Sales are down by half.  Income, of course, is one third on each sale now that everything is in the main collection.  IS is being outsold byDT, FT, 123, deposit, and can stock.  They aren't in the same league as SS.  I will not be submitting, and if I don't see improvement I will withdraw my images in September.

Dt was going great until about October 20.  It was on pace to be over $100 by month's end.  That didn't happen until last week.  After requesting payment and having my balance brought back to zero, there has been one sale for $2.50.  My new balance, however, shows $1.25.  Bad accounting?  I've always liked DT, but I am very disappointed in the last four weeks.  I'm hoping it's a fluke.

I suppose I'm glad I'm not alone.  $76 in October at 10/25.  The next sale on 11/2 for 76 cents.  It is as if they shut down.  November at 11/7 is almost $6.  They are being outsold by 123 and Deposit.  Very strange.

I thought something was broken.  October was looking really good until 10/25.  Then nothing the rest of the month.  Today a tiny sale, so I guess they're not broken, but it does seem odd.  I like when they have bursts of sales, but despite my continuously uploading I do not see anything I would call growth.  Quien sabe?

It has been very strange for me at Dreamstime for the past week.  I wasn't asked for a new password, but I did have to log in every time I went to the site.  Usually that's a once per month thing.  Also, this is the first week in three years with zero sales.  October was looking to be the best month of the year, but not a single sale since 10/25.  Seems odd.

Zero for me too, but it's only been a month.  I also uploaded my proven winners, pics that sell every day, but zip, zero, nada.

A few weeks ago I posted here about a submission of 38 images that were all rejected for "poor lighting".  I felt it was a bad edit, and I wrote to SS.  They told me to resubmit with a case number they gave me.  Today I received approval on 30 of the images.  This renews my faith.  Based on what I have sold I know these will sell.  Both SS and I come out of this as winners.

If you think your submissions really deserve a second look I recommend you do as I did and write to them.  Their response and second edit were most reasonable.  I can keep SS as my favorite micro agent.

Aloha.

Just curious here.  Ten of my pictures were accepted at iStock last week, all the same models and same subject.  One picture has had 128 views, the other nine have had 0,1, or 2.  The one is not any better than the others.  Is it more available to view?  I find it strange, and I am in the dark.  Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Tomás

This is one of 38 photos, all rejected by SS for "poor lighting".  Istock, FT, DT, and 123 have all accepted the images.  Wassup?  Any thoughts?  BTW, this type of shot sells every day for me on SS.  That's why I get ticked when some new editor, or an editor in a bad mood, or one who has some prejudices, kills an entire submission for phony reasons.  Do you fellow photographers think this is poor lighting?
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21215633-couple-paddling-their-kayak-in-hawaii.php

Has anyone heard of a company called Design Pics?  I don't see them in the poll results, and they are buying my last RM agency.  Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

Two years ago I bought two 4tb GRaid external drives.  I back up all my pics to both of them.  Now they are getting full.  I want access to the files on either of them, but I need a new hard drive or two it seems because I want to continue to back up my pics to two drives.  Is there a good 8tb drive?  Or would you suggest staying with two more 4tbs?  Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Tomás

Thanks, Anita.  I had seven images accepted about ten days ago, but they have disappeared.  Do you think that's some computer glitch, or did they re-edit, change their mind, and not bother to tell me?

Well said, Rimglow.  The editing I have observed over the last two months has been shocking in its inadequacy.  SS is my best agent, but that will change in time if this keeps up.  The other eight are taking and selling the pics.

Photo + has probably been around for a bit, but I just discovered it.  Is it worth it?  Are you putting your best sellers there?  Your worst?  How is it working for those of you far more in the forefront than me?  Thanks.

The numbers I gave are for one year, not six months.  Time flies.  DP has paid me about $5 per month.  I'm not disappointed because i expected little.  As I upload to the agents that pay hundreds per month, it is not a big deal to put DP into the mix.  Same with Veer or Bigstock.  How hard is it if you have the time?  And some surprise. 123RF went from $20/month to an average of over $50 in the last four months.  Crazy business, and I'm only 2.5 years into microstock, so I can't tell you much, just what's happened for me.  Aloha.

After six months there are 1200 files online.


