The problem is, even though I understand the concept of splitting, and sometimes it is clear to me what is what, I also see a lot of very artistically oriented pictures in microstrock sites. It is possible that those of us with amazing pictures taken at sunset at Yosemite or the Grand Canyon (these are examples of places that are amazing but very common in stock photographs) won't stand a chance to sell for more what is already being sold for less. What I am trying to say it, may be doing a search for "half dome" on shutter stock might discourage someone with a great picture of half dome from uploading only to a fine arts site that will sell the picture for more than the micro price. Unless of course you can get an angle or something very special that will set your picture as unique against all others.

taking rejections personally, thinking they will teach you anything, arguing about them in forums, keeping track of them, trying to resubmit and disputing rejections with the agency.

Quote from: MircoV on May 17, 2016, 07:57

If you dont get many sales then it is because you make typucal microstock photos or bad keywording.

This in short of an oversimplification of the issue, isn't it?

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on May 19, 2016, 18:13

Quote from: obj owl on May 19, 2016, 15:57

If anyone does decide to contribute to them, just remember to keep your mouth shut with any criticism of anything they do. They're desperately thin skinned and vindictive (but then again, so is/was Getty - booting out Sean Locke and Rob Sylvan in 2013 - and Fotolia at various times, so tread softly.

If I though it would work for me I would be glad to slag them off no end.  I sold an image today that was deleted last July at the latest.

 

I do web uploads in batches of no more than 10. Often, one or two images fail the upload. I try again, they fail again. I have never been able to figure out why. I upload them to other sites, never a problem Sometimes, using photoshops' "save for the web", then having to load the metaflies again, does help. But I've gotten to a point that I don't feel any picture is worth of my time after the upload phase so I often just ignore the failure and upload those to other places.

Over a $100 was normal for SOD sales for years. the sites especially SS loves newbies. They have no idea what it used to be.

Our happiness lasts util you tell us. Pretty short 

Today I found out that one only needs to supply GettyImages once. I have a number of portfolios on getty agencies I never uploaded to.

And with all that only 3 downloads at i-stock (the one I supply to), contrasting with about 50 in SS since last Dec... Go figure.

About 1/4 of my images are rejected for lack of commercial value at DepositPhotos. Some do sell elsewhere. The most recent example was a background. How can you say that a background has not commercial value? Well, it sold on Shuterstock the day it was approved. Go figure.

 

Hi, some info from a beginner
[Sorry, automatic translation]
Here is my experience after 120 days.
I downloaded my first images since the beginning of the year:
SS iS, FL, DT, DP, and CS PantherMedia (PM)
Validation of photos:
- According microstocks: 380/280 retained
- DT and FL are the most selective (to absurd ... but ... we do not know the guidelines and the spirit of the inspectors ...)
- The most reactive: SS valid images in 1 or 2 days.
- The slowest: PantherMedia! I still have 68 images waiting for 6 weeks!
- FL: 1 to 2 weeks
- IStock takes his time ...

sales results
- Some pictures with a 'good' commission (1.88 / 0.81 for SS, 4.32 / 1.44 for MI, 6.52 for iS).
Otherwise all other images are on the floor.
Sales amount (to date)
- SS: 24.16
- IS: 15.16
- FL: 10.24
Number of sales:
- SS: 74
- IS: 21
Fla: 11
Needless to mention other ...
I do not know if it's good or not ... (well came review)

It seems to me that this is an activity that lasts over time.
In recent auctions, there were achievements of the first hour ...
It is chaotic: almost no results last week, and 3 sales 'good' raked the weekend.
With my few hundred sold, I was able to establish some guidelines. For example :
- I think FT iS and do not sell the same type of images SS
- Horizontal images are much ... much more sold than vertical images
- The white background of images are sold as the other images (about 2/3)
After this test, I took some decisions:
- Abandonment of DT. No results for a major site (?) Industry.
- CS-surrender.
- Subscription Alamy (almost 100 images already uploaded)
- I will take a decision for PM when they come out of hibernation ...
- For now I wait to see DP
Some problems :
- I really regret that Ligthroom class keywords by alphabetical list. Recently, just before the download, I got used to open the images in Photoshop to place the keywords.
- Sites show quite well the IPTC but not always the same (title, legend, etc ...)
- The different interfaces (DeepMeta, FT, SS, Alamy ... and surprising PantherM!)
- With or without separators, with or without plural, number of words, characters, etc ...

Here's some info from a beginner.
Thank you for your attention

My experience being similar to yours, other than I don't have more than 150 files on  any site and only contribute to SS, IS, FT, DT, DP, CanStockPh, Alamy and Zoonar. The latter three have generated no sales yet. 

This morning I got a number of acceptance/rejection notices from Fotolia concerning files that had been already processed.

 

While my new files sit waiting for review.

I have a batch of pictures waiting on review for 3 weeks... 

Is it only me?

for how long?