this is not China!

Country: United Kingdom
Usage: Editorial, Use in syndicated editorial news features, single context only. Includes archive rights in-perpetuity.
Media: Newspaper - national
64 MB
4400 x 5071 pixels
759KB compressed
Print run: Unlimited
Placement: National
Image Size: up to full area
Start: 22 November 2021
Duration: In perpetuity

for 18 Cents minus 60 %.... do you want me to ad more examples?

you are right, but you cannot take it for granted that you get it every year....

Please dont forget, that Adobe is making lots of money by selling you their software....

thank you everybody, you helped me a lot. I am doing illustrations with open source software and an old machine. I have no extra expenses. After 12 years in the business (almoste every day) I need some time-out...

What happens if you stops uploading new images regarding the monthly income, how does is drop?

Selling images to a number of agencies I share the risk. Selling to Wirestock only, I may run into problems, when the good guys turn into bad guys like SS and recently AdobeStock. Wirestock follows the money like everybody else.

Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

What about using a different name and upload slightly changed images to Wirestock? Is this an option?

I believe that the old stocker are running short of new ideas. They are dreaming of the good old days, when they had the new ideas.

It´s a different situation for illustrators. There is good quality open source software around which even old computers can handle.
What you need are creative ideas, no models, no studio, no expensive equippment, no travelling required. Different calculation.

I am getting spam mails in the name of Zoonar. Zoonar says they are aware, but have no idea of how to cope with it. Anybody else affected? Did Zoonar get hacked?

When sales go down, don´t fix the blame on Shutterstock only. Maybe the portfolio is out of date by now, which may happen any time.

I imagine a bakery in my town, which is offering two kinds of bread, one is free of charge and the other one you have to pay for. An now I compare this to Matts argument:

"The end goal is to attract them to the larger, paid collection to entice them to purchase licenses for content outside the free collection."

What a wonderful business idea!!!!

The global economy hits the ground. Millions of business disappear off the screen. The Microstock market follows the trend. Only few industries benefit, when they have the right product at the right time. Same with the vast majority of the contributors. Those with the right product will survive.
Surprise, surprise?? No.

Selling illustrations is perfect for people who depend on a wheelchair, who have no voice, who cannot hear, who have mental problems and so on, it´s a big big chance for them and part of their daily therapy to be accepted by the society.
By the way, the term "underdeveloped country" is politically not correct.

I am living in a country with no social welfare benefits like unemployment money, food stamps or stimulus check like in America. The alternative would be begging in the streets.
I envy people who can quit SS and argue about their lost self-respect or wasted time, because they simply do not depend on the money from SS. In times of corona I do more than ever before.
I am self-reliant, I am self-employed, I am proud of me and I am getting the respect from my family and people around me. Ten US cents here might be more then 10 Dollars in rich countries. In my eyes protest against SS is as useless as anything. And I am wondering where this hate and ire comes from?
If people with provoking opinions are called TROLLs, I am one of them.

What is the final goal of the protest?
How realistic are all these energy and time consuming actions?

So far I am better off with the new price structure of SS, in spite of many 10 to 17 cent sales.

Why should I boycot SS or even close my account? Why not accepting the 10 cent sales? I do, and I don´t care what will happen next year, because nobody can forsee the future.

Many thanks to Horizon!!! You are perfectly right!!!

My simple question is: Is there anybody out there with the same experience?

I have no idea about the future earnings. I want to find out if there is anybody in this forum who is better off this month.
The difference of this month is, that the earnings per image vary from 10 cents and 20 Dollar, strange figures, 2.96, 0.80, 3.58, 4.63 and so on. Before I mainly had 0.38 and 2.85. This is a completely new development. If it is for the better in the future, I don´t know.

It is a different situation for illustrations. This month I am better off than the months before, in spite of many many 10 cent sales. I am talking from my point of view, thats all.

people with different life conditions must be trolls... ?

for people who are physically disabled it is a tremendous feeling to rise money for their family. Microstock might be the only way, the only one.

I am doing illustrations only. I found my nitch with conceptual vector based illustrations with main emphasis on education, medicine, politics, social issues like injustice, poverty and environmental conflicts like global warming, pollution and so on.
When I check the internet, I find that I have a specific group of regular customers.
Shutterstock enables me to live an independent and self-sufficient life. It makes me absolutely happy when I see my images traveling around the globe.