Update on earnings from Stock Photography in 2008

I started to upload to the various stock photography sites in early 2008.  The sites are described below with a summary of how much I earned from each one in 2008.

Shutterstock

Commissions for photographers start at 25 cents for each picture downloaded and after 500 dollars in earnings this bumps up to 33 cents each. This may not seem like much, but because of the monthly subscription style a much larger number of pictures are downloaded each day – I currently get an average of 6 per day on a portfolio of 200 photos, and have now moved into the higher per-download earning bracket. Occasionally, buyers will pay more – I have had some at $28.00, but not too many!  I have found that you need to upload 10 pictures or so each weekend to keep the downloads steady. For some reason, their search system seems to favor newly updated portfolios. To be accepted as a member you have to submit 10 photos and have at least 7 of them approved. If you get less approved you will have to wait 30 days to try again. It took me two cycles to get approved – so this is one of the first sites to try and send in your best photos. Just make sure your pictures are nice and sharp and stock oriented. Shutterstock is extremely fun to be a part of because of the high number of downloads per day and high earnings. Shutterstock is extremely conscious of noise in your photos so shoot at low ISOs and if needed use noise reduction software – I use NoiseNinja.  in 2008 I  earned $550.

iStockPhoto

Buyers purchase credits which can then be used to download images. Images are priced based on the size the buyer wants to download (starting around $1 and going up from there). Standard members get a 20% commission on each sale, whereas exclusive members (meaning you only upload images to Istockphoto), get 25% to start and can work there way up to 40% as they sell more photos. I can’t see the logic for being exclusive on iStockPhoto as you can’t then upload to any other site. To apply you must upload 3 photos for review and if they approve your application you can begin uploading. If your application is denied you can try another 3 at anytime. Make sure your submission is 3 files of different types, so they can see your overall abilities. The only downside to Istockphoto is a somewhat cumbersome upload system when compared to FTP, but it is well worth it if you get a good photo that is popular as they pay more per picture than other sites. The program described at the end (DeepMeta) makes this process easier. When submitting images be sure to remove even the tiniest and seemingly un-noticeable logos or trademarks, because iStock is very critical of this. Minimum payout is $100.  So far I have earned $291.53

Dreamstime

This is a very professional site that earns well. Buyers also purchase credits and photos typically cost 1, 2, 3, and 4 dollars based on size. As a photo gets more sales, the price increases as well – it steps up for as little as 5 downloads. This means that you shouldn’t upload very similar photos as you could slow up the increase in download fee. Exclusive members get a 60% commission and standard members get 50%. There is no application review process so you can start uploading photos once signed up. Minimum payout is $100. Easy to upload to, and they accept most photos, although sometimes I get a hig rejection rate – maybe a different reviewer!  In 2008 I earned $100.48.

Fotolia

Easy site to upload to – no application and good FTP approach. They are quite strict on the photos they accept. I have around 50% acceptance and it seems to be getting harder over time. Credits purchase images that start at $1 and go up from there based on size. They also have a subscription sale process which earns less. Once members have sold enough images they can set their prices to some extent. Commissions start at 33% for standard members and 50% for exclusive members. Both commissions go up as members sell more photos.  I have earned $64.14.

Stockxpert

Buyers can either purchase credits or by a one month subscription for $199. You must submit 5 images for initial application approval. If rejected then you have to wait 30 days to try again. Photographers get 50% commission or 30 cents for a subscription download. Minimum payout is $50. I got into this one without much trouble and they are reasonable easy on files. I still find the site quite complex! So far, I have earned $57.80.

BigStockPhoto

Buyers purchase credits and files start in price at $1. Members receive a 50% commission and they have lots of different special licensing options. Things like licensing for your image to be on coffee mugs or T-shirts. These pay various amounts. Minimum payout is $30. Easy to upload to, and not too strict on acceptances. So far, I have earned $30.50.

123RF

Buyers purchase either credits or monthly subscriptions. Images start at 1 dollar or you can get a monthly subscription that allows 5 downloads per day for $89 or 26 downloads per day for $199. Members get a 50% commission or 36 cents for a subscription download. They require you to submit 10 images for initial approval. Minimum payout is $50. Pretty easy to get into although not a big earner and there is no hassle about uploading although you do have to assign a category to the photo. in 2008, I earned $31.54.

CanStock

This doesn’t earn much, but it is easy to upload files to – just use the FTP and there are no special categories to add. You simply select the files, confirm that you own the copyright and click “submit”. In 2008, this earned $4.55!

General: I use a program called ProStockMaster to manage my keywording and uploads. It is well worth purchasing the Pro version as it helps come up with all the relevant keywords and also keeps track of which photos have been uploaded to which sites. For iStockPhoto, there is a different program that works well with the site – DeepMeta. This is free and helps with the complex keywording that iStockPhoto requires.