Hi there!

I just signed up for this forum a few days ago but I've been reading through a lot of it already.
I'm 23 years old, just graduated college with degrees in Fine art and Multimedia Design.  I live in South Dakota and I am getting ready to start to begin applying for jobs.

I go by Starsania most places online unless by some mishap in registration where I also go by Starzipan.

I sort of looked into microstock a few years ago,  I haven't sold/uploaded a lot though. My focus was mostly on school and I never really pushed the photography as far as I should have.  I figure most my photography is probably better suited for fine art prints and POD anyway.

I am beginning to build up an illustration portfolio.  I also do not have a whole lot in my portfolio yet but I have to start somewhere!

These are my portfolios so far.  (I excluded ones I felt are pretty worthless to even show off to people)


http://www.artflakes.com/en/shop/starsania

http://www.canstockphoto.com/starsania/

http://www.toonvectors.com/artists/starsania/32

http://www.dreamstime.com/Starsania_info

http://www.redbubble.com/people/starsania


I also have another side hobby,  I remake old jewelry such as pins and earrings into rings.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Starsania?ref=pr_shop_more


Any thoughts on what I have so far or hellos from members here are appreciated! 

Welcome.
Welcome to the world. You are now entering an area of global competition. You can either stick and learn or you can freeze and stay in your comfort zone.
Global competition means that all the talent and cunning of the world is playing in these feelds. Some are good, some are not so good, but a lot are dedicated and want to learn,and there is excellency in the world of microstock, that is stage of the art and very innovative compared to more traditional channels of distribution.

Some photographers are many years ahead of you, and some are more talented than you. So dependant on your personality, its a good oppertunity to learn from them, and also to get hurt, if you dare not move.
Your post shows real interest, and an open mind. That is what you need, an open mind + a lot of work.

First thing.
Here, you will meet a guy from Scandinavia, Europe, who says that your butterfly photo is not correctly labelled: It is not an admiral butterfly, but a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui). You should be precise with such things, because you compete with people who know these critters.
Same with hammers...There are many different kinds of hammers and a house is not a house and a straw is a certain species of grass.
And thats only the label. The exposure, composition and choice of technicalities must support that.

See. its endless. This is where you can learn, where you can find your nische and your style.

"You are not in Kansas anymore, you are on Microstock".

Welcome Starsania.  I checked out your links and was very impressed with the variety of both photos and illustrations that you have.  Really some stunning photography and useful illustrations!

My daughter is just a couple of years younger than you and is halfway to her BFA.  I will tell you the same thing I told her about micro - be careful or it will kill your creativity.  Either you continue to produce creative work that you are proud of, but makes very little money in microstock, or you begin tailoring your work to the (creatively limited) microstock market. 

When I started uploading to microstock, I was passionate about photography and viewed it a wonderful creative outlet.  Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

Having seen my experience with microstock, my daughter has opted not to do it.  Who knows, she may feel differently when she's in the real world making her living, but I doubt it. 

So anyway, as the mom of an artist, I welcome you wholeheartedly, but have to offer the warning that if you get involved with microstock, try not to get boxed in to the "microstock" style. 

Thank you both for the advice and insights!

JPSDK thanks so much for pointing out my mistake on the butterfly, I would have gone on forever thinking it was an admiral butterfly,  I'll get to changing it right away.  I'll also keep my eyes and ears open for any chances to keep improving. 

Thanks for sharing your experience and the warning Lisa, I'll certainly keep it in mind as I progress with my photography and illustrations.

You HAVE changed the name. Within 15 minutes.
Thats a good attitude.
very.

Quote from: JPSDK on August 05, 2012, 23:49
You HAVE changed the name. Within 15 minutes.
Thats a good attitude.
very.

And good that it shows up on DT in real time.

@OP, it's best, if possible, if you name all species in English and Scientific 'Latin'. I'm not sure if DT accepted 'phrase keywords': I see you have cardui and vanessa, but they've been separated. If DT allows, it, put Vanessa cardui as a phrase.
If you can find out the name of the flower, same applies. It might be a dahlia, but I'm no expert in garden flowers.
Don't put 'dahlia' until someone says it's correct, but e.g. 'Painted Lady flower' has 291 hits and 'painted lady dahlia' has 1 hit, and it looks strange for a dahlia to me (which might just show how little I know).
Why does it matter? A 'gardening for wildlife' book/website might want to illustrate what sort of flowers attract butterflies.
But of course, put 'flower' as well, in case someone doesn't care.

see, now we are talking, and you put it well Sue.
It is important to photograph the butterfly on a flower that is typical, and to name the flower.
( You might sell the flower as a secundary effect, and your butterfly photo becomes much more trustworthy than pink monarchs)

BTW  I have sold quite a few butterflies out of searches for the LATIN NAME! so they are out there, the qualified buyers.

I'll have to do a bit more research to figure out exactly what kind of flower it was,  unfortunately it looks like dreamstime doesn't allow the phrase keywording.   Thanks again for all your help!

I have sent you a site email.

Welcome.

I hope you find a good balance of whatever your day job will be and microstock as an outlet for your photos and images as a sideline. One of the great things is that you can do this part time if you want to, and can upload within limits, whatever you want to. There's a pretty broad range of contributors all the way from image factories to "I can pay for my camera gear" part timers.

One of the things you can use microstock for is to improve technique - lighting, composition, post processing. The discipline can pay off for all sorts of other purposes, which might be helpful over time.

Welcome and congrats on your degree!

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17
When I started uploading to microstock, I was passionate about photography and viewed it a wonderful creative outlet.  Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

It's a nonstop party on the illustration side. I just got a couple new #2 pencils, and I'm ready to rock! Seriously though, I still have fun doing this. I don't think I could do it if I didn't.

