Author Topic: S J Locke Uploading to Shutterstock (Read 54549 times)

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #50 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:21 »

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57

Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

A lot of it is more concept then lifestyle, which should help. The really dated stuff, I'm avoiding.

loop · « **Reply #51 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:39 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on January 10, 2014, 14:00

Quote from: stockastic on January 10, 2014, 13:52
Quote from: cobalt on January 09, 2014, 18:46
It means they have very good peopleskills and know how to respect the community as a group of independent entrepreneurs that they meet at eye level.

Sorry but for me, 35 cents isn't "eye level."

The only place I get 35 cents (or less) is iStock or dreamstime - if you're going to criticize SS, at least keep up with where things actually are versus some straw horse that's convenient but incorrect.

Deleted because posted as a reply towrong post.

suemack · « **Reply #52 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:44 »

Good luck Sean

not that I think you'll need it with your port!

loop · « **Reply #53 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:54 »

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57

Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

Do now mechanics wear fucsia overalls and page haircuts? I don't see great differences with Sean's images on SS: most could have been shot last year. With his backlog I don't see any need to shoot new stuff just for SS; as I understand (maybe wrongly) Sean's new and far better stuff goes to Stocksy.

gostwyck · « **Reply #54 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:59 »

Quote from: loop on January 10, 2014, 14:54

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57
Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

Do now mechanics wear fucsia overalls and page haircuts? I don't see great differences with Sean's images on SS: most could have been shot last year. With his backlog I don't see any need to shoot new stuff just for SS; as I understand (maybe wrongly) Sean's new and far better stuff goes to Stocksy.

Exactly. My older images still sell regularly on all agencies that they appear on. Of my last 20 downloads at IS for example, 12 of them were uploaded between 2005-8.

stockastic · « **Reply #55 on:** January 10, 2014, 14:59 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on January 10, 2014, 14:00

Quote from: stockastic on January 10, 2014, 13:52
Quote from: cobalt on January 09, 2014, 18:46
It means they have very good peopleskills and know how to respect the community as a group of independent entrepreneurs that they meet at eye level.

Sorry but for me, 35 cents isn't "eye level."

The only place I get 35 cents (or less) is iStock or dreamstime - if you're going to criticize SS, at least keep up with where things actually are versus some straw horse that's convenient but incorrect.

I apologize for that misrepresentation - I am actually getting only 33 cents per subscription download.

Ron · « **Reply #56 on:** January 10, 2014, 15:01 »

Quote from: stockastic on January 10, 2014, 14:59

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on January 10, 2014, 14:00
Quote from: stockastic on January 10, 2014, 13:52
Quote from: cobalt on January 09, 2014, 18:46
It means they have very good peopleskills and know how to respect the community as a group of independent entrepreneurs that they meet at eye level.

Sorry but for me, 35 cents isn't "eye level."

The only place I get 35 cents (or less) is iStock or dreamstime - if you're going to criticize SS, at least keep up with where things actually are versus some straw horse that's convenient but incorrect.

I apologize for that misrepresentation - I am actually only getting 33 cents per subscription download.

Well, then there is still a 15% raise to be earned. Try that on IS. lol

Shelma1 · « **Reply #57 on:** January 10, 2014, 15:46 »

At least with Shutterstock you get a "raise" after you sell a certain number of images (though I do wish there were more/higher tiers for those of us who reach new levels).

On iStock I'm at the one and only vector rate (recently raised to 20%), and my earnings per DL are dropping each month, as more non-exclusive images are shifted to PP purchases rather than iStock purchases. It's sort of the opposite at Shutterstock, where my earnings per DL are rising thanks to ELs, etc. They're close to neck and neck now, but SS will soon outpace iS.

So my earnings stay pretty much level (except for Amazing Mistaken October) at iStock despite adding new files, while they continue to rise at SS.

Keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for Symbiostock.

lisafx · « **Reply #58 on:** January 10, 2014, 16:10 »

I'm late to the party, but wanted to say Welcome to Sean. I would say "good luck" too, but you won't need it. Your images, even older ones, are of a quality where you don't need luck to sell them.

I think you will see in a very short time that you made a good decision. Your earnings will most likely be in the (high) double and triple digits per day there by the end of this year, assuming you upload a large quantity of images.

I also think you are smart to use this opportunity (unasked for though it was) to do different things with different segments of your portfolio. Lots of us who have been indie for a long time have everything pretty much everywhere. If I were to start as an indie today it would make a lot more sense to do as you are doing and keep the better or more unusual stuff for boutique sites and spread around the more common subjects.

