Microstock Photography - Beginners Guide

[Harvepino]

I'd add: rejection reason "Focus" 

[mantaigi]

Greetings to all.... Am new here n new to Microstock...I find this useful

[Rage]

Welcome to the club. Where all have you already started selling

[Gel-O Shooter]

Love that you (quite generously) gave IS exactly what they give contributors....15%!   

[Wrighty]

I'm a newbie. This is a great intro article and awesome site!

[fedmich]

Thanks for making this post a sticky post so newbies can read them.
The links are all very helpful, there is a lot to learn but am feeling more informed now after reading them

[Anya]

Thank you very much for taking your time to give this usefull information!

[eunhae]

Very useful thread!

[Bad Company]

OLD THREAD ALERT...

[Higosh]

I just thought i would start a thread giving an introduction to Microstock Photography for the new members of the forum.  Hopefully this thread can be a source of good info and resources.

What is Microstock Photography
Microstock Photography is the term given to the business of selling your photos online through a Microstock agency.  Microstock Photography is very similar to traditional stock photography but sets itself apart by offering images for sale at a very low cost (typically $1.00-$40).  Microstock photography also has a very low threshold in regards to who can participate, unlock traditional stock photography agencies which often require a portfolio of several hundred or thousand images before you are accepted.
[ newbielink:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstock_photography [nonactive]]

Microstock Agencies
There are many many microstock agencies which are willing to sell your images.  However not all agencies have enough traffic to generate decent sales.  The top 4 agencies are Shutterstock, iStock, Fotolia and Dreamstime.  You can check out the poll on the right side of the page for the full list.  The agencies are listed in order from highest to lowest earning site according to the newbielink:http://www.microstockgroup.com/pollsresults/ [nonactive] on MicrostockGroup.

Getting Started
Don't be mislead by the cheap prices - Microstock is a professional marketplace and is very technically demanding.  Even if you are already a professional photographer, don't be surprised if you have troubles getting images accepted when you first start uploading.  Take the rejections to heart and learn from them.  You can also post images in the newbielink:http://www.microstockgroup.com/photo-critique/ [nonactive] newbielink:http://tattoogrid.net/stick-and-poke-ornament-tattoo/ [nonactive] to get other users opinions.

Is there anyone here who makes a living off this? I mean as the main source of income? I am looking for ways to diversify my income, and since I love photography, I am thinking if this could be a good fit or just a waste of time.

Thanks

[Uncle Pete]

I just thought i would start a thread giving an introduction to Microstock Photography for the new members of the forum.  Hopefully this thread can be a source of good info and resources.

What is Microstock Photography
Microstock Photography is the term given to the business of selling your photos online through a Microstock agency.  Microstock Photography is very similar to traditional stock photography but sets itself apart by offering images for sale at a very low cost (typically $1.00-$40).  Microstock photography also has a very low threshold in regards to who can participate, unlock traditional stock photography agencies which often require a portfolio of several hundred or thousand images before you are accepted.
[Wikipedia Definition]

Microstock Agencies
There are many many microstock agencies which are willing to sell your images.  However not all agencies have enough traffic to generate decent sales.  The top 4 agencies are Shutterstock, iStock, Fotolia and Dreamstime.  You can check out the poll on the right side of the page for the full list.  The agencies are listed in order from highest to lowest earning site according to the monthly polls on MicrostockGroup.

Getting Started
Don't be mislead by the cheap prices - Microstock is a professional marketplace and is very technically demanding.  Even if you are already a professional photographer, don't be surprised if you have troubles getting images accepted when you first start uploading.  Take the rejections to heart and learn from them.  You can also post images in the critique section to get other users opinions.

Is there anyone here who makes a living off this? I mean as the main source of income? I am looking for ways to diversify my income, and since I love photography, I am thinking if this could be a good fit or just a waste of time.

Thanks

Microstock is what anyone makes of it. Some individuals do well, some suffer. Easy answer though is, Microstock is somewhere between a good fit and a waste of time, depending.  I know people that study and make fresh images and video, and they make money. The forum here is littered with people who find, nothing but dropping returns for their efforts.

I can say, what should be first in considering this as additional income. It's not easy money.

I've seen people who think they know it all, and have arts degrees, photo experience, who don't seem to understand that Microstock is not just art. It can be art, but most important is how functional and useful any image is, to others. If it's useful and can be used for illustration or making a point, and in demand subjects, you can make some money. If you shoot a black goat, laying in a pasture, without much meaning or purpose, your financial returns will be disappointing.

If you can think "why would someone else want this image, or have a use for it" without a stretching, maybe or distant hypotheticals, you will have something that gets downloads.

Shooting photos, and getting images accepted is easy, making a sale is difficult. 

[georgep7]

since I love photography, I am thinking if this could be a good fit or just a waste of time.

Offtopic:
perhaps you have to separate those two statements:
loving a craft or a hobby  is never, ever, ever a waste of time, it brings balace to mind and pleasure to one's soul
instead, waste of time is believing that love might evolve to something beneficial, it ruins balance to mind and soul

Ontopic:
making a living from stock is not the first step, don't care what others do, everyone have a different story and background.
registering to agencies, studying them, plus boring and time consuming editing, tagging, describing and uploading media are.

[Lola Ginabrigeta]

Thank you for the guide Leaf.