Quote from: JPSDK on August 06, 2012, 00:12
( You might sell the flower as a secundary effect, and your butterfly photo becomes much more trustworthy than pink monarchs)

There's an apparently UK company that had big roadside posters a while ago about how they had improved their product as they were 'working towards a greener Scotland': with a presumably-stock-photo of a Monarch butterfly.
Totally shot in foot. It became the Talk o' the Steamie. Total eejits.

Sometimes they even use pink or blue monarchs in Europe.

Quote from: Starzipan on August 05, 2012, 22:35
[...]

http://www.toonvectors.com/artists/starsania/32

[...]

Any thoughts on what I have so far or hellos from members here are appreciated! 

Wow, that's a really cool site for vectors! 

All kidding aside, thanks for contributing and keep up the great work.  I'm still a newbie myself here on these forums, but I've enjoyed reading the many interesting discussions about the microstock industry.

Welcome! good stuff!  best of the new guys so far.

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17
......Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

Nope, same as you, never do artwork in my free time anymore. It is my day job now.
A philosophy professor once told me the last thing he wants to do outside of work is read.
So guess it's across the board.

Quote from: Microbius on August 06, 2012, 08:24

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17
......Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

Nope, same as you, never do artwork in my free time anymore. It is my day job now.
A philosophy professor once told me the last thing he wants to do outside of work is read.
So guess it's across the board.

A music teacher at school told me not to take up music as a career if I wanted to go on loving it. Fortunately I wasn't talented enough for that to be an issue.
IME, many teachers get the same way about their specialism - except art teachers, because they're not compromising their own art in their day job, as compared to microstockers who have to consider what the agencies will accept and 'the market' over 'art'. I see lots of fantastic photos in books and exhibitions and think, "That's beautiful, but iStock wouldn't accept it", though obviously they are not aimed at micro buyers. Hey, iStock has even ruined my appreciation of fantastic photos. 

Quote from: ShadySue on August 06, 2012, 11:03

Quote from: Microbius on August 06, 2012, 08:24

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17
......Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

Nope, same as you, never do artwork in my free time anymore. It is my day job now.
A philosophy professor once told me the last thing he wants to do outside of work is read.
So guess it's across the board.

A music teacher at school told me not to take up music as a career if I wanted to go on loving it.

I guess it's a hazard of most jobs then.  Don't get me wring, it still beats digging ditches for a living. 

Quote from: lisafx on August 06, 2012, 17:27

Quote from: ShadySue on August 06, 2012, 11:03

Quote from: Microbius on August 06, 2012, 08:24

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17
......Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

Nope, same as you, never do artwork in my free time anymore. It is my day job now.
A philosophy professor once told me the last thing he wants to do outside of work is read.
So guess it's across the board.

A music teacher at school told me not to take up music as a career if I wanted to go on loving it.

I guess it's a hazard of most jobs then.  Don't get me wring, it still beats digging ditches for a living. 

Oh yeah definitely, don't want to sound like I'm ungrateful either, I felt like my "art" was a lot more compromised working in an office and the like than it is now. At least I am making a living in the creative industry, something few people can say.

Hey Starzipan, welcome to MSG! Lots to learn here. Sure you'll enjoy it

Thanks so much everyone!

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17I will tell you the same thing I told her about micro - be careful or it will kill your creativity.  Either you continue to produce creative work that you are proud of, but makes very little money in microstock, or you begin tailoring your work to the (creatively limited) microstock market. 

When I started uploading to microstock, I was passionate about photography and viewed it a wonderful creative outlet.  Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

I want to get into microstock as well but I'm pretty sure I'm going to refuse to by boxed in, but can you think of any alternatives to microstock? Do Microstock photos lend well to fine art photography?

Quote from: UncleBrisket on August 23, 2012, 15:38

I want to get into microstock as well but I'm pretty sure I'm going to refuse to by boxed in, but can you think of any alternatives to microstock? Do Microstock photos lend well to fine art photography?

I think you meant does fine art photography lend itself to microstock, to which the answer is generally No.
Why not look in the agencies you are considering and see how photos 'similar to' yours fare. (though only some agencies let you see downloads).
For high end fine art, there must be far more suitable outlets.
Mind you, we've had people on here in the past going on about their fine art photography which is no more Fine Art than general photos.
In micro, you're generally selling concepts to business end users. Or editorial.  If your work was really FineArt, are you happy about selling them for e.g. 29c a whack at Shutterstock or whatever pittance it currently is at Thinkstock, which is where your work would end up if you started submitting to iStock.

Quote from: UncleBrisket on August 23, 2012, 15:38

Quote from: lisafx on August 05, 2012, 23:17I will tell you the same thing I told her about micro - be careful or it will kill your creativity.  Either you continue to produce creative work that you are proud of, but makes very little money in microstock, or you begin tailoring your work to the (creatively limited) microstock market. 

When I started uploading to microstock, I was passionate about photography and viewed it a wonderful creative outlet.  Now, after 7 years doing this full time, it just feels like a job.  I almost NEVER pick up a camera if I'm not working.  Maybe it's different for illustrators...

I want to get into microstock as well but I'm pretty sure I'm going to refuse to by boxed in, but can you think of any alternatives to microstock? Do Microstock photos lend well to fine art photography?

Print on Demand sites like redbubble, zazzle or artflakes are probably better for the fine art photography than microstock,  the problem with those sites is that you need to reach out and find your audience for yourself otherwise your work drowns in a sea of thousands of other highly talented artists.