I am very interested in hearing your thoughts?

so, now we get punished (negative heart) for posting a question especially from a newbie? What's up with that? Isn't this a site for folks to ask questions and not be fearful no matter what they ask? 

Thus I was address their question-

What is the future in the business for 2014- still has opportunities for those that have a special niche or willing to put on the effort to bring in quality images that have a good commercial concept.

 

The question is legitimate and relevant, and quite easy to answer:
Competition will be tougher and returns will fall for most people.

Because:

Give me a year to think about it.

It's the same as it was in 2006, when they said this "wave" was soon to crash and the sky was falling... similar to what was said in 2008, and 2010, and 2012, etc, etc...

What's the latest doom and gloom? 

Here's what I have noticed.  RPI has dropped incredibly.  That's a given, and it will continue to fall like a stone as the number of images in the photo pile continue to increase, as your production rate does not.  Is it all doom and gloom?  I don't know, as me again in a few more years.  I'm still not down to eating ramen noodle soup and cans of tuna fish for dinner just yet.

Keep making images, keep making money, branch out into things you've never tried before like stock footage (your camera probably does that now), constantly test the waters with new agencies to spread your work out and sell more places (yeah i know, it's a pain but you have to unless you want to be a lazy schlub and go exlusive with big G)

onward and upward.

Nothing wrong with Wun-tung soup and noodles.

""I'm still not down to eating ramen noodle soup and cans of tuna fish for dinner just yet.""

One small can of decent tuna fish is 6 shutterstock downloads  ! ! ! !

I have sold mine only 5 times�

Quote from: old crow on February 05, 2014, 10:01

""I'm still not down to eating ramen noodle soup and cans of tuna fish for dinner just yet.""

One small can of decent tuna fish is 6 shutterstock downloads  ! ! ! !

or...

Six cans of tuna fish is one decent shutterstock download.

or...

A case of 48 cans of tuna fish is a nice Shutterstock SOD. Today's haul in return for a picture of Aruba

If I were to take a cruise I'd be taking pictures of people ill with norovirus - not such a great seller probably

But I am heading for the Caribbean again this year, though not Aruba - lots more SODs needed before it pays for the trip though!

Quote from: old crow on February 05, 2014, 10:01

""I'm still not down to eating ramen noodle soup and cans of tuna fish for dinner just yet.""

One small can of decent tuna fish is 6 shutterstock downloads  ! ! ! !

or...

Six cans of tuna fish is one decent shutterstock download.

And remember, if you take photos of the tuna fish (and your groceries in general) and upload it, you can use it as a tax deduction   

No matter what you upload, there are several factors that won't go away.

1. pricing/commissions will continue to be squeezed
2. Supply will be way higher than in 2013
3. demand will probably be similar to 2013

The way I see it is that the same number of buyers are going after a larger and larger pool of content, which spreads those sales to a broader range of contributors. You can take it from here.

"No matter what you upload, there are several factors that won't go away.

1. pricing/commissions will continue to be squeezed
2. Supply will be way higher than in 2013
3. demand will probably be similar to 2013"

Than you better produce better images than what is currently in the inventory. And find a niche as well that gives you the edge...

This is totally correct. Produce work that is needed, different and hard to recreate (copy).