One of the largest markets for selling is your work has to be the stock photography websites. They are a plenty and they generally involve quite a number of hoops to jump through before your photos end up live in the market place.
This week we asked about your success with Microstock sites and the results were particularly interesting. 76% of readers have either no interest or deem it too much work to head down the stock route.
Amazingly only 6% of readers considered themselves to be doing well in selling their work through the stock photography markets.
If you have any advice or personal experience perhaps you might consider sharing it in the comments.
You might find a marked difference between people who use the microstock sites, and those who use traditional stock sites such as Alamy, Getty etc. I contribute to these, but would not consider using microstock sites. I think I do OK from my images 😉
How do you know this says anything about microstock sites rather than the visitors to your blog who actually commented, though? 🙂
Although Tim, you realise you are one of those visitors ? 🙂
looking at that chart it seems that 30% of those who have actually tried it have been successful?
how was the question worded?
30% is a figure which I think might be a little high considering the number of abandoned photographer accounts with either zero of less than 5 images there seem to be. I’d would not be surprised if only 6% of those who signed up actually put in ANY effort and went to earn anything, perhaps even less. Those that do work at it can earn
I think MicroStockInsider has a very good point. There must be quite a significant number of “photographers” who submit to these sites with fingers crossed that there may be some money at the end of it.
Having looked into contributing to iStockPhoto I very quickly realised that I would have to put some serious effort into creating images which would be a) accepted and b) appealing to prospective buyers.
With my day job and two small children, I just need to work out how to best use my spare / photography hours.
I’d appreciate any tips which would make my images more appealing to stock sites and buyers.
So, do we have any of the 6% listening, all tips welcome.
I’ve heard of people doing it full time, and prob represents teh 6%. Constantly taking and key wording the pictures. The key wording the more important part, and actually the part that puts me off as way too time consuming for such a litte prospect of imediate income.
I have been recently approved to be an istock contributor. It did take a few months to finally receive approval. It’s true, between the model releases, quality measures and content restrictions it’s definitely not an easy or quick process. A lot of planning and thought have to go into shoots and who’s to say you’ll be successful. I got into it thinking I could make a little money on the side, we’ll see what happens.