Quote from: zymmetrical on April 02, 2009, 23:05
I found about him through his book Sell & Resell Your Photos (http://www.amazon.com/Sell-Re-Sell-Your-Photos-Rohn/dp/1582971765/ref=pd_sim_b_1) which is still to this day an excellent stock bible. Sent some supportive words and he immediately reciprocated with some links on his site - he is a class act and although maybe not publishing much lately about the latest trends of the day such as microstock, is an expert in good stock.   

Everyone should sit down with some stock task lists once in a while and return to the basics.. I think the key point I got from that book was 'stock is interesting people, doing interesting things', which may a bit out of date since there are so many more niches for digital imagery these days, but still.. expert knowledge doesn't have to wrapped up in some web 2.0 trendy website - basics of stock will probably never change.

I actually have a book on selling photos but it's by Jim Zuckerman.  I'm not much for photographing people, but there's plenty of other stock pictures for me to take.   
What is a stock tast list?

Quote from: stormchaser on April 02, 2009, 21:54
Several well established professionals network via Ron Engh. I don't advise someone absolutely new to the business to go this route. Although this is the way us old timers did it. You can't just upload photos, then sit back and relax. You'll need to have a good portfolio website etc. plus the ability to properly market specialty skills and communicate with buyers.

Thanks for the info.  My friend normally deals with galleries in her area, but due to the economic problems some of the galleries have closed so she is looking for alternate avenues.  I hadn't heard of this site before and wanted to stear her clear if it wasn't a good one.  She more into that communication thing than I am....she keeps trying to get me to put my pictures in galleries but I'd just rather upload them and then sit back and relax. 

No one knows anything about this company?  NOTHING???

Does anyone know anything about Photosource International?  I have an internet friend who is interested in getting into stock photography and she mentioned this site and that she was thinking of subscribing to it.  I went to the site and some dumb ad came on my screen so I closed the page.   Are they a legitimate place or just scammers?

Quote from: RacePhoto on March 26, 2009, 23:06
You'll find me much less around here starting in April and until the end of October. That's my prime time for shooting.

Last year it took me until January to sort all that out. Finished uploading my most recent project for Microstock two weeks ago.

I'm on break unless I get inspired with some more marginal ideas.  

I plead guilty! 

I tend to do a lot of shooting in the nicer months since I'm usually out hiking.  Winter is good for stretching my wings and trying some studio work.   

Quote from: madelaide on March 26, 2009, 22:42
Hmm, guilty.  I have another problem that is not being objective in what to work everytime I set myself to pick some images, edit, keyword and submit.

I am not very focused. 

My biggest problem is I still have a ton of pictures from before I got into stock that I want to process so I'm constantly playing catchup.
Then I have a ton of projects I would like to take pictures of, but haven't yet.
And this month I've had a bunch of other stuff going on so stock hasn't been even been on my list of things to do.
At least my pictures are still making me money even when I'm not submitting. 

Quote from: tan510jomast on March 26, 2009, 22:33
was i the inspiration to this post ?  smart alec response
yes , i am guilty of that.

lol.  I wouldn't say any one person was the inspiration for this post, but I do see quite a few names come up regularly in just about any/every post I read. 
I was just wondering if my suspicions were true.....and they are. 

I notice that quite a few people post a lot.  Do you ever find that you're talking about photography more than actually doing it?  Do you think your sales would go up if you chatted less and took more pictures?  Do you ever find yourself using the forums as a creative avoidance for doing what you really should be doing?

I know I'll get a lot of smart-aleck responses, but I pose this question with all seriousness.  How much time do you delegate for forums vs. actually taking, processing, and submitting pictures?

Quote from: MatHayward on March 17, 2009, 04:13

Quote from: travismanley on March 16, 2009, 21:15
Im about two hours west of Seattle, but with the price of gas + ferry + parking I dont think I will be able to make it. Sounds like fun though. I would like to meet the other five stock photographers living in the Pacific Northwest 

LOL, I think there may be up to a dozen of us up here

Mat

I'm about two hours east of Seattle, but not sure what I'd do with an Apple gift certificate. 

Quote from: sharpshot on March 08, 2009, 08:51
I have used PSE7 for several months and it does everything I want.  There are lots of free plugins that add extras, like this one http://free.pages.at/easyfilter/curves.html

Thanks for the link.  I d/l PSE7 last night (30-day version) and tried it out a little before heading for bed.  I also got a disc from a magazine that has video tutorials for some editing to give me an idea of how to use the program.  Boy, their program sure isn't as user friendly as the one I'm used to. 

