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Author Topic: Can I really earn a full time income from microstock?  (Read 63674 times)

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macrosaur

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« Reply #150 on: March 31, 2010, 07:55 »
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I completely disagree with that article, it's just a marketing spin to sell subscriptions to his "Selling Stock" website.
Not to mention he's more famous about what he writes about the stock industry rather than the photos he's
actually selling.

Unfortunately there seems to be more and more people every day that are trying to make money by selling their "expertise" rather than actually doing it.

i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

photojournalists are doint this more and more nowadays but at least it's understandable as their profession is sinking  
and they make more money with expensive workshops.

the last i've read about was a workshop for 20 students in my city with a well known MAGNUM photographer
asking 250 euro/person for 2 or 3 hours, that's a whopping 5000 euro in an afternoon, not bad !
« Last Edit: March 31, 2010, 07:57 by macrosaur »


PaulieWalnuts

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« Reply #151 on: March 31, 2010, 08:07 »
0
I completely disagree with that article, it's just a marketing spin to sell subscriptions to his "Selling Stock" website.
Not to mention he's more famous about what he writes about the stock industry rather than the photos he's
actually selling.
Unfortunately there seems to be more and more people every day that are trying to make money by selling their "expertise" rather than actually doing it.

And some of the people selling expertise don't really have that great of a track record with selling stock images. Why would I buy their expertise? It's like hiring an investment advisor who's broke.

« Reply #152 on: March 31, 2010, 08:09 »
0
i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).

RT


« Reply #153 on: March 31, 2010, 08:17 »
0
I completely disagree with that article, it's just a marketing spin to sell subscriptions to his "Selling Stock" website.
Not to mention he's more famous about what he writes about the stock industry rather than the photos he's
actually selling.
Unfortunately there seems to be more and more people every day that are trying to make money by selling their "expertise" rather than actually doing it.

And some of the people selling expertise don't really have that great of a track record with selling stock images. Why would I buy their expertise? It's like hiring an investment advisor who's broke.

Because you can write whatever you like about yourself on the internet, and the internet attracts lots of very stupid people who believe anything they read.

macrosaur

    This user is banned.
« Reply #154 on: March 31, 2010, 08:39 »
0
i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).

exactly what i think !

« Reply #155 on: March 31, 2010, 08:41 »
0
Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).
Hey! You stole my line!  :P

« Reply #156 on: March 31, 2010, 08:54 »
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Microbius

I think we are at cross hairs here, my point was that I only know of 3 people personally in the microstock market that research and create imagery for specific sectors (of course i know hundreds and maybe thousands do, and the pro's undoubtedly). My point was that the 3 people I know personally are all exclusive artists (vector) on istock, they have been for a few years and they do all earn over $80k per annum, 2 are uk based and the other in the states. That is where that figure came from (apologies if I put 's I wish!)

No I dont earn 80k, if you read back a few posts you will see that that is my aspiration and I know it can be done. I do ok financially and have only been doing this a year part time, (apart from istock where I have been since 2006 just going icons sets, it was in part because the icons sold well on istock that I decided to give this a serious try), I have a young family and full time design job to contend with.

I have removed my links from the post due to some emails I got from other members who said its best to do so to avoid personal attacks re my work and that anonymity would be a good thing, I am proud of my work and yes agree some of it particularly icons and globes  are going to be similar in content to what you would call the big sellers, but I do not copy, I work using a sketchbook and research different topics, I think the icons you are probably referring to are typical website icons, eg search, print, rss etc, and actually I wouldn't say they sell that well actually. But i do try to cover off the basics as well as creating more involved/conceptual work. Unfortunately I agree microstock is full of 'the same done differently', I think RM is the place for the much more involved/time consuming conceptual work and that is something Im currently exploring too.

« Reply #157 on: March 31, 2010, 09:16 »
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^^^ Very good, clear and honest answer.

« Reply #158 on: March 31, 2010, 09:23 »
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i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).

So you are saying you are not good photographer?
I know you are. Just joking.

Kone

Microbius

« Reply #159 on: March 31, 2010, 09:46 »
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@ Joingate 
Sorry if I got too personal.
80k dollars is doable and I know of at least one excellent artist, in fact one of the guys that did some of the original blue globes and business style images before they were done to death, that used to break $100k in his hay day.
Though I suspect those days are long gone. Best of luck, and I hope you do let us know if you and your friends ever to make 80k a year, even if it is dollars. I remain sceptical.

« Reply #160 on: March 31, 2010, 10:19 »
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Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).
Hey! You stole my line!  :P

Those who "can't teach. teach Gym" - Jack Black in School of Rock  :D

vlad_the_imp

« Reply #161 on: March 31, 2010, 10:23 »
0
"they do all earn over $80k per annum, 2 are uk based and the other in the states."

I'm reluctant to give my exact earnings but it's well over $80k. I'm in Europe, I'm photo's and vectors. I'm in the top 200 iStock sellers, I won't be any more specific than that. I know of a number of people earning more than me.

macrosaur

    This user is banned.
« Reply #162 on: March 31, 2010, 10:36 »
0
Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).
Hey! You stole my line!  :P

Those who "can't teach. teach Gym" - Jack Black in School of Rock  :D

and if you can't rock you can still roll...

macrosaur

    This user is banned.
« Reply #163 on: March 31, 2010, 10:37 »
0
"they do all earn over $80k per annum, 2 are uk based and the other in the states."

I'm reluctant to give my exact earnings but it's well over $80k. I'm in Europe, I'm photo's and vectors. I'm in the top 200 iStock sellers, I won't be any more specific than that. I know of a number of people earning more than me.

i'm not surprised.

vectors are in huge demand nowadays.
what i've never knew exactly was how many vectors one can produce in a week or a day.

are they all from scratch or most are variants or old vectors ?

vlad_the_imp

« Reply #164 on: March 31, 2010, 10:44 »
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I have had days when I've produced 5 or 6 simple images in a day, I was involved in an upload race a year or two back and that spurred me on. iStock have cracked down on simpler images too so I tend to take a bit longer now. Some are completely new , some are variations. I'm currently slowed down a lot because I'm either doing more complex ones or I've just run out of inspiration ( as at the moment) The good thing about microstock is that you keep earning so a few days off costs nothing if images are still selling.

« Reply #165 on: March 31, 2010, 11:00 »
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Yeah, it really depends on complexity. If it is something complex, then I might just do one in a day. If it is something simple, then I might do a few. If it is a variant or series, then I might do a dozen in a day. Although my brain starts to turn to mush after several hours, so I have to take breaks.

« Reply #166 on: March 31, 2010, 19:30 »
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I've been trying to get 10 vectors produced in a week before uploading.  Most of what I've been doing has been rather simple and will be getting into more complex starting real soon.  I finished one today that took me 3 days to do but it's not complex at all just time consuming with lining things up properly.  My 10 probably won't happen this week working on building skills in the areas I need to improve on (i.e. pen tool, gradient mesh tool) and learning to use Blender.  It depends on the artist and how well you know your vector software which I'm still learning to use.


« Reply #167 on: April 01, 2010, 01:57 »
0
i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).
They might try to, but I assure you plenty of people can't teach. Even successful experts in their fields are rarely good teachers.

macrosaur

    This user is banned.
« Reply #168 on: April 01, 2010, 02:24 »
0
i've always been skeptic about workshops : why someone would teach you his secrets instead of being in the field shooting
more photos ?

Those who can't do, "teach" (or blog).
They might try to, but I assure you plenty of people can't teach. Even successful experts in their fields are rarely good teachers.

exactly.
to teach effectively you need a lot of human and social skills.

and in public schools it's a mission/vocation, rather than a job...

but back to workshops : is your voice loud enough to be heard ? can you "sell" your vision about technicaland artistic aspects ?
are you updated or you still talk about film cameras ? how do you deal
with "slow" students ? how do you deal with "rebels" and trolls ? and the list can go on and on ...

« Reply #169 on: April 01, 2010, 12:27 »
0
And some of the people selling expertise don't really have that great of a track record with selling stock images. Why would I buy their expertise? It's like hiring an investment advisor who's broke.

well, in fact, many of these investment advisors ARE broke. they lost all their investors money... and their own
in the last market corrections. I also remember one such establishment way back in the 80's 90's that was teaching Investment Strategy, and each of them were "Investment Experts". They started a mutual fund, and it got broke with the following crash.
I am sure these dudes are back somewhere being part of some brokerage firm handling our investment portfolios.

back to topic, the dudes who is conducting clinics could always buy images from IS of yours, SJLocke,etc..
and use them in their slide presentation, and no one could be the wiser , though !
;)
like those wedding photographers who ripped off wedding portraits while moonlighting as lab assistants in some custom labs. (this one is actually what someone in the stores tell me some years back).

« Reply #170 on: April 01, 2010, 13:15 »
0
I completely disagree with that article, it's just a marketing spin to sell subscriptions to his "Selling Stock" website.
Not to mention he's more famous about what he writes about the stock industry rather than the photos he's
actually selling.
Unfortunately there seems to be more and more people every day that are trying to make money by selling their "expertise" rather than actually doing it.

And some of the people selling expertise don't really have that great of a track record with selling stock images. Why would I buy their expertise? It's like hiring an investment advisor who's broke.

Because you can write whatever you like about yourself on the internet, and the internet attracts lots of very stupid people who believe anything they read.

I am surprised at how many actually believe everything they read.  But I am even more astounded at how many go along with the smoke and mirrors when they know better.

lisafx

« Reply #171 on: April 01, 2010, 14:30 »
0

I am surprised at how many actually believe everything they read.  But I am even more astounded at how many go along with the smoke and mirrors when they know better.

Agreed^^

I never realized how naive a lot of people are until I started selling stock.  Apparently the vast majority believe the people in advertisements they see actually USE the products!  They are shocked to learn what stock is and that it is in so many advertisements.

« Reply #172 on: April 01, 2010, 15:07 »
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Apparently the vast majority believe the people in advertisements they see actually USE the products!  They are shocked to learn what stock is and that it is in so many advertisements.

I used to assume that adverts/websites that feature a pretty girl wearing a headset , usually with the tagline "Phone us on ... " was actually who I was going to speak to.

« Reply #173 on: April 01, 2010, 15:12 »
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Sorta related - I used to think that human interest and soft news stories in the newspaper were the ideas of editors and writers.

RT


« Reply #174 on: April 01, 2010, 15:23 »
0
I used to assume that adverts/websites that feature a pretty girl wearing a headset , usually with the tagline "Phone us on ... " was actually who I was going to speak to.

Stop reading the adverts on cards in phone boxes  :D


 

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