Was 2014 better than 2013 for you?  For me it was almost exactly equal.

Probably about 2000 extra images, 30% down in royalties.

Quote from: fotoVoyager on January 04, 2015, 16:07
Probably about 2000 extra images, 30% down in royalties.

Total income (GI, PP, subs, etc..) or just iStock regular sales?

For the first time since I began in 2007, I saw a decrease in income compared to the previous year -- down about 10%. But the downward trend accelerated sharply in the last half of the year, so I expect if things remain the same, 2014 will look wonderful compared with 2015.

iStock down c11% from 2014 (and down 18% from 2012). All sales (not in PP).
Might manage to scrape another 1% - 2% from subs/Getty for Dec, but not necessarily (just about every time I go onto Getty, I've 'lost' more files).

Doubled income but I'm a fairly new contributor with just over 5000 photos/clips with 5 agencies. 2014 reached my goals but certainly didn't exceed them. I'm going to spend far more time grooming each image with less emphasis on volume for 2015 and see if I can continue to double my earnings.

Up about 10% with a 15% increase in PF size, so not great.  SS dropped a lot beginning in June and has not recovered - sales to Europe dropped off dramatically then - and December was the worst month there in more than 2.5 years.  Canstock and DT tanked the past six months and iS regular sales died last month.  Other sites really dropped during the last quarter so not looking bright for 2015.  I hardly submitted anything the past six months so I'm sure that had a negative effect as well.

Had my Best Year Ever. Started in stock photography in 2007, but in the last years I had seen my income decline. In 2013 I joined Stocksy and it made all the difference. In 2014 I doubled my 2013 income with Stocksy bringing in 69% of my income. Sure, I am a small contributor, but I find it stunning that even though my port on Stocksy is the smallest compared to all other agencies, it brings in the biggest return. Guess where I'll be focusing my efforts in 2015?

Quote from: tickstock on January 04, 2015, 16:12

Quote from: fotoVoyager on January 04, 2015, 16:07
Probably about 2000 extra images, 30% down in royalties.

Total income (GI, PP, subs, etc..) or just iStock regular sales?

Total income.

2014 was also 40% down on 2011 when presumably I had at least 5000 images less.

It's obvious the current arrangements at iStock aren't going to support artist RF Exclusivity any more. Either they have to transition to image exclusivity or no professional photographer will be able to justify it financially.

Quote from: Mellimage on January 04, 2015, 17:48
Had my Best Year Ever. Started in stock photography in 2007, but in the last years I had seen my income decline. In 2013 I joined Stocksy and it made all the difference. In 2014 I doubled my 2013 income with Stocksy bringing in 69% of my income. Sure, I am a small contributors but I find it stunning that even though my port on Stocksy is the smallest compared to all other agencies, it brings in the biggest return. Guess where I'll be focusing my efforts in 2015?

Your work is perfect fit with Stocksy, I'm not surprised you do well there.

This is great: http://www.stocksy.com/459280!

Thank you - I really enjoy shooting images again.

I'm down 15%, total income, all sources.  Alamy and video sales well up, but not enough to compensate for iStock losses.

First time ever to go down, year on year.  Not good.

2014 was only 5% better then 2013, but the last few month were bad. Just look at my income graph



Shutterstock had a huge drop for me starting October, and haven't come back up again. Also the POD Christmas season was much weaker this year. I just hope 2015 will be better.

My current blogpost: Stock Photography Sales Statistic December 2014 http://microstockinfos.blogspot.com/2015/01/stock-photography-sales-statistic.html

Quote from: tickstock on January 04, 2015, 15:50
Was 2014 better than 2013 for you?  For me it was almost exactly equal.

Without counting video, which I added in 2014, I am down by $4k. Video saved my bung.

~34% increase of image portfolio
~22% increase in royalties

Quote from: KB on January 04, 2015, 16:17
For the first time since I began in 2007, I saw a decrease in income compared to the previous year -- down about 10%. But the downward trend accelerated sharply in the last half of the year, so I expect if things remain the same, 2014 will look wonderful compared with 2015.

