Micro-stock machineThis is a discussion on Micro-stock machine within the Video Vault forums, part of the Photography Information category; This guy has carved out his own little corner of the micro-stock industry. He supposedly sells 2000 images per day, ...
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Posts: 11,958 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ft. Worth, Texas Real First Name: John Camera: 5DMkII, 7D, LX3 Can Others Edit My Photos: No iTrader Rating: 24  LIKES Received: 116 LIKES Given: 438 | Micro-stock machine -
06-29-2009, 07:30 PM
This guy has carved out his own little corner of the micro-stock industry. He supposedly sells 2000 images per day, every day of the year. http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/06...icrostock.html
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06-30-2009, 12:32 AM
That is very cool. I cant believe how much stuff he has specifically for stock photography. | | | | |
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06-30-2009, 11:48 AM
Cool, but stock is el diablo IMHO.... especially micro stock. ugh.
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06-30-2009, 01:21 PM
It almost looks like part of that studio is outside. He is shooting in huge light tent. I like that idea. He's got it down to a science I will say that. | | | | |
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06-30-2009, 01:36 PM
I Want !!!!!!! | | | | |
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07-04-2009, 02:38 PM
He has a fairly nice setup for making only $280 / day (that's $0.14 / photo * 2000 photos per day = $280.00, the going rate for microstock photo sales that I've seen). Based on this, I am guessing that he grosses about $80k-$100k/year.
My Mom wants me to sign up to microstock sites, so that I could make at least a few dollars on my photos. I simply refuse. If I can't get a decent sale from my photos, I'm not selling.
Last edited by Imagebuffet; 07-04-2009 at 02:49 PM..
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07-04-2009, 04:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagebuffet  He has a fairly nice setup for making only $280 / day (that's $0.14 / photo * 2000 photos per day = $280.00, the going rate for microstock photo sales that I've seen). Based on this, I am guessing that he grosses about $80k-$100k/year.
My Mom wants me to sign up to microstock sites, so that I could make at least a few dollars on my photos. I simply refuse. If I can't get a decent sale from my photos, I'm not selling. | Well, it's certainly a personal thing. However, the way I look at it is this guy is making around $80-100k/yr. selling his photos, and I'm not. I think sometimes photographers have a tendency to hold onto their "art" too tightly and esteem it too highly—myself included.
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07-04-2009, 04:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnT Well, it's certainly a personal thing. However, the way I look at it is this guy is making around $80-100k/yr. selling his photos, and I'm not. I think sometimes photographers have a tendency to hold onto their "art" too tightly and esteem it too highly—myself included. | Just keep in mind that you cannot expect more than an average of $0.14 per sale from your photos, then figure out how many sales per day/month/year you would have to make to make the effort financially realistic for you. Are you prepared to conduct at least 600 sales transactions per day, every day? That's what you would have to do to gross $32k/year.
In my entire life, I have had 4 sales of my photographs. I could have made $0.56, if I had gone the microstock route. Instead, I made about $200.
It just galls me that a million-dollar company with thousands of dollars for ad revenue will buy a half-dozen photos from me for a few dollars, enabling them to sell thousands of dollars-worth of merchandise, products or services. No, I don't feel any better if the company is some small mom-and-pop with an ad budget of $150.
I think that photographers are getting short-changed by this process.
Last edited by Imagebuffet; 07-04-2009 at 05:01 PM..
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07-04-2009, 05:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagebuffet Just keep in mind that you cannot expect more than an average of $0.14 per sale from your photos, then figure out how many sales per day/month/year you would have to make to make the effort financially realistic for you. Are you prepared to conduct at least 600 sales transactions per day, every day? That's what you would have to do to gross $32k/year.
In my entire life, I have had 4 sales of my photographs. I could have made $0.56, if I had gone the microstock route. Instead, I made about $200.
It just galls me that a million-dollar company with thousands of dollars for ad revenue will buy a half-dozen photos from me for a few dollars, enabling them to sell thousands of dollars-worth of merchandise, products or services. No, I don't feel any better if the company is some small mom-and-pop with an ad budget of $150.
