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Author Topic: What is needed to make $3K from 500-800 images?  (Read 23710 times)

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stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #75 on: March 29, 2014, 07:08 »
+9
I think we are getting off the subject.  I was under the impression that we were talking about what kind of images (500-800) could make $3K a month--not about traveling and living day to day.  I want to see and hear more about downloads of images and what are the best sellers.  Thanks

Seriously?

Why don't you post up your most successful images so every man and his dog can run off and blindly duplicate them.
This is exactly what I hate about micro stock, a lazy unimaginative attitude seems to be championed. The internet is saturated with good photo tutorials on technique and gear, there's no excuse for not learning your craft.
Popular post too, depressing.


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #76 on: March 29, 2014, 08:49 »
0
I think we are getting off the subject.  I was under the impression that we were talking about what kind of images (500-800) could make $3K a month--not about traveling and living day to day.  I want to see and hear more about downloads of images and what are the best sellers.  Thanks
Actually, we weren't.
The OP's question was "What does it take to make $3K per month from 500-800 images on Shutterstock?", which isn't the same at all.
The answer is, ability to discern what the market will be looking for in 6 months, a year, 18 months down the line, and shoot for that, whether it's content or style.

ruxpriencdiam

    This user is banned.
  • Location. Third stone from the sun
« Reply #77 on: March 29, 2014, 11:03 »
0
And watch this guy!

22 DL's with 68 images in 1/2 month.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2657683#2657683

« Reply #78 on: March 29, 2014, 11:12 »
+2
To: Stock-will-eat-itself:  You asked that I post my successful image.  Google-- Oscar Williams Smithsonian magazine.  I was the Ist Grand Prize winner in the Ist Smithsonian Contest.  The image is "Stairway To Heaven"  This photo has sold over 100,000 copies (still selling) and was shown in the Smithsonian Museum.  Thank You and you are welcome to copy it.

« Reply #79 on: March 29, 2014, 11:25 »
+1
I think we need more discussion if the cost of travel photography is off-topic from a thread asking about how lots of money can be made from few images.

« Reply #80 on: March 29, 2014, 11:46 »
-5
Don't as me!
I never sell anything
:(

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #81 on: March 29, 2014, 12:21 »
0
And watch this guy!

22 DL's with 68 images in 1/2 month.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2657683#2657683

So ~ Footage is the Answer.

« Reply #82 on: March 29, 2014, 14:26 »
+1
no museum or other cultural activities?

yeah but you're there for working, not for holiday.

I'm not interested in a JOB!  there are easier ways to make a living. I do photography to feed my travel habit  - that's why these questions have no single answers - the costs/profits etc are going to vary for everyone

« Reply #83 on: March 29, 2014, 14:30 »
0
....
people who can't stand traveling rough for months i don't think they've got any chance as travel specialists, but they can do very well on their own city.

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!  it's not art if you still have 2 ears

Uncle Pete

« Reply #84 on: March 29, 2014, 17:46 »
0
Well it's not that far off Hobostocker. People come to places around me and visit, many during the Summer are from out of state, some are overseas tourists. So why does someone need to travel someplace else, when they are surrounded by things close to home?

Nothing against travel photography, just a thought that one could stay home and do "travel" photography, without the added expense.

I figure I could never leave this state and still be busy shooting things for the rest of my life.

Not as exotic, but there's no end to local events, attractions, art, architectural, natural, and historical sites.

....
people who can't stand traveling rough for months i don't think they've got any chance as travel specialists, but they can do very well on their own city.

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!  it's not art if you still have 2 ears

Well I have two ears, but they don't work well after 40 years of loud music, artillery fire, machine shops / factories and racing cars? Do I qualify as being a near artist?  ::)

« Reply #85 on: March 29, 2014, 23:15 »
-1
And watch his interesting keywording.  'business' on this:  http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-180449990/stock-photo-jet-engine.html

:-)

No judgement, just observation, some of mine are probably dodgy as well!

And watch this guy!

22 DL's with 68 images in 1/2 month.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2657683#2657683

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #86 on: March 30, 2014, 05:16 »
0
Disagree.

Serendipity means not just fun, but also finding unplanned shooting occasions - i.e., work.
There's a fine line between the two.
Only half of my earnings from travels are from planned shots. Maybe I am a bad planner, or maybe I double my earnings by wandering as a cloud.

Museums and cultural activities mean finding new inspiration from art: a nice diversion - with possible returns - from the microstock style.

By not travelling (too) rough I'm not tired and I don't hate it, and the whole Europe is my own city.
Of course I could spend a lot less but it's not worth it (for my own sanity and quality of life).

But I guess - depending on personal preferences - both models work.

well in my experience if you manage to keep the costs very low you've a lot of spare time to take things easier and shoot areas of secondary importance that often turn out to be veeeeeery interesting, for instance in poor countries what you see in the downtown is quite a different story from what you see in the suburbs, almost another planet in some cases.

or you can sleep and take a day off, up to you, but that's a lot harder to justify when you're in a place where 100$/day is the bare minimum to survive.

i don't think nowadays you can travel rough in europe, there's nothing rough anymore even the cheapest trains and buses are clean and smelling good, same for the cheapest guesthouses and you won't get sick with street food, of course all this comes at a price but the standards are pretty high now compared to the 80s or 90s.

Asia instead is the best place to travel rough, you can't get rougher than India or Nepal or some parts of Indonesia and rural China ... well maybe in africa but i don't know, never been there.


Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #87 on: March 30, 2014, 05:18 »
0
Lots of people don't shoot in the middle of the day, and in hot weather,  a museum can be a nice cool alternative to sitting in a bar, though that's another possibility (more expensive here as museums are free [but it's not often hot]).

middle of the day you can shoot covered areas like markets or indoor shops or museums.

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #88 on: March 30, 2014, 05:21 »
+1
I'm not interested in a JOB!  there are easier ways to make a living. I do photography to feed my travel habit  - that's why these questions have no single answers - the costs/profits etc are going to vary for everyone

to each his own, you travel AND you take photos, and while doing this you learn a lot more than the average tourist in my opinion as they're not focused on the small details and neither on looking things from an interesting perspective.

carrying a camera also will make people a bit more friendly sometimes so you end up talking and chatting with locals that would otherwise not give a sh-it.

costs/profits apart, unless it's too expensive or too far away i don't mind going in places that will never sell, we only live once.


Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #89 on: March 30, 2014, 05:23 »
0
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!  it's not art if you still have 2 ears

modern art is a Ponzi scheme, even some iphone holiday snaps are sold in art galleries.
we should seriously try to get the foot in the door.




Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #90 on: March 30, 2014, 05:31 »
0
Well it's not that far off Hobostocker. People come to places around me and visit, many during the Summer are from out of state, some are overseas tourists. So why does someone need to travel someplace else, when they are surrounded by things close to home?

Nothing against travel photography, just a thought that one could stay home and do "travel" photography, without the added expense.

I figure I could never leave this state and still be busy shooting things for the rest of my life.

Not as exotic, but there's no end to local events, attractions, art, architectural, natural, and historical sites.

yes, if you're lucky to live in a very nice city you don't need to go far away.

and if you live in Paris or London or NYC i'm sure you can make a living just shooting local areas and local people.

there will be always demand for the big cities, no matter if there are zillions of photos of the Eiffel Tower from any possible angle and weather condition.

i even met specialists who make landscapes of their lakes and mountains next door since 30 yrs and now they're recognized as specialists in their niche and published books etc  ... they're not rich but neither poor .. i don't know why they don't shoot anything else but in the end it's all about getting the rich clients rather than begging for food selling at discount prices .. i mean i can't blame them when they sell a big print to a rich suc-ker for 10K$ ... who needs to travel when they have the right established connections and marketplace ?

doing travel stock will never pay very well, that's a given, pros would not even leave their home without an assignment and covered expenses, they would not settle for cheap guesthouses or mcdonalds meals :)






« Reply #91 on: March 30, 2014, 08:24 »
0

And watch this guy!

22 DL's with 68 images in 1/2 month.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2657683#2657683

So ~ Footage is the Answer.


I think footage is the answer, artists get paid much better. I have a port of 91 on shutter stock a I have 40+ the last 1/2 of this mo.... 98% subs with a few 1.88. .50 and 1 2.50

Subs is why it's very difficult to make real $$ video on the other hand is not part of any subs scheme.


« Reply #92 on: March 30, 2014, 16:41 »
+1
I have a few photos that get downloaded every day, some even multiple times every single day. They get downloaded without fail, even on weekends. I get in a panic when I don't see them sell by noon. If I were somehow good enough to create 500 of those, I would easily make $3K a month. You'd really not even need that many. $3k a month is probably 150-200 downloads a day after throwing in OD, ELs and SODs that would naturally come with that many sales.

Unfortunately, I'm not good enough, but I have no doubt there are people out there who are. 

« Reply #93 on: March 30, 2014, 18:28 »
+1
I have a few photos that get downloaded every day, some even multiple times every single day. They get downloaded without fail, even on weekends. I get in a panic when I don't see them sell by noon. If I were somehow good enough to create 500 of those, I would easily make $3K a month. You'd really not even need that many. $3k a month is probably 150-200 downloads a day after throwing in OD, ELs and SODs that would naturally come with that many sales.

Unfortunately, I'm not good enough, but I have no doubt there are people out there who are.

You can't just have a go and purposely create a guaranteed super-seller, because very often the most mediocre, unremarkable shots become the best sellers. beautiful shiny near perfectly executed stocky stuff will generally sell ok, but the mentioned before kind of shots often leave them in the dust.

« Reply #94 on: March 30, 2014, 18:57 »
-6
Shoot 300-500 of these and Blam Bobs your uncle!


Goofy

« Reply #95 on: March 30, 2014, 21:18 »
+3
Shoot 300-500 of these and Blam Bobs your uncle!




Not anymore! Shot these type of images and you will be on a first name basis with all the other homeless folks that live in your neighborhood.  8)


lisafx

« Reply #96 on: March 30, 2014, 22:20 »
+2

But I did come up with an answer for the original question. "What is needed to make $3K from 500-800 images?" Start with $2,900.  ;)

ROFL!  Best answer in the thread!

« Reply #97 on: March 30, 2014, 22:39 »
+1
Yes Lisa I agree ;)


My Very Best :)
KimsCreativeHub.com

« Reply #98 on: March 31, 2014, 04:26 »
+2
Shoot 300-500 of these and Blam Bobs your uncle!




ohh, this is one of those brilliantly original shots that microstockers fear someone may start to copy :)) this and happy smiling beautiful people... don't post those people, someone will steal the idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

« Reply #99 on: March 31, 2014, 04:34 »
+7
I've read all four pages and I'm none the bloody wiser. Therefore, I intend to forget all about the notion of earning three large from just 500 - 800 images and aim for 5,000 - 8,000.


 

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