In india you would be very poor if you had USD 500 a month. You'd want to die if you had a family. Two old folks can live on that much though. If you don't pay rent and eat only flat bread and pulses that you cook. If you fall sick, relatives and children would take care. They dont want you to die, not really . Indians are sentimental that way ! I am aware that the govt poverty line is much much lower. Don't believe them, all lies and fabrication. They just want the votes BTW, those of you who think indian salaries are low, lemme tell you wages of indian programmers are quite a bit higher than the US average salary. I know both. I have lived and worked both in usa and india

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

If you have talent and are dedicated, if you are smart, and if you have pacience, it is possible.

work, strategies, time.

I think this is not for everyone.

"and you started at the top? i for one won't kneel and worship you."

Um, ok?  You certainly know that 04-08 was a totally different atmosphere in micro than today, where all we do is discover new hidden programs and discuss falling sales and royalties.

You go ahead and mentor him though.

yes the sudden devaluation of imagery is over now (what you call a gold rush i imagine), and it's the new accepted price of images. i personally rejected the micros till 08 cause i would have never imagined the new reality we are in now, selling work for a pittance. never saw that one coming. mentor or not sean, you started at the bottom just like we all did, the only difference is that some of us actually had to know what we were doing to get in, unlike your day of just owning a camera made it possible. just sayin. anyway, glad you have always been a legend and started at the top. if you want, i can lend you a ladder to get over yourself.

 "I don't know why anyone would want to start from zero"

with all due respect, starting your career in the micro world was pretty much starting from zero cause it most likely meant you did not have the skills to get accepted in any of the many macro agencies at the time. - this is where you can use the closed door clause if it makes you feel better.

please, don't forget where you started and your humble beginnings mate and the fact that without the acceptance of everyone with a camera into the micro world and submitting three silly photos that automatically made you a pro and a few very very stupid multiple choice questions.

you really crack me up man.

with all due respect, starting your career in the micro world was pretty much starting from zero cause it most likely meant you did not have the skills to get accepted in any of the many macro agencies at the time. - this is where you can use the closed door clause if it makes you feel better.

I can't speak for photos, but it didn't really seem like macro was doing what I do. So, I saw micro as a more relatable model. Besides, does it really matter where you started or how you got there?

Shutterstock and iStock, in that order.

After you get accepted to the two top sites, then you might want to spend time on the next ones down the list. If you can get accepted and active on those two, you can work for any of the rest at your choosing.

If you start at the bottom and the easy review places that don't pay back for your work, you may get a false impression of the standards needed for success.

Accepted images, doesn't equal income. Aim high!

WHICH SITES WOULD YOU ADVICE A NEWBIE TO SUBMIT TO?

I�m also a newbie and tried out several agencies now. My topic is currently only landscape and architecture. Income is monthly ~ 50 bucks with that. And here are my Top 6...

1. Shutterstock
2. iStock
3. dreamstime
4. depositphotos
5. 123rf
6. Fotolia

It�s very similar to the Microstock Poll Results on the right side here.