sales are dropping in the last 2 months, it looks like you can't sell anything out of the box there just the same ol' MS crappy and boring photos like thousand s of people do and have to feed the beast like a mad man. Which I don't intend to do, I have a single session every month during the winter and up to 4 during the summer.

lagereek · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2011, 05:51 »

At this moment , its a bad job looking for any agency that will pay well, RM, RF, Micro, dont matter.

Phil · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2011, 06:02 »

many are listed on

http://www.stockphoto.net/
http://www.photosource.com/psn_full.php?type=Headlines&id=358

but how much they sell is entirely different matter.

I guess (without any real knowledge) that you'll be looking to invest a decent amount of money.

main ones that come to mind (again not that I have a lot of experience here)

Getty - will probably only offer you photographers choice where you pay $50 an image to upload
Corbis
Age
Imagine

But they will be looking for very commercial stuff, I think you'll want some of the more boutique agencies

take a look at

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2008/02/27/stock-photo-agencies/

it's a bit dated but may still be worth a look

Phil

Phil · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2011, 06:07 »

another one to look at

http://www.stockphotographysites.info/

Slovenian · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2011, 06:43 »

Quote from: Phil on February 04, 2011, 06:02

but how much they sell is entirely different matter.

I guess (without any real knowledge) that you'll be looking to invest a decent amount of money.

How much do they earn is the main question:). You can find tons of MS stats, charts and earning comparisons, but I couldn't find one for mid/macro stock.

Why should I invest so much? I mean for what purposes? Is it for gear, models&props or both? I thin Canon 1ds3 and a couple of good primes should do the trick for most of those agencies, I'm not looking for the high end anway, since I probably wouldn't get accepted anyway.

ann · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2011, 13:24 »

Wow, Phil, thank you for posting such helpful links to macro sites!
smiles - Ann

gwhitton · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2011, 15:52 »

There are various avenues to get exposure to the midstock market, besides Alamy.

Zoonar (sells to micros and midstock...but you have to choose the pricing for each image and stick with it).
Panthermedia (sells cheap subs and midstock).
Canstock (occasionally I will get a midstock sale through their parent Fotosearch).
Veer (is borderline midstock...but I get almost zero sales, so does it really matter. ;o)

Slovenian · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2011, 18:02 »

Quote from: gwhitton on March 03, 2011, 15:52

There are various avenues to get exposure to the midstock market, besides Alamy.

Zoonar (sells to micros and midstock...but you have to choose the pricing for each image and stick with it).
Panthermedia (sells cheap subs and midstock).
Canstock (occasionally I will get a midstock sale through their parent Fotosearch).
Veer (is borderline midstock...but I get almost zero sales, so does it really matter. ;o)

Sorry, but aren't all of this microstock? Panthermedia is listed as micro, when I checked their site it says macro and zoonar is listed as a low earner anyway. I'd go with Alamy right away if they didn't have the 180 day notice before you're able to remove content. It's a shame wasting half a year of exclusivity if I wouldn't even make it to the first payout (but I'm aiming a lot higher of course)

Oldhand · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2011, 15:51 »

Hi there

I was involved with the macro agency scene for nearly 20 years. Top earner was £4,000 per month. From that it ranged down to £0 - same model as SS - Crestock!

Times changed, however the short answer is yes, there is good money in macro. I have no idea with the mid stock, neither have the above figures included Getty who have been hard work to deal with since day 1. In between there are 100's of agencies, and the trick is finding a good set. The successes are not as well known, neither are their names.

It comes to what you shoot - they will only bother if they think it will sell. You're in Slovenia I believe. Go to cepic.org, and have a look at the agents in the top European countries. Choose one from each country which fits what you do. Contact them, and take it from there. You can then build up 15 agencies with each dealing with their own country. Same pics can also still go to Alamy who don't really care.

I supply all the top and most middle tier micro - also Alamy - plus another 10 agents dotted around the globe. My knowledge is a bit old, and I am probably a dinosaur and failure compared to someone like Jonathan Ross over here - but it helps with the bills. There are many more avenues I don't deal with.

To end on a depressing note - the £4k per month day disappeared a long while ago.

Oldhand

gwhitton · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2011, 16:20 »

Quote from: Slovenian on March 03, 2011, 18:02

Quote from: gwhitton on March 03, 2011, 15:52
There are various avenues to get exposure to the midstock market, besides Alamy.

Zoonar (sells to micros and midstock...but you have to choose the pricing for each image and stick with it).
Panthermedia (sells cheap subs and midstock).
Canstock (occasionally I will get a midstock sale through their parent Fotosearch).
Veer (is borderline midstock...but I get almost zero sales, so does it really matter. ;o)

Sorry, but aren't all of this microstock? Panthermedia is listed as micro, when I checked their site it says macro and zoonar is listed as a low earner anyway. I'd go with Alamy right away if they didn't have the 180 day notice before you're able to remove content. It's a shame wasting half a year of exclusivity if I wouldn't even make it to the first payout (but I'm aiming a lot higher of course)

Zoonar is whatever you want it to be. Depending on the price point you set for an image, their partners will either take it or leave it. They have three levels, micro, standard, or premium, that are then broken down by image size. http://www.zoonar.com/licences

Panther is mixed as well.

