Thanks everyone for the kind feedback!  I read the forums and try to apply what I learn, but I'm such a newbie at the selling side of this that there's usually little I can offer that would be of help to anyone.  So, my thanks to Leaf and all of you for the opportunity to contribute anything that may be of help to all of you.  Your posts and the generous spirit of sharing your knowledge is very much appreciated as well.  Glad to help or share whatever info/resources I have on my end with all of you.   

@ Pixart ... thanks for the tip about referrals.  Unfortunately, I can't participate in them because when I recommend a photographer's portfolio to a client, or when I'm asked for my opinion by either the client or designer when they are choosing images, it has to be clear that I will not benefit one way or the other.  I work as an independent consultant, so my recommendations are what I get paid for, so I can't risk losing their confidence if it appears that I could be influenced by referral commissions.  Sometime in the future ... when I retire perhaps, I would certainly consider joining the referral programs.  Thanks so much for mentioning it though!   

@ Hospitalera ... Big "Hi!" to you Sy!   You and Lisafx were among the first gems I discovered in land of microstocks.  Your work continues to impress me and inspire me.  Thank you for all the tips and info you've shared that helped encourage me to try this from the other side.   

Good luck and good sales to all!

hey terifrancis are you a designer (a buyer) as apposed to a seller?  It would be nice to hear from that side of the fence once in a while.

Hi Leaf ... sorry it took so long to reply, busy work week! 

Yes, I am actually both a buyer and a rookie seller.  My background is in marketing and PR ... been in the business since 1984, putting together text and graphic compositions (my specialty is the text) mostly for ads, menues, brochures, newsletters, corporate reports, promos, presentations, and in the last 7-8 years some short and complex video presentations.  I've done some web designs--not my favorite thing to do, but it keeps my pet squirrel eating plenty of walnuts. 

For the most part, I recommend images, lightboxes, and specific artist's portfolios to my clients.  They usually do the buying and retain verification and certificate of purchased licenses.  But there are a some non-profits and other organizations that I work with where there's a regular transition of administrative or elected officers every couple of years, so in those cases I will buy the licenses and retain them with all the legal documents in their file ... basically so we don't have to go hunting down someone from 5-10 years ago to keep track of the licenses and/or receipts of purchase. 

Most of my clients lean more towards photos than illustrations, but they do buy both.  Each project is vastly different from the next, both in size and complexity ... some projects can require 5-8 photos, others 20-30.  There was one case in which the client purchased approx. 90 small low-res images to see what would work best as we staged through the layout and final page designs ... at the end of the day, only 23 made the final cut and were re-purchased for the appropriate size and licensing rights. 

Microstocks have made it affordable for my clients and many small business owners to update their content more frequently.  Studies have shown that using fresh images with familiar branding or messaging increases new customer response and usually rekindles past customer interest. 

Microstocks have also helped bring more awareness and interest for midstock quality images.  Four years ago, some of my folks would have balked at the idea of paying $50 - $300 for RF licensing of an image -- one that might be used in their marketing material for a period of three months to one year.  Now, because they've seen what microstock images can do for their promotions and campaigns, many of them consider it a worthwhile investment if they have a specific vision and want to strike a finely targeted audience or marketplace. 

I wish I could tell you the magic answer of what buyers are looking for ... but the reality is that they all need and want different things at different times.  The best perspective I can offer from a buyer standpoint is what I look for ...

1)  copyspace ... copyspace ... copyspace!  It often amazes me how many really great photographers and artists forget that their work will be used to sell something or to convey a message.  I'm a copywriter, give me room to do my work! 

2)  clipping paths, isolations, and backgrounds ... make it easy for the buyer/designer to work with your image.  Most of the time it will be composited with either a different background, additional images, and almost always with a logo or branding of some sort.  I don't look for the technically "perfect" image ... I look for clean, neat images that will be easy for both the graphic designer and myself to work with.

