RPD - only images

Total SS 0.59

Jun 18   0.65

Jun 19   0.59

Dez 19   0.54
Jan 20   0.54
Feb 20   0.48
Mär 20   0.51
Apr 20   0.48
Mai 20   0.47
Jun 20   0.52

RPD - only images

Jun 18   0.65

Jun 19   0.59

Dez 19   0.54
Jan 20   0.54
Feb 20   0.48
Mär 20   0.51
Apr 20   0.48
Mai 20   0.47
Jun 20   0.41

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on June 12, 2020, 17:05

Quote from: reisegraf on June 12, 2020, 12:03
... But my problem is, if I would boycott SS, I would have to do the same with...

I don't think that's the right way to look at this. It isn't just about some cents/download absolute number and above you stay, below you go.

If you left 123rf because their sales were rubbish, that'd be a fine reason. Or if you left some other agency because they wouldn't let you opt out of partnerships and some of those were a bad deal, that'd also be a fine reason.

The reason to consider boycotting Shutterstock is that they suddenly and drastically changed the portion of the buyers' money they keep and reduced the share you get. (For video producers, I think the big hit will come in January when everyone goes back to the basic level and their percentages drop).

Not only is that cutting into your income now, it's increasing the chances other agencies will follow suit, reducing your income everywhere.

Shutterstock's annual pay-up-front subscription, a new and even more heavily discounted subscription, reduced the theoretical minimum cost for the buyer to 22 cents an image. To enable this price cut they needed to do something about royalties or risk loosing up to $118 per month on each 750/month subscription. Looking at all the 10¢ downloads in people's royalty charts, I'd say those are popular options.

If those become the price point to compete with, other agencies will eventually be tempted to compete on price - if we don't hurt Shutterstock with no new uploads and portfolios leaving.

At the very least, stop uploading and send your new work elsewhere while you convince yourself that it is not in your longterm interest to just take whatever shrinking piece of the pie Shutterstock decides to let you have.

thanks a lot jo ann for your valuable feedback!
...and yes, I'm definitely thinking about it and at the end of the month I'll decide how to proceed...

So, before I decide what to do with SS, boycott or no, I checked the average SS royalties of the first days in June. I'm on -.41/DL, what is much lower than the average of the previous months, about -.55/DL.

But my problem is, if I would boycott SS, I would have to do the same with 123rf (-.47/DL), Bigstock for sure (-.28/DL) and iStock (-.43/DL) - all low paying agencies...
And I would then cut 66%! of my total income! You most probably ask yourself why I still work with Bigstock? I just sell totally different pics there, they sell images what I never sold with others, I don't know why, but it's additional income for me.

Btw, I'm selling about 600 images/month. With SS I was on -.38 for the lowest royalty rate.

How about you, how are you proceeding, and did you compare your sales these days?

Greeez, Martin

So, before I decide what to do with SS, boycott or no, I checked the average SS royalties of the first days in June. I'm on -.41/DL, what is much lower than the average of the previous months, about -.55/DL.

But my problem is, if I would boycott SS, I would have to do the same with 123rf (-.47/DL), Bigstock for sure (-.28/DL) and iStock (-.43/DL) - all low paying agencies...
And I would then cut 66%! of my total income! You most probably ask yourself why I still work with Bigstock? I just sell totally different pics there, they sell images what I never sold with others, I don't know why, but it's additional income for me.

Btw, I'm selling about 600 images/month.

How about you, how are you proceeding, and did you compare your sales these days?

Greeez, Martin

the same for me. I had a couple of images 10 days there and the answer was: "if it's over 10 days then reupload it". What i finally have done and now waiting another since 7 days already...
Don't know what's going on...

if i would have to live from photography, i would spend time in offering ps-trainings, lr-trainings and photo course trips!

Quote from: jonbull on September 20, 2018, 11:11

Quote from: DallasP on September 19, 2018, 20:20

Quote from: Brasilnut on September 19, 2018, 15:39

QuoteI've no respect for anything that guy currently hawks around seeing as he likes to call other microstockers "clowns"

I quote "All these doom and gloom clowns just need to work harder."

He's got a fair point, but to be honest clowns do work pretty hard, unlike many who post regularly in the doom & gloom threads.

Not easy keeping those kids happy!

