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Messages - Brasilnut
Pages: 1 ... 6 7 8 9 10 [11] 12 13 14 15 16 ... 65
251
« on: May 16, 2022, 05:56 »
How SS deals with complaints about thieves...
252
« on: May 12, 2022, 13:46 »
Emotions aside, I've crunched some numbers and it's clear that average RPD for clips is on freefall at SS. These are the historical stats from my port at SS (average of $12/download since 2019). Perhaps I'll be "lucky" to be earning $4/download on average from next year. Shouldn't be called RPD anymore, should be called RIP.
Meanwhile, Pond5 is holding steady at an average of $29/download since 2019. Even though volumes are 3x less than SS, average net earnings is 7x more per clip sold.
Links to my respective ports, mainly travel editorials:
SS: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/AlexandreRotenberg/video?rid=1595060
P5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/alexandrerotenberg?tab=footage
Thank you for the honest information.
4 dollars a download versus 29 dollars on averagehow will that work?
This is the reason so many artists left SS.
What is the average on Adobe? Certainly more than 4 dollars.
We will see what happens, but whatever is the average now on SS will probably be the future for pond5.
I've only ever sold 14 clips on AS. Port size = 425 Average RPI all time = $27
253
« on: May 12, 2022, 09:31 »
Emotions aside, I've crunched some numbers and it's clear that average RPD for clips is on freefall at SS. These are the historical stats from my port at SS (average of $12/download since 2019). Perhaps I'll be "lucky" to be earning $4/download on average from next year. Shouldn't be called RPD anymore, should be called RIP. Meanwhile, Pond5 is holding steady at an average of $29/download since 2019. Even though volumes are 3x less than SS, average net earnings is 7x more per clip sold. Links to my respective ports, mainly travel editorials: SS: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/AlexandreRotenberg/video?rid=1595060P5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/alexandrerotenberg?tab=footage
254
« on: May 03, 2022, 04:35 »
Dear MSG colleagues,
I'm pleased to share with you my April 2022 detailed monthly earnings report, including a special feature on my experiences as a newbie drone pilot.
https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2022/04/30/april-2022-brutally-honest-earnings-report-drone-special-edition/
Alex
Really? Arcangel (RM-exclusive) 1,432 (70) 0 0
1,432 exclusive images and they brought you what? That would be disappointing, especially with the expense of the UAV, time and being exclusive.
After looking at what you and some other people do, I mean lots of hard work and effort, and the numbers, this stock game is worse than I thought. I mean, I can understand for what I do, that I have lower and lower earnings. I don't work hard and I don't do interesting creative projects. I get what I deserve, maybe more, but now I'm looking at people who actually try and the results are terrible.
1. Important not to quit that day-job!  The book cover stuff is a long-term game, it will pay off eventually and I'm patient (see point number 1). As in poker, in this stock game we need to leave ourselves outs. We've all seen these "exciting news" announcements suddenly and how detrimental they can be to our earnings. I do work hard and pays off in other ways than monetary. Sometimes I suffer from depression/anxiety and photography helps to place me in that moment, so for me it's naturally therapeutical. Alex
258
« on: April 27, 2022, 05:38 »
As I've heard many times from those on the inside, many buyers don't mind paying a bit extra for quality work so it makes sense to price our work correct when we have the option to do so. Or, what I'm doing more and more is submitting my work to premium agencies, Arcangel for book covers and recently signed up to Overflightstock for my drone stuff.
One of my yearly goals has been to try to get my (paid) FAA up and running again to add more images / curate the portfolio. I do have sales on there every few months but I want to push it more, plus better ways to promote my work. I've done OK at Photo4me and will keep adding on that. The drone aerial shots add to my arsenal and I'm only getting started.
Alex
THIS sounds tons better, Alex. 
Are there any other agencies for book covers in addition to Arcangel and Trevillion?
Best of luck with the drone shots!
Thanks! Nope, Arcangel and Trevillion have got that segment of the market covered, although on my rounds at bookshops when I'm looking at various book covers, I often photo composites of Shutterstock/Adobe/Getty + Arcangel and Shutterstock/Adobe/Getty + Trevillion. Generally, Trevillion seems to be more picky about who they take on (without offering much in terms of feedback) and the type of work that goes on there. Seems like they want more of a finished product than Arcangel.