[barkbomes9]

Hey! I am a wedding photographer who has 1 wife, 1 child and expecting another. Saying this, because I would like to earn side money. Don't know shet* about stock photography. Can you recommend any course on uploading, metadata, places to upload, tools...stuff like this ?
newbielink:https://testmyspeed.onl/ [nonactive] newbielink:https://solitaire.onl/ [nonactive]

[THP Creative]

Hey! I am a wedding photographer who has 1 wife, 1 child and expecting another. Saying this, because I would like to earn side money. Don't know shet* about stock photography. Can you recommend any course on uploading, metadata, places to upload, tools...stuff like this ?

https://www.microstockman.com/microstock-beginners-guide/ - Hope that helps

[StanRohrer]

OLD THREAD ALERT!!!!!

BarkBones9, I just saw a recent report that stock income is now at $0.49 (49 cents, USA) Per Image Per Year.  What is your cost of creating images to sell? Car gas and car cost amortization, computers, camera gear,  hotels, tickets, Internet service, work hours, tax accountant, repairs, and more are on the expense side of the math. How much do you hope to withdraw from your business as your personal income?

Hobbyists consider it is free to shoot digital after the sunk costs of buying a camera. But as a business, equipment and repair costs must be a part of the equation. Amortizing purchase and repairs over the estimated use/life of the equipment is a very back of the napkin calculation. But I figure, for pro gear, it might come in at, maybe, 10 cents per shutter click. If I get 1 stock photo in 10 clicks ($1), I'm having an awesome day. One stock worthy photo in 100 clicks ($10) it is still an awesome day. If I'm shooting boat racing at 10 frames per second ($1 per second) and come home with 2000 photos ($200), of which only a few will be unique action and stock worthy, they may still be only good for the audience of that day (not general stock sales at $0.49 PIPY). Time to sharpen your math pencil - but with some really fuzzy source numbers. What kinds of shots are you intending to sell, and is there a viable market of buyers for those shots, and how do you compare with the other photographers in your competition.

Thus ends the first lesson on the business of stock photography in the year 2020.

[georgep7]

Discouraging is easy. Like newborn or product or whatever section is virgin ground and he/she can start from scratch and have a side income.

let's try the opposite. Not a transition to stock photog but what requested. A possible side income with what equipment might got.

Give couples a discount if they do sign releases of e.g. next day or prewedding shooting.
While finishing to be on the run, you are still outdoors: lot of stuff in the road, urban, nature(?) to shoot.
When in an event lots of food, furniture, signs, design, hearts, compositions whatever non-people included to shoot.

Never tried this, too late now, so, just guessing what i would do a few years back.

[enulight]

Thank you for the advice

[MicroSto70]

Hello everyone

I am new here at MicrostockGroup and hoping on having some interesting conversations and collaborations on these creative topics. 

Thank you leaf for the introduction it was very interesting to read.

Sincerely

[MicroSto70]

Dear Uncle Pete and Georgep7

Thank you for sharing . These are quite interesting topics and to be honest didn't, know that there where Online Sales for Photos and that this was a lucrative business. What are the credentials to be able to make it besides creativity and a good feel of what people are looking for?
For instance, do I need to be a Photographer holding a Diploma or Certificate or can I just be a Hobby Photographer and still be able to make it in this business?

Thank you for your reply and sincerely

[Uncle Pete]

Dear Uncle Pete and Georgep7

Thank you for sharing . These are quite interesting topics and to be honest didn't, know that there where Online Sales for Photos and that this was a lucrative business. What are the credentials to be able to make it besides creativity and a good feel of what people are looking for?
For instance, do I need to be a Photographer holding a Diploma or Certificate or can I just be a Hobby Photographer and still be able to make it in this business?

Thank you for your reply and sincerely

I wouldn't call stock a lucrative business. Some do well with hard work, many hours, being very smart and creative. Many more will try and quit or find out very fast, that this isn't easy money. Add to that that the market is down right now because of the world pandemic and virtually every agency has cut artists commissions.

Still, anyone who wants can try and see, which is what's nice. Open to anyone who wants to see if they can make something from the stock photo market.

[Pauws99]

Dear Uncle Pete and Georgep7

Thank you for sharing . These are quite interesting topics and to be honest didn't, know that there where Online Sales for Photos and that this was a lucrative business. What are the credentials to be able to make it besides creativity and a good feel of what people are looking for?
For instance, do I need to be a Photographer holding a Diploma or Certificate or can I just be a Hobby Photographer and still be able to make it in this business?

Thank you for your reply and sincerely

One of the good things is that is a totally equal opportunity business...you are judged solely on the quality of your images.

[marthamarks]

For instance, do I need to be a Photographer holding a Diploma or Certificate or can I just be a Hobby Photographer and still be able to make it in this business?

You do not need to hold any kind of photography certificate or have any formal training. I don't have either one.

But I'm not a full-time "pro" and never have claimed to be.

"Making it" in this business depends on your income requirements. I'm a "hobbyist" even though I've been at it for almost 40 years, because I've never had to depend on photography for my essential income. It really has bought me some great camera gear and nice trips, however.

[steheap]

And, of course, you can always read two of the honest books on how to get started in stock photography! 

You might find a link somewhere here....

Steve

[Bryan Salinas]

Thanks for advice, you helped to me Cheers