Author Topic: Exclusive or Not for beginner? (Read 4557 times)

celaler · « **on:** November 21, 2012, 17:27 »

I have small portfolio right now. I separate it my portfolio for Istock and for others. Because I am very close to becoming exclusive. But as you can guess, not easy to manage your portfolio for specially an agency.

Is it worth for exclusivity?

Now I am monitoring agencies right now for income. If I earn much more on Istock with exclusivity, I will stop it others. But Shutterstock sellings are increasing so that time I start to think what should I do?

My aim is becoming Microstocker in two years.

What is your opinion?

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2012, 17:41 »

I'm not sure what value there is for an independent in splitting their port between agencies. If you had (approximately) the same port across the agencies, you could better assess which would suit you best.

Even though exclusive on iStock, I don't necessarily think it's a great move nowadays. Certainly, it's easier just to upload to one agency. Also if you become exclusive and it doesn't work out for you, you only have to give 30 days' notice to become independent again.

No-one can advise you. No-one else has your specific portfolio. No-one else has your balance of what sells where. iStock seems particularly precarious these days. The agency which seems to be garnering most non-negative comments these days is SS. 2 1/2 years ago, it was iStock. Two years down the line, who knows?

My own 2p worth would be to put the same port across all your agencies and at the end of, say, six months, make a more informed decision based on your own figures. But things change constantly.

Unless uploading time is an issue, where exclusivity might make sense.

cidepix · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2012, 17:49 »

you should go exclusive..

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2012, 18:04 »

Quote from: celaler on November 21, 2012, 17:27

Is it worth for exclusivity?

No. Biggest mistake I ever made. Don't do it.

cidepix · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2012, 18:45 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on November 21, 2012, 18:04

Quote from: celaler on November 21, 2012, 17:27
Is it worth for exclusivity?

No. Biggest mistake I ever made. Don't do it.

he should definitely go exclusive.. it's better for us..

_{awful for him though.. but let's not wake him up..}

gostwyck · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2012, 18:59 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on November 21, 2012, 18:04

Quote from: celaler on November 21, 2012, 17:27
Is it worth for exclusivity?

No. Biggest mistake I ever made. Don't do it.

He's wrong __ go for it! Exclusives earn a much higher RPD as they are always telling us. That's really important, apparently.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2012, 19:22 »

You don't say what your current portfolio size is - specifically - or what types of work you produce (which is also key to making a decision). I've been both independent (2004-2008 and 2011 to present) and exclusive (in the middle).

The people who are doing best in the current iStock/Getty environment (and do read up on Getty's acquisition of iStock, H&F's acquisition of Getty and the recent sale to Carlyle Group & management) are those who have a very heavy prescence in the Agency/Vetta collections (which are mirrored on Getty Images). It's been tough going for almost every other group of exclusives - something you won't see as clearly until your portfolio and sales numbers get bigger. It's easy to have sales double to go from 20 a month to 40, but much harder to go from 2,000 to 4,000.

My advice would be to upload your entire portfolio everywhere for a year at least, possibly two. There's no point in separating your work on other sites (unless it's RM) as you can't keep doing that after you go exclusive anyway - it's artist exclusive for RF, not image exclusive. After a year or two you'd know something about the nature of the choice you're about to make. Right now, I don't think you can (at least not a rational decision). Good luck

cthoman · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2012, 19:31 »

You should open a deli and forget about microstock. If not, I'd say upload to a bunch of different sites, evaluate YOUR numbers, and make the best decision based on the numbers. Anybody, that tells you they know what's best for you is probably just guessing or is psychic. If they are psychic, then you should probably get some lottery numbers and open that deli with the winnings.

THP Creative · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2012, 20:54 »

Go indie for sure. If iStock ever gets back to what it was before, then maybe exclusive would be an option. I don't think any of us here expect that to happen though...

tab62 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2012, 20:57 »

Go for it! The exclusives make the big $$! I bet from 150k to 500k+ a year...

celaler · « **Reply #10 on:** November 22, 2012, 13:59 »

I would like to thank you for your all recommendations. I was missing out a point about not to being with only for Istock. Currently I coulnt be exclusive. I think, I will upload to all microstock my portfolios till to calculations. As your idea, I will calculate after 1-2 years then I will think about it one more time later.

Also inventions are growing to selling ownself on digitalage, there is another options to images on another web page not only microstock websites, isnt it?

ClaridgeJ · « **Reply #11 on:** November 22, 2012, 14:11 »

You want to become a microstocker? surely you can think of better ways for a nervous breakdown, stroke, coronery occlusion or suicide?

Man you are coming in to the last orders of micro. The boat has gone.

tab62 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 22, 2012, 14:19 »

More like the boat has sunk...

mtkang · « **Reply #13 on:** November 22, 2012, 14:29 »

shutterstock is the highest earning for most contributors, unless you just want to stick with istock for some reasons..

or maybe stay with istock for exclusive till your portfolio is big enough.

celaler · « **Reply #14 on:** November 22, 2012, 14:53 »

Hi #ClaridgeJ may be you are right, time show me too

Now I can earn money and also teaching me photography also.
What do you think about rejection for small size photos in your portfolio? May be technology renewing stock portfolios or encouriging.

ClaridgeJ · « **Reply #15 on:** November 22, 2012, 15:30 »

Quote from: celaler on November 22, 2012, 14:53

Hi #ClaridgeJ may be you are right, time show me too
Now I can earn money and also teaching me photography also.
What do you think about rejection for small size photos in your portfolio? May be technology renewing stock portfolios or encouriging.

Rejections about small portfolio? you mean your portfolio? I dont think rejections are based on the size of your portfolio. In maicro rejections are normally based on technical issues, etc.

Well the ports you have are mainly isolations, so ofcourse you will be in competition with millions of photographers also doing isolations and a few, just a few are extremely good at it. So its not a laughing to the bank prospect is it?

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: Exclusive or Not for beginner? (Read 4557 times)

celaler

ShadySue

cidepix

fotoVoyager

cidepix

gostwyck

Jo Ann Snover

cthoman

THP Creative

tab62

celaler

ClaridgeJ

tab62

mtkang

celaler

ClaridgeJ

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors