Author Topic: Monopoly (Read 6415 times)

Magnum · « **on:** May 02, 2008, 02:34 »

I´m kinda new to this and have some thought.

Pros like Arcurs with 10000 perfect images must get like 30% of the market. Instead of searching 3 milj images. They go to his portfolio, and know this is 100% good stuff.

I guess others like him are here, so soon they got the market covered. Isn´t it just to many images to handle nowadays. So buyers go with the safe and easy cards.

Peter · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2008, 02:41 »

Hi. Those images didnt fall from sky to yuri. He worked his ass of for it. Nobody stops you from making even more, and better images than him (and others)

nicemonkey · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2008, 03:07 »

I second chode, 10000 images dont just appear in your portfolio. I have just over 2000 images and realise what a struggle it has been to get to that total. Yuri has 10000 quality images which is even more amazing and if he has cornered the market good luck to him. He is up there to be shot down by the next hot shot, if you work hard...maybe just maybe it could be you

RT · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2008, 04:23 »

As time goes on you'll find that buyers will search through your portfolios and that you'll get regular buyers who revisit you, you don't need to have 10k images for that to happen, although I'd imagine it happens to Yuri more than most because of the way he markets himself.

You'll get emails from buyers, and on places that show the keywords used to buy your images occassionally you'll see that your username was the keyword used.

michealo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2008, 04:27 »

IS paid out $21,000,000
Yuri makes (I think) $100,000 a month from IS

Thats more like 6%

leaf · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2008, 04:31 »

and if you are ever in the market for images you will find how 'few' there really are. The couple times i wanted an image, i looked and looked and had a hard time finding exactly what i wanted. There are still holes.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2008, 05:42 »

Quote from: michealo on May 02, 2008, 04:27

IS paid out $21,000,000
Yuri makes (I think) $100,000 a month from IS

Thats more like 6%

He does not hardly make $100000 a month on IS.

Guess what, too. There's a market out there for something besides the same 5 people sitting around a table in a building lobby with computers

rosta · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2008, 05:52 »

When I first joined IS i had a port of 2 images. Life got in the way and i actually forgot about them. When i looked several weeks later I had three downloads. Now with a still tiny port on IS, only 50 images (but growing slowly) I still get daily downloads, usually multiples. It's my fsult and only my fault that I'm not making more there.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2008, 06:06 »

While he has a ton of images it's a small slice compared to the total. Do some buyers take the safe route and just look at his stuff first? Sure. But I'm guessing they look for the image they really need and there are currently are 2,939,994 other images besides Yuri's to choose from.

Your post seems to indicate you're struggling with sales at IS and feel Yuri is taking them all. Is that what you're getting at, or something else?

cshack · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2008, 06:21 »

I could only wish to have Yuri's success. I may never get there but I'm not jealous of his great accomplishments in microstock. Someone is always going to be at the top of there game. If you work hard you can be there too. Just be prepared to work your butt off for it.

Now go take some pictures and stop worrying about what someone else has. What would you like IS to do anyway....cut him off so you can have more.....PLEASE DUDE!...Get real.

Magnum · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2008, 09:02 »

Quote from: cshack on May 02, 2008, 06:21

I could only wish to have Yuri's success. I may never get there but I'm not jealous of his great accomplishments in microstock. Someone is always going to be at the top of there game. If you work hard you can be there too. Just be prepared to work your butt off for it.

Now go take some pictures and stop worrying about what someone else has. What would you like IS to do anyway....cut him off so you can have more.....PLEASE DUDE!...Get real.

Hey there. Let me answer before you "Dude, get real". I´ve seen it before here. Not cool!!

First I didn´t know I started an Istock post. This is general talk.

I´m absolutely not angry with Arcurs or anyone else for taking my customers. He´s my F¤%&¤ idol.

I was just curious about the effect he and the others are having on the market.

The written language often make things sound worse than it is. If it sounded like I was going to hunt them down, I´m sorry.

hatman12 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2008, 15:59 »

Yuri does NOT make $100,000 per month at iStock. He reached black diamond (200,000 downloads) on Jan 31st. He's now at 284,000 downloads, so that's an extra 84,000 downloads in 3 months or 28,000 downloads per month.

