Hello,

I am new at stock photography and confused in some points. Let me explain below and I really need your helps:

I only have an account at iStockphoto with 23 files online currently. But I want to be exclusive here after reaching to 250 downloads. Because of this idea, I have not signed into any other stock photography sites. Because I didn't want to divide myself into parts.

If you were me, what would you do?
1) Always go with one stock photography site and make a goal to be exclusive there?
2) go with 2-3 sites and when shutterstock or istockphoto reaches exclusivity level, be an exlusive in one of these...
3) Never be an exclusive and sell in different sites..
Which one will you take? (shall I take)

Secondly,
I have some model and property releases but signed in the format of iStockphoto. Will I able to use them in other sites like shutterstock or depositphotos, etc.?

Thank you in advance,
Alp from Istanbul

1. At this time this may have been the smart move, nowadays, not so for someone starting out.
2. As above, plus SS doesn't have an exclusive programme.
3. Nowadays, being indie is probably the smart move. But it's a lot more hassle just keeping up with what your contract at each agency might in the future allow them to do to you, who is partnered with whom, etc etc.
If I were starting out now, I'd probably only submit RM to Alamy, but that's not a way to get lots of sales. Having been a microstocker does seem to make one a persona non grata at some other RM agencies (can't even get a foot in the door).

Essentially, everything boils down to you, the sort of images you are supplying and how much time you have to keep on top of all the agencies you submit to. What works for me or any other person may or may not work for you.

thanks ShadySue for your time.
If any different thoughts, I'd love to hear.

With all the things going on at IS at the moment I don't think that now is the time for anybody to decide to go exclusive with them.

Thumbs up, that would be a good point for my way..
So it is better to publish & sell at in 3 different sites:
1) istock
2) shutterstock
3) depositphotos

what do you think?
or any site to add into this list?

Quote from: ruzgar344 on January 24, 2013, 13:01

Quote from: fotografer on January 24, 2013, 12:58

With all the things going on at IS at the moment I don't think that now is the time for anybody to decide to go exclusive with them.

Thumbs up, that would be a good point for my way..
So it is better to publish & sell at in 3 different sites:
1) istock
2) shutterstock
3) depositphotos

what do you think?
or any site to add into this list?

I also get a regular pay out at dreamstime, fotolia, 123rf, bigstock and canstock.  Most of them have their faults but they all bring me in a monthly pay out.  I've started uploading to Alamy as well a few months ago and am pleased with the results.

I see thanks... Good advices for me.. But what if you decide to be exclusive? You need some time for that? Or how will it be?

Quote from: ruzgar344 on January 24, 2013, 13:15

Quote from: fotografer on January 24, 2013, 13:11

Quote from: ruzgar344 on January 24, 2013, 13:01

Quote from: fotografer on January 24, 2013, 12:58

With all the things going on at IS at the moment I don't think that now is the time for anybody to decide to go exclusive with them.

Thumbs up, that would be a good point for my way..
So it is better to publish & sell at in 3 different sites:
1) istock
2) shutterstock
3) depositphotos

what do you think?
or any site to add into this list?

I also get a regular pay out at dreamstime, fotolia, 123rf, bigstock and canstock.  Most of them have their faults but they all bring me in a monthly pay out.  I've started uploading to Alamy as well a few months ago and am pleased with the results.

I see thanks... Good advices for me.. But what if you decide to be exclusive? You need some time for that? Or how will it be?

In the unlikely event that you would want to go exclusive at iStock [1], you'd have to make sure that all of your photos from all sites and partners are removed. You will need to check the T&C of each site to see how long that would take. Up to six months, in some case.

[1] I don't know who else has an exclusivity program other than DT, and I haven't read that that was ever a good move.

in iStockphoto I now have a few downloads.. So I think it is best to work with 3-4 sites for now and when my download approaches to 200 or more, I can check again the terms that time and later on it will be better to delete my files in other sites and be an exclusive for istock photographer...
This would be a best option for me?
 

Unless you are planning to produce a significant volume of work and especially to target the Vetta and Agency collections (these are edited, open only to exclusives and thus you can't guarantee your work will be included), I can't see any reason for you to consider exclusivity at iStock.

The RC (redeemed credit) system they put in place in 2010 means that you will have to produce in volume and sell the higher priced work to make more than a 25% royalty (the bottom level exclusive royalty). You'll probably make more money as an independent selling at most of the top and middle tier sites.

I did spend 3 years as an iStock exclusive and returned to being an independent as a result of the changes they made and the impact that had on my earnings.

In my opinion your best option would be to carry on uploading to mulitple sites but be warned that if you upload to Dreamstime you would have to wait 6 months from your last upload before you can delete all your images and go exclusive somewhere else.