Author Topic: Need help....RM Photographer looking at Micro (Read 7993 times)

StanRohrer · « **Reply #50 on:** April 07, 2013, 07:08 »

DonLand, your first post implied you left the Getty world for reasons of contract and photog treatment. In watching the way Getty/iStock has treated it's Exclusive contributors over the recent years, my opinion is that to go exclusive would only put you back into the Getty clutches once again. iStock is no longer a separate entity and every day is more tightly interwoven into Getty. If not already, I soon expect it to just be another collection just as what you have left. Work your other multiple avenues and don't put all your eggs into one Getty/iStock microstock basket if you are going to enter the microstock world. Just an opinion from an iS Exclusive, who in 2005-2011 would have highly encouraged iS Exclusivity.

I won't reiterate the rest of the above discussions but there are many good points to consider. Good luck!

DonLand · « **Reply #51 on:** April 07, 2013, 08:40 »

Thanks for all the great responses!

This one is scary...

>>ETA: Just wanted to add about the numbers - as it looks I will pass making $100 in April on Shutterstock with now 900 images online and I just started submitting to them a few months ago, And I keep making more than $150 a month as a non-exclusive on iStock with 1,500 images online. And the images are more or less the same on both agencies as well as on half a dozen other agencies, adding another small amount each. Just to put your $100 from 2,300 images in perspective to micro.<<

I prefer this...

>>For perspective, my 200 images on SS usually make the 100$ payout every month. All niche and very un-microstock.<<

and hoping this would really be true.

>>I'd agree with Leaf. I would consider $1 per image/month to be a conservative estimate for those images just from the 'Big Four' microstock agencies.<<

So many unknowns.

Interesting idea about Offset! Did not consider that. They have an advantage of a built in large user database. Just wondering what the terms etc. will be.

ShadySue · « **Reply #52 on:** April 07, 2013, 08:55 »

Quote from: DonLand on April 07, 2013, 08:40

Interesting idea about Offset! Did not consider that. They have an advantage of a built in large user database. Just wondering what the terms etc. will be.

But bear in mind that a fair percentage of the SS user database is there particularly because they want the low cost subscription model, and won't be interested in premium prices.
But certainly for your images it would be worth considering.

steheap · « **Reply #53 on:** April 07, 2013, 13:04 »

Quote

I would consider $1 per image/month to be a conservative estimate for those images just from the 'Big Four' microstock agencies

Don

Of course, the answer depends on your portfolio! I did a big analysis at the end of 2012 and calculated that I am getting $0.70 per online image per month. I count online images by how many I have on that particular site (not my total portfolio) as it takes time to get some online, and other sites reject more than they take, but I have all the calculations in this post:

http://www.backyardsilver.com/2013/01/december-earnings-and-review-of-2012-for-stock-photography/

Hope it helps

Steve

cobalt · « **Reply #54 on:** April 07, 2013, 13:10 »

Don, you have to give a portfolio time. Michael just went indie 3 months ago. Just putting your files online does not bring you sales. The customers have to discover you, bookmark your files etc...even on istock it will take months before your portfolio really "takes off" even, if you are exclusive. When I was moderator for the german forum, there where quite a few frustrated newbies with fantastic images who had to wait many months until they saw a reliable and regular return.

But they all made it in the end, so wether you are submitting to istock, getty, shutterstock or stocksy, you need to have a constant stream of uploads. Just "dumping" a portfolio and then not sending up new content will make it really difficult to be discovered by the customers.

There are many independents who as single artists make a full time living with over 4000 files. Some even over 10 000 dollars a month as a single artist. But they all upload good content on a regular basis. The same for the istock exclusives. If you don´t "feed the beast" every week or month it will be difficult to succeed even with the exclusive push in best match.

DonLand · « **Reply #55 on:** April 07, 2013, 13:48 »

Thank you all for the continuing great information. I did not realize my simple (or not) question would take on a life of its own!