259
« on: April 26, 2022, 06:02 »
Good morning all,
In regards to the referral link(s), further to reading the above valid comments and having a good think about everything, I've decided to remove them from the interview. Should anyone have signed up in the time between publishing the interview and removing the link (and I do eventually earn anything) I'll refuse the payment.
Within the past two months or so, Elijah uploaded a large batch to them. Let's give it a bit of time for those images to mature and start selling and, as mentioned earlier, he'll then be publishing a full comprehensive and unbiased review. Should be interesting to compare average RPI between all the agencies.
Alex
Alex, I'm kind of a bit disappointed that you have taken this route. You have a very interesting and helpful blog and I know you have promoted other avenues for increasing one's income, such as the book covers - which was really interesting and informative. But there are still other ways that do not devalue a person's work.
There are lots of places where creatives can set their own price. POD sites, designer resources agencies, direct selling, etc. (As an example, after putting a bit of time into researching what other type of buyers are out there, and changing what I shoot, I am now earning an additional $500 a month from these places, on top of my microstock earnings. Plus there is potential for even more growth.)
I have even put my prices up recently on some of these sites and increased my buyers. So, it can be done.
Hi Annie, I hear you. I admit that sometimes I get frustrated and instead of looking at different revenue streams I'll just look for more agencies (I will submit a smallish batch to Freepiks and Vecteezy as a trial to later add some insight into the reviews)...my thinking is that if they're already keyworded, what's the harm? But there's not much point in earning an extra $20-30 a month on another 5,000 images. The industry is broken and it's only going to get worse imo in terms of returns for the time/investment put in. As I've heard many times from those on the inside, many buyers don't mind paying a bit extra for quality work so it makes sense to price our work correct when we have the option to do so. Or, what I'm doing more and more is submitting my work to premium agencies, Arcangel for book covers and recently signed up to Overflightstock for my drone stuff. One of my yearly goals has been to try to get my (paid) FAA up and running again to add more images / curate the portfolio. I do have sales on there every few months but I want to push it more, plus better ways to promote my work. I've done OK at Photo4me and will keep adding on that. The drone aerial shots add to my arsenal and I'm only getting started. Alex
260
« on: April 24, 2022, 05:50 »
Good morning all,
In regards to the referral link(s), further to reading the above valid comments and having a good think about everything, I've decided to remove them from the interview. Should anyone have signed up in the time between publishing the interview and removing the link (and I do eventually earn anything) I'll refuse the payment.
Within the past two months or so, Elijah uploaded a large batch to them. Let's give it a bit of time for those images to mature and start selling and, as mentioned earlier, he'll then be publishing a full comprehensive and unbiased review. Should be interesting to compare average RPI between all the agencies.
Alex
261
« on: April 23, 2022, 12:33 »
Love or hate them, just this week we managed to get some exclusive inside-info from their Product Manager via an interview:
https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2022/04/18/interview-with-esmeralda-banos-product-manager-at-freepik/
Alex & Elijah
Alex, why do you look into the cheapest of the cheap? Why aren't you investigating premium and boutique agencies that are actually respectable and that actually sell image licenses instead of using images to make money from advertising?
The only useful information about "freepik" and all those similar scumbags is "Stay Away". (And I'm giving it for free)
Hi, I'm both a contributor and journalist. As a contributor, hell yea I'm upset about this growing trend of agencies pushing contributors towards giving away images for free. Together with the loosening of licensing standards and of course lower prices. As a journalist, my aim is to be unbiased and ask the right probing questions to the right people, which includes those on the inside of agencies which promote such practices. I don't pick favorites and if I can I'll interview decision-makers within all the agencies, including Unsplash of which I'm looking to send an invite out (whether they will accept is another question). The ultimate aim is for the "Market-Wizards" interview section of the blog to be even more of a premium source of exclusive information from those on the inside of the industry. As for interviews of those within "premium and boutique agencies", so far I've interviewed: - Peter Chigmaroff, Director at OverFlightStock Niche Aerial Photography/Footage Agency; - Mat Hayward, Adobe Stock Artist Evangelist; - Luke Nester, Account Manager at Robert Harding; - Nash Mascaro, Sales Director at Arcangel Images - no interview but plenty of insight at various blog posts. The above decision-makers work within agencies that encourage a fair return to contributors. As for Freepiks (which has a regular microstock licensing program), as Elijah has posted, he's indicating positive early results and will publish a full review soon on the blog. Alex
263
« on: April 20, 2022, 12:07 »
Can't wait to pay my next utility bills with this new "gift economy" currency.
