1000 files

... And you'll need keyword help.

the subjects you mention are not really sought after, so you will need many more images than if you shoot lifestyle or in general work directly with stock in mind.

I would think you will need 6 months of regular uploads to see sales. Around 30-50 files a week. If you have a lot of usable older work, try 100 a week. But you will need time for description and keywords and uploading.

Try several agencies -basically any from the top 6 that will take you. I wouldn�t supply one agency only. It will take much too long to build up a steady income.

I dont use much postprocessing. At the begining i will try with fotolia.

I haven't got 50$ from them last month (with 3540 pictures)

I am a beginner in selling my pictures, but not in the photography. My subjects are: architecture, landscape, travelfotographie. But no pro shoots with models.

Sounds like you don't do any planned shoots, and just capture what you find while walking about.  The market for that was hot in 2004.  Not so much today.

Quote from: cobalt on July 12, 2013, 16:55

the subjects you mention are not really sought after,

And/or there's a lot of competition.

Though there's probably even more competition in models shots.

the subjects you mention are not really sought after, so you will need many more images than if you shoot lifestyle or in general work directly with stock in mind.

I would think you will need 6 months of regular uploads to see sales. Around 30-50 files a week. If you have a lot of usable older work, try 100 a week. But you will need time for description and keywords and uploading.

Try several agencies -basically any from the top 6 that will take you. I wouldn�t supply one agency only. It will take much too long to build up a steady income.

Sorry, but I completely disagree. 90% of my photo income has been made off of the 3 areas he mentioned, and I far exceed $50 per month with relatively few files.

One should never say never. I know a photographer in Germany who photographed only cats. With a mobile small studio with limited equipment (2 flashes, background paper). And he earns a lot of money. Once through the commissioner, and then by stock agencies.

The problem is the payout levels. You can submit to 5 agencies and make 10 dollar per month each, but you have to wait 5 months to hit payout. The good thing is, you will get 250 dollar at once.

Yes, so true haha! I hate it wen I put all the proffit together but I can't get payout for the complete amount! But on the other hand it does make a nice bonus the next month.

Back on topic: there is really not an anwser for this. There was a poll on this forum were I think the average downloads for 300 images is 100. That would be about $40 to $50. But that is average. You could be above or under this. But I would suggest not to give up before you even tried. You will never know if you dont try. Try to get into shutterstock and Fotolia. They are my best earners for me. Good luck!

Give OP some hope.  Mebe needs to try before deciding to remain there or go away. Someone's wise decision may be foolish for others.  Mebe, Please go ahead with what ever you have and see how it all goes. If you need to tweak here and there, you would adjust to your surroundings.  You already know photography. People like me, start with nothing and we gain the ground. Don't pay much attention to rejections, criticism and of course the nay sayers. If people say, you can't do it, you must do it.

I think if anyone is going into something new, having little or no experience in it, and immediately worrying about how much money they'll make, they're already doomed to failure.

When did creative endeavors become so focused on the numbers before the craft? Maybe it was always like this, I'm just noticing it more today.

Instead of worrying about how many images you need, how about worrying about learning your craft and getting good at what you do. And enjoying it. The number one thing I read around here when it comes to people wanting to leave the business is burning out on image production. If you don't love what you're doing long before you decide to make an income from it, you're in for a long, hard road ahead.

Is stock photography necessarily that much of a "creative endeavour"?  It can be for some, probably many of us, but if you're serious about it then it should primarily be a business where you find your niche and then you target it, regardless of what your creative spirit might prefer you to do.  I know times have changed significantly but isn't that what Yuri did?  Focussing on numbers first is good business sense in any industry, I suspect it just feels a bit alien as many of us (myself included) approached it the other way around (ie, arse-backwards in the business world! Making images and having fun first, then numbers later).

Mebe sounds like an experienced photographer who looking to diversify revenue streams by branching out into stock.  S/he asked a perfectly reasonable question to try to find out if it was even worth their time.  It's not like $50 a month, generally speaking, is an extraordinary amount of money.

Mebe - I haven't made $50 per month but I'm not too far off it in the last six months, across 11 sites with 100-200 images with no people, although only the top six sites have been worth anything, and they match the top six in the poll on the right.  The kicker as someone else said, is the payout limits, which I've only hit on Shutterstock and iStock.  Stock is very finicky and you have to pixel-peep to ensure your quality is absolutely spot on, which may be a change from the photography you know, but I've found that learning curve interesting and useful.  Your old photos may not be up to scratch because of this though.  Do listen to rejections when you get useful feedback, but don't take them to heart and not every rejection will make sense, but some will and give you something to learn.  Definitely make use of an English dictionary for your titles, descriptions, and keywords.  Be warned it will be time-consuming.

Hey, im new to stock fotografie. How many pictures i need to have 50$ every month?

I can not over pictures with peoples due im new in the potographie.

with 50 unique images you'll be just fine (cos that should generate between 100-500 images going by the ports of ppl here).
I have 500 images (and I'm rubbish at making multiple images of the one shoot) and have just hit $300/month. no illustrations or video (just got a D800 so that could be in my future)