don't percentages become misleading with larger port sizes? I'd like to increase my port size by 100% next year, easily done when I only have 200 images. A 5% increase for some of the big players is probably more effort than my 100%.

With relation to client work - what Don says is very accurate IF you can do it without the client there.  My last "drop and pop" session was 8 hours of photography (clients there otherwise it would have been half that) and about 4 hours of processing.  I billed $750 - $10 per item.  I also provided them with a royalty free license to the images and retained copyrights (spelled out right in the contract).

good to know someone out there is on the same budget as me. I do a product page for a magazine each month, usually 10-30 items. It takes about 4 hours, but all items aren't the same size, have to be removed from packaging, styled and then packed away again. It's not really that fast and it's very fiddly work as the lighting has to be moved often. Then the post work, which usually is getting bg pure white. Then if I want to sell as stock I have to go over with a fine tooth comb (client is way less picky) and remove logos.  I guess if you were going to shoot something like, um, every card from a deck of cards? that would be fast.

i suspect it's a great way to fill out your port... might make you feel better but not give you good returns.

This is kinda like a new years resolution thread about what you are going to do next year right?

So here it is plain and simple.

First thing is dont plan on anything because life happens and there is nothing you can do about it you just have to be like water.

Live and enjoy the day because you may not make it to the next, it can all change in the blink of an eye.

Work to live never live to work, it will ruin your life and you will loose many never to be had again first moments in your journey not to mention the time lost as well.

sorry, I have to disagree also. The world's most successful people don't just drift along enjoying the ride.

There is great enjoyment to be found also in working hard, achieving your goals and enjoying the fruits of your success.

Each to their own of course, and you can tread your lifepath however you choose. 

perhaps I didn't explain it clearly:
LR, like ACR, is non-destructive editing. So whilst changes you make show up on screen they aren't applied until you press the go button (in ACR it's called Image Processor). I appreciate that you can't upload RAW files, but if the OP was starting with jpegs there's a chance he didn't process the changes and sent them thru SOOC.

this might be a  stupid question, but do you have to process the image in order to export it? (I only know ACR which is basically the same at LR).

* My goal is to have myself published in Country Style magazine here in Australia. This isn't a monetary goal as magazines don't pay well I've found; it's just personal. I've always loved their photography and to be accepted would be a thrill.

* More corporate and high end work to help pay the bills.

* Increase stock, but it's not my main income. (Husband is the breadwinner so I have to help him in his business too... perhaps hiring a bookkeeper for him is my next goal.)  I had set myself a goal of 500 images by year's end and while I've probably got that many shot they aren't all edited and online, that part is just so time consuming, so I've fallen short. However, my graphs are all going up which is good. I'll still set myself a goal of 1K files by next December. We're spending two months at the beach this xmas so I'll have come up with some new ideas and find myself a niche.

* learn video. Most of my clients now want videos on their websites so I'm going to have to either buy a video camera or upgrade to D800.

* love my kids more and devote some time to them each week. Poor things whinge alot about how much time I spend on the computer.

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I think the threshold is $600.  If you aren't there yet, maybe they've changed something and are requiring it from everyone now?
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yeah, not even close.
s'ok, i took a shot with iPhone and uploaded it, not so painful.  The msg suggested that none of my files would be available for purchase if I don't supply my ID.

Quote from: vannphoto on November 30, 2012, 02:44

I've got a message saying I need valid photo ID... is this new? I hate it when businesses feel the need to have a copy of my passport or DL before they'll talk to me. It seems dodgy.

They've been collecting ID for years, once you reach a payout threshold where they have to report you to the IRS.

oh, thanks, didn't think I was even a tiny bit close yet.

I've got a message saying I need valid photo ID... is this new? I hate it when businesses feel the need to have a copy of my passport or DL before they'll talk to me. It seems dodgy.

Quote from: ShadySue on November 28, 2012, 15:42

No, you just have to try to shoot saleable stuff, while they do everything they can to stop buyers from buying it. Sort of like a diabolic game.

... 

+++1
i actually LOL'd

there's 2 things I don't get:
1) you steal a CC and go and buy..... stock photos?  ! seriously?
2) don't you have to be a registered buyer with a validated email address? surely IS is passing this info onto the CC companies. Haven't they caught any of them and made and example to scare others off?

i think this is very interesting and (to my shame) only just realised what the map meant.... (not even a bit blonde), so this post is timely (for me).

I found it interesting that the bulk of mine sell to Europe and not the US. makes me sure to spell keywords properly.

Mostly UK and what looks like Portugal but probably not? I've sold more of "xmas balls on the beach" into Europe than aust, which is interesting too.