Snufkin · « **Reply #59 on:** January 10, 2014, 17:12 »

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 07:25

Roughly you get one EL on every 500 DLs, thats seems to a reliable average.

Interesting. I checked mine and in the years 2008-2013 I had 1 EL per 250.21 downloads (including footage sales).

However, in 2013 I had only 1 EL per 361.08 downloads.
4 of my best-selling photos had very frequent ELs before 2013, then the new most-popular sort hurt them, which may explain the drop.

Anyway, I think SS is currently the best place for the type of images that Sean decided to upload there.
The real fun at SS begins when the images reach high positions in the most-popular sort of popular searches. Unfortunately it seems to be more difficult than 2-3 years ago.

Ron · « **Reply #60 on:** January 10, 2014, 17:19 »

Started March 2012, 641 DLs per EL.

gbalex · « **Reply #61 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:04 »

Good luck Sean

On a normal weekday I'd expect about 10% to 15% of my portfolio to be downloaded. I have been a submitter since 2004 and until last March my daily percentage was higher. As a new submitter I would expect your % to be higher than mine.

I would also encourage you to explore DT, in recent months my port there exceeds earnings at SS.

ShadySue · « **Reply #62 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:12 »

Quote from: loop on January 10, 2014, 14:54

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57
Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

Do now mechanics wear fucsia overalls and page haircuts?

Yes, of course, but in real life, probably not on stock:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2338905/Britain-s-girl-garage-Women-flock-cars-serviced-female-mechanics-men-arent-far-.html

Ron · « **Reply #63 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:13 »

Quote from: gostwyck on January 10, 2014, 14:59

Quote from: loop on January 10, 2014, 14:54
Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57
Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

Do now mechanics wear fucsia overalls and page haircuts? I don't see great differences with Sean's images on SS: most could have been shot last year. With his backlog I don't see any need to shoot new stuff just for SS; as I understand (maybe wrongly) Sean's new and far better stuff goes to Stocksy.

Exactly. My older images still sell regularly on all agencies that they appear on. Of my last 20 downloads at IS for example, 12 of them were uploaded between 2005-8.

Sure, they've earned their search position over time. Dont you shoot food and landscapes? Quite timeless, no?

ruxpriencdiam · « **Reply #64 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:29 »

No Mechanics do not wear coveralls of any type and haven't since back in the 70's!

Trust me on this I am an Auto Tech and have been for more then 30 years and I myself never wore coveralls but the Man who taught me did and he was what we could call an old timer.

In today's world Mechanics dress in nice uniforms with nothing on them to scratch the cars paint when leaning over them and they must wear safety shoes of some type.

They have also been getting relaxed in lots of shops and are allowing techs to wear T-shirts and shorts!

So forget the coveralls that is a thing of the past and can actually be very dangerous because you have more clothing on for moving parts to grab onto and pull you into harms way!!!!

Quote from: ShadySue on January 10, 2014, 18:12

Quote from: loop on January 10, 2014, 14:54
Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57
Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

Do now mechanics wear fucsia overalls and page haircuts?

Yes, of course, but in real life, probably not on stock:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2338905/Britain-s-girl-garage-Women-flock-cars-serviced-female-mechanics-men-arent-far-.html

Mantis · « **Reply #65 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:42 »

Quote from: gostwyck on January 10, 2014, 11:25

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on January 10, 2014, 07:07
11 sub sales yesterday, don't know if that is good or bad. I like the map interface on the home page for sales. Not crazy about using description meta as the title because I have to retype all my titles. The model release manager would be more useful if you could do multiple releases for people. I have to add the date of the release to the name to tell the difference.

Downloads at SS are not yet up to full speed after the festive season __ I'd say they are only about 75% of what I'd consider 'normal'. On a normal weekday I'd expect about 2% of my portfolio to be downloaded. I seem to remember you out-selling me on IS by about 5x so I'd expect you to sell up to 10% of your portfolio on a given day when things are busy.

Early sales on new images are to be expected although not as much as they once were. I'm sure long-term subscribers regularly trawl for new images in the subjects that they have an interest in. Generally speaking however it can take an image up to 6 months to attain its optimum sort-order position.

Sort order position is entirely driven by the keywords actually used when an image is downloaded. Therefore similar images from the same series often prove popular in different keyword searches. For example a series of a family camping might have one image popular on a search using 'camping', another image popular with 'outdoors' and another with 'family vacation'.