The typical $/DL at IS is in the range $1 to $1.20, but given the content of Yuri's portfolio I imagine he sells a higher proportion of larger images than average, so let's assume he gets somewhere in the $1.20 to $1.60 range.

You can do the math yourself.

BTW Yuri announced on his blog that he earned $64,000 in January as total income from all agencies.

Roadrunner · « **Reply #12 on:** May 03, 2008, 11:10 »

I understand where Magnum is coming from. Like him I realize this is a competitive market, and I am in awe of many of you guys and gals. Magnum and I do not resent anyones' success; instead I am greatful that some of you experts give a helping hand to us lesser photogs. I'm not saying Magnum is a lesser photographer than anyone - just sayin ther are some like me who work hard, but just can't get past review. So working hard is not the only element to achieving sucess. Some have more raw talent and are better at using it.

To get to Magnum's point - I suppose that in any business 20% will get 80% of the spoils, and 80% of the photogs share 20% of the spoils. I do feel Magnum will get there to the 20% lightyears ahead of me. He does have a point. However as little as I am able to get past reviewers does manage to bring me a few sales here and there. I am probably in last place in this business, but I earnestly appreciate all the help you guys and gals provide. May be I'll get to 500 images on BigStock and 123RF some day - but I'll probably see the Grim Reaper before getting that big of a portfolio on iStock. O course with all your suggestions, I might live to get up to 50. That's my goal. As for who gets the lions' share of the matket, it is beyond my comprehension.

So Magnum - you do have a point, but I think otheres were a little too quick to jump on you. I know the feeling. I've been jumped on by some lions a few times in some forums too. That is why I no longer visit those particular forums.

Good luck to everyone! Hope you all make a million a month!

peep · « **Reply #13 on:** May 03, 2008, 11:58 »

Quote from: RT on May 02, 2008, 04:23

As time goes on you'll find that buyers will search through your portfolios and that you'll get regular buyers who revisit you, you don't need to have 10k images for that to happen, although I'd imagine it happens to Yuri more than most because of the way he markets himself.

You'll get emails from buyers, and on places that show the keywords used to buy your images occassionally you'll see that your username was the keyword used.

BTW: I did not know your username could be used as a keyword... Is it really possible?

Adeptris · « **Reply #14 on:** May 03, 2008, 16:18 »

Quote from: hatman12 on May 02, 2008, 15:59

BTW Yuri announced on his blog that he earned $64,000 in January as total income from all agencies.

And he has dedicated people on his staff just to manage the stocksite images, and has to pay some of them as well!

I think I read on his site about 10 employee's, studio, rent, rates, kit, travel expenses and other liabilities, I know that the studio will have customers as well, but it might be that it just gives a nice lifestyle and dollars in the bank, but not enough to relax, as you have to stay ahead of the game.

He likely thinks that all the new contributors hurt his revenue, and as always another way to look at things, I have worked for some big companies that charge me out for five times what I am paid, but the end of the year the balance sheet only showed a small profit % after all was paid for.

Stock is like any other service business you have to build a customer base, supply a quality of service (images) that makes them come back and look for your portfolio

David

etudiante_rapide · « **Reply #15 on:** May 03, 2008, 16:52 »

Quote from: leaf on May 02, 2008, 04:31

and if you are ever in the market for images you will find how 'few' there really are. The couple times i wanted an image, i looked and looked and had a hard time finding exactly what i wanted. There are still holes.

i agree with leaf.
as much as chode mentioned, yuri did not just sit on his f@@ a@@
and have all those images . he works his a@@ off.

also with leaf. there are other niche to fill.
we are human, not all of us think alike. the same with buyers.
tomorrow another buyer must look at what you produce and like them as much as others like yuri's. BUT your images have to be just as good, if not better.

i remember when i first walked into to a very famous and great photographer's studio, and said, "i am going to be as great and good as you. are you scared? "
he patted me on the shoulder and said, "there's enough for more than one of me. if your photos are as good or better than mine,
i want you to work with me, not against me."

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Author Topic: Monopoly (Read 6415 times)

Magnum

Peter

nicemonkey

RT

michealo

leaf

Sean Locke Photography

rosta

PaulieWalnuts

cshack

Magnum

hatman12

Roadrunner

peep

Adeptris

etudiante_rapide

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