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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Crystal on February 08, 2014, 17:16

Title: Newbie experience
Post by: Crystal on February 08, 2014, 17:16
I am new to both photography/illustration and stock photo, starting to upload this Jan. Wanted to get some sense how typical my experiences are.

I now uploaded about 80 pics. It's shocking how much difference there is in the review process among big 4. Can never get 7 approved at ss. It's almost 100% at is, 50% at dt, and 20% at ft.

And I though things might start at the most selective one, namely ft. Nope. It's with the least selective is. So far I have about 20 dls from is and nothing from the other 2 at all. In fact most of the dls at is were rejected at the other 2 sites.

Is this typical? If so should I even bother uploading at the other 2?

And then there is ss... Enough said about how hard for newbies to get in there. They are extremely inconsistent. I have several approved in different submissions, but always rejected in the next submission, making me totally at loss what they like. I don't think I will try again there.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on February 08, 2014, 17:28
If you're 'new' to photography, and decided to jump right into submitting, it's likely you don't have a consistent quality that will get you a majority of acceptances.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: cobalt on February 08, 2014, 17:42
If you really want to do stock then you will need patience and frustration resilience. It takes time,sometimes years, to discover what the agenvies take, what sells where, what are you good at producing and what do you enjoy producing?

And of course you have to keep learning new things because your competition doesn't sleep.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: JPSDK on February 08, 2014, 17:52
Sean is right, it is more likely that it is you, who have inconsistencies, although there can be some randomness in the review processes on the different agencies.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: ShadySue on February 08, 2014, 18:41
That said, if you've already got 20 dls from uploads you made on iS only in January, you're doing incredibly well there.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: JPSDK on February 08, 2014, 19:18
nee..
On IS you can get downloads from images you dont even have there...
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: ShadySue on February 08, 2014, 19:34
nee..
On IS you can get downloads from images you dont even have there...
Ha! That may be your unique talent!
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: JPSDK on February 08, 2014, 19:42
nee..
On IS you can get downloads from images you dont even have there...

Ha! That may be your unique talent!


It is time to bring in good old Johnny with his ghost riders in the sky and see it all a bit from above.
I like the part with the "mournful cries" and the "try to catch the devils herd".

Johnny Cash - Ghost riders in the sky. VIDEO - YouTube.flv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_oXQVUzEoc#)

Folks...We are all ghosts and the net never forgets.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: ShadySue on February 08, 2014, 20:04
[OT]
We have a Scottish version:
Corries - Portree Kid (Parody) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tLTm0kaHQ#)
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: JPSDK on February 08, 2014, 20:15
the Scots have a good sence of humour.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: Crystal on February 28, 2014, 10:44
Ha, today I got a few bucks without seeing any downloads and I thought of your post!
I really CAN get downloads from images I don't have there...

Then after some research I realized that this is actually from partner programs. When I click on partner programs on my uploads page, I see all the downloads from those website, which perfectly explains the additional bucks.

However, these are EXTREMELY cheap! Much cheaper than the already very low royalties that I got from iS.

Is this what iS and other sites do? They set up iS and you spent lots of time uploading, and if sold, you get a few cents. But they then put all your images automatically on a sister site that they set up, where they sell things cheap and pay you even cheaper.

Buyers, of course, if they know those sites have exactly the same images at lower price, will simply sign up at those sites and buy things cheaper. And eventually your downloads are all from these sites...

In Feb, my dls from partner programs are about 4 times of what I had from iS! This does not sound right to me...

nee..
On IS you can get downloads from images you dont even have there...
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: aly on February 28, 2014, 18:00
It took me about 4 tries over 8 months to get accepted at SS-I was blissfully unaware that my standard was not very high  but now I only concentrate on SS as it is a terrific site and I have over 3000 uploads in under a year and have reached my $500 mark. So one must  keep plodding on and learning all the time but it is worth it in the end. Perseverance , a  thick skin and work ethic will see you succeed. Good luck.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on February 28, 2014, 18:12
"Is this what iS and other sites do? They set up iS and you spent lots of time uploading, and if sold, you get a few cents. But they then put all your images automatically on a sister site that they set up, where they sell things cheap and pay you even cheaper."

You need to do more research before you sign up, methinks.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: gostwyck on February 28, 2014, 18:43
Sean is right

Of course Sean 'is right'. He's forgotten more about stock photography than you will ever learn. We don't need you to tell us when Sean 'is right'.
Title: Re: Newbie experience
Post by: Uncle Pete on February 28, 2014, 19:51
??? gostwyck is right? (and so is Sean) (http://s5.postimg.org/58hasecf7/3stooges.gif)

Sean is right


Of course Sean 'is right'. He's forgotten more about stock photography than you will ever learn. We don't need you to tell us when Sean 'is right'.