ShadySue, thank you for the very nice compliment.
steheap, great information on your site, a huge help to all.
cobalt, very informative and accurate assessment how things work and what needs to be done to be successful in micro stock.

It all makes for some interesting decision making. Different opinions all around including in some private messages.

A few have suggested going exclusive with iStock/Getty. Other than their current business practices with photographers there is a disturbing trend on their Alexa ratings. They both (iStock and Getty) are heading south at a pretty fast clip. Its no wonder they cut percentages because they would need to make up for the lost revenue!

Others have suggested the distribution system which would involve quite a bit more work than going exclusive. The advantage would be not every egg in the same basket.

Another option suggested is the Stocksy. First I would need to be accepted there. Assuming I did get in and have the option Stocksy has the issue of being brand new with no customer base and a limited amount of images for clients to choose from. The previous disadvantage is also an advantage as starting out on the ground floor with much less competition within the agency and plenty of room for submissions that fill a need. Two huge advantages is it is being run by the very successful Bruce Livingstone so maybe he is ready to turn the stock industry on its head for the second time and they pay 50% plus percentages of profits! It is run like a co-op so it should be MUCH more approachable than any other agency. I know if I am accepted I'd be all over it. On that note this morning I realized one of the ten images that I sent them was the wrong image. It had some blurring (300mm 1/125s tripod mounted) in it. I meant to send them the duplicate image right before it, but at 2 am I picked the wrong one. Hopefully they will not hold it against me.

The final place is Offset. It would have a huge user base but most likely subject to equivalent Shutterstock percentages. I do have a problem being paid 20% for my images, but after awhile it would move up to 30%.

cobalt · « **Reply #56 on:** April 07, 2013, 13:56 »

"Regarding royalties...we don’t yet offer public submissions so we’re not officially disclosing our royalty structure, but for estimation purposes, you can expect it to be similar to our core business. Shutterstock pays somewhere in the vicinity of 30%.
"

from Scott

So they are thinking of paying 30% for non-exclusive content. So you could still offer your files on Alamy or sell from your own site or work with another macro agency that sells at a similar price point. Maybe even put them on pond5 with a similar price. If their contract allows, I don´t know.

Sounds like a very fair offer.

It will be a while before they have customers, but Shutterstock seems to have the biggest customer base and they have enough money for marketing.

MichaelJayFoto · « **Reply #57 on:** April 07, 2013, 13:57 »

Quote from: steheap on April 07, 2013, 13:04

Of course, the answer depends on your portfolio! I did a big analysis at the end of 2012 and calculated that I am getting $0.70 per online image per month. I count online images by how many I have on that particular site (not my total portfolio) as it takes time to get some online, and other sites reject more than they take, but I have all the calculations in this post:

http://www.backyardsilver.com/2013/01/december-earnings-and-review-of-2012-for-stock-photography/

Excellent details in that post, Steve. Thanks for sharing!

luissantos84 · « **Reply #58 on:** April 07, 2013, 14:00 »

Don what agencies (RM) are you contributing to?

DonLand · « **Reply #59 on:** April 07, 2013, 14:17 »

I was originally with The Image Bank from 1980 until a few years ago. I had not submitted anything to them since around 1995. Slowly but surely the culled images out till I only had 50 left. I still made thousands every year from those 50 images. They dropped me when I did not sign the last contract I was offered, which I believe is the current contract.

In Sept 2010 I signed up with SuperStock for RM images. I currently have 2300 images (image exclusive) there.

Between February and now I have signed up with Alamy, Inmagine and AgeFotostock for RM images. I have less than 300 on Alamy, 200 on Inmagine and 150 on AgeFotostock. Most images have been up for only a month.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #60 on:** April 07, 2013, 14:22 »

thanks for sharing, appreciate it

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Author Topic: Need help....RM Photographer looking at Micro (Read 7993 times)

StanRohrer

DonLand

ShadySue

steheap

cobalt

DonLand

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MichaelJayFoto

luissantos84

DonLand

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