geting started in stock photography

[canon_kid]

After watching a video from a pretty famous photographer in stock photography ( dont wanna give his name out ) I was really inspired to do this, so I looked around and emailed some calender companies and took a "list" of things they are interested in, I guess that is a good first step, what else can I do though to expand out ? who else does stock pictures other then calender companies ? when I mail my images out how do I still claim copy rights to them ? I mean who is to say they dont tell my my pix suck but use them any way ?

 

[tirediron]

Search this forum for "stock photography" there have been a couple of excellent posts on the topic, including one which ran down the attributes of a number to the higher-ranked stock agencies. There are a number of companies which do nothing but provide stock images for advertising, and commmercial needs. It's a VERY competetive field, and the requirements for each company are different. In general, the easier it is to get accepted by a company, the less money you will make.

 

[KmH]

After watching a video from a pretty famous photographer in stock photography ( dont wanna give his name out )

Why not?

Here is an inexpensive book that has a ton of contact and other good info: Amazon.com: 2011 Photographer's Market (9781582979564): Mary Burzlaff Bostic: Books

And some other online info:
Legal ABC for stock photographers | Yuri Arcurs

Microstock Agencies – An Overview for Beginners | Yuri Arcurs

What should I shoot and what sells well? | Yuri Arcurs

New tool – projected monthly income calculator | Yuri Arcurs

Do you have a studio for shooting stock? Video Episode 6 – Non-obvious smart things to have in a studio | Yuri Arcurs

 

[Luca Bertolli]

If it can be of help, I wrote down an article about gettin accepted on some agencies:

Ten tips to get you into Shutterstock and Istock | Microstock Journal

 

[Infinite28]

I believe this is a well profitable business if done well. Im sure there are many people that live off that income.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Sorry canon kid but if you want to make money in photo, forget stock.

The old fashioned stock way is dying. At least that's what I get from looking at my checks. The new way of doing it has not made any money yet.

Someone posted a link a few months ago to the best selling stock photog today. Macro/micro stock. It turned out, if you actually read the entire article, that this best selling person had not yet made a penny.

He had a staff of 12 photogs shooting for him and sold a huge number of shots but at such a low price that he hadn't yet made a profit.

Now, I'm not that great with math but I can still figure out how many images I would need to sell at $0.25 to make a living.

And frankly, I don't see how I could make a living.

But best of luck to you if that is what you really want to do.

 

[njw1224]

I suggest you make money with photography in your local economy first (weddings, portraits, commercial) and let that be your main venture. If you want to test the waters of micostock agencies like istockphoto at the same time, great. But don't put all your eggs in one basket hoping stock will make you rich. I earn about $1500 extra dollars a year with stock just submitting photos I've shot during other shoots that I've already been paid to do. So if I then make money off these photos after I submit them to a stock agency, great! I'm being paid twice.