... If you quit uploading you'd have to pick a pretty cheap place to live because it wouldn't be long until the money started to dwindle. ...
... But seriously, I would say that the lucky few (very few!) who are making that much better keep shooting and uploading or they would probably see their sales decline over time. ...
... And Sharply, in your case it sounds like you have still been working at it, but just switching your energies to improving your exposure rather than adding new pictures. Sounds like a very good use of time IMHO. :)
... And Sharply, in your case it sounds like you have still been working at it, but just switching your energies to improving your exposure rather than adding new pictures. Sounds like a very good use of time IMHO. :)
Yep, the writing's on the wall.
If you choose to keep with the old ways of simply shooting and uploading without investing any time into optimization and management, I think you'll inevitably see your market share erode as more and more of your competitors modernize their approach. When that happens, what are you going to do - shoot even more or take a step back and rethink things?
So far I haven't done anything other than upload images and my earnings are still increasing. It might be because your portfolio is full of great images and will keep earning more, as there are still new buyers using microstock. There is increasing competition but a lot newcomers will find it harder to make money and are more likely to give up than they were a few years ago. Some that were doing well will not be able to make enough to go full time. I am still blindly optimistic that there are a few more years of good times ahead :)... And Sharply, in your case it sounds like you have still been working at it, but just switching your energies to improving your exposure rather than adding new pictures. Sounds like a very good use of time IMHO. :)
Yep, the writing's on the wall.
If you choose to keep with the old ways of simply shooting and uploading without investing any time into optimization and management, I think you'll inevitably see your market share erode as more and more of your competitors modernize their approach. When that happens, what are you going to do - shoot even more or take a step back and rethink things?
1. Quit day job FINALLY!!!
2. Do full time shooting
3. More travelling
4. Pay a student to take over the boring stuff like uploading, maybe keywording too
Life would definitely be more fun!
I would probably blow most of it on beer and food.
I would wonder why my sales had halved ...
While I can easily say that I'd quit the day job, I'm not so sure that I'd be able to pull the trigger if I were in that situation. If I were making $10k a month in microstock, my total monthly income would be $10k plus what I was still making at the day job. So my total monthly income would drop significantly by quitting. On the other hand, quitting the day job would allow be to crank out a lot more new images for microstock, and eventually increasing my income back to (or beyond) the level it was at when I had the day job money still coming in.
Aw screw it... I'd still quit the day job anyway, even if my total income had to take a dive for a little while. :)
The freedom alone would be priceless.
I would buy me one of those new spiffy batmobile type Italian cop cars 8)
Naaaw Lee, that's for Catwoman...
this one !!! [url]http://www.seriouswheels.com/2004/2004-Lamborghini-Gallardo-Italian-State-Police-Car-RA-1280x960.htm[/url] ([url]http://www.seriouswheels.com/2004/2004-Lamborghini-Gallardo-Italian-State-Police-Car-RA-1280x960.htm[/url])
Naaaw Lee, that's for Catwoman...
this one !!! [url]http://www.seriouswheels.com/2004/2004-Lamborghini-Gallardo-Italian-State-Police-Car-RA-1280x960.htm[/url] ([url]http://www.seriouswheels.com/2004/2004-Lamborghini-Gallardo-Italian-State-Police-Car-RA-1280x960.htm[/url])
Uniform by Armani. Car by Lamborghini. If you want to be a cop, it appears Italy is the place to do it.
I'll tell the owner you think it's a girl's car. ;)
...Ok, not exactly a batmobile, but purchased by someone who makes more than 10k/month in microstock.
...Ok, not exactly a batmobile, but purchased by someone who makes more than 10k/month in microstock.
...I thought it would be pretty obvious who the car belongs to. Take a look at the plates. Who lives in that country and earns more than 10k/month in micro?