I would consider these all Midstock doorways...whether you make a sale with any of them is another matter.

BelIblis · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2011, 00:03 »

It always depends on the image. A very high sale with Getty (about 2 months ago) was for about US$3000 – meaning about $900 for me. That's ONE sale. And from my own point of view, the image was 'nice' but certainly not 'spectacular'. It was a landscape, shot out of the window of a moving car. Mid-day, no specific 'wide-angle' or anything else like that... BUT it seemed to hit the spot with the advertising agency who bought it.

In other words: you never know. (And another indicator for me to rather submit to RM than Micro, unless it's 'obvious' micro material).

lagereek · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2011, 00:17 »

Well, grass isnt greener over there, just to let you know! and the admins are not on the ball. I supplied 6 Engineering shots to the Getty-RM, only a month back, they should have gone into the main-collection at Stones but by mistake I clicked the wrong button and they ended up it this stupid Photographers-Choice instead. Now they tell me sorry its too late, they cant move them, what a half-assed excuse! cant move them??

I suppose they want the 50 quid per shot, Im not paying a dime, thats it.

As one poster said above, its bad timing to look for anything right now.

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2011, 00:23 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 14, 2011, 00:17

Well, grass isnt greener over there, just to let you know! and the admins are not on the ball. I supplied 6 Engineering shots to the Getty-RM, only a month back, they should have gone into the main-collection at Stones but by mistake I clicked the wrong button and they ended up it this stupid Photographers-Choice instead. Now they tell me sorry its too late, they cant move them, what a half-assed excuse! cant move them??

I suppose they want the 50 quid per shot, Im not paying a dime, thats it.

As one poster said above, its bad timing to look for anything right now.

That's so bad. What a completely unscrupulous company.

lagereek · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2011, 06:02 »

Quote from: gwhitton on March 04, 2011, 16:20

Quote from: Slovenian on March 03, 2011, 18:02
Quote from: gwhitton on March 03, 2011, 15:52
There are various avenues to get exposure to the midstock market, besides Alamy.

Zoonar (sells to micros and midstock...but you have to choose the pricing for each image and stick with it).
Panthermedia (sells cheap subs and midstock).
Canstock (occasionally I will get a midstock sale through their parent Fotosearch).
Veer (is borderline midstock...but I get almost zero sales, so does it really matter. ;o)

Sorry, but aren't all of this microstock? Panthermedia is listed as micro, when I checked their site it says macro and zoonar is listed as a low earner anyway. I'd go with Alamy right away if they didn't have the 180 day notice before you're able to remove content. It's a shame wasting half a year of exclusivity if I wouldn't even make it to the first payout (but I'm aiming a lot higher of course)

Zoonar is whatever you want it to be. Depending on the price point you set for an image, their partners will either take it or leave it. They have three levels, micro, standard, or premium, that are then broken down by image size. http://www.zoonar.com/licences

Panther is mixed as well.

I would consider these all Midstock doorways...whether you make a sale with any of them is another matter.

Fotosearch looks really professional I must say, when you say parent company? you mean they own Canstock or vice versa?

corareed · « **Reply #15 on:** April 14, 2011, 13:21 »

Cutcaster.com is friendly to creative/unique/new style designs. We may not have as many sales as some of the big 4 but we are picking up. I would love to see your work.

Oh...and you can set your own prices!

lagereek · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2011, 13:50 »

Quote from: corareed on April 14, 2011, 13:21

Cutcaster.com is friendly to creative/unique/new style designs. We may not have as many sales as some of the big 4 but we are picking up. I would love to see your work.

Oh...and you can set your own prices!

WOO YAY!! but?? do you make any lolly? As it happens it does look nice, professional that is, might give it a go.

best.

cardmaverick · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2011, 14:01 »

Quote from: lagereek on February 04, 2011, 05:51

At this moment , its a bad job looking for any agency that will pay well, RM, RF, Micro, dont matter.

Not true.

lagereek · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2011, 14:13 »

Quote from: cardmaverick on April 14, 2011, 14:01

Quote from: lagereek on February 04, 2011, 05:51
At this moment , its a bad job looking for any agency that will pay well, RM, RF, Micro, dont matter.

Not true.

Well I didnt exactly mean that, what I meant was, if anybody is under the impression " getting rich over night" just forget it. In the 22 years I have been shooting stock, it took at mleast 10 solid hard working years before I could turn it into a full-time living and these last ten years well thats the icing on the cake.

lagereek · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2011, 14:15 »

Quote from: corareed on April 14, 2011, 13:21

Cutcaster.com is friendly to creative/unique/new style designs. We may not have as many sales as some of the big 4 but we are picking up. I would love to see your work.

Oh...and you can set your own prices!

Oh BTW, I just joined you!

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Author Topic: Which are the best paying midstock (macrostock) agencies? (Read 27607 times)

Slovenian

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Phil

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ann

gwhitton

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Oldhand

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