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Author Topic: What is needed to make $3K from 500-800 images?  (Read 23718 times)

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stockphotoeurope

« Reply #50 on: March 28, 2014, 03:52 »
+3
I would not dream of spending $100 a day anywhere

oh really ?

try Paris or London, the cheapest dorm room in a guesthouse will cost you at the very least 30$/night with no breakfast included.

I can travel everywhere in Europe quite comfortably with £100 a day.
Including everything: low cost flight, accomodation, local public transport, food, beer, some museum tickets and maybe even a concert ticket.
And - for a 5 days trip - it usually takes about two years to recoup the cost completely (used to take a lot less some years ago), and then I start to earn. Not exactly a way to get rich quickly but since I would travel anyway... that's fine.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 03:55 by stockphotoeurope »


« Reply #51 on: March 28, 2014, 04:05 »
+1
I would not dream of spending $100 a day anywhere

oh really ?

try Paris or London, the cheapest dorm room in a guesthouse will cost you at the very least 30$/night with no breakfast included.

a mcdonalds meal or any other fast food chain selling junk food will be 7-10$/meal.

I have had this conversation here before!

I regularly stay a month at a time in Paris. The apartment costs me €850 per month. That's 2 rooms, separate bathroom, kitchen, washing machine etc. And I could do it very much less expensive than that if I wanted.

Weekly Metro ticket recharge is €20. A bowl of chicken noodles at lunchtime is €5 in Belleville. A baguette costs 1€. The tap water is potable.

So that's about €40 per day max. Which is about $55. Add say another $5 for the ingredients to cook an evening meal.

Ron

« Reply #52 on: March 28, 2014, 05:10 »
0
I am off to Berlin, 125 euro flight, 20 euro seat reservation, 25 euro parking, and splashing cash on beer and schnitsel, sight seeing and having some weissenbier in the pubs and clubs. I will probably come back with a few shots I can sell, but I am not expecting to make $3K with them. However, I will deduct the expenses for this business trip  ;)

« Reply #53 on: March 28, 2014, 05:25 »
0
I would not dream of spending $100 a day anywhere

oh really ?

try Paris or London, the cheapest dorm room in a guesthouse will cost you at the very least 30$/night with no breakfast included.

I can travel everywhere in Europe quite comfortably with £100 a day.
Including everything: low cost flight, accomodation, local public transport, food, beer, some museum tickets and maybe even a concert ticket.
And - for a 5 days trip - it usually takes about two years to recoup the cost completely (used to take a lot less some years ago), and then I start to earn. Not exactly a way to get rich quickly but since I would travel anyway... that's fine.

it would be insane if you wouldn't, you are talking about:
- 3k pounds per month
- 3633 euros
- 4985$

I guess you are spending a lot of money, you aren't sleeping in hostels or sharing rooms with 6 persons and such, of course you must have a nice income or that would be impossible to sustain, I envy you ;D

I met an iStock exclusive a few years ago and he was traveling non stop around all the world, he told me that he was spending around 1500$ per month, paid around 10 eur / night to stay in Lisbon and it was a nice place :)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 05:29 by luissantos84 »

« Reply #54 on: March 28, 2014, 06:06 »
+1
I guess airplane fare and car rentals would make most of expenses. For boarding , you don't have to be at most exclusive places, when on continent you can always find a place to sleep several km or even several tens of km from a place of your interest with rates way lower than in city centers or resorts, and you could always eat in small inns/pubs/tavernas/whatever or simply buy groceries in local supermarkets where residents shop for theirs. I would like to go to Cuba, Bahamas, or Indonesia, but plane tickets and transport would eat thousands of dollars into the budget, food could most probably be found cheap, place to sleepover as well (if it's not exclusively resort based place like Maldives where guests aren't allowed in villages after dark).

stockphotoeurope

« Reply #55 on: March 28, 2014, 06:23 »
+1

it would be insane if you wouldn't, you are talking about:
- 3k pounds per month
- 3633 euros
- 4985$


Of course it would be insane as a normal way of life. But I didn't say I am travelling 365 days a year.