264
« on: April 14, 2022, 14:09 »
*warning, may lead to depression*
Published yesterday an interview on my blog with Mark Rozitis, Editorial Stock Footage Contributor, who was consistently earning about $4-5k/month in 2018 with regular sales on both Pond5 and SS and is now earning just 10% of that after 3 years.
https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2022/04/11/interview-with-mark-rozitis-editorial-stock-footage-contributor/
Interview includes interesting insight on why sales have dropped.
Well that one will get buried because it's not your own thread but really? I was told at McDonalds, Im sorry but with your background youre not a culture fit.
McDonald's? There's an insult to someones intelligence.
When I turned 50 and my business was really going downhill, (the market and the competition started price cutting) I applied for a few jobs in the same field. Standard answer, "Over Qualified" which translated, I learned later meant, we want kids who will take less pay and we can mold to our ideals. Old people (but they can't say that legally) are set in their ways and will also demand better pay.
I've never heard of cultural fit before, I wonder if that's Canadian code for something else like, you're too old? Or too smart...
But his history and how things changed was really a shock. I can understand my Crapstock, not growing not gaining not really a market favorite, but Holy Moly, that was a stunning collapse of a solid collection.
Good Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJh5wdvdfVE
266
« on: April 12, 2022, 05:59 »
Sept/Oct for me, makes sense as it's just after the lazy summer months
267
« on: April 11, 2022, 05:57 »
Difficult to say whether you should try or not. What's your niche? If you don't have one, you'll probably struggle as a generalist.
I'm on my way out of microstock, after some 8 years as it's become rather pointless for me, both financially (all my earnings are public on my blog) and emotionally. But I'm grateful as uploading to micros during all these years have pushed me towards creating book covers which is something I quite enjoy and there's $ to be made with quality content.
Oh, have also recently purchased a drone and even though I'll upload the content soon to the usual suspects (after getting all the compliance out of the way and learning how to use it), I'll soon try to find specialist agencies that will pay what the clips are/should be worth.
Best advice is: don't quit your day-job for this business!
268
« on: April 02, 2022, 08:05 »
269
« on: March 30, 2022, 02:30 »
Thanks for your comments...please don't shoot the messenger Even if some claims sound outright ridiculous without any reliable stats to prove (giving away free pics will lead to more sales of paid pics), it's worth listening to what the top guys in these agencies are thinking so we can adapt accordingly. Like it or not, the free-download model is only going to grow and we need to be aware instead of burying our heads in the sand hoping it will die off. Vecteezy do have a "pro" section for paid-downloads which I'll give a go. At this stage, as my earnings have decreased so much I have almost nothing to lose.
270
« on: March 29, 2022, 09:03 »
Just published an interview with Shawn Rubel, Founder & CEO at Vecteezy: https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2022/03/29/interview-with-shawn-rubel-founder-ceo-at-vecteezy/Disclaimer: As someone who has been consistently critical of the free-download model this interview is an opportunity to try to better-understand the benefits, if any, of such models from someone on the inside the industry. Therefore, my intention is neither to promote or dis-promote Vecteezy.
271
« on: March 21, 2022, 04:02 »
I saw several of my images stolen by theses contributors :
Nice you saw several. I see 100s of stolen portfolios still operating.
272
« on: March 06, 2022, 09:56 »
Gas/petrol prices in Madrid yesterday....1 year ago gasoline was around EUR 1.10/litre.
273
« on: March 02, 2022, 04:12 »
US inflation will likely drop below 5% by the end of the year, EU even lower.
i've started a new thread for this topic before it distorts this one https://www.microstockgroup.com/off-topic/where-is-inflation-headed
so far, i havent seen any inflation related changes - after a dip in 2020 & recovery, sales have been on a steady decline - nothing i'd ascribe to inflation.
Yes, inflation should drop below 5% per year soon, according to economists as interest rates are expected to steadily rise in the West. Although war brings uncertainty and this latest Russian adventure was not in their projections, the price of WTI is up some $30 in 2 weeks, to further impact on the cost of living. Nevertheless, even at a more modest 3% a year for the next 10 years, means that $1k earned in 2032 will only be worth roughly $700 in today's value. If anything agencies need to be increasing our royalties not reducing them! But anyway we all know that the business model is broken and there's not much we can except slow down investment in time/equipment or try to find more profitable ventures.
275
« on: February 28, 2022, 03:48 »
Someone in Belarus just purchased a license to this image...
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