Author Topic: Local girl sells 140,000 a year on iStockphoto (Read 5307 times)

litifeta · « **on:** October 05, 2008, 00:05 »

Just read this story in an Australian newspaper. This girl is just over the river from a few of us.

The great thing about stock, you can be anonymous.

Great to see someone so young really kicking butt.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/how-tos/stock-in-trade/2008/09/10/1220857557470.html

Lee Torrens · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2008, 00:35 »

I wouldn't exactly call her anonymous

http://www.stockphototalk.com/phototalk/2007/02/istockphotos_di.html
http://www.perrush.be/art_hidesy_01.html
http://www.designfederation.net/photography/amanda-rohde-inducted-into-the-istockphoto-hall-of-fame/

From memory that's not her first time in the mainstream media either, but I can't find the reference.

Or do you mean her neighbors don't know she's an online celebrity? In that case, totally, unless you market yourself like Yuri. I think we'd all recognize him if we passed him in the street.

crazychristina · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2008, 00:53 »

It was reading Perush's interview with Amanda that got me into microstock a year and a half ago. She's a bit quiet at the moment, having just had a baby recently. Yuri is about to overtake her as istock's number 2 seller. Both of them must be in their early to mid 20s though. Very inspiring. Interesting that she started with a P&S.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2008, 01:21 »

Quote

Her only real experience with photography to that point was doing Photoshop image retouching for professionals.

This is the opposite side most photographers come from. People take pictures and learn photography and then stumble around with Photoshop trying to figure out how it works and how to edit their shots.

Nice to see someone who has found success and has the talents to make a living with Micro. She's got to have a really good eye and is an example of how someone dedicated can be self taught by paying attention to the market and finding that rejections are advise. Starting many years ago didn't hurt either.

Adeptris · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2008, 04:46 »

Typical Media,
Every 20 something with a P&S that reads this story will think "Easy Money" or more likely "EZ $" beliving it will be all so easy as well.

It would be nice if they balanced reports like this by including how much work is involved and a more typical story, Microstock and places like the late PhotoShelter and Alamy, have libraries full of images that will never sell but pad out the collections, also loads of other images that will sell from a small Photographers portfolio that may never reach a payout limit.

It is a bit like American and UK football, you read about the top super-stars and what status thier "hobby" can bring, that justs feeds on the perception that it will all come easy, but never about the crocked and failed wannabee's playing part-time and struggling along, and the hobby players just doing it for fun.

David

vonkara · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2008, 10:55 »

Microstock is like the stock market. Be talented... and be there before everybody

Since 2003 in her case

Graffoto · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2008, 23:05 »

I have been aware of 'Hidesy's' images since I first became accepted at IS in '05.
So she is famous to me

The blue-eyed-blond-with-the-winning-smile, model that she has in her port is just everywhere!
I have seen her face on the web, and on point of sale advertising.
I see Amanda's shots every single week in the local magazines here in Southern California.

I even sent her a scan of one that I found that she could add to her tearsheets.

Yeah, I wish I had gotten in to IS right at the beginning too. But that is 20-20 hindsight.
And like the stock market, ya gotta jump in SOMETIME in order to play the game

MikLav · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2008, 00:39 »

Quote from: nosaya on October 05, 2008, 23:05

So she is famous to me

And to me too

RH · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2008, 04:49 »

I like Hidesy´s work and she is really famous to me. BTW: lisegagne is also very famous to me

GeoPappas · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2008, 07:38 »

Quote from: MikLav on October 06, 2008, 00:39

Quote from: nosaya on October 05, 2008, 23:05
So she is famous to me
And to me too

And me three.

hali · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2008, 10:28 »

Quote from: Adeptris on October 05, 2008, 04:46

Typical Media,...
It would be nice if they balanced reports like this by including how much work is involved and a more typical story, Microstock and places like the late PhotoShelter and Alamy,..

Kudos to her, I congratulate her success, but I somehow agree with Adeptris.

It' s not a realistic view of microstock, and like Adeptris said, it's all media.
Get your newspaper to write something about yourself, and then everyone will perharps check out your site and buy something.
This is not to put her down at all, I think she has a good approach and made many valid points for those trying to succeed in stock.

It could also be good promo for the micro site(s)?
Now everyone thinks, "oh, I can do that too! Be exclusive , make tons of money" .
But, yes, I will keep reading her interview to learn where I am going wrong