I haven�t uploaded to microstock in ages but i�ve been fairly busy shooting corporate videos and also have done several music videos, enough to pay for a C300 mk II and splurge 25k for a new kitchen for my wife, anyway.  Kitchen just got finished, so after the holidays I�m gonna film my first stock video series and get my piece of that kitchen �pie� too, at least for as long as gray cabinets and stainless appliances provide the aesthetics that buyers are looking for.  I�d do more but i also work in a lab full time and have god children that we spend a lot of time with, so time is limited.  LOVE the Red but �ain�t buyin one!!�, lol....

Well if I was doing this full time (which I am not) I'd not be pumping other people full of optimism, because why cause even more dilution in the stock world   I'd rather have them a little dreary and thinking it is a waste of time to create any new images.............. so no, sales of the few images I have are not tremendous for me.   That being said, I did purchase a gently used 5D mk ii used from an original owner for a great price.  Just can't stop buying stuff, so probably good that I'm not a business owner any longer and work a full time job instead.   

Well that was quick... I submitted only 3 photos instead of 10 to SS since you only need one, and they approved all three, so I guess I will start uploading some more soon.  My niece moved in with us for the next 5 years while she attends college and suggested that she'd like to do some stock modeling to make a little extra spending money so I am just trying to get enough income to be able to help her out......

Agree with Sean Locke, just isn't gonna work for more than one reason..........

If you'd have asked me that back when I first started you might have had something.  Now that I am experienced I agree with Sean in that I'd rather do it myself and have it exactly the way I want it.  In addition, PP no longer takes me very long to accomplish, which makes it easy to do it all myself.  That being said, I haven't uploaded anything new because I just don't see hiring models to get the kind of group shots that will sell being a good investment these days.  Luckily my old job called me back to work 2 years ago, and I make enough there that I don't really need any extra income, so I've started shooting films and video as a hobby, which may eventually lead to me uploading some video clips at some point.  Finally got the Magic Lantern installed on my Canon dslr (and it's sweet!!!!) and I'm looking at the Panasonic GH4 for 4k. 

Heck, anybody with young kids (aged 6 to 14 or so)  can ask who PewDiePie on youtube is if you like money.  He produces free videos on yt targeted at kids and his royalties from youtube last year were just over 4 million dollars.  I've got a buddy in STL that has about 125k subscribers and he makes a nice check every month too, but more like 1-3k per month...  maybe we're in the wrong business, but I imagine it is just a matter of time until Google (owner of yt) decides that video contributors will take much less for payouts rather than removing their videos and getting zero.

I agree with the comments from Jo An Snover.....  but as far as others saying your photos being copycats of millions of others already for sale I'd say no more copycats than the crap that people keep posting on wood backgrounds and such.  And they never stop; you'll find Halloween, Christmas, Mardi Gras, lights, candles and the list goes on and on.... all on various wooden backgrounds of different shades and colors... You can get some of the fake wood (wallpaper samples) from Home Depot online in the wallpaper section and get free shipping to get you started.  Just saying you may as well get your share of that pie too, just like the other 30 million contributors.

Semmick Photo is correct in his statement that if you want a raise you'd better get producing new photos.  As somebody that has engaged in semipro day trading for years to help keep the bills paid I can tell you that Shutterstock is watched by a million vultures just like me waiting for the day it becomes a viable short candidate, which is where the real misery story begins.  And stock photography has so much free info on line now that amateurs (in many cases) are putting up as good or better stuff than the so called pros.  Luckily I only do stock as a hobby, so I am not concerned about payouts, but I do wish it paid a lot better, but unfortunately that is not the case and I don't see things getter any better.....  I see pros scrambling to add additional services just to keep the lights on.  I also have bought up some nice used equipment lately from (now former) full-time pros closing up shop claiming that the money is just not there anymore.

Jonmkay:  I do not have a lot in my portfolio (125 images) because I have been too darn busy trying to survive since losing my chemistry job 6 years ago, but recently was called back to the chem job and my 60k annual salary has resumed right with it, so as soon as i can close my crappy carpet cleaning business that kept me alive the last 6 years I am planning to start hiring models and building a very nice portfolio where I am exclusive (just to prove a point, so if i lose money i really do not care, it is just a hobby for me of sorts anyway: goal of 3000 images and from there i will reassess the situation)... i don't claim to be the best but I have learned a lot that has yet to be reflected anywhere in my portfolio, and i think i can hang with anybody out there at most type of shoots now.  What did i do that helped ?  I read through years and years of posts from Sean Locke when he was with IS looking for bits and pieces, learned Photoshop really well and read the book recommended by Sean many, many times and practiced over and over until i "got it"... (book title is->>>  Light:  Science and Magic by Fil Hunter and Paul Fuqua:  skip the old versions and go straight to the 4th Edition with Steven Biver as 3rd author).  Lots of working with strobes, light meters, natural lighting with reflectors to get nice contrast, high key, gels, short duration flash for motion freezing, etc....  Also get familiar with the proper use of "Dutch Tilt" which you can find on Google search.  Don't copy Sean but study his photos, you won't see catch lights in his subject's eyes a lot of times because it is natural lighting with additional "help" to provide good lighting and eliminate unwanted shadows... Nobody is gonna give you all the info for free, i spent about 3 years learning night and day before i finally got to where i feel like i can compete with real professionals.  Check Sean Locke Photography blog often as Sean throws in some tips every now and then (example Oct 03, 2013 blog: Lighting Reflective Surfaces tutorial and a very nice finished product photo of his work at the end.)   It is at SeanLockePhotography dot com           If you did not hire models back in the heyday, you're a little late (wayyy late) if your goal is to make a lot of profit.....  good luck

Very inspiring, especially since I'm just getting started in a business that people rightfully say I'm crazy to get into at this point in time..... stock photography with paid models (albeit very low paid) and a strong determination that I'm going to make a name for myself.  I have other ways to make money that make much more sense but this is just what I'd rather do..... so we'll see what happens

At my local home improvement stores i think it is called Tileboard and it comes in 8 foot by 4 foot pieces.  Someone linked above to a Zach Arias tutorial that has more info on this process with tileboard and how many pieces you might require i think...