Quote
I guess you are spending a lot of money, you aren't sleeping in hostels or sharing rooms with 6 persons and such, of course you must have a nice income or that would be impossible to sustain, I envy you ;D

For 3 or 4 weeks a year, yes.

When I was younger I was sleeping in hostels and sharing rooms. Now I like to travel comfortably, especially when I'm not travelling alone: I guess it must be annoying enough for a girl friend travelling with me to wait for me to take a photo every few seconds (although they usually find this crazy job quite interesting), that I don't feel the need to stay in a dormitory in the suburbs.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 06:28 by stockphotoeurope »

« Reply #56 on: March 28, 2014, 06:28 »
+1
of course, that makes sense, I was just saying it can be done with less :)

« Reply #57 on: March 28, 2014, 09:31 »
0
Is it even possible to make that much from 500-800 photos on SS?  At all? 

I know vector artists do better with less, but that's still a stretch for so few files.  More power to them if they can manage it though.

Obviously not possible, but there always are virtual babies who believe any bs. Maybe several years ago...
I believe it is possible, with a portfolio that targets a specific niche, and is very high quality content.

Some of my bestsellers on ss earn between 0.5$-3.5$ per day. Let's say the bestseller average is 1.5$/day. I would daily need to sell 67 of them to cross 100$ daily (and, hence, 3000$ per month).

The difficult part is making a bestseller, which is dependent both on timing, keywording, image quality, the current design trend/look and luck. I'm not the lucky one/good enough to make it like this, but that does not mean that someone talented (and with a good business sense, supply/demand knowledge) would not be able to make it. So I cannot say for sure, but I think it could be possible.

EmberMike

« Reply #58 on: March 28, 2014, 10:20 »
+4
I think any photo portfolio that good with so few images would be on Offset instead of Shutterstock.

« Reply #59 on: March 28, 2014, 11:24 »
-1
I think any photo portfolio that good with so few images would be on Offset instead of Shutterstock.

You would think that would be the case, however I know of photographers who exceed those numbers and yet none of them have been included in the Offset collection.  You would think that Offset would want their HCV niche included in their collection, yet shutterstock is happy to leave new content from those contributors lower tier; in direct competition with their macro collection.

This leaves content buyers in the unfortunate position of explaining why they just spent xxx on an image when bosses/clients can find an image of similar or equal quality on the micros.  It becomes more difficult every year to justify the spend to clients.


Uncle Pete

« Reply #60 on: March 28, 2014, 12:11 »
+3
So true, so true. Some people just troll the forums for concepts and best sellers so they can copy and steal. Why, some read and write on the SS forums and then steal from their "friends" best sellers, over and over.

Good reason to stay anonymous, no?


YES! And I've said the same to Gbalex and others as well, many times.

However if someone has two cents worth of brains, they can go to the major sites and see Best Sellers and copy them. Or search my Category and find best sellers and copy those.

So it's a personal issue.  Not wanting known copiers on forums to target people who come here for information.

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.  ;)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 12:21 by Uncle Pete »

Uncle Pete

« Reply #61 on: March 28, 2014, 12:19 »
+1
I think the original $100 a day said something about the Western World? I assumed that would be The UK or USA. And yes, I'd rent a car, I'm not as good as you younger folks.

I think the backpackers, bicycles, train, bus... whatever people are doing it right and if they come back with only a few photos, have the rewards for their effort of a lifetime, personal experience.

What take off of work for a month? HA HA. I hardly got a weekend off for 40 years. Except now, from Mid-November to April I have some personal time.

For those who can do it, I'm very supportive and I'd say, it's got to be some of the best adventures in a lifetime. Some people aren't travelers, some are. I don't miss not having done it, because I've done other things. To each their own.

$100 a day? In the 80s the B&B cost almost that in the UK, add a car, and food? $200 a day would be cheap. But that's me.


I would not dream of spending $100 a day anywhere

oh really ?

try Paris or London, the cheapest dorm room in a guesthouse will cost you at the very least 30$/night with no breakfast included.

a mcdonalds meal or any other fast food chain selling junk food will be 7-10$/meal.

