So, I just recently started a shutterstock account and I'm curious as to how many of the DPCers here use Shutterstock. What are your thoughts on it and are you guys making some decent money from it?
All I know is that the first set of photos you have to get approved by them is a pain. Really read their guide about how to get photos excepted. My first attempt failed and I haven't submitted a second attempt yet.
I've been there virtually from the beginning. I'm not exactly making a fortune, but my portfolio is small and not the best stock-orientated stuff. However there are people making a LOT of money there.
It is certainly possible to do well there - it all depends how hard you are prepared to work at it.
What do you mean - decent? Can't complain about shutterstock, while
fotolia and iStockphoto bring me more than three times as much.
Shutterstock still doubles the outcome of dreamstime
What do you mean - decent? Can't complain about shutterstock, while
fotolia and iStockphoto bring me more than three times as much.
Shutterstock still doubles the outcome of dreamstime
It's not the same for everyone though. Until the end of last year, Shutterstock was my best site. So far this year, Dreamstime has been top, followed by iStock and then Shutterstock. That's why I will never consider going exclusive anywhere.
I have also been there from the begining. I think I am photographer number 131. Anyway It is my best stock agency. My stock photography had paid for all my camera and studio gear, and a family holiday too. I need to do more.. but just can't seem to get motivated. I should look more at the $$
I started almost a year ago and I'm afraid I still have some time to go to reach the payout threshold the first time (60 pictures at shutterstock). But it depends of course on the pictures, and those I have there don't seem to appeal too much to their customers.
To my own surprise I got accepted at shutterstock on my first attempt, though.
The sequence then is shotshop.com, fotolia, iStockphoto, and dreamstime.
I just got accepted - whoo hoo! This was my second time but I learned a lot between the two submissions. I also have photos at Istock (the best for me), Dreamstime, Fotolia, and 123RF. I have photos at other sites but those are the ones working best for me right now.
I'd gladly go exclusive with SS. Review times for me at shutterstock are usually a couple hours, 2 days at most. They dont have a time wasting upload feature like Istock. And my job does'nt allow me to commit a lot of time to the other sites.
Review time's:
SS=6hours to 48hrs
Istock=1-2 weeks
Dreamstime=2-3 weeks
Fotolia= So long i dont remember
Pay per photo, Istock has the best rate but slow sales, shutterstock has the best sales for me.
Microstock pays for my camera gear.
Can someone tell me how much you need to upload to earn say $100 per month?
I realise that the bigger your portfolio gets the more you will earn, but I expect you need to keep refreshing it all the time anyway to keep a good stream of income going.
So for those of you that do actually earn from microstock, how much new material do you upload a week/month?
Can someone tell me how much you need to upload to earn say $100 per month?
I realise that the bigger your portfolio gets the more you will earn, but I expect you need to keep refreshing it all the time anyway to keep a good stream of income going.
So for those of you that do actually earn from microstock, how much new material do you upload a week/month?
There's no real answer to your questions. Some people with a small quantity of good quality images do better than others with much larger portfolios. At SS it is important to keep adding fresh stuff - at other sites it doesn't seem to matter as much.