Quote from: Zeus on March 08, 2009, 17:22
I would use a LR2 CS4 combo if budget permits, then a LR2 PSE, them PSE by itself using Bridge to convert.

what?  You're saying I need all three?  What does one program do that the others don't?  If I spent $700 on a program, I would expect it to do everything, plus clean the frickin' house.

Quote from: FlemishDreams on March 08, 2009, 05:08

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 08, 2009, 01:46SOOOOOO.....which program would best fit my needs?  I don't want to spend $700 on CS4, only to find out that Elements 7 would've worked just fine for me.

If you're on a budget for image software and you don't have the Photoshop CS workflow in your fingers yet, why not try the Open Source (free) package GIMP? Karimala (I think) once mentioned she used it. It's supposed to be equivalent with PS.

You might also try to have a bargain CS2 or CS3. If your PC has 2Gig RAM or less, they're even supposed to work faster. In any case, use XP with PS, not Vista. Vista slows everything down.

As we speak, I am downloading the trial version of PSE7.  I will give it a try and see how it does.  This is a dreaded step for me because I actually loathe Adobe.  But Microsoft let me down by not keeping up with their program.  Their site says they're now incorporating their image editing software with Vista.  I do not want Vista and can't imagine that their software is going to be good enough if they're including it in the operating system.

Quote from: madelaide on March 08, 2009, 02:23
Paint Shop Pro X2 costs US$70. Excellent and seems to have almost everything that PS has.
http://www.microstockgroup.com/software-general/paint-shop-pro-x2/

Thanks.  I will look into that one.  Is that what you use?  If not, which program do you use for your image editing? 

Quote from: WarrenPrice on March 08, 2009, 02:28
Why not just stick with what is working?  Do you really need to upgrade?

As much as I enjoy the program that I am currently using, there are new improvements in the world of editing that are going to leave me needing more.  And since I am going to be buying the Canon 5D Mark II, I felt it would be best if I bought a program that would help me produce the best images possible.

For over 10 years, I have used Microstoft's image editing software.  Originally it was called PictureIt, but the last version that they've made is called Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006.  They will not be making any new versions so I know that I will eventually have to make the switch, most likely being to Adobe.
 
So, I'm trying to figure out what Adobe program I need.

I do not care about cataloging my pictures.  I already organize them the way I like and I don't need a program to change my system of doing this. 
I do not need a program to keyword my photos.  I already have a program for that.
I do not need a program that I can do "batches" with.  Each picture I edit gets individual attention.

What I DO want is a program that can:
Adjust contrast/brightness
Adjust color (temperature, saturation, etc)
Sharpen/blur
Dodge/burn
Paintbrush/airbrush
Rotate/crop/straighten/flip
Erase elements from the picture (my program lets me just outline something and it makes it disappear)
Clone tool to fix areas of my picture
Blending tool (like the clone tool, but has softer effects)
Make layers and blend them together using a transparency effect
Remove scratches, dust, or red eye
Convert to b&w
Apply various filter effects like diffuse glow, watercolor, canvas, etc.
Cut out parts, copy, skew, distort, etc.

Aside from doing stock, I also like to do some photomanipulation.  For instance, a favorite past time of mine is taking pictures of people at work and blending their faces onto animals.  I'm not a huge photo manipulator, but I like to be able to do it now and then.

SOOOOOO.....which program would best fit my needs?  I don't want to spend $700 on CS4, only to find out that Elements 7 would've worked just fine for me.

Quote from: ljooc on March 04, 2009, 13:37
If you are open to getting a non-Canon, check out the new Tamron 18-250 Di-II f/3.5-6.5 IF Macro. I got it a few months back and like it (most as an all around lens) The reviews have been quite good even by pros. Nearly all my landscapes are taken with this lens (I don't use the macro function as I have the 100mm f/2.8 macro). I actually got a re-furbished version from an Amazon partner and it came with a one year manufacturer's warrantly still for only $339 with free 2 day UPS shipping when a new one costs $479 or more. I called the company to find out what conditions, and why re-furbished before I placed the order. Turned out it was a lens they had rented out for a job but upon its return they serviced and put it back in the box. It was as new.