3)  color ... I tend to like soft, muted colors -- often monochromatic ones --that will blend well with whatever design we end up going with.  Many others though prefer bright, bold splashy colors.  Either way, keep the colors in complimentary contrasts or tonal ranges.  There are some terrific articles out there about the psychology and impact of colors on the typical consumer.  Obviously, most of you know there are certain blues that are always going to be winners ... but keep in mind that reds leaning more toward orange tones will have a more positive influence on men -- yet the same color range will often be a turn-off to female consumers.  Bright or soft yellows that fall more on the blue/green side of the spectrum will hold a woman's interest longer.  If your images are geared more towards one gender or the other, it pays to spend some time paying attention to the colors in your photos and illustrations. 

Whew!  Don't know if that's what you were looking for from the buyer's perspective or not, Leaf.  But I hope it helps.  Of course, there will be some buyer out there today looking for an image that fills the frame, with wild bokeh in the background, rich in red/orange tones intended to sell something to women ... lol! 

Best advice is to shoot or draw what you love or have a personal interest in ... I guarantee there is a marketplace for it.  I often think of my few little stock images as kids going off to college ... I've nurtured them and "brought them up" to the best of my abilities, now it's time for them to go out in the world and become whatever they will become under the influence of others.  Some will succeed and thrive, others will do okay, some will languish.  Even though your job on any stock image is finished, it's life is only just beginning in the hands a buyer ... and if you keep that in mind when shooting or drawing, I think you'll have buyers coming back to your portfolios looking for more. 

Wishing much success and continued sales to all microstockers here!   

Teri
   

Wow!  That was fast!  Thanks a bunch, vikavalter! 

btw... very cool portfolio you have!  Neat images, neat use of light!  Will tag your DT portfolio in my fav's.  Thanks again!   

AreaPhotography ... Thanks for the info and the link.  I took a look and liked what I saw there, so I signed up using your affiliate link ... make sure you get your referral credit 

I have a very small portfolio -- 103 at SS and DT, 175-200 at BigStock, 123, and FT.  Just about given up on CanStockPhoto and FP ... seems like small ports don't make it worth the effort to upload there. 

One of the things that I liked about BNPS is that they want smaller size pics -- at least for now.  I have some small pics that do well at the sites that accept 3mp shots, but can't submit them to SS and others because they don't meet the minimum size requirements.  So, we'll give them a chance at BNPS and see how they do there.  The bummer is that I can't submit my large illustrations, vectors, or my 10mp shots ... but maybe they will increase the max limitation if more folks with bigger ports sign-up. 

Anyway, thanks again for sharing this info.  Will keep you posted on how things go there over the next couple of months. 

Hi all,

Been reading the forums here for a while--this is my first post.  I'm just past my rookie year at microstock ... joined DT Nov06, 123rf in Jan07.  Submitting to DT was rough on a newbie like me, but the folks at 123rf (admin, reviewers, and members) were all very helpful and encouraging.

My first few months at 123rf resulted in 3-6 dls/mo ... one year later, my average now runs 15-18 dls/mo, with the occasional UltraHiRes sale here and there.  I know it's not much in comparison to what others are doing, but I've been very happy with the progress of the site and my own experience in learning the ropes.  Probably not a great selling site for the pro's, but for those of us just getting started it's offers a lot of incentives.  As a result of what I've learned at 123rf, my approval rating and sales have increased significantly at DT, FT and BigStock as well.

The "fav" thing definitely helps portfolio exposure/sales ... but the best tool I've found at 123rf -- and I know this will be controversial -- is their free image system.  Their free images are low res only, and you control when and how long your freebies are available.  This system has routinely resulted in X-large and UltraHiRes (at $10/dl!) sales for me.  And it's often images that would never have been seen among the many, let alone downloaded, if not for the exposure in the Free section. 

I'll gladly give up the 10-12 subs sales that any image might garner at $.36/dl (maybe $3-$4 over time) for the increased number of X-large and HiRes sales (at $4.50-$10/dl) that the freebie exposure brings to my portfolio. 

Just thought I'd add this to the discussion as it seemed no one has mentioned it yet.  Now, let's hope I didn't bring the sophomore jinx down upon my head!  Good luck and continued to success to all.