Stock Agencies

[njm1216]

I'm a contributor for istockphoto.com and bigstockphoto.com. I'm wondering if you are members of any stock sites, which ones, and what your opinions and experiences are for each agency for which you are a member. I'm looking to join other sites and want to know opinions on which are the best. I closed my Fotolia account recently as I was getting nowhere there. I'm enjoying some success on istock and bigstock and would like to expand. Any thoughts out there? Thanks!

 

[craig]

Some folks can make a go of it. Personally they seem like a waste of time. Too little money for my photos.

)'(

 

[Renair]

I dont like the thought of those type agencies, people paying as little as $1 for a shot of yours that may have cost you money to take, ie, expenses, getting to the location etc etc. Search out real agencies for your work, ie if you take travel shots, but guide books and get in touch with the publishers etc... More luck that way....

 

[Ebola]

Hi, I joined several of the big microstock sites a while back and have really had fun with it. I don't make boat loads of money, but it does pay for quite a bit of new equipment. I'm not sure a person could go full time just with microstock. I have heard that people do it and are successful, but it must be tough.

It does seem somewhat ridiculous to sell images so cheap, but it is truly a quantity thing. I have some pictures that I hang in a local gallery, matted and framed, that sell for a couple hundred dollars. I've had the same photos on microstock that have sold enough times to make several hundred dollars, so in the end it seems worth it.

I first got started because of a website that had couple how to articles and an earnings and statistics breakdown of the various stock sites. I will try to look it up and post it if I can find what it was.

 

[njm1216]

Thanks, Ebola. Yes, stock is addicting...I really enjoy it and I've become a better photographer because of it. I have a listing of stock agencies, but just wondered what the most popular sites are and how much success folks experience with their stock agencies. My most success, for now, is istockphoto, which I think is the most discrimminating and demanding. If you could find that article, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Ebola]

No problem, I tracked it down. It is at http://www.sprintingturtles.info

I completely agree on istock being the most demanding, my acceptance rate is definitely the lowest there. Shutterstock is the same way, maybe not quite as tough, but both are great earners.

 

[njm1216]

Thanks, Ebola! Great article and much appreciated...I've bookmarked it. I had looked over Shutterfly before , but found they didn't pay as well as other sites. Maybe I missed something....I'll take another look at it. I would just like to have a 3rd stock portfolio...that's about all I can handle. istock is my major one and the one I pay the most attention too (and work the hardest for). It's also the agency that has improved my skills and taught me the most.

 

[Ebola]

Hey there, no problem. I sure liked some of the articles. I would pick dreamstime as a 3rd. My thoughts are unless you go exclusive at Istock, then try to upload to as many as possible, unless they barely produce earnings.