You should really try https://www.upwork.com/ and http://www.guru.com/. Much safer method of hiring a graphic designer/illustrator. 🙂👍

Thanks.  👍

Also started in 2008 with stock.  But I only got into stock as an extra income source. I actually started making money onsite working for an inflatable company designing and working on a few of the balloons I designed. I designed interactives, costumes, cold air and helium. Many are being used all around the world to this day. But at the same time I went back to school and got some animation experience and did quite well. Then I tackled some freelance jobs and still at it to this day on and off and with stock and other side things. But the big issue I have besides the way MS is heading (train wreck)  is a personal one (also kind of a train wreck).  All my life I deal with loads of anxiety. It kind of gets in the way of making money many times. But somehow I push my self although I really could use some kind constructive encouraging pushing though. I really have a lack of that in my life. In fact most of the time I get the opposite. 
But then I can't expect anything less from the cruel world. Just have to solder on. 

BTW that doesn't stop me from helping (if I'm able) others even though I get treated like crap many times. 

So Thank YOU! to all those people that helped me over the years or who are going to but to those who do not? well you might wanna reflect and think how unbeneficial that can be for you and others.

Only recently heard about Behance and decided to do a bit of research on the site. Apparently its been around for awhile but I need some more info.

What are your over all thoughts on the site?

I have heard that the account is free,  but is this indefinite or for a limited time?
Also are there restriction of the type of imagery? Say only digital or is all excepted even illustrations made with traditional mediums?
As for customization, can I have my own layout with categories besides just project categories?
Is this a stand alone portfolio or is this attached to a job board?

Any or all questions answered would be very much appreciated.
Thank you very much.  😊👍

I was doing well till April. Now, who knows. 🤷

Tell them to kiss your butt. That's no way to treat a loyal provider. 
Geez1 No respect!

Hummm well I can't imagine "stock sites really doing that. 🤔However there was this German stock site that did charge me a small fee when I first joined. It was only a one time fee for foreigners mostly.  But for a company like Zazzle and their reasoning to me is a bit twisted, but they do mostly your images on their provided products. So maybe it has to do more with maintaining all those functions with the site its self and less on the service of selling your image on your behalf. In other words they do so much more then stock sites do. One service compared to many different services. 🤷

For me it doesn't really affect me that much right now but I really still don't like that policy.

Did you try refreshing? Or dumping cookies and such?
Also I have heard that AS has been having issues with their site lately. Mainly with pics not showing in your port soon after uploading. I wouldn't be surprised if some more issues came up. You can always make a support ticket thingy?

Slllllooooowww Like molasses.

For me the least favorite for images is currently Shutterstock since they seem to let incompetent people continue reviewing our work. By incompetent I mean either they don't know what the heck they are doing or they do know but just like to play games with us, either way and with all due respect these people should go flip burgers instead.

As for videos I would have to say Shutterstock again since they don't transfer any metadata unlike AS and P5. While I only joined them recently Pond 5 would be my favorite for uploading video. Editing metadata for online clips is also very straightforward.

I don't mind the extra work at Alamy as long as sales are occurring and that is probably why many hate them, more work and no/low sales.
It's a pain though to tag the top keywords with a pen so hopefully they will look into that one day.

I don't have any issues with Adobe either since I keyword in Bridge so the top five keywords are always in front. UL speed also seems faster compared to SS.

I only work with these 4 (used to be more then a dozen) so cannot comment on others.

But then they'll be the type to pee and or spit in our burgers. Do you really want that?

I meant to say "Not to mention"  not " Bot to mention" but the darn edit is broken again. 

Get use to it. Gold diggers spoiled it from both sides by being greedy.  Gold rush is long over.
Just have to make due and not make it your main focus of income. Obviously.
Do your best, use common sense and be creative. Lots of competition after all. 

I'll be excited if we finally made alien contact. New intergalactic customers?