MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: dsonnenburg on January 19, 2015, 09:30
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hi, i am just trying to get started doing stock photography and i have a few questions. first, fotolia asks for your a copy of your id and or ss#. should this information be given out? second, are there any reliable plugins for lightroom to upload directly to stock sites? lastly, any advice to which stocks sites to contribute to? Thanks!
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Why do you want or feel you can be a successful microstock photographer?
Submit a few samples of your work for us to let you know if you have the right type of images that will sell.
If you are just a hobbyist and currently enjoy photography don't ruin it by entering this rough business 8)
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hi, i am just trying to get started doing stock photography and i have a few questions. first, fotolia asks for your a copy of your id and or ss#. should this information be given out?
Are you interested in doing business or not?
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Read the opening post in this thread:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/food-for-thought-a-(possibleprobable)-future-for-microstock/ (http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/food-for-thought-a-(possibleprobable)-future-for-microstock/)
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Thanks LesPalenik, very interesting.
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hi, i am just trying to get started doing stock photography and i have a few questions. first, fotolia asks for your a copy of your id and or ss#. should this information be given out? second, are there any reliable plugins for lightroom to upload directly to stock sites? lastly, any advice to which stocks sites to contribute to? Thanks!
All sites will require ID and SS# or TIN# because this is a business and they will be reporting income to the IRS. They are required to withhold taxes in some circumstances. If you start contributing you should consider how you will run your business and have tax issues clarified.
There is no Lightroom plugin to upload directly except for a third party one for Alamy. However most sites will accept FTP transfers so exporting to a folder from LR and then using your FTP software to upload works fine.
For sites to use, look at the poll results to the right. Honestly at this point get accepted by Shutterstock and forget the rest until you see how things go. If you start to do good there then consider other sites.
But as others have noted this is not an easy business to make money at. You need a lot of images in order to produce much income. Estimate $1 per image per year on average, more if your stuff is exceptional. If you can deliver 20 - 30 top notch, sellable images, with good titles and keywords every week then you might make some money. Otherwise you are likely better off getting a job at McDonalds for the same number of hours.
That is not to discourage you, if you want to try your hand just to see how it works or the satisfaction of actually selling your work then by all means have at it. Just do not expect to get rich or even compensated as much as a minimum wage job would pay.
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Friends don't let Friends get involved in Microstock!
Even if you are an eternal optimist like me, it's pretty dismal looking for the future and especially so for new people.
You not only must climb your own trail to the top, but you have the people before you, already ahead of you, and there are many more barriers to success than any past year. Every time we look ahead, over the next hill, there are new obstacles to make it more difficult to be a success in Microstock.
Some people who are very successful are looking for other means to make income from photography. They are leaving. That should be a sign?
Some people who are very diligent and hard working, are finding sales have gone flat, leveled off and no matter how much they add, they find no increase in returns for their work.
There you have it. You have been fairly warned. If you still decide to try, please don't cry when you find out, it's not easy and not what it once was.
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If micro stock is in such decline, what are some alternative markets that a photographer make a decent living. what are the best ways to market yourself?
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I think the people here have been doing a good job of finding new markets and trying to replace Micro income. Maybe some will help you out? It's going to take some individual effort and finding what you want to do and self-marketing.
Myself, I work for some magazines and websites and Micro is because I get to keep the rights to my images. I wouldn't call my situation the usual at all.
I also have three or four other sources of income. All bring in more than Microstock. I'm a little less dependent and far more fortunate.
Then there's always "old photos on the hard drive on the computer" ;)
(http://s5.postimg.org/r77tvh2lj/old_photo_on_hard_drives_on_computer.jpg)
If micro stock is in such decline, what are some alternative markets that a photographer make a decent living. what are the best ways to market yourself?
Rather than label it as decline, at least from my viewpoint, I find it going flat, no growth for artists or much less than before or expectations. It's a time for stabilization in a flooded market with far too many suppliers/artists and approaching the demand saturation.
How many pictures of the same subjects, objects and concepts? Times thousands each and millions upon millions of similar "Microstock" style images, can you divide and sell and make money for everyone supplying them? The choices are there, the buyers are there and the supply far outstrips any demand.
That's not the way it used to be.