Quote from: mike ledray on August 05, 2014, 01:39
12264 active clips and images

Shutterstock Rocks!

Make that 12298 as of this update!

Being Photographer #426 (I joined Before Rinder, Yuri and many of the others) I have always said and still say Shutterstock Rocks!
When I started we earned .20 cents per image across the board.
We were glad to be able to sell any of our images and had great fun with finding our images in use.
Having a gallery now of 12298 (and still growing) and now earning from . 38 cents through $120.00+ per download I am THRILLED and more motivated then ever before.
My SS income helped me to Pay off my House in 10 years! (SS was a big part of the Extra Income I put on the principle each month) along with other things to numerous to mention.
I have become an Expert Photographer with the help of SS and my Real Time Friends I have made through SS.
I have since started a Second Photography related business that Rocks, have done Product Photography, Pet Portraits, Studio Photography, Head Shots, Engagement Photos, and more along with my Stock Photography.


Anyway Thank You to Jon, Scott, and All the good folks at Shutterstock.
Shutterstock ROCKS!

Mike Ledray
Shutterstock Photographer #426
11-9-2004


PS. I am Also a Owner of Shutterstock Stock (purchased on Opening Day) Thank You!
Just saying...

Show your most popular photo next to your least popular photo

Being a Owner of Shutterstock Stock (on opening morning no less) all I can say is CHACHINNG!
Thank You
$$$$$$$$$

Quote from: Mark Windom Photography on August 07, 2014, 02:22

Quote from: mike ledray on August 07, 2014, 00:40

Need I say more?

I think you've said enough. 

You misquoted me
I said

Shutterstock Rocks!
Need I say More?

Thank You



Just wait for Tomorrows Topic!

Any of you who question the quality of my images, my sales, my income, or anything else.
I invite you to post your sales, your gallery links
Your monthly / yearly sales figures

I will be more than glad to review them for you

Shutterstock Rocks!

Need I say more?

Quote from: EmberMike on August 06, 2014, 20:59
So I see a major flaw of the Ignore function here is that it doesn't keep threads started by the people you ignore out of view. Bummer.

That is a crying shame

But then again he wont see this response

Quote from: Holmes on August 06, 2014, 19:50
mike wakes up. drinks coffee -- strong. gets idea. "I think I will do some s**t disturbing today at msg. just toss about some crap and poke a stick in the monkey cage and have some fun. -- ya know-- play the room like a violin".

haha

not taking the bait post ho.

LOL!!

Shhhhhh don't tell everyone my secrets



LOL

Quote from: cthoman on August 06, 2014, 17:46

Quote from: mike ledray on August 06, 2014, 17:40

Quote from: gimages on August 06, 2014, 17:24
it's important to have a positive attitude in this business with all the ups and downs.
otherwise your going to blow away eventually .

True
If you dont like what your doing, do something else

its not that hard to figure out

I like what I do

I like what I do too, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to get more to do it. Especially when you have seen that will people will actually pay more for it.

I agree 1000%
I suggest you start your own stock site and make the Big Bucks!

Quote from: gimages on August 06, 2014, 17:24
it's important to have a positive attitude in this business with all the ups and downs.
otherwise your going to blow away eventually .

True
If you dont like what your doing, do something else

its not that hard to figure out

I like what I do

Quote from: bunhill on August 06, 2014, 17:16
What Mike is really saying is bend over and touch your toes everyone.

Then stand up and do jumping jacks

Exercise is good for you

Quote from: Valo on August 06, 2014, 16:58
Mike, you make about $1,000 with 12,000 images on Shutterstock, from information I gathered on this forum. It is not really impressive and something to hooray about in my opinion. Don't you think you should make more money with so many images? Or are you satisfied with the cut the agencies are taking from you?

I agree with what the others already have pointed out, and would like to add; if we would accept everything from the hand that feeds us, we would end up handing them our images for free. I think it should be the other way around. The agencies need to stop biting the hand that feeds THEM. Because if the supply stops, they end up in the unemployment queue. Buyers always need images, where they buy them from is none of their care. Agencies need our images, we don't need agencies. Meaning, if all agencies fall over, buyers will find the sites powered by Zenfolio, Symbiostock, Photoshelter, etc etc. I have all my images on my own site, if all agencies topple, my images will still be available.

I am happy you are happy, but I do feel you you haven't really thought about what is going on, as it is clearly a write up of someone in denial.

Your powers of deduction are Amazing (wrong but amazing)
If I only made $1000 per month I would still be happy as Clam in a Bowl of Chowder

and what do YOU make per month? and with how many images? Lets see a link to your ss page, we all want to know

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on August 06, 2014, 16:29

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on August 06, 2014, 15:42
You're whining about whining?

jump to the bolded summary if u do not wish 2 read the whole post below

4 as long as SStock has ppl like him on the cheer-team, similar 2 the pariahs that r elated being fed crumbs off the tables of emperors, agencies like SSstock will never increase commissions. As proof to what's already happening with SStock (see threads on their own forum + one here by Mr. Rinderhart
http://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/does-shutterstock-care-what-we-think-or-post-about/msg389586/?topicseen#new) ,
and IStock re thread here on cutting diamonds earningshttp://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/istock-penalising-diamonds/msg389661/?topicseen#new),
agencies will continue to cap earnings to pass the sales to new and smaller earners. They will perpetuate the myth that one can make a living on 100 dollars a month etc.
And yes, they will post each month announcing their best month ever, etc monotonously
to resound their trumpeting victory.
And the CEOs will continue to laugh themselves to the bank , rewarding these cheerleaders will 100% approvals, while mysteriously other producers of equal or better works find their new images consistently being rejected en masse*.
*not me personally, as i have not been uploading 4 a bit after following the sorry CustomerRelations
exemplified by lower management's what problems? i don't see no problem??? of SStock, based on the threads I read on SStock forum .

in short, being in business is to be able to negotiate without being a brown-nose.

be careful not 2 cheer too much , pride comes b4 the fall 
he that heavens plan 2 destroy , the gods raise them 2 the highest peak so the fall is the most
hurtful

I can only assume that This guy does alot of Texting!