I'm in the same boat as you.  Worked my butt off in 2014 to grow my port as much as humanly possible, only to see my earnings tumble.  Part of me tells me it's time to bail this sinking ship, but my family has come to rely on this extra income, so I'll probably just have to redouble my efforts this year and hope the drop won't be as severe.

Quote from: Asthebelltolls on January 04, 2015, 16:49
Doubled income but I'm a fairly new contributor with just over 5000 photos/clips with 5 agencies. 2014 reached my goals but certainly didn't exceed them. I'm going to spend far more time grooming each image with less emphasis on volume for 2015 and see if I can continue to double my earnings.

It's a nice thought to want to focus on quality over quantity, but microstock is very much a numbers game.  You can create the most gorgeous pics the world has ever seen, but the few you produce will quickly be buried by tens of thousands that are half as good but still "good enough." 

If your goal is to feel artistically fulfilled, by all means make sure every pixel is perfect.  But if you want to earn as much as possible remember that "the perfect is the enemy of the good."

Prompted by this topic, I just went through my previous annual figures and discovered to my dismay that in 2014 I earned half of what I made in 2010 and had to go back to 2007 to find a lower total.

Luckily I've just got back from a big run in the woods so I don't care. It'll probably depress me later though.

Micro:
SS up 23%; only increased my portfolio by 17%
DT down 4.7%; iStock down 25%, haven't added much to either site
Total microstock income up 8%

Macro/Midstock:
Alamy down 25%, portfolio size stayed the same since I deleted a some images and added very few new ones. Handful of sales at other boutique macros. Direct licensing via contacts through my Photoshelter site continues to grow.
Despite the drop on Alamy, total macro/midstock earnings up 17% over 2013.

POD:
POD print sales up including a nice sale on Crated Christmas day, FAA up from last year, though did not keep pace with my increased portfolio size, Redbubble slightly up on same size port.

Illness kept me from doing much to increase my marketing and portfolio size in 2014. Encouraged that I saw some growth despite this, and hopeful that I'll be able to grow my stock income significantly this year; hoping to see continued POD sales growth too.

Quote from: oboy on January 04, 2015, 21:15

Shutterstock had a huge drop for me starting October, and haven't come back up again. Also the POD Christmas season was much weaker this year. I just hope 2015 will be better.

Re POD season, I was seeing Zazzle income decrease for a couple of years. I had decreased my % to below 15% in 2013 like they really pushed for. Summer this year I thought I may as well try increasing it 50% as the lower rate was obviously not working like Zazzle was trying to sell us on. Well it instantly reversed the trend when the rate kicked in. Easily sold enough to make more cash with the increased rate than I lost in volume. Could work for others too.

In total I am 18% up from last year. In comparison SS is up 42% from last year

SS share of total earnings increased from 51% to 72%. Mainly due to the collapse of FAA which dropped 31%.

What I find surprising that the increase of SS is because of an increasing RPD and not because of more DLs as my DLs are only up by 30% and lately have levelled out.

On the other agencies I have not much to say.

Thanks for the posts everyone!

I'm relatively small contributor with approximately 2100 files online.

For me up about 40% with 750 uploads.

down a bit from 2013 and a bit more from 2012 but up from 2011.

Port up about 10%.

Alamy was up (Dec saved it) along w/ FP, PD, 123, CS (although some of those are so small they aren't significant).    SS, BS, veer,  down. DT, IS, SF, P5 remarkably similar.

In general sales seem less steady and it is the few rare big sales that make or break a month (or year).

Quote from: Mellimage on January 04, 2015, 17:48
Had my Best Year Ever. Started in stock photography in 2007, but in the last years I had seen my income decline. In 2013 I joined Stocksy and it made all the difference. In 2014 I doubled my 2013 income with Stocksy bringing in 69% of my income. Sure, I am a small contributor, but I find it stunning that even though my port on Stocksy is the smallest compared to all other agencies, it brings in the biggest return. Guess where I'll be focusing my efforts in 2015?

I am so glad to hear it Melanie, I love your work, and yes it looks like your style is very good fit for Stocksy. Wish you even more success this year!

115% better (income) that 2013 so I am happy...