On a normal day plenty of light, the lens is very fast, otherwise, I shoot on tripod most of the time even outdoor, I find it balances my Canon 10D rather well.

On my blog the landscapes were all taken with this lens.

sorry to hear about your mishap. This depressing economy is certainly leaving its mark in every corner. Thanks for sharing your insurance claims experience, now we know.

jc

I've already researched the Tamron lens and I read about complaints of lens creep.  But more importantly, it's not high quality glass.
I'm hoping by sharing my experience, more people will be aware of what they need to do if it ever happens to them.

Quote from: yingyang0 on March 04, 2009, 00:22

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 03, 2009, 22:53
Not that I believe things just because "Yuri" said it, but on his website, he says the 24-105 isn't very sharp.  http://www.arcurs.com/gear-i-regret-buying-and-things-i-really-love (#8)  Do you find that to be true in your experience with the lens?

No. Here's the truth: Yuri is an absolute perfectionist. If you're like that you probably shouldn't own a zoom lens because prime lenses will almost always be sharper. That's said I own it and I love the 28-105L. It's a great all around lens that produces professional results as you would expect from an 'L' lens. If you're anal about absolute perfection then maybe the 28-70 f/2.8L and 70-200 f/2.8L combo would be better. I have owned all three, and though the 28-70 is somewhat sharper than the 28-105 wide open, it's not noticeable enough for me to care and the extra zoom on the 28-105 makes it my general use lens. I suppose if I was photographing a landscape shot of lions running across the plains in the early morning I'd want the extra f-stops, but I haven't encountered a situation where I regret switching to the 28-105. The only times I've needed/used a lens at f/2.8 has been with big glass photographing animals at dawn and dust.

I don't own the 100-400 L, but if I was buying new gear I'd probably go with the 28-105L and the 100-400L. It's a rare situation where I wish I had a lower f-stop, but for me it's relatively common to wish I had brought a lens with more reach (but big glass is so fing heavy to hike with).

Actually, Yuri says not to buy the 50mm either, and it's a prime    I didn't have the L glass version, but I had the f/1.4 and although it was a great lens and I'd buy it again, it was still a bit soft on my 400D.
I'm not a total perfectionist because I can't afford to be, but I would like to buy the better lenses since I plan on doing this for a very long time. 
I do photograph a lot of nature/landscape/animals, but I don't necessarily need the extra f-stops because I'm usually using a tripod.  And for stock purposes, I almost always get rejected if I use too shallow of a DOF.
I'm still considering all of my options, but perhaps the 17-40, 28-70, and the 70-200 would be a good combo.  I won't be able to get all of them right away, but I don't like buying things to just get by until I can get the real thing because it's money down the drain.
I'll have to keep researching until I bleed out my eyes before I make any purchases... 

Quote from: FlemishDreams on March 03, 2009, 17:53

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 02, 2009, 23:13
Hmmm...push the ignore button or respond? lol!   Some models came with a unicorn-type horn on them to fight theives off with. 

It's my fault sorry. I thought you meant the mythical Nikon D400. I'm a Canon illiterate ;-)

It's okay....I just thought you were being your smart-alecky self. 

Quote from: lisafx on March 03, 2009, 17:41

Quote from: Zeus on March 02, 2009, 21:14
Wow, sorry to here about that. I think the 5DII will take you a long ways however I'd get the kit lens,, 24-105. It's very good and the extra speed and
quality are better than the extra length.

So sorry about your ordeal!  That is really scary.  More than the loss of your stuff is the sense of being violated.  We've been there. 

On the lens - DEFINITELY get the  24-105 kit lens.  It is really an amazing lens, and the kit deal is quite a bargain.  It is suitable for pretty much any stock-related shoot you want to do.   I paid full price ($1100+) for my 24-105 a year ago before it came as part of a kit and it was worth every dime. 

If you need more reach down the line you can always pay for a longer lens with the money the 24-105 earns you in microstock

Thanks.  Yeah, the whole robbery thing sucks.  And so does trying to deal with the insurance people and wondering when the #%*@ I'm going to get my $$.

I'm one of those people who will research and talk to people until I'm about ready to bleed out my ears and eyes before I make a major purchase.  I'm even weighing my options if I were to get a lesser body like the 40D or 5D.  If I bought the 40D, I'd have much more leftover for lenses.   But I want the 5D primarily for it's lack of noise at high ISO's and it's better dynamic range (for my landscape work).