Anyways you are quoting rinder?
LOL!
if you Only knew the truth

living on $100.00 a month?
Some people around the world make less than that a year!
If you dont like what your earning selling stock photos, then do something else

Enjoy your $100.00 per month my friend you earned it

Quote from: Red Dove on August 06, 2014, 16:14
The King of Stock speaketh. Pay attention you dogs.

Mike - I gave you a heart, which should put you into double figures for the year.

Thank You Red Dove

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on August 06, 2014, 15:42
You're whining about whining?

Thank you Sean for an awesome response

Quote from: Tror on August 06, 2014, 15:31
Mike, I see your point, but the art of business is (too) being able to negotiate with partners.

Shutterstock does not feed me. Shutterstock is a business partner. Conditions of businesses and agreements may change, and yes, a friendly business environment is not only about complaining but neither does it mean we have to work exclusively for the benefit of whatever partnering company or distributor. And in first place we should put ourselves and our interest within the limits of reasonability.

Shutterstock is not #1 anymore for me. A smaller and higher priced place took its rank for me.

And no, when asking e.g. for a raise from SS it is not only in the interest of the photographer. Many big names, including Yuri Arcurs and Andres Rodriguez left SS because obviously there are more profitable routes for them. Maintaining balance means two forces should be equally in benefits in a business, otherwise instability may occur.

But I agree that there is waaaay too many negativity on this board.

I understand that Yuri left to start his own stock site.
I understand that and if I had 1,000,000 +++ images a Team of Photographers shooting for Me, and a cult following I would do the same thing.
But that being the case, They now understand first hand the cost of being in business and since I have not followed ol yuri or checked out his site to see if he has an open forum that his photographers Whine and Cry about low sales and low income and this and that I dont have a real opionion.

With 40,000 + photographers on SS some very good, some just ok, there will always be some who whine.
There are only a select few who whine the most and start the most negative threads (reminds me of the disco era) when Rock was King (and still is) and disco was trying to get its way into the main stream only to fizzle out like a burned out hippy who lost his way in the streets of Hollywood.

Anyways

That's how I see it
Whine away if you must but remember You (and I and everyone else) are the masters of our own destiny.

I say SHOOT AWAY and SUBMIT SUBMIT SUBMIT = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Carry On my friends

The one constant thread topic I have seen since I started shooting and selling stock is............
No Sales, Rejections, Low Sales, Bad Reviewers, Low Sales, Stock Site (insert any company name here) Makes TOO MUCH MONEY AND DOES NOT GIVE ME RAISES!, .......... Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

What I see is the people who whine and cry about all these and above are just Biting The Hand That Feeds Them.
If this was any other business you would be FIRED or Laid Off or somehow Canned or Demoted to the Basement to to menial labor jobs or made to quit.

I on the Other Hand, Embrace the Hand That Feeds Me, I appreciate and Understand what its like to be in business.
Of course they make a profit to be in business, if they did not they would not be in business and or be crooks and keep your money on every sale they make and go out of business like Lucky Oliver did to me and Many Others!

It is expensive to Inventory, Catalog, Buy and Maintain Computers, Servers, Employees, Advertising, Customer Service, Book Keeping, Office Space, Furniture, Desks, Electricity, Trash Cans, Paper, Printer Ink, Staples, Paper Clips, Pens and Pencils, Erasers, Pizza, Ice Cream, Water, oh the list goes on and on.

We ALL know that SS is #1 in Sales, Commissions, Fairness, Customer Service, Advertising, and more!

I Dare all of you Naysayers to Go for 1 week without Whining, Crying, Complaining, Etc. about all your woes about what you THINK SS is not doing for you.
Instead Think about all the ARE DOING FOR ALL OF US and what we can do ourselves to help increase our own income and sales.

I for one have Always seen the benefits of SS and other sites and Love making money over and over selling my digital images around the world.

I am very close to 110,000 (that's One Hundred and Ten Thousand) Image Sales on SS alone!

Again as I always say

SHUTTERSTOCK ROCKS
Long Live Shutterstock
I Love it here and wish then only the best and more and more success for us all

Yeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Now put That in your pipe and smoke it!


(I will be taking a survey on how many "Dislikes" I will get on This thread)
LOL

Quote from: Teddy the Cat on August 05, 2014, 17:56

Quote from: mike ledray on August 05, 2014, 01:39
12264 active clips and images

Shutterstock Rocks!

Dayum you are a stock god!!

YES, yes I am
Thank you

Yeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

100% approval

Shutterstock Rocks!

12264 active clips and images  (and growing rapidly)
Now what to shoot next?

12264 active clips and images

Shutterstock Rocks!

Gotta Love SHUTTERSTOCK!
Rock On you Cats and Kittens

Thank You

Shutterstock ROCKS!
Gotta LOVE Shutterstock.
Thanks Guys Another Awesome month.

Yes

Shutterstock ROCKS!
Sales are AWESOME!
Life is Great!