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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Stas77 on March 20, 2013, 10:30

Title: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Stas77 on March 20, 2013, 10:30
I am wondering if you can work full time with selling stock photography on internet and how many of you (us) do. Is it possible to earn enough for living or do you need to do another side job to make sure you work enough?

thank you!

ps i know it takes time to be able to work full time if to work at all full time.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: lisafx on March 20, 2013, 10:46
I'm full time and do pretty well, but I wish I did better.  So if I could, I would select both the top options.  But I went with #1 because I make enough I don't need another job to supplement.  Yet.  Sales declining each year, I will probably need to get another job in a couple of years if the downward trend continues. 
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: grsphoto on March 20, 2013, 10:57
I am a newbie.  This is my 3rd month with sales, so it is part time for me.  I hope to go full time in the ( distant?) future.  Will I make it... ;D  ::)
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: palirao on March 20, 2013, 11:03
That's a great question! I've been full time for 4 years now...

I've just written an ebook, Microstock Millionaire for beginners and advanced microstockers alike that has tips on how to increase your income (it's free too)

http://www.beaprofessionalphotographer.com (http://www.beaprofessionalphotographer.com)

Im open to any suggestions, so please just let me know what you'd like to know about and Id be more than happy to help
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Paulfleet on March 20, 2013, 12:01
I am fulltime but wish I did better. The problem is I am the only person who would employ me and I am on my second verbal warning for my obstructive attitude.  :-\
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: tab62 on March 20, 2013, 12:29
can you add in the poll- "Part time and wish I did better so that I can quit my daytime job"  :)

T
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: heywoody on March 20, 2013, 12:52
I am fulltime but wish I did better. The problem is I am the only person who would employ me and I am on my second verbal warning for my obstructive attitude.  :-\

Consider this a written warning  ;D
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: gostwyck on March 20, 2013, 12:57
I'm full-time but I'm sure I would make a far more comfortable living if I didn't waste so much of my time reading and writing posts on places like MSG (and playing golf if I'm honest!).
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: grsphoto on March 20, 2013, 13:42
I'm full-time but I'm sure I would make a far more comfortable living if I didn't waste so much of my time reading and writing posts on places like MSG (and playing golf if I'm honest!).

This is the hardest part about any self employment....
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Mellimage on March 20, 2013, 13:51
I am part-time and even though I wish I'd do better in stock, I don't sweat it. I love my main job and do not intend to give it up.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: fotografer on March 20, 2013, 14:02
I'm a fulltime photographer making half of my money from stock and half for private work.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on March 20, 2013, 14:15
"Full time" but I only work when I feel like it and I'm not really driven by a desire to make as much as I possibly could, otherwise I would be far more commercial in my material. I've been making enough to get by on for many years now and that's OK.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: gillian vann on March 20, 2013, 17:56
I'm a freelance photographer and I usually consider I only work part-time hours, as I have 3 children to juggle also. I do stock in the down times. I don't want to do it full-time, I like my client work more.

 
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Gel-O Shooter on March 20, 2013, 18:13
Really, more of a part-time thing, but it is my only "job".  My husband and I are retired and we travel the country with a 27ft RV.  We don't depend on micro to pay any bills, but it sure is nice having that money magically appear in my personal paypal online shopping account every month.  Especially for something I'd be doing anyway (photographing America).
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: WarrenPrice on March 20, 2013, 18:33
Really, more of a part-time thing, but it is my only "job".  My husband and I are retired and we travel the country with a 27ft RV.  We don't depend on micro to pay any bills, but it sure is nice having that money magically appear in my personal paypal online shopping account every month.  Especially for something I'd be doing anyway (photographing America).

We have things in common.  Wife and I travel a lot but not full-time.
And we are retired, supplementing the income with Stock ... and an Occasional assignment -- Motocross or Supercross Races.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: gostwyck on March 20, 2013, 19:18
Really, more of a part-time thing, but it is my only "job".  My husband and I are retired and we travel the country with a 27ft RV.  We don't depend on micro to pay any bills, but it sure is nice having that money magically appear in my personal paypal online shopping account every month.  Especially for something I'd be doing anyway (photographing America).

Great stuff! Sounds perfect. Enjoy!
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: gillian vann on March 20, 2013, 19:32
Really, more of a part-time thing, but it is my only "job".  My husband and I are retired and we travel the country with a 27ft RV.  We don't depend on micro to pay any bills, but it sure is nice having that money magically appear in my personal paypal online shopping account every month.  Especially for something I'd be doing anyway (photographing America).

