But you should know that, as the author of a best seller book about stock photography :-)

I have another best seller coming soon - "Fifty Shades of Microstock" 

Hey fellow photography grinders,

I've decided to share the love and I've put together a new offer, which lasts until the 30th of June. Thereafter, I'm off to the beach.

So here it is: Buy a copy of my book and I'll critique 5 of your stock images. I'll advise you:

- whether they have commercial value;
- how to improve them technically;
- on which agencies I would recommend to submit; and
- even which key words to use to make sure buyers find your image among the masses.

Visit my blog for more details at www.brutallyhonestmicrostock.com

Thanks

Alex

Video is not photography. It is much, much, much, much harder.
Man, you have a loooooong way to go.
And BTW, why ISO 800???

That's why you guys are here to help!

Is instagram not popular anymore? Usually my friends upload their perfect pictures on Instagram and kill of the ghosts with help of newbielink:https://spamguardapp.com/dashboard [nonactive], stocks often make lesser coins than IG, so I can't understand it.

Yea, instagram is huge! It's more about building your professional profile and networking. There's some really talented people on there so a nice place to get some inspiration (avoid the narcissists).

In your pics of the cropped people making rugs, didn't the rugs need property releases? I'd have expected the first pic also to require a MR, because of the recogniseable hoodie.

Fortunately, the reviewer didn't have any issues and those two images were accepted commercially. However, from time to time similar commercial submissions are rejected for lack of a MR/PR. Then have to think about whether it may be submitted as an editorial and if not, just move on.

Oh looks like he's got a friend now...

http://www.dinamys-sas.com/a55_rium%C3%AC.html

Great shots and interesting to hear about why they are successful!

Thanks Steve It's a good lesson for newbies to focus on which types of premium images tend to do well and simply produce more of them.

I don't know if it's the same with your portfolio but those 5 images alone (and similars) make up something like half of my revenue at SS.

I just published a list of my top 5 best selling photos at Shutterstock

http://wp.me/p8yHUo-fz

ahah luckily i was quite drunk and in superfood to the beautiful day full of girl dance drink..so actually i understood very little...probably i smiled even to them and let them do their work...so it was not so scaring...
scaring was the day before in recife.
important u don't react. all in all i have an insurance

The traditional advice of "don't look like a tourist" doesn't apply in Brazil as even locals are robbed constantly! Some beautiful sites in Rio and would love to set up my tripod for long exposures but too dangerous! Still managed one shot overlooking Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas (thanks to armed guards nearby). If not for them nearby I would have just gone handheld for a quick "hit and run". Also, some amazing hiking trails at the foot of the Corcovado, with a bunch of lush forests and waterfalls but they're full of thieves. *.

If microstock sites were places where potential buyers posted their requirements for an image, and then photographers went out and created their perfect image in exchange for payment

Image request sites, such as Snapwire and Imagebrief, have emerged to cater for clients' specific needs, although as you correctly mentioned, there's no direct interaction between Photographer and Licensee (agencies act as intermediaries).

Although it's licensing rather than buying, microstock would be closer to just 'selling products online' than it would to being 'gigs'.

I won't get too bogged down on the definition between a 'gig job' and 'selling products online', it's far too academic. I try to look it from a wider and practical perspective.

My argument is that being a microstock photographer contributor is part of an overall trend towards more flexible self-employed (gig) jobs - just need to look at airbnb, uber, amazon. We're already seeing workers in advanced economies losing their comfortable jobs due to technological automation and off sourcing (i hired a designer in India for much cheaper and great service). The next big push will be even more drastic, for example, driveless vehicles and drone deliveries. What's going to happen to those bus & taxi drivers and postmen - if they don't retrain they will be left behind.

These disruptions are likely to create more division in advanced societies, with more inequality as those left behind struggle to find other suitable work. Govts will be forced by the angry population and businesses to increase trade barriers and the 90s / 2000s globalization wave will slow down. We are seeing just the start of this paradigm shift, with a rise in populism in some countries (Brexit, Trump, anti-immigration).

I'm just smoking ordinary weed and  I'm around $15-20 as well!  got a joint there if anybody wants!

Yes, please! 

New files almost don't get a dl for my port.

May I take a quick look at your portfolio and perhaps give a few tips?

Here's some independent reviews so far from experienced stock contributors on the Guide:

�A good read especially for the newbies! Great work on writing a tech subject to reach a general audience.
The last chapter [Opportunities Outside of Microstock] is a wake-up call for the dreamers but a known for the veterans. We accept this challenge and learn to up our game to keep our income level the same or end higher.�

� Tom Baker, the �stay at home shooter� since he shoots 90% of his images at home in his studio, a great way to keep costs down!

�You provided a diverse view of the entire stock photo industry at large; including the macro/premium agents. For newcomers, I believe that it will be very helpful for them to know that there is indeed another side to the sales processes. The book is assistive to any stock photographer looking to gain valuable information and additional thought processing and skills.�

� Shannon Fagan, award winning assignment and stock photographer for clients such as Intel, BMW, Time, Fortune and New Yorker

�It�s full of great information, and no false-promises. Microstock is a tough business nowadays, but you�ve covered a lot of what newcomers will need to know, and a few harsh-realities experienced photographers would do well to listen to.�

� Robert Davies, programmer, stock photographer and developer of picNiche and picWorkflow