Author Topic: Difficult decision for a person who 18 years old (Read 3671 times)

ismailciydem · « **on:** June 19, 2015, 12:33 »

Hello my masters. Today ı feel so unstable. I know why. University exams are coming. alright, ı want to listen to you. Because ı really need your suggestion and experience. Because ı am youngest member of this community. I dont have experience about life. Im only 18 years. When ı be 18, ı immediately opened an account at iStock. Im uploading images for 6 months. (since 2015) Now I have 460 images and ı have 40 downloads. I dont want a boss in my life. I cant work for anyone. I want to a free life and work for myself in the future. Now ım preparing to university. - fine art,photography depertman -. I said ım unstable. Yes its true. When my downloads 250, in your opinipon should ı exlusive contract with iStock? or try other stock agencies? This is so importrant a choose for my life,my future. Im so young and ı dont want to be regretful in the future. This job have to be my main job. (please dont say me in case ''do this job as a hobby'') I am not sure. But ı want to be exlusive at iStock -im exlusive videographer by the way) I wait your important advices and experience for my future. Thank you so much masters. Sorry my english by the way... When you reply,please simple for me to understand you. Thank you masters...

cthoman · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2015, 12:57 »

It's a long journey and you are going to make mistakes along the way. I know I've made a lot (not just in microstock

). Just do what you think is best and learn from your mistakes.

Elenathewise · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2015, 12:58 »

hammarby007, I wouldn't advise being exclusive with any agency. If you're exclusive, it's less work to upload and track submissions, but at the same time it's way more risky - I've been 11 years in this business and seen agencies go up and down, earning like crazy and then dwindling to nothing. If you submit to many, your income can remain stable regardless of what this or that agency is going through.

ismailciydem · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:10 »

Thank you all. Dear Elenathewise, isn't it be hard send to different agencies images? In your opinion, what should ı do?

ShadySue · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:13 »

I think you have the answer, after six months. "Now I have 460 images and I have 40 downloads." In fact, that's pretty decent for new files in iStock, but you can see iStock isn't going to support you into the future. Back in the day, you could easily have had 400 dls in six months from 460 images. More or less depending on your port, obviously, but things have changed.
It is a bit different from having a boss in some ways, true; but they make all the rules and you can't budge an inch. It can be every bit as frustrating. In fact, with a personal boss, you can speak to them person to person and hope they can see logic. Even iStock has to report to Getty and Getty has to report to the investment company which now owns them. We're not free; they're not free. The company is accountable to their investors, who don't really care about the company and certainly not about their suppliers (us).

I'm iS exclusive, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone starting out now, and especially to anyone who needs it as their livelihood.

Rage · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:19 »

I'm at almost the same level as you. I use stockuploader to send to multiple agencies. My largest earner is istock but shutterstock is fast becoming my favorite. So upload, learn, it'll take effort and time but it will be fun.

Rose Tinted Glasses · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:25 »

This has been asked a million times. The one and only correct answer is to just follow your instincts. There are both pros and cons to being exclusive or not. I am exclusive in both stills and video and it works well for me. I think the Site Earnings Rating is a reasonably decent barometer of what you can expect, albeit it is by no means accurate. Whatever you choose, it's a long road to make it into a full time living, and very few ever manage to make it that far. Good luck!

ismailciydem · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:30 »

I think I really follow my instincts like Rose Tinted Glasses said. In this situation, if ı reach 250 downloads, ı will be exlusive. Thank you.

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:46 »

Quote from: hammarby007 on June 19, 2015, 13:30

I think I really follow my instincts like Rose Tinted Glasses said. In this situation, if ı reach 250 downloads, ı will be exlusive. Thank you.

My word, please dont.

WeatherENG · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2015, 13:47 »

I would also spend a lot of time studying the business case for the industry (photo/video) that you have such passion for, today things change so fast, how to predict the future?, who are your customers, what are their needs? where is photo/video going?, business, marketing, internet marketing, SEO, so much....I have no clue myself on half of it. Was it just yesterday the new Adobe stock platform was launched?.

I'd almost do up a proper business plan, as if you where doing a startup, get the numbers, you have time to study and research this business well so that should be part of it.

and this....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whJxdb_xnyg

M
http://www.pond5.com/artist/WeatherENG

Elenathewise · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2015, 15:15 »

Quote from: hammarby007 on June 19, 2015, 13:10

Thank you all. Dear Elenathewise, isn't it be hard send to different agencies images? In your opinion, what should ı do?

Well if you want to make a living doing stock photography, prepare for a lot of *very hard* work... ;-)

StanRohrer · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2015, 16:59 »

With the decreasing sales volume at iStock, I think it very hard for a new contributor to move up in the payout percentages. Exclusive or not, the payout percentages rarely compare well with other sites. As an Exclusive you are locked into the iStock bottom of the levels unless you can sell very, very well.

Further, some images sell better on different sites. So until you know where your style of work sells, you may be stuck on a site where your returns are lower than other sites. I'd say spread the images for a while (be careful of some sites that lock your images in for long periods) and then debate exclusivity after seeing ongoing results. This Adobe Stock thing may just change the playing field and it would be unwise to be tied to a company that becomes a loser in the market shift.

[I am iS Exclusive since somewhere back about 2004].