I think that photographers are getting short-changed by this process. | Yeah, I can see your point and agree with you, but unfortunately I don't think it's going to change any time soon. That's probably why this guy developed this system. However, microstock does have the effect of devaluing the work of professional stock photographers.
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07-04-2009, 05:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagebuffet He has a fairly nice setup for making only $280 / day (that's $0.14 / photo * 2000 photos per day = $280.00, the going rate for microstock photo sales that I've seen). Based on this, I am guessing that he grosses about $80k-$100k/year.
My Mom wants me to sign up to microstock sites, so that I could make at least a few dollars on my photos. I simply refuse. If I can't get a decent sale from my photos, I'm not selling. | Yuri grosses over $1.2 million/year. EDIT: $1.3M
His studio, which was originally a greenhouse, was modified to basically be a huge light tent. He is an amazing photographer and it shows in his work. I'm astonished at his success, he has found his niche and I applaud him for that!
He would without a doubt do fine as a traditional stock photographer, but he is and always has been dominating the microstock industry, so no reason change to traditional.
Last edited by Crashoran; 07-04-2009 at 06:00 PM..
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07-04-2009, 06:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashoran Yuri grosses over $1.2 million/year. EDIT: $1.3M | Oh, wow, that's about $0.60 a sale! It would take only 166 sales each day to produce $100 / day ($36.5k/year) income at that rate.
Everyone would have to decide what the job is worth for them, but when people ask me why I don't become a photographer as a profession, I tell them it is because there is no money in it. I've spent enough of my life investing large sums of time, money and effort for very little reward. Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashoran His studio, which was originally a greenhouse, was modified to basically be a huge light tent. He is an amazing photographer and it shows in his work. I'm astonished at his success, he has found his niche and I applaud him for that!
He would without a doubt do fine as a traditional stock photographer, but he is and always has been dominating the microstock industry, so no reason change to traditional. | That sounds a lot like congratulating the spam king, a connection that is not entirely coincidental, as this microstock finds its way onto spam ads. The low cost of microstock naturally feeds into spam sending out millions of fliers all over the world. | | | | |
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07-04-2009, 06:41 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imagebuffet Oh, wow, that's about $0.60 a sale! It would take only 166 sales each day to produce $100 / day ($36.5k/year) income at that rate.
Everyone would have to decide what the job is worth for them, but when people ask me why I don't become a photographer as a profession, I tell them it is because there is no money in it. I've spent enough of my life investing large sums of time, money and effort for very little reward.
That sounds a lot like congratulating the spam king, a connection that is not entirely coincidental, as this microstock finds its way onto spam ads. The low cost of microstock naturally feeds into spam sending out millions of fliers all over the world. | There is money in photography, it requires hard work.
This microstock debate has been beaten to death over and over. The accusation that all spam ads come from micro agencies is false and uneducated...
I'm sure if you worked hard to earn over $100,000+USD each month, you wouldn't quit what you're doing just because others feel you are devaluing yourself. If you feel your work is worth way more than what microstock has to offer, then go right ahead - the door is open for you. Nobody is holding you back. No reason to hate on somebody because of their success.
Like I said previously, this topic has been beaten to death already. | | | | |
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07-04-2009, 08:01 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashoran There is money in photography, it requires hard work.
This microstock debate has been beaten to death over and over. The accusation that all spam ads come from micro agencies is false and uneducated... | No one claimed that all spam ads come from micro agencies. But, where do you suppose most spam ads *that have stock photos in them* get their stock photos? Of course, many spam ads don't have any photos in them, but many do, too. Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashoran I'm sure if you worked hard to earn over $100,000+USD each month, you wouldn't quit what you're doing just because others feel you are devaluing yourself. | Or devaluing others and the profession. Quote:
Originally Posted by Crashoran If you feel your work is worth way more than what microstock has to offer, then go right ahead - the door is open for you. Nobody is holding you back. No reason to hate on somebody because of their success. | I'm not hating on somebody because of his success. I am hating on microstock and the way it devalues photography. | | | | |
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07-04-2009, 08:18 PM
That's your opinion and I respect it. | | | | |
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07-04-2009, 08:35 PM
At least microstock doesn't give their images away for free and possible photo credits. | | | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | |
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