MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: steheap on May 31, 2013, 13:58
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Yes, I know this is really only interesting to me, but today I passed the $1000 mark for monthly sales on Shutterstock - my first month earning over $1000 with them. What is also interesting (I think) is that I'm within one month now of achieving lifetime earnings of $20,000 with them. It took me 4.5 years, from early 2008 to June 2012, to earn the first $10,000 and just 12 months to earn the next $10,000. Soon I will be getting $10K a month!
Steve
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Thanks, st. With all the negatives now about microstock, it's encouraging to know that it can still be done.
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Yes, I know this is really only interesting to me, but today I passed the $1000 mark for monthly sales on Shutterstock - my first month earning over $1000 with them. What is also interesting (I think) is that I'm within one month now of achieving lifetime earnings of $20,000 with them. It took me 4.5 years, from early 2008 to June 2012, to earn the first $10,000 and just 12 months to earn the next $10,000. Soon I will be getting $10K a month!
Steve
Well done Steve! It is encouraging to read about success stories as well. Just to proves it can still be done.
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Thanks, st. With all the negatives now about microstock, it's encouraging to know that it can still be done.
Simultaneous posts - same message :D
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As a matter of interest Steve. What percentage of your sales are your monthly running costs? Model / studio hire etc. I am very impressed with what you have achieved in a short amount of time!
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As a matter of interest Steve. What percentage of your sales are your monthly running costs? Model / studio hire etc. I am very impressed with what you have achieved in a short amount of time!
Pretty much zero. My best seller on Shutterstock is a picture of our bengal cat, and she poses for peanuts. Then I have travel images, and although this last year I have specifically flown to places just to take photos, most of my travel is related to either vacations or work related travel (I'm a consultant in International telecoms in my spare time...).
Then I do take pictures of myself in various poses (all clothed) and still life/macro. Whatever catches my eye or interest.
Steve
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How many images?
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Hi Steve, what percentage does SS bring in for your entire monthly sales? I am around 40% for my sales coming in from ss...
Tom
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3900 images and video clips (maybe 100 video clips). You can see the popular images here: http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?gallery_id=138433 (http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?gallery_id=138433)
I try to take a variety of styles - and try to re-use images if I can. I remember that post some time ago about someone who added a wooden deck in front of other people's landscapes - sometimes with a cup of coffee on it. I've done some of those (although only using my own images!). The surfboards that appear 3 times on the popular page are another example - one shot turned into 5 saleable variations.
SS is normally 45% - 50% of monthly income - I'll calculate that tonight for May.
Steve
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Thanks Steve, nice clean port !
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interesting that you share your income / stats / etc every month here at MSG and some needed this topic to understand there is still time to get some $$$
anyway, I believe you shouldn't share that much information ;D
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Congratulations Steve! You are a wonderful example of what hard work and talent can accomplish :)
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Congrats Steve - nice portfolio! Might take a while to get to 10K though ;)
And thanks for sharing your stats!
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Congrats Steve. Great port. Clean, high CV images. Not generally a fan of moggies but yours is gorgeous. ;D
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Well done!
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I love your cat. She would get treats instead of peanuts for being my model. ;)
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Congratulations ;D
Onwards and Upwards
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congratulations, love your varied port!
I was super thrilled to crack $100 for the first time, lol. onwards and upwards, your port is 7x bigger than mine, so I'd better get back to work.
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Gillian
Keep at it - that is the only secret I know.
I just produced a graph that I will post a bit later today that plots the number of online files on SS against the earnings per online file. The number has grown over the past 2 years (more than doubled the number of files for sale), and the great news is that the earnings per online file has stayed static - maybe even gone up a bit. It was $0.25 in May, but is normally around $0.22.
What all that means (for my sort of portfolio at least) is that my income is almost directly proportional to the number of images I have available for sale - take more pictures (of the same quality) and you get more money.
Steve
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Your port is great Steve! I got started in 2005 with Shutterstock. I submitted four images and got flustered because of rejections. I regret not moving forward now. It is good to know that success can be had. Thanks for sharing. Your cat is adorable!!!
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Gillian
Keep at it - that is the only secret I know.
I just produced a graph that I will post a bit later today that plots the number of online files on SS against the earnings per online file. The number has grown over the past 2 years (more than doubled the number of files for sale), and the great news is that the earnings per online file has stayed static - maybe even gone up a bit. It was $0.25 in May, but is normally around $0.22.
What all that means (for my sort of portfolio at least) is that my income is almost directly proportional to the number of images I have available for sale - take more pictures (of the same quality) and you get more money.
Steve
thanks for sharing.
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Congrats! ;D
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Congratulations for your achievement :)
Im new in the Microstock world, so i was in there for just 2 month
I reach 10US$ in the first month and 37US$ in the second one. I really want to do as well as your.
Regards ;)
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Your cat is adorable!!!
I agree!
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Thats actually an impressing achievement!
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Now I know what I have to do. Take more good photos. The only thing I have to learn is what is a good photo. But all kidding aside - that is the best straight forward advice I have heard. The two key words-MORE and GOOD. Thanks Steve.
P.S. You might HARD WORK
Smiling Jack