Not that I believe things just because "Yuri" said it, but on his website, he says the 24-105 isn't very sharp.  http://www.arcurs.com/gear-i-regret-buying-and-things-i-really-love (#8)  Do you find that to be true in your experience with the lens?

Quote from: tan510jomast on March 03, 2009, 17:24

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 03, 2009, 17:15
I think I fall into the obsessed-with-photography group so staying motivated doesn't seem to be a problem (at least for shooting).  I have more ideas of what to shoot than I have time to carry out those ideas.  The hard part is staying motivated to key word.  I hate doing that.  But my sales are going up as I get more images in my portfolio so that is what keeps me motivated to keep uploading. 

slightly OT, talking about keywords, moodboard has a nice idea  of inserting keywords (to me at least). just found that out last night after getting approved..

I use Yuri Arcurs keywording tool, which is better than figuring it out on your own.  Have you tried that?

Quote from: jmich on March 03, 2009, 20:20
Hi there!

I apologize if this has already been discussed - if so, please point me in the right direction.

I was wondering when/if you have to claim microstock earnings on your US federal taxes? I have heard that you have to make over $500 as well as $600 - not sure what to believe. Also, does that mean $500 or $600 for each site? or all together considering you are on multiple sites? With having to fill out a 1099 for SS, I was thinking maybe the rules have changed? I have not made $500 there yet but still had to do a 1099. I'd ask about state as well, but I'm sure it varies from state to state, so I won't bother.

Thanks everybody!
-J

TECHNICALLY, you have to report ANY and ALL income.  SS will send you a 1099-MISC form for your earnings (you most likely would have gotten it by now because they have to be sent out by the end of Jan).  IMO it's not worth the fines and penalties to try and avoid paying $75 in taxes (approximately) on $500.  Just report it, pay your taxes, and feel like a good person for being honest.  If you have any questions about how to file, refer to the irs website.  Just google irs and 1099 and it'll come right up.  It's a PDF file.

Quote from: zymmetrical on March 03, 2009, 10:14

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 02, 2009, 21:00
I am having to start all over getting my camera equipment.  Our house was robbed last week and all of my gear was taken.  ALL of it.  How convenient of me to store it all in a easy-to-take backpack.  Grrrrrrr!

And lastly.....a lens.  I am thinking of the 28-300mm f/3.5-4.6L IS USM.  It will have wide angle and good zoom.  I hate to spend THAT much money on a lens.  I wish it had wider aperature and that it didn't have push/pull zoom.  Do you think it would be possible for them to someday make ONE perfect lens that fits every need?  Probably not, but one can click their heels and pray to the camera gods in the hopes that it could come true.

So, how does that sound?

Sounds like you forgot: a German Shepherd.

I have allergies.  Guess I'll have to get another Boa or Python....or maybe a mozambique spitting cobra would do the trick? 

I think what I am going to do is get the 17-40mm f/4L again (loved that lens) and perhaps the 70-200 f/4L IS with either a 1.4x or 2x extender.  And later I'll get my 50mm f/1.4 I had.  I need the wide angle for my waterfalls and landscapes and I need the telephoto for nature/animals.  The 50mm is a good portrait lens.  I can do all my stock with those lenses.  I had the Sigma 70-300mm macro, and I got pictures accepted, but they weren't as sharp as I wanted.
Paula

Quote from: Clivia on March 03, 2009, 09:05
Paul,
I have the 28-300mm f/3.5-4.6L IS USM. I use it on a tripod, and have had loads of pictures taken at the 300 end accepted for stock.
Previously I had the Sigma equivalent, and it was useless for stock.
Try to buy the 5d with the kit lens. It is a great walk round lens.

Canon Rebel XTi EOS 400D.  Too many names for the same camera!

Quote from: madelaide on March 03, 2009, 00:29

Quote from: FlemishDreams on March 02, 2009, 22:51

Quote from: paulacobleigh on March 02, 2009, 21:59My original camera was only a 400D

That one is expected by the summer, if not later. It's a mythical cam.

It's that the one I have? A.k.a. XTi?

Regards,
Adelaide

I think I fall into the obsessed-with-photography group so staying motivated doesn't seem to be a problem (at least for shooting).  I have more ideas of what to shoot than I have time to carry out those ideas.  The hard part is staying motivated to key word.  I hate doing that.  But my sales are going up as I get more images in my portfolio so that is what keeps me motivated to keep uploading.