18. 1 year of Microstock sites
Despite all preconceptions and negative comments on several forums (The most I still read today) I decided to open an account at 4 microstocksites in August 2006 (Although it took until October before I really started uploading). I didn't thought I would really earn something meaningful. It was more the adventure / the unknown which attracted me.
Now we are 1 year later and I think it's time to look back on the previous year. How did it microstocks influence my photography ? Did I really earn something meaningful ?
18.1. Getting approved ... and rejected
Getting approved wasn't a problem at any site, except at Shutterstock.
This was my first drawback. Shutterstock rejected my first two batches and only at the third try I was accepted. How could that be possible ?? My images had to be good because I got good critiques on different forums. Yet still shutterstock dared to reject me !! I was disappointed, furious and full of disbelieve all at ones ...
This is a common reaction I see in many newbies getting rejected, and I was no different. But afterwards, now, when I look back at my original submissions I have to be honest and say they were right. My first submissions were that good in quality and they weren't that stockrelated as I thought. But you can only see that once you have better images.
And Shutterstock do reject a lot of newbies. I have, at Shutterstock, over 100 affiliates in my list ... yet only 12 of them were approved. This shows how thought the first selection of Shutterstock is.
18.2. Start Selling
As you see in the graph of my monthly earnings underneath, I'm still making more money almost each month. Of course I'm also adding new images to my portfolio constantly.
By looking at this graph it seems that my increase in income mostly comes from the increase in portfolio size -> the more images, the more income. But when you look at the red line, which indicates my earnings per image it seems that this graph is moving upwards too.
I've nowhere really stated have much I earn. But if you look at the numbers along the red graph and you know the size of my portfolio at dreamstime, you can figure it out yourself :o)
Maybe more interesting to some of you are my monthly earnings for each site. They are outlined in the graph underneath.
Interesting is the peak of my SS earning the second month. Although I had upload many in the first month, the earnings peak seems out of proportion to me. I believe new submitters of Shutterstock are favored in the search result. Therefor they have much more (200 to 300%) downloads than the will in the past. Many others have mentioned such a peak in their earnings.
What's the purpose of new contributors being favored ? Many of us started seriously in microstocks because the earnings an Shutterstock were that good. imho this a way of Shuttertock to make new contributors enthusiastic.
18.3 Beyond the $$
Until know we've only talked about money. I paid my whole studio with stockmoney, so money is indeed important. But has microstocks brought me some other things beside money ?
Actually is has. Two of them I find very important.
18.3.1. Trying new things
Until I started which microstocks I had photographed insects for most of the time. By doing microstocks I tried new things such as products and models. I'm still not sure which I like, but it's obvious that microstocks changed my way of photographing. I've done things I would never had done if I hadn't selling my images.
18.3.2. Quality of my images
To avoid rejections and to maximize sales I had to optimize image quality. I improved my images in two ways :
1) straight from the camera. Because I was able to buy better equipment (studio flashes, camera, lenses) and because I refined my technique.
2) through post-processing. The importance of photoshop we all know. Microstocks stimulated me to refine my post-processing in such a way that my images look good at 100 of even 200%.
18.3.3. In the End
In the end I feel that I've become a much better photographer throughout the last year. And this mainly because microstocks stimulate me to do this.
18.4. Disadvantages
Until no nothing but good about microstocks. But aren't there any bad points too.
Yes there are ... as with everything.
18.4.1. Lost Time
Uploading and keywording isn't really the most enjoyable thing to do. Instead of keywording your images there are much more pleasant things to do. To me it sometimes feel that I'm just losing some time.
18.4.2. Not Creative
Stockphotography in general isn't the most creative section of photography. To make the most money you don't need to make creative images. Objects on white are doing just fine.
18.5. Conclusion
Although there are clearly some disadvantages to microstocks. To me they brought mainly good things. I was able to buy the (studio) equipment I wanted and my postprocessing improved big time.
So far so good, we'll see what next year brings.
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