sorry guys.  I did an update and things got screwed up.  I'm working on getting things back to normal ASAP.

they are always jumping around.  Last month it was bigstock on top.. now it is 123 again.

Quote from: lisafx on January 24, 2009, 14:09

Overall this industry will probably work best for everyone once price points match the amount of effort and expense put into creating the work.   

I don't expect that will ever happen. There's now too many photographers and no barriers to entry. There will always be a photographer willing to do more for less, whether because it's worthwhile in their country, because they're just getting started, or because they're doing it for fun.

Jim Pickerell wrote a post on the relationship of price and production costs recently (subscription required: http://www.selling-stock.com/?p=3756) and I'm sure he won't mind me paraphrasing his main reasons why they will never be related: 1. Buyers make buying decisions based on the value of the image to them; 2. The value to a buyer is completely unrelated to the production costs; and 3. Buyers' perception of value is affected by other choices (competition). (he also qualifies that this relates only to stock, not assignment photography)

What do you think?

I think you�re too negative there Lee.
There are barriers and that is skill.  It has been proven that there is a definite market for microstock priced imagery.  Business and people need / want pictures that are cheap.  But wether the picture costs $.50, $3.00 or even $10.00 is pretty insignificant, they are all cheap.  The photographers working as pro microstock photographers are going to upload to the sites selling their pics for $5.00 and the buyers are going to go to the sites that get all the pro photographers images.  Those $5.00 sites will get picky with their pictures acceptance and the amateur will be pushed out and the market will be mature.

Sure there will always be amatuers and part timers.. that is the beauty of stock, but they will mostly be active on the sites that accept their images,.... perhaps the same sites that sell images for $.50 .. people will buy there, but most people will buy from the sites that get all the good images even though they are sold for a (very modest) premium.

... This is another thread that will be fun to look at in about 5 years time

testing test

looks like i better start uploading again to take advantage of this

couldn�t have said it better myself sharpley.

I discussed with one other microstocker who has done a number of weddings, and we both agreed, that we didn�t think we had broken even yet after a year or more.

There is WAY more overhead... getting sample albums, getting album supplies and thank you cards to show your wedding couple, an extra camera body and enough top notch lenses, perhaps a fash or two, pocket wizards if you want remote flashes, a car that will get you there and not break down, maybe advertising, updated website.. etc. etc... it is definatly do-able but is a lot of work and expense. 

I much prefer microstock photography and only take weddings now when they fall on my lap, and have raised my prices enough that I think it is worth it (i think anyhow... i have to look at my prices again )

which site are you talking about?

of course everyone would prefer one sale of $50 over 9 sales, or 10 sales of $5.00 the think with micro is, or in speaking in regards to alamy...

i get 10,000 sales at $.38 in the same time i get 1 sale at $380 at alamy
so simple math tells me my images earn more for me at shutterstock.

i think this is a tough question, because eventually you probably WILL reach a payout.. but how long is too long.  I waited over a year for my canstock payment.. and FINALLY got it the other week.

i think they are progressing.

Their individual sales are a nice addition.  They also seem to be rather sporatic, some days with really good downloads and some days with pretty meager downloads, but every day something... which perhaps points towards that they are getting better... perhaps the good days will soon become more of a norm.

hmm.. well then you were right before.. wasn't there a thread about a nasty reviewer..

that is odd about the server things.. i haven't ever had problems logging in.. not sure about reviews though, i think they have been going fine, but i haven't really kept track of how long they have been taking.

congrats on your first sale