Getting into Stock photo agencies

[mangia]

Ups...

It will be fixed

[Fishpicker]

Given that this is a site to support photographers i find it incredible that members are actively promoting micro-stock sites which are putting profession photographers out of business as they now struggle to get decent fees for their images as people are selling them at $1! You should be looking into Alamy and Photolibra, etc who operate for professionals and amatures alike.

Have some repect for your work, if you want to make money micro stock isn't the way. Its a lottery anyway as what are the chances of your shot being the 1 in a 1000000 that earns 1000s.... very slim. Get on a reputable site that promotes your images for what they are.

[Major_Small]

Originally Posted by Fishpicker

Given that this is a site to support photographers i find it incredible that members are actively promoting micro-stock sites which are putting profession photographers out of business as they now struggle to get decent fees for their images as people are selling them at $1! You should be looking into Alamy and Photolibra, etc who operate for professionals and amatures alike.

First - this site supports photographers of all skill levels - it doesn't pander to professionals. Second, That's just how a free market works. If somebody is producing a similar product at lower costs, you have to adapt or die. If those professionals can't adapt, well, they don't deserve to keep their job IMO. I'll take their job for less than they're making, and if I can do it just as good, why shouldn't I get it? As a side note, even Getty images and Corbis support microstock sites - Getty bought istockphoto for $50MUSD, and Corbis started it's own microstock agency, so it's quite obvious the large mainstream stock companies disagree with you and see a market where both can live together harmoniously.

[Sime]

Originally Posted by Fishpicker

Given that this is a site to support photographers i find it incredible that members are actively promoting micro-stock sites which are putting profession photographers out of business as they now struggle to get decent fees for their images as people are selling them at $1! You should be looking into Alamy and Photolibra, etc who operate for professionals and amatures alike.

Have some repect for your work, if you want to make money micro stock isn't the way. Its a lottery anyway as what are the chances of your shot being the 1 in a 1000000 that earns 1000s.... very slim. Get on a reputable site that promotes your images for what they are.

I know loads of people on this site that use microstock, me included... different things to different people eh.

Sime

[jsanders]

So how many people have already sold photo's on stock sites and how much experience do you have? What's your background?
What I would like to know is, is there a link between the amount of pictures sold on stock sites and the background off the photographer?

[RiyaziM]

I am not a professional nor do I have any experience in micro-stock photography so please excuse me if my comments seem out of place

I would imagine that if you are good professional photographer you would any way get a good bit of work with regards to "made to order" work. What I mean is that, my impression of micro-stock photography is that they produce generic pictures of everyday items. If you wanted to get a portrait done then you cant get it done through micro stock site can you ? Nor your wedding pics ? Nor the particular models or brands that you want in your print advert ?

I dont understand how micro-stock photography sites can take away busines from professional photographers as I see them as 2 distinct fields of photography.

Hope this makes sense and if not please forgive and ignore me

[mangia]

Well I know at least 10 "professionals" and all of them tried to submit images and they didn't succeed. Of course, they don't want to confess

Well why do we have cheap cars when we can sell Mercedes ? Stop producing nice and small cars and lets play with Bently...

[Major_Small]

Originally Posted by jsanders

What I would like to know is, is there a link between the amount of pictures sold on stock sites and the background off the photographer?

There is not. The link that does exist is between the quality and quantity of your shots and how much money you make. A professional photographer that shoots weddings may have no clue what makes a good stock photo, and so might even make less than somebody who can't classify themselves as professional.

[porterd2nz]

Originally Posted by Major_Small

A professional photographer that shoots weddings may have no clue what makes a good stock photo, and so might even make less than somebody who can't classify themselves as professional.

I've had so much trouble trying to get images through the review process of iStock that I'm just about to give up. The problem is that their succinct rejection messages do nothing by themselves to tell you why the image wasn't accepted.

Some like the copyright/trademark issues can be buried and take a lot of tracking down.

The only things that seem to get through are images that have an infinite DoF, Exceptional sharpness and (to my eye) better than real colour saturation. And all this for a low, low return of 0.25c.

So far I haven't made enough to warrant the effort... yet!

[REDDESK]

Hi all... I'm new. I'd joined up with Picturestock (briefly) and Photostockplus for one year and submitted lots of photographs, however, none were sold in a year, so have given up on that tack. I don't have any particular spe******ation and enjoy taking photos of all sorts of things and having to be a decent photographer for work purposes, consider many of my pics good. A couple were chosen to be included in a photographer's book via competition entries, which was heartening. These were though The International Library of Photography and Circle of Photography.