Sold Files: 165
By Credits: 32
By Subscription: 129
By SMS: 4

I just submitted to Canstock.  Don't know what took so long, but the thought of uploading to a new agent is sometimes not so appealing.  It took them two hours on Sunday to approve me, so I started the uploads as quickly as my schedule would allow.  This is Thursday, and they have already approved over 450 of my images.   That's an extraordinarily fast approval and editing process, the best I've seen to date.  There are hundreds more coming to them because, unlike DT, they will allow up to 5000 images this week rather than 18.

I don't expect great income from Canstock.  I assume they will be in that middle tier.  Yet I am so impressed by their efficiency and editing that I am delighted I finally made the commitment to spend the necessary hours to upload.  They won't have as many images as I have on other sites because I have learned which ones sell, and that's what I'm uploading.  They will have the best collection of my images without dead wood.

Thank you Canstock for doing your job well.  If you do anywhere near as well in sales as you have in these initial steps we will have a long and prosperous relationship.

Aloha,

Tomás

Shutterstock is fabulous, I agree.  Exclusivity with any agency is suicide.  I have been shooting stock professionally for 30 years.  I have seen the changes (I wish I had seen them sooner).  I have seen exclusivity put photographers out of business.  Even with RM it is insane.  With RF and micro it is catastrophic.  The agents are in no way exclusive to you.  With 50,000+ photographers they do not care about you.  They don't need to.  Someone else can shoot what you shoot, and they do not care whose picture sells.

I have only been in Microstock since November 2009, and I wish I had done it sooner.  I started when my best RM agent said "We're getting killed by microstock."  We?  No way.  I started submitting and shooting for the micros as well as the RM's.  The income is well below what I earned a decade ago, but the micro income is very important and covers the drop in income from the RM's.  I have no idea where stock is going.  I'd like to think it couldn't possibly get any cheaper, but I do not know.  Do you?

Please, fellow stock shooters, do not even consider exclusivity with any agent.  If you do please research and study the possible outcomes.  I have always wished I could have just one agent.  It would be so much easier.  It doesn't work.  We cannot be lazy if we wish to succeed.  Take the time it takes to upload to ten agents.  All your eggs in one basket is an exit visa.  Don't do it.

In the two and a half years I have been shooting for micro I have accumulated ten agencies.  I have never spoken with a single human being at any of those agencies.  Ever.  That tells me something.

Aloha,

Tomás

Good to hear.  Alamy has been very quiet for me.  No sales this month for the first time I can remember.  Been with them 8 years, have about 3000 images, and I add about 50 per month.  The trend has been down for almost a year.  I'll look forward to better times.

Aloha.

I've been with Alamy for several years.  Total files 3000, 800 of which have been uploaded in the past year.  Sales averaged between $2400 and $3000 per year.  For the first quarter of 2011 I have made less than $300.  In March I have made 42 cents!  Alamy was never big for me, but I like the 3 grand a year.  With a 25% increase in images available it is disappointing to see sales so slow.  The original 2200 files were RM, the last 800 RF.  Is microstock killing Alamy?  Should I not send them RF files?  Is Alamy a factor in stock any longer? 

I appreciate any inputs. 

Thanks,

Tomás

To my pleasant surprise Veer seems to be coming on better and better each month.  Today, one hour after a submission was accepted there was a $35 sale and a $2.10 sale.  Veer does not seem to have the volume of sales, but they are the best in price per sale.  While I love seeing all the 36 cent sales each day from other agencies, it's fun to see Veer sell the way they do.  And the volume is picking up as well.  Thank you, Veer, and keep it up!

I like Veer.  So far the sell the fewest shots, but for the highest price.  I never had great expectations, but I am pleased, and my expectations are rising.

Bigstock does not do much for me, enough that I submit, but my expectations are not high.  Yesterday there was a sale for $14!  I assume that is for an EL, but I am not certain.  Wonderful, however, if the sale was an EL on Shuttersock it would have been $28.  I know each agency has their rates, but their affiliation with SS makes me a bit curious about the pricing between the two.  FWIW, Fotolia had an EL two days ago for $50.  Due to my now "reduced back to beginner" rate it paid $12.50.  Ah, Microstock.

Veer was a non player for me after my initial uploads, and they still sell less than the others.  Their sales, however, are quite good.  One $3.50 sale is better than a dozen Fotolia sales at .25.  I have high hopes for them.  I'll get my first payout, other than what they paid for the initial submissions, this month.

Indeed, two of those sales were $35.  Makes me long for the good old days of RM sales.  Ten years ago $35 would be a pittance.  Today it's glory.  Crazy world.