First off, this forum is great, awesome information, glad that I found it.  I am so new to this - but have been photographing as a hobby since my year of high school photo classes.  I know that I am going to get many different answers to this, but having not found a thread on it (it may be somewhere) and having read tons of information, I have to ask.

I am on IS and have all of 3 files uploaded and no sales, no shock to me.  I need to spend more time going through existing photos, and more time shooting, etc., I will be getting to that soon.  Right now I am reading like a hawk, any and all books that I can get my hands on....this weekend, I shall be shooting!!!

Ok - so I am on IS.  I have a few photo's on Fotolia that have been there for years too - about 14 maybe, making like 25 sales a year, no biggie on those, and frankly, they aren't the best quality and were from a few years ago when I wasn't really as serious about heading into professional photography. 

QUESTION -- Should I just focus on IS and shooting for exclusive status there OR should I upload to all of the microstock sites?  I ask because I was reading posts about how it is really hard to go from being an established non-exclusive to an exclusive once you get thousands of pictures on other sites because you have to get them off the sites. 

I have a blank slate right now - and am weighing options.  I know that as a newbie, there is likely more promise in uploading to multi-sites, better for esteem, at SS supposedly newbies make some money a bit faster than at iStock, and well, from what I have read, there is just different performance from many of the sites.  But if I start doing SS, DT, and the others, will I get sucked in and never know what the earning potential or benefits of being an exclusive at IS would look like? 

Tough decisions....and possibly I should just chill out and concentrate on the photos for now : )

I have also read about time -- certainly you will be spending a significant amount of time uploading to more than 1 site.   

I just applied and was accepted to iStock last month, so I can comment on this.  For my first submission of 3 photos, 2 were accepted.  All I had to do was wait for a duration of 3 days, and then resubmit 1 photo.  You get to keep your 2 approved ones there, and just resubmit for the rejection. 

In my case I had some purple fringing - and I sort of knew that might happen, should have went with my gut instinct!!! 

I just resubmitted something that I knew would have to get approved, and it did.  I am totally new to this - but slowly learning everything.  I only have 3 photos submitted to iStock, all approved, because I don't want a rejection.  I have to get over that, because at this rate, it will take forever to build my portfolio, and that 100% acceptance rate will be worthless!!!