I'm very pleased with my first day.  19 downloads with only 10 photos!  I'll try to submit again tomorrow - maybe 5 - and see how it goes from there.

But then again... it could just be a good day all around as I even got a download at LO today .

I likely would have been rejected again if I hadn't been keeping an eye on everyone's experience here so THANKS again!

Thanks to the advice on this forum I finally mustered up the courage to submit again and... wow, 10 out of 10 approved.    I won a Noiseware package on Lucky Oliver which must have helped - now I can't believe I ever lived without a good noise reduction program!

So, what do I do now... it seems that some of you guys really have Shutterstock worked out to a science...   Do I submit a big batch initially to get something in my portfolio or is it better to start slow and follow the "small frequent batches" advice.

Feels like I won the lotto getting approved over there.... y'all make it sound like the place to be.

Thanks, now I can rest in peace.  That's quite the list!

Well... I was just accepted at Istock but haven't uploaded anything.  I'm assuming it will be accepted there since it's their own language...

I use it on Dreamstime Fotolia and LuckyOliver.  Don't really upload anywhere else.

Somone on this forum steered me to the Istock model release.   If I can remember, I think the attached document is essentially the same in Word. 

There is a small table at the top.  Delete if you want, but on my release I have my logo in the left and details on the right. 

The signature areas on the bottom are in table format as well.  I removed my name & address from this area.  If you use this form, place your details in this spot so you don't have to hand write.

It's all very crammed, it prints on one page on my printer so hopefully you don't have to mess around with it to much.

Congrats, that's great!  Please send us a link I'd love to view... I couldn't immediately find on Istock.

I wasn't approved last fall either and never tried again but it's time to get on with that.  Anyone know if on my next attempt I can submitting pix that ARE NOT model released and then delete them if I'm approved? Or do I have to do it right the first time? 

Thanks guys.  I haven't been able to really study it yet but I think that I will really enjoy the Imageonic software suite... especially the Noiseware and Portraiture...  to a lesser degree the Real Grain.  This is the first stand alone noise reduction I've owned and I'm very impressed.

It works just fine within PhotoShop, but if anyone needs to know the product says that it works with Corel Paint Shop 10, and I have 11 and it doesn't work within that program.

Here's a link that was on Dreamstime earlier this week
http://www.imaging-resource.com/SOFT/INW/INW.HTM

Khwi - I loved your violin with music notes.  It's a great stock image so I think you are already a winner!  So far the "winner" has been downloaded once and that was for the LuckyOliver blog!

I've been having a good month with DT so far.  I expect we won't see subscription sales immediately until everyone runs out of credits.  Time will tell!

Less than part time but I recognise the potential.  And good timeless photos are almost like investing in the stock market as they may pay dividends for hopefully a few years.  I'm a stay-at-home hockey mom, chauffer and finger paint instructor.  I work from home (sometimes part time, sometimes triple time) make my income about 70% youth sports photography, 20% grad/portrait, 5% design and 5% or less stock.  Goals this year are to shoot A LOT of stock... but I honestly don't enjoy the amount of hours scrunched over the computer with all involved.  Often I'll ftp during the day then when things are quiet in the evenings watch tv with the laptop and submit.

You know what, WE ALL KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE that people shots sell.  Exclude humans from your catalogue and you may discourage a very high percentage of your potential clients.   I know you have a client base in mind - but I think that designers have a certain amount of loyalty - they migrate to exclusively use Istock or Dreamstime etc. - why purchase 10 or 50 credits with your agency if only one of their own clients needs pure nature?

Just be selective with acceptance and use the power of no.

Create a new rejection note that everyone can all whine about "Please clone out human and resubmit".     Success of your new venture should be first priority and I'd hate to see it fail because you drew a line and didn't have a diverse enough data base for potential clients.

Anyway, back to the discussion at hand.  What is a nature shot?  You feel a bear stealing food is a good nature stock shot.  Okay; how about a closeup of a boat, half sunk in the river, half full of leaves?  

Ah... that's the question?  Is it ART or is it STOCK?   Would this boat image have a purchaser?  I doubt many.  But it's a beautiful shot and could build up your library... I'd purchase credits at an agency with 1,000,000 images before one with 1,000.   

50-100 photographers.  It's a nice promise, but what if you sign up a bunch of duds?   Eventually everyone gets ill, retires, dies, moves, slows down.. etc.  or the dreaded - has to get a real job to pay the bills and can't submit like they used to...    If they are duds do you kick them out?  If you make a promise of accepting only 100, aren't you restricting the agency's potential for growth?  Your strength makes profit for everyone.

Also - if you only have 100 photographers, aren't you limiting the potential of your boutique - unless they are in unique geographical regions spread across the world and upload top quality on a frequent basis.  

Myself - I take a lot of nature and wildlife photography - weather permitting (Canada).  Doesn't sell on traditional micros and I don't submit much.... so a site like yours would be a welcome option to someone like me... BUT if you are only accepting 100 photogs I would be one of your "duds".   I might be wrong, but I think that you'd need to qualify huge fantastic portfolios to keep to your 50-100 photographers limit.

When I looked at your site last week, the last photo I viewed was of a bride looking out a window.  Great stock photo, but if I was a purchaser I would be very annoyed to have to sort through it on in a pure nature site.  (Even I stopped browsing at that point and I'm not a purchaser.)

It's my opinion that a couple hiking in the Grand Canyon would be a very appropriate subject but I sure wouldn't want to see a fashion model.

Bear stealing food is definitely a nature photo in my opinion.  If any particular image is straying too far from your intended audience, simply don't accept it!

Stay on your path and have a check box for "Exclude people in this search".