Stock Photo Business Research

[StockPhotoResearcher]

All -

I am a an investor trying to learn more about trends in the stock photo business (I am specifically looking at Getty and Shutterstock). I have a bunch of questions (and I'm sure your answers will highlight other insightful ones as well). I tried to search the forums for relevant discussions but didn't see a lot besides a few passing references.

• Why would you choose to go with Getty vs. Shutterstock (or another option)?
• Is there any downside for you to submit images to both?
  
• Have you noticed any trends with the two websites over time (e.g., Getty's website used to be slower, but now it's comparable to Shutterstock. Shutterstock still has better search algorithms, etc. - these are just a few thoughts, no idea if either is true)
• Have you noticed any trends in the royalty rate percentages you get paid over time (going up, going down, staying the same)?
• I get the sense (from topic searches in the forum) that photographers don't feel they get a lot of value/money from the Getty/Shutterstock. What other competing options do you have (besides photo shoots for individuals and directly selling your work)

Thank you all in advance for your helpful comments, or thoughts on where I could learn more.

 

[KmH]

Did you see this thread about a web site stealing thousands of images off the Internet.

Today, photographers can't make any money shooting stock.

Getty (iStockphoto & Getty Images) and Corbis (Bill Gates started Corbis) bought up all the independent stock houses.
The internet, photograph sharing web sites, and RF (Royalty-Free), pay 1 time licensing that lets people make up to 500,000 impressions of a photo sure hasn't helped any either.

Back in the day, a good stock photo could make a photographer 10's of thousands of dollars.
Produce several hundred good stock photos and you could earn a living.

Today the stock agencies pay people minimum wage to troll photo sharing sites looking for content the stock agency can make money from while paying the copyright owner pennies.

iStockphoto (Getty) pays $0.28 for each photo licensed (RF) by a non-exclusive contributor, but won't send a check until a contributor's account shows a balance of $100 or more. $100 / $0.28 = 358 (rounded) RF licenses have to be bought before you get a $100 check.

 

[dennybeall]

About the only folks that make money with stock are the ones charging to teach people how to make money shooting stock. If we were still shooting film the income from stock wouldn't cover film and processing.

 

[KmH]

Doing photography as a way to make a living is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
Business savvy retail photographers can still make a low income living in pretty much any size town, if they really hustle.
Business savvy commercial photographers can still make decent money if their business is in a good size city, if they really hustle.

A majority of retail photographers in the US today don't make income above the poverty level, if their business makes any money at all.
A majority of those photographers stay in business with the support of other income, from a non-photography 'day' job or a spouse's income.