Joined Dreamstime Jan 06, Fotolia in the fall - but man it's time consuming to try and build a portfolio!   It's also an obsessive hobby and I'm always taking pixs and have disks and disks of RAW files to sort through.  (Amazing I have time to check out the message boards at least once a day though!  Should devote that 10 minutes to stock!)

I only managed to sumbit one image on Lucky Oliver and it sold once over the holidays so I've pulled up my socks and done some ftp'ing today... must get organized.

I have mostly (not wildly popular) nature/wildlife pix but in 07 I aim to do a few trade-for-print shoots and build up the people photos that seem to sell.  I'm a bit shy to ask for model releases though but getting better.   Actually got 4 signed over the holidays.  My sister's family, we'll see how they do!

I know you were telling the truth.  That's why I was laughing.  That's exactly how everyone gives directions in Sask, Alberta, Manitoba... I had put such directions in my earlier post and cut them out because I thought I'd sound like a smart-ass to all the city dwellers who read this and will never understand!  I have photobooks manufactured in Toronto but they won't ship them to my rural clients because they "only ship FedEx"  (FedEx doesn't get Hwy 42, south of Hicksvillle, right on 8mile road, 2nd left at oak tree, look for red barn and green half ton in drive.)

Most of Western Canada is rural and everytime I go home (Sask) I get the rock-chips in windshield, or collisions with prairie chicken/wild life to prove it!  Oh, Leaf - don't you miss scrubbing grasshopper from your front license plate every summer?

I use a generic release for the agencies I submit to and they've all accepted it.

Actually it's the iStock text (which seemed to be the most comprehensive), cut and pasted into Word to get rid of their logo and then edited to get rid of any other textual reference to them.

It would be way too much of a hassle to have a different form for each agency for one picture. Imagine it ... the model signing 5 ... 6 ... 7 ... different release forms after a shoot and then getting each one witnessed.

I am looking at the Istock release form and now have another question. 

On the bottom it asks "*Please include a copy of picture identification to verify identity.  P.O. Boxes will not be accepted.  Complete as many fields as possible."

I've never done this photo-id part before.  Is it necessary?  What about the other sites?

P.O. Boxes will not be accepted?  In rural Canada everyone's address is a P.O. box! 

My first batch of photos were accepted at Fotolia yesterday... one image was viewed twice and had a sale.   

Is there more action on Fotolia or is this quick sale just a stroke of luck?

If I just had some time to upload.... only been on Dreamstime till now.  (I know, I  know... get off the message board and get back to work...)

So far I've mainly placed photos on Dreamstime,  but this week I've begun uploading to a few different sites to see what happens.  (Tyler, I'd previously registered at most but clicked through stockxpert, maybe you'll eventually make some pennies..)  I recognize that if I want to make any $ at microstock I'll should add people shots, so I guess I'll have to finally be bold enough to start asking for releases! 

Will the agencies accept a generic release, or do I really have to have one release signed for each different agency?  Is there a general release anyone can point me to?

I might start by offering a trade-for-print on 5 or 6 frames from a recent portrait session.  What would a reasonable trade be from me?  Is just an 8x10 per file too stingy?

Thanks for any advice.  New to this (and shy about it!)

Quote from: Pixart on August 30, 2006, 18:34

Winnipeg Manitoba (but trying to get to Alberta!)

Hey Leaf - I see your shots of Saskatchewan all over the place.� Always wondered how a photographer from Norway has so many shots of my home province!� (love your eye, btw)

I grew up in saskatchewan. so it is MY home province as well

Where were you from?� Swifty for me.

I married a girl from Norway and am now living here but go back to canada once a year or so.

I grew up in Brownlee, NW of Moose Jaw.  Lived in Regina for a bit.  Moved to Toronto.  Now in Winnipeg.
 
I've been to Swift several times (have friends who own a gym and dance studio there... well, just sold this summer).  I peeked at your bio, and their kids are around the same age as you...  Being that Swift is so small you likely know exactly who I'm talking about.    My sister has a cottage on Lake Diefenbaker (don't you have some stock!) and don't you have images of that ice fog last christmas?  LOL  we must have passed each other on the Trans Canada!

Winnipeg Manitoba (but trying to get to Alberta!)

Hey Leaf - I see your shots of Saskatchewan all over the place.  Always wondered how a photographer from Norway has so many shots of my home province!  (love your eye, btw)