I have had this conversation here before!

I regularly stay a month at a time in Paris. The apartment costs me €850 per month. That's 2 rooms, separate bathroom, kitchen, washing machine etc. And I could do it very much less expensive than that if I wanted.

Weekly Metro ticket recharge is €20. A bowl of chicken noodles at lunchtime is €5 in Belleville. A baguette costs 1€. The tap water is potable.

So that's about €40 per day max. Which is about $55. Add say another $5 for the ingredients to cook an evening meal.

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #62 on: March 28, 2014, 14:11 »
+1
ideally you should travel 6 months no stop and move overland with trains and buses, renting a moto is also a big plus, in many countries it's easy to buy/resell motos and bicycles in reputable shops.

as for sleeping, i've slept in 2$ guesthouses in the himalaya and in bamboo shacks on the Mekong river, you can't get cheaper than that and they offered us a meal too :)

however, outside of western countries it's no big deal to find a decent 10$/night accomodation with toilet and hot water.

talking about countries where workers are paid a pittance, yes they can earn as low as 100$/month but their lifestyle is simply not accessible to foreigners and tourists unless you know and trust some locals who can rent you a room, i remember guys in south east asia paying 30$/month for a shack but this also included a few rats and no electricity and you'll always be at the mercy of thieves.

on the other side you can rent a 30sqm apartment for 150$/month in many cities of any third world country, just dont expect the Hilton or to be in downtown.

food, that's the very last of your problems apart in europe or japan.

airplanes : if you can't avoid to fly stick with AirAsia (india/eastasia/southasia/aus) and Ryanair/AirBerlin/EasyJet (europe) and Virgin (AUS/NZ).

ferry boats : usually very expensive apart rare cases like Indonesia.

trains : excellent in europe, russia, and china

camping : in the end you won't save much sleeping in your own tent, and even less renting an RV, the only option is the cheapest second hard RVs but good luck with that.

cars : sleeping in your car ? yeah i've met people who like it but it's not my cup of tea, and where do you shower by the way ? answer .. you shower in public toilets or your go in a gym ... OK .. but .. what the he-ll you're basically living like a F ing gypsy, why not moving to India then and live like a king with 500$/month instead of begging for food in Paris ?










« Reply #63 on: March 28, 2014, 14:31 »
+6
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

« Reply #64 on: March 28, 2014, 14:33 »
+7
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

Not my kind of images, as I'm learning...

« Reply #65 on: March 28, 2014, 15:50 »
+1
For that kind of success you need this type of portfolio!  ;D ;D ;D ;)

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?gallery_id=208108

« Reply #66 on: March 28, 2014, 16:32 »
0
$100 won't get you a cot in a flop house, a cup of coffee for breakfast and cover the expenses until Noon. LOL

Traveling always costs about four times more than staying at home. Although some people who pack light, backpack, take a bike or stay at hostels, do make it places for much less than even a cheap budget minded person like myself.

it all depends on the country, some country can be as cheap as 20$/day for a single room with toilet + meals, while in Tokyo with 60$ you can barely sleep in a cubicle and eat instant noodles at 7-11.

so, talking about ROI, places like Thailand are a very good tradeoff while most of the western capitals are totally overpriced with scandinavia topping the list for the most outrageous living costs.

being cheap is just one of the many factors involved, you must always consider the security issues, unless you travel with just a Sony NEX or a Fuji X1 you will carry a bag full of gear and a laptop and a few USB hard drives for storage, just imagine getting it all STOLEN in a lurid 5$/night dorm room !! and yeah it happens all the time in such places.

another factor in playing it cheap is loss of time & opportunity -- traveling by bus you have ZERO opportunity to stop for the serendipitous, AND you'll spend more of your time waiting in bus stations & arriving in a new place exhausted only to have to search out a cheap hotel

after the costs of getting there, the cost for a car & driver in places like India well repay in photo opportunities


« Reply #67 on: March 28, 2014, 16:45 »
0

 
I have had this conversation here before!

I regularly stay a month at a time in Paris. The apartment costs me €850 per month. That's 2 rooms, separate bathroom, kitchen, washing machine etc. And I could do it very much less expensive than that if I wanted.