The doom and gloom guys just expect what they had 10 years ago and want to pay their bills. It's all just slow and hopefully steady now.

they expect to earn with mediocre content and talent....i read that thread and browse some portfolio...that marbury has one of the useless portfolio in micro stock...2000 snapshot taken when taking out the dog   to make pipi...and he complaints complaints...what . he expect is out of my mind...i would be surprised if he earns more than 30 dollar nowadays....then when somebody asked him why h not do commercial  he said he want do only street and editorial...those are not street or editorial those are snapshot a teen of 5 years can take. those people want free lunch but free lunch in micro is finished long time ago.

If people would accept and respect how others think and act, we would have a better world...
But these posts are all just full of envy and hate...
You can't change time, just find another way for yourself!

Quote from: jonbull on August 23, 2018, 18:26
while i agree some photos are very good, bu not expect miracle in rm, i think you can find better work in rm agency. personally i would keep selling in rf, apart some   exotic images like the from antartica for example. technically you visigood place and in my opinion yu should focus more on being there at the right time,  most of photos are shot with dull light, or with harsh light, like the pink flamingos for example.

Thanks a lot, very appreciate, helps me a lot!

Quote from: fotoVoyager on August 23, 2018, 18:17

Quote from: Brasilnut on August 19, 2018, 15:46
Hey fellow traveler,

I'd suggest to get in touch with Robert Harding and/or 4Corners. Some of your work shouldn't be on micros and that's a compliment! 

Here's a link to my port on RH which i'm quite proud and has not been easy to build since they reject most of my submissions (80%+):

https://www.robertharding.com/photographers/alexandrerotenberg/

PM if if you're interested and I'll be happy to give you some tips on passing your first submission.

Alex

I couldn't get Robert Harding to even reply to my initial contact when I was looking to find a RM home, so don't expect too much from them.

I applied and got approved with 16 images out of 20 at first try...!

Quote from: Brasilnut on August 22, 2018, 19:15

QuoteThank you so much!
About applying for Robertharding i'm asking myself if i would get more income or not, and if this change would create a lot of work for me? I'm still only doing it as a hobby and for challenging myself...!?

I see you've got yourself set up on Robert Harding and they've accepted a substantial batch. Really nice and colourful shots!

https://www.robertharding.com/martinschneiter/

Best of luck with sales on there!

Thanks a lot Alex. Yes you and ShadySue motivated me doing that and look, already approved!

Quote from: DallasP on August 19, 2018, 19:40
Fantastic images man. I'm surprised you're throwing them on SS ... I'd think FAA or something better for most of that. You're going to end up with someone buying them for a buck and putting them on their merch n stuff.

Thanks a lot! Yes you're right, i'm selling for bucks...
But to challenge with the crowd is not bad either, i like to have my shot on no 1 out of >90'000 with search "antarctica"... What is FAA?

Quote from: Gannet77 on August 19, 2018, 15:57

Quote from: reisegraf on August 18, 2018, 22:34
Hi folks

What do you think about my Portfolio? https://www.shutterstock.com/g/cicloco

I have 3'500 images in my SS Portfolio and sell 250 images/month on SS in average.
I'm photographing since longer time, but still calling me a semi prof. At the time I'm travelling around the world in a VW Vanagon/Kombi. So i have the nice chance to get to very different locations... and try to do some nice work in landscape and wildlife... I try to upgrade my skills in photography and postprocessing almost every day and would really apreciate your feedback!
By the way, i'm not very into special art postprocessing..., would it be an upgrade to my portfolio more saturating my landscapes or doing other HDR and/or art postporcessing with it? Ideas? Till now i tried to let it natural...

Thanks in advance!

Yes, nice shots, I like them a lot - and you certainly get around - but as already said, wildlife and landscapes aren't big sellers!

That said, you don't have to stop taking what you like to get more sales - you must be spending a lot of time in towns and villages on your travels, so you could be getting pictures in those places too.  Details of shops and markets, food, stuff that shows local culture and activities, even if editorial.  If you can get model releases for local people, better yet.  You have some I know but you must have plenty of spare time to go walkabout and get more!

As for the colours, they are a bit vivid to my taste, but at least they stand out.  No, I don't think  they need more saturation and definitely not HDR unless there really is a good reason for it.

Thank you very much! Very helpful comment what i will take to increase my Portfolio... :-)

Quote from: Brasilnut on August 19, 2018, 15:46
Hey fellow traveler,

I'd suggest to get in touch with Robert Harding and/or 4Corners. Some of your work shouldn't be on micros and that's a compliment! 