We have things in common.  Wife and I travel a lot but not full-time.
And we are retired, supplementing the income with Stock ... and an Occasional assignment -- Motocross or Supercross Races.
hopefully that'll be me in 15 years, and my port should be large enough to pay for fuel and holiday snacks?  :D
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: shudderstok on March 20, 2013, 20:59
full time for me at IS and Getty. Spend my days traveling the world doing what I love to do. It has been amazingly rewarding both personally and financially.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Silken Photography on March 20, 2013, 21:45
Really, more of a part-time thing, but it is my only "job".  My husband and I are retired and we travel the country with a 27ft RV.  We don't depend on micro to pay any bills, but it sure is nice having that money magically appear in my personal paypal online shopping account every month.  Especially for something I'd be doing anyway (photographing America).

Great retirement plan.  My husband and I travelled for two weeks in an RV through the National Parks of Utah (mostly) and it was one of the best trips of my life.

On topic, I'd love to go full time in photography, but I'm not sure I want to do full time stock.  For now I'm dipping my toes in and seeing how the water feels.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: cthoman on March 20, 2013, 21:54
Count me in as a full timer too. I still do freelance gigs, but most of my income comes from stock now. I'd love to make more though. I guess I could go back to work and do that, but the idea of going back 9 to 5 sounds kind of scary. Although, I could see the right opportunity coming along to make it worthwhile. So if anybody wants to hire a cartoon illustrator in Austin, I'm available. Maybe?  ;)
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Gel-O Shooter on March 21, 2013, 00:33
Vann, you better have a HUGE portfolio to pay for travel gas in 15 years.  It's our biggest expense.  And the way it's going up, it'll be at least $10 bucks a gallon by then! :o
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: sobm on March 21, 2013, 01:53
in here, yes , only 2k can overcome the average incomes here, lol ;D
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: gillian vann on March 21, 2013, 04:11
Vann, you better have a HUGE portfolio to pay for travel gas in 15 years.  It's our biggest expense.  And the way it's going up, it'll be at least $10 bucks a gallon by then! :o
unless we're on biodiesel or solar? yeah, not holding my breath.
might have to think about doing the grey nomad thing in Europe, where the distances aren't quite so great.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Stas77 on March 21, 2013, 04:52
Wow great to see so many answers! Very obvoius that people here have second job, but peolpe have different income from the stock sites. that is very nice.

I hope I can also travel for living one day! How do you do that? Only retired? I love taking pictures in all countries.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: lisafx on March 21, 2013, 12:42
Very obvoius that people here have second job, but peolpe have different income from the stock sites. that is very nice.


Really?  It isn't obvious to me.  Just over half the people in the poll report having a second job.  ???
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Anyka on March 21, 2013, 16:11
I ticked "full time and doing well", but in fact I'm a fulltime photographer, not a fulltime STOCK photographer.   25% of my income comes from commissioned photography work.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: cidepix on March 21, 2013, 18:45
Very obvoius that people here have second job, but peolpe have different income from the stock sites. that is very nice.


Really?  It isn't obvious to me.  Just over half the people in the poll report having a second job.  ???

the only thing that is obvious to me is that there are more full timers than I thought..

Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Stas77 on March 23, 2013, 02:42
Very obvoius that people here have second job, but peolpe have different income from the stock sites. that is very nice.


Really?  It isn't obvious to me.  Just over half the people in the poll report having a second job.  ???

Yes now it is half half :-)
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: Sion on March 23, 2013, 09:12
I'm a full-time stock photographer.

But to do that I need to hold two other jobs to survive.  :)
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: pancaketom on March 24, 2013, 08:27
Part time but I have no other job probably describes me best. From time to time I think about upping my game but then something comes up (like the trip to Patagonia I am on now). Still the stock $ are nice. I just wish so many sites weren't playing screw the contributor.

Luckily I have honed my skills of living for less over years of living in my truck.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: OM on March 24, 2013, 09:19
Full time photographer but only around 15% income per year comes from stock. Could use more commissioned work as that's the fastest way to get income but acquiring new clients is a difficult business in this economy. For me, stock was only intended to supplement my meagre pension which I'm due to receive in a couple of years but with SS doing relatively well for me with a small port, I'm thinking of investing more energy into stock and less into trying to find new clients. Although, I'll still keep working until I drop!
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: nicku on March 24, 2013, 10:34
In my case: ''part time'' ,still having a job, doing very well. Stock primary income source.
Title: Re: Do you make good living from stock or is it side job?
Post by: jjneff on March 24, 2013, 11:14
Full-time stock video producer going on 3 years. I do side video and photo jobs as well.