Thanks for all the great responses!

This one is scary...

>>ETA: Just wanted to add about the numbers - as it looks I will pass making $100 in April on Shutterstock with now 900 images online and I just started submitting to them a few months ago, And I keep making more than $150 a month as a non-exclusive on iStock with 1,500 images online. And the images are more or less the same on both agencies as well as on half a dozen other agencies, adding another small amount each. Just to put your $100 from 2,300 images in perspective to micro.<<

I prefer this...

>>For perspective, my 200 images on SS usually make the 100$ payout every month. All niche and very un-microstock.<<

and hoping this would really be true.

>>I'd agree with Leaf. I would consider $1 per image/month to be a conservative estimate for those images just from the 'Big Four' microstock agencies.<<

So many unknowns.

Interesting idea about Offset! Did not consider that. They have an advantage of a built in large user database. Just wondering what the terms etc. will be.

Ok, too excited. After sending the requested 10 images I received an e-mail saying thanks for the application, it will be reviewed by our editors and they'll get back with a decision. I thought they made the decision after looking at my website but apparently it is a two step process. As always looking at the bright side. If not accepted it makes my decision about who to submit to one less agency easier.

Well, hoping for the best. Either way I learned a lot today from everyone, and feel good about my future in stock photography (micro, macro or whatever!), thank you!

Too funny. Nancy Brown! She was a TIB shooter also. One of the get togethers was at her NYC studio. She is a very nice person. Just did a google on her. She's still at it in Florida. Still beautiful photography! http://www.nancybrown.com

You certainly have some good points about IS/Getty. That was one of the other offers they gave me.

I guess I could try diversifying but I think I'll first give Stocksy a shot, see how many images they take and how quickly they sell etc. I have to tell you though, I REALLY like their photographer stand though, that carries a lot of weight, but of course it's the pay back at the end of the day that really counts.

No kidding. I lived on Long Island and go into NYC just to talk to my editor. Every year TIB would host a meeting then a party at night where we would all go to meet each other. People would come up to you and say hello, they knew you through your photography. People would come from around the world for these meetings! It was an amazing time.

Another thing they did was have a lottery for digital imaging classes. This was back in 90 or 91. They had a day class in NYC or a week long class in Camden Maine. I put my luck in Camden figuring there would be more people picking NYC so I'd have a greater chance winning Camden. Sure enough, I won a spot! Met some world renowned photographers there and still keep in touch, including a NG photographer. Those were the days!

Thanks Shudderstok,

Nice well thought out thought provoking response.

Back in the early 80's I was TIB's youngest photographer for about 3 years. It was a great time for a few years. The president of TIB, Larry Fried had signed me. He was a great person and kept TIB on track, cared for the photographes and was a real photographers advocate. Unfortunately he untimely passed away. Once he was gone, things changed and changed drastically for the worse for the photographers. That is when I really slowed down my submissions. Then came the buying spree from Getty, the contract changes, Photographer's Choice, Flickr etc.

I've never submitted to any RF, ever. It may be time to stop fighting a losing battle. I have thousands of images sitting on my hard drives and would like a profitable way to get them seen.

I am very glad that iStock is working out for you. Like you said though many don't like Getty. I myself am a bit nervous to be with them, but if I was I would go exclusive because the non-exclusive agreement is so terrible.

For me, since I was lucky enough to be offered the chance at Stocksy I will give them a 100% commitment and see where it goes. I look forward to working with! I reminds me of the old days when TIB was TIB and not some huge corporation.

Back to work picking out my 10 Stocksy photos!

Thanks Sean,

Nice to hear from you as you were on the inside before. Yea, the 15% just seems insane, especially if NOT planning to go exclusive with them.

Gost... LOL, I did not say that and neither did you. It just appeared that another contributor is iStock exclusive and I made an assumption that he would vote for iStock exclusivity. My bad on the assumption.

Oh, and thanks for clarifying that about how you feel. I am curious about how everyone feels going exclusive iStock vs. going a bunch of different Micros.

Try Fine Art America ..... those pictures are exactly what they sell most.... and they sell very  good.

Thanks, saw that as well as http://www.redbubble.com

If I go this route these would be in addition to any stock photo site(s) that I would go with.

I also have shot some skiing as is here. Again these are not with any agency yet. Just trying to figure out where to put them.

http://www.landwehrle.com/sites/DonLandwehrlePhotography/Sports/index.html

My entry to my main website is http://www.landwehrle.com

Yes that is correct. $100/month 

I've been a RM photographer since the 80's with TIB. I stopped submitting to them when I disagreed with the direction they were taking under the Getty brand. A few years ago I was dropped by them because I did not sign the new contract. By that time I only had 50 images with them. I have been admitted back to Getty under the Photographer's Choice brand which charges $50/image to be in! I have not submitted any images even though I would get 10 free placement images.

I spent last year submitting to another much smaller image exclusive RM agency with limited return on investment with 2300 accepted images. I'm averaging around $100/month profit from them.

I have recently signed up with Alamy, Inmagine and Agefotostock. I only have 270 images on Alamy, 200 on Inmagine and 138 on Agefotostock.

I have many other images that no agency has.

A trip I did last year can be seen on my site plus a bunch of other images that are and are not with any agency. On the following link, non of the images are with any agency yet.

Do you guys think I should upload these images to the Macro sites above or would you think I would be more successful going the microstock route?

http://goo.gl/NbmpA

thanks,

Don