Author Topic: What is Microstock? (Read 3393 times)

Leo · « **on:** April 16, 2015, 11:41 »

I've been in this business for 7 years now. Yet I can't define this properly:

What is "Microstock".

What makes an image a microstock image?

If I wanted to sell images as say, stock, or something-else-stock what would I do?

What exactly makes something microstock?

cuppacoffee · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2015, 11:43 »

According to Wikipedia -

Microstock photography, also known as micropayment photography, is a part of the stock photography industry. What defines a company as a microstock photography company is that they (1) source their images almost exclusively via the Internet, (2) do so from a wider range of photographers than the traditional stock agencies (including a willingness to accept images from "amateurs" and hobbyists), and (3) sell their images at a very low rate (from US$0.20 to $10 in the US) for a royalty-free (RF) image.

A number of microstock sites also sell vector art, and some sell Flash animations and video as well as images.

No Free Lunch · « **Reply #2 on:** April 16, 2015, 11:46 »

Quote from: Leo on April 16, 2015, 11:41

I've been in this business for 7 years now. Yet I can't define this properly:

What is "Microstock".

What makes an image a microstock image?

If I wanted to sell images as say, stock, or something-else-stock what would I do?

What exactly makes something microstock?

An image that basically is sold for pennies or given away for free to ensure that the CEO's of the Microstock companies become extremely rich

shudderstok · « **Reply #3 on:** April 16, 2015, 11:49 »

... and pays you nano-royalties, then you can jump up and down, self applaud, and debate which site that is ripping you off is best.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2015, 12:14 »

Now you're talkin'!

Nice summary.

To answer Leo's question in the shortest version: Microstock = photography, art, designs, audio, video or stock subjects that artists are paid, tiny, micropayments for their work.

Quote from: shudderstok on April 16, 2015, 11:49

... and pays you nano-royalties, then you can jump up and down, self applaud, and debate which site that is ripping you off is best.

amabu · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2015, 14:07 »

Copidosoma · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2015, 14:42 »

Microstock is just a crowd-sourced version of "traditional" stock photography.

enstoker · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:10 »

And we are still selling on this 0,25 - 0,28 $ sites... $:-\$

Leo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:33 »

Funny answers! The wikipedia one, first quoted, is certainly accurate then.

So lets get right to it - how can I make my distributable stock-image plugin NOT microstock related? What elements / philosophies might exist in it to, by default, get it out of the microstock bin?

Before I release it, that is quite important to me.

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:35 »

This is from Alamy page source, take your pick

Quote

<meta name="description" content="Buy Stock Photos And Vectors At The Web’s Largest Stock Photography Site. Search 56.81 Million Royalty Free & Rights Managed Stock Images, Stock Vectors & Videos." />
<meta name="keywords" content="stock photos, vectors, video, footage, photo stock, stock images, stock photography, photo library, photos, images, pictures, royalty free images, alamy" />

ArenaCreative · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:37 »

Even Google thinks microstock is dead

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2015, 15:37 »

Getty

Quote

meta content="Find high resolution royalty-free images, editorial stock photos, vector art, video footage clips and stock music licensing at the richest image search photo library online."
<meta content="Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos, Video Footage & Music"

Ariene · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2015, 02:00 »

Mictostock = micro money.

Lately Alamy anonunced that they love micro. I still wonder why...

Quote from: No Free Lunch on April 16, 2015, 11:46

An image that basically is sold for pennies or given away for free to ensure that the CEO's of the Microstock companies become extremely rich

+ 10000000... for this post!! I can't wait to see better and more correct answer

Quote from: enstoker on April 16, 2015, 15:10

And we are still selling on this 0,25 - 0,28 $ sites... $:-\$

Be happy (yeah, right) and grab the moment, it won't stay forever. And don't expect it will change with a raise, no no, no...

cascoly · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2015, 12:51 »

Quote from: Leo on April 16, 2015, 15:33

Funny answers! The wikipedia one, first quoted, is certainly accurate then.

So lets get right to it - how can I make my distributable stock-image plugin NOT microstock related? What elements / philosophies might exist in it to, by default, get it out of the microstock bin?

Before I release it, that is quite important to me.

microstock is not a philosophy - just a broad descriptor - like royalty free or fast food or takeout or blog; unless you are going to monitor every plugin user you have no way of preventing its use for microstock.

however if you want to be FOUND by individual artists looking for an alternative to microstock agencies, then it would help to have the plugin mention its usefulness to microstock photographers/illustrators

ultimately it probably doesn't matter - buyers are looking for images and wont care whether they're labeled fine art, stock or microstock

Lizard · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2015, 15:02 »

I see it like a 2 floors building...

Hundreds of thousands of artists on the first floor holding a massage room on the second floor above their heads. Ind its getting heavier day by day.

lucato · « **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2015, 10:21 »

MICROSTOCK: Many Images Costing Reduced Outlays So Try Overcome Changing Karma

skyfish · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2015, 13:06 »

Mostly it is about price category. Do you remember - one editor lost her job for a cover image with a small child cruying? This image was used for a good budget edition, but bought for micro price as i remember.

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Author Topic: What is Microstock? (Read 3393 times)

Leo

cuppacoffee

No Free Lunch

shudderstok

Uncle Pete

amabu

Copidosoma

enstoker

Leo

Semmick Photo

ArenaCreative

Semmick Photo

Ariene

cascoly

Lizard

lucato

skyfish

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