Here's a link to my port on RH which i'm quite proud and has not been easy to build since they reject most of my submissions (80%+):

https://www.robertharding.com/photographers/alexandrerotenberg/

PM if if you're interested and I'll be happy to give you some tips on passing your first submission.

Alex

Thank you so much!
About applying for Robertharding i'm asking myself if i would get more income or not, and if this change would create a lot of work for me? I'm still only doing it as a hobby and for challenging myself...!?

Quote from: PhotoBomb on August 19, 2018, 02:43

Quote from: reisegraf on August 18, 2018, 22:34
Hi folks

What do you think about my Portfolio? https://www.shutterstock.com/g/cicloco
....
By the way, i'm not very into special art postprocessing..., would it be an upgrade to my portfolio more saturating my landscapes or doing other HDR and/or art postporcessing with it? Ideas? Till now i tried to let it natural...

Thanks in advance!

Sorry but your colors don't look at all natural to me.

Thanks, would be very nice if you could precise that and making some examples and aditional notes ;-)

Quote from: Brightontl on August 19, 2018, 12:44
You have some interesting images, but
- a lot of your landscape images are shot in the middle of the day and against a clear blue sky. I never ever shoot under these conditions: the shadows are too strong and the color tend to be off. You have a few (I guess in Arizona) with nice fluffy clouds and the result is so much better. I don't see many images shot near sunrise or sunset, those are practically the only hours when I shoot landscapes
- your images would also gain a lot with some post processing skills

Wow thanks! Thank you for your very valuable feedback. yes, yes, I would have to shoot more around the blue hour ...
... I'm working on the postprocessing :-)

Quote from: PhotoBomb on August 19, 2018, 02:43

Quote from: reisegraf on August 18, 2018, 22:34
Hi folks

What do you think about my Portfolio? https://www.shutterstock.com/g/cicloco
....
By the way, i'm not very into special art postprocessing..., would it be an upgrade to my portfolio more saturating my landscapes or doing other HDR and/or art postporcessing with it? Ideas? Till now i tried to let it natural...

Thanks in advance!

Sorry but your colors don't look at all natural to me.

Thank you to be honest!
But really they are..., sure its also about camera settings and light, but probably to bright?!

Quote from: nobody on August 18, 2018, 23:49

Quote from: reisegraf on August 18, 2018, 22:34
Hi folks

What do you think about my Portfolio? https://www.shutterstock.com/g/cicloco

I have 3'500 images in my SS Portfolio and sell 250 images/month on SS in average.
I'm photographing since longer time, but still calling me a semi prof. At the time I'm travelling around the world in a VW Vanagon/Kombi. So i have the nice chance to get to very different locations... and try to do some nice work in landscape and wildlife... I try to upgrade my skills in photography and postprocessing almost every day and would really apreciate your feedback!
By the way, i'm not very into special art postprocessing..., would it be an upgrade to my portfolio more saturating my landscapes or doing other HDR and/or art postporcessing with it? Ideas? Till now i tried to let it natural...

Thanks in advance!

Your travel shots look good! I wouldn't recommend over processing your images- some companies might even reject images. The horrible market we now live in just won't generate more sales no matter the higher end equipment or additional processing (i.e. filters) - sad but true. Don't count on Microstock as being your main source of income. Shot for fun/hobby with the extra $$$ for equipment or travel use.  Good Luck...

Thanks a lot. Thats what I'm doing, still shoting for fun and try to get some $$$ for equipment.

Quote from: ShadySue on August 18, 2018, 23:44
I just looked at the default first page. I like your images very much.

Thank you so much. Any recommendations to increase my quality? :-)

Hi folks

What do you think about my Portfolio? https://www.shutterstock.com/g/cicloco

I have 3'500 images in my SS Portfolio and sell 250 images/month on SS in average.
I'm photographing since longer time, but still calling me a semi prof. At the time I'm travelling around the world in a VW Vanagon/Kombi. So i have the nice chance to get to very different locations... and try to do some nice work in landscape and wildlife... I try to upgrade my skills in photography and postprocessing almost every day and would really apreciate your feedback!
By the way, i'm not very into special art postprocessing..., would it be an upgrade to my portfolio more saturating my landscapes or doing other HDR and/or art postporcessing with it? Ideas? Till now i tried to let it natural...

Thanks in advance!

April was not my best month, low $/DL, number of sales with 562 images been good so far. If i would not had my first sale of $ 65.- on Eyem it would be even worse... March was my best month ever with $ 375.-