Weekly Metro ticket recharge is €20. A bowl of chicken noodles at lunchtime is €5 in Belleville. A baguette costs 1€. The tap water is potable.

So that's about €40 per day max. Which is about $55. Add say another $5 for the ingredients to cook an evening meal.
for a day or 2, maybe - for 2 months?

how much time do you waste taking the metro out to Belleville every day?  after a baguette (no coffee? for bkfst) and a bowl of noodles, how do you manage on $5 for food / day for 2 months -- that's hardly enough for the cheapest meat, and veggies can often cost nearly as much? dal bhat gets old in the culinary capital of the world!  no rest stops, cafes or bars during thee day?  no museum or other cultural activities?

« Reply #68 on: March 28, 2014, 16:57 »
0
how much time do you waste taking the metro out to Belleville every day?

What do you mean - out to Belleville ? :) It's only 15 mins walk max from the Canal St Martin or 3 stops to the Marais on the Metro. I tend to avoid the main tourist areas anyhow.

If you get bored of noodles buy some ingredients. The markets are fantastic and cheap. Paris is probably one of the best places on earth to buy fantastic ingredients for very little. I am quite happy to make my coffee in the morning.

ETA: yep I like the cultural things too. But the private galleries are all free anyhow. And there must be hundreds. I like the cinema though - that can be pricey.

Also - noodles was just an example really. The north african places are cheap to eat too - e.g. cous cous etc.

Anyhow - all I am saying is that you can live very well on a lot less than people imagine if you think it through and do not live like a tourist. Eg walk home at night instead of getting a taxi if the metro has stopped running etc.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 17:11 by bunhill »

Uncle Pete

« Reply #69 on: March 28, 2014, 23:00 »
0
And I'd agree with you, except it was $100 not 100 pounds. And I don't stay in one place more than a night. During the day I'm on the move, not spending time retracing.

But yes, it can be done for much less than Tourist budget.

Why would I take a taxi or bus, I have a rental car. LOL  ;)


Anyhow - all I am saying is that you can live very well on a lot less than people imagine if you think it through and do not live like a tourist. Eg walk home at night instead of getting a taxi if the metro has stopped running etc.

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

Good point Oscar.

So lets say this is the answer and it's somewhere on page one. You upload 5,000 images and save the 500 that sell, delete the rest. Now you make money on 500 images?

Or my system, you only upload your one or two best from any shoot, until you have 500 best images.

Either way, these would go against the whole more words, more images, more sites, Microstock mantra, which is pounded into every newcomers head as the only answer to how to do it right, because that's what worked in 2005.

I have an idea what it is now, so do you and everyone else. Find a niche that you can shoot, that you like and that matches your skills. Hammer the heck out of it with everything you can upload! Become a specialist.

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #70 on: March 29, 2014, 03:28 »
+1
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

wrong.
travel and living cost are an integral part of the PRODUCTION costs of Travel Images.

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #71 on: March 29, 2014, 03:33 »
+3
no museum or other cultural activities?

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

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #72 on: March 29, 2014, 03:44 »
+3
another factor in playing it cheap is loss of time & opportunity -- traveling by bus you have ZERO opportunity to stop for the serendipitous, AND you'll spend more of your time waiting in bus stations & arriving in a new place exhausted only to have to search out a cheap hotel

it's not a holiday, it's a job.
of course you'll be tired and you'll hate it.

there's nothing wrong about it, less competition for us.

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.


stockphotoeurope

« Reply #73 on: March 29, 2014, 04:02 »
0
wrong.
travel and living cost are an integral part of the PRODUCTION costs of Travel Images.

Completely agree with you on this. So we're not off-topic.

no museum or other cultural activities?
yeah but you're there for working, not for holiday.

[...]

it's not a holiday, it's a job.

of course you'll be tired and you'll hate it.

there's nothing wrong about it, less competition for us.

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.

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.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2014, 04:50 by stockphotoeurope »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #74 on: March 29, 2014, 04:15 »
+1
no museum or other cultural activities?

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

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]).


 

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