I'm sure you have a made a good move with Shutterstock. Stock images by their nature are a depreciating asset and you might as well have them earning you good money whilst they are depreciating rather than hidden away on a hard drive somewhere.

I'd recommend DT for further exploration next. Earnings at DT, for a given portfolio, might be expected to earn at roughly 20-25% of the same portfolio at SS. However earnings tend to be particularly stable at DT because RPD increases as images ascend Levels. Don't forget to stuff titles and descriptions at DT with the most important keywords (NB: they don't have to make perfect grammatical sense).

Btw __ have you tried the SS Contributors' App on your iPad yet? If you like the map you'll love the app! It's brilliant for quickly checking daily/weekly sales, total earnings for each image and the keywords used by buyers.

I am glad to see it's not just me. My sales, while up since xmas, are still a good bit eroded.

ShadySue · « **Reply #66 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:53 »

Quote

ruxpriencdiam Location. Third stone from the sun

" Mechanics do not wear coveralls of any type and haven't since back in the 70's!"

Here on planet Earth, my car mechanic wears traditional blue overalls. The other one in my town wears tan overalls.

Curvabezier · « **Reply #67 on:** January 10, 2014, 18:59 »

Sean, always admired your dedicated and professional approach on the industry and the microstock community, and I still do. This might sound odd, but personally, I find your decision to give it a try on SS a bit reassuring. Somehow, if you are trying it, SS might not be such a bad place to do business. Good luck!

Mantis · « **Reply #68 on:** January 10, 2014, 19:13 »

Quote from: ShadySue on January 10, 2014, 18:53

Quote
ruxpriencdiam Location. Third stone from the sun

" Mechanics do not wear coveralls of any type and haven't since back in the 70's!"

Here on planet Earth, my car mechanic wears traditional blue overalls. The other one in my town wears tan overalls.

Exactly. I know two mechanics, one works for the police and wears a uniform, the other has his own shop and wears green coveralls. Rux has a tendency to look in the mirror and call it the world.

Ron · « **Reply #69 on:** January 10, 2014, 19:31 »

The garage I go to the guy guy wears a sweater and jeans. By the way rux is right. The chain garages have some sort of uniform.

elvinstar · « **Reply #70 on:** January 10, 2014, 20:42 »

Quote from: djpadavona on January 10, 2014, 13:04

Sean was inspired to upload to SS while listening to Romeo Void?

Wow, hat's a blast from the past! I used to love that song! I had to go to YouTube to listen to it again.

For those of you that have never heard it, or just want to hear it again, here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePIImGMjn_8

KB · « **Reply #71 on:** January 10, 2014, 23:57 »

My lowest sale since I became exclusive at IS was 20c -- from Getty Images' Partner Portal.

But happily the sale was refunded 3 months later, (without notice).

So it's like it never happened, and now my lowest sale was whatever it was on IS (recently probably about $0.40 or $0.50).

lisafx · « **Reply #72 on:** January 11, 2014, 00:00 »

Quote from: KB on January 10, 2014, 23:57

My lowest sale since I became exclusive at IS was 20c -- from Getty Images' Partner Portal.

But happily the sale was refunded 3 months later, (without notice). So it's like it never happened, and now my lowest sale was whatever it was on IS (recently probably about $0.40 or $0.50).

LOL. Hard to say if this is an endorsement or indictment of Getty.

At least it show's you're an optimist. A pessimist might conclude that the download had gone from paying .20 in royalties to paying .00.

Konstantin Sutyagin · « **Reply #73 on:** January 11, 2014, 03:45 »

One release per model is all they need really. That is the key Shutterstock uses to show "Same Model | See All" underneath a picture. If you upload multiple releases per model customers wouldn't be able to get to all photos of the same model with one click.

pro@stockphotos · « **Reply #74 on:** January 11, 2014, 06:55 »

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on January 10, 2014, 14:21

Quote from: Ron on January 10, 2014, 13:57
Quote from: brm1949 on January 10, 2014, 13:03
Good luck Sean, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised at your returns on SS with the rep you have and your port. I'm only a small fish but compared to what IS does and is doing, real professionalism is plain to see. Enjoy your success. SS is really not a bad company.
7 year old images also show 7 year old clothing, hairstyles and interiors. Lifestyle is the toughest category, and Seans 7 year old images will be competing against new fresh up to date content, and millions of it. Its not going to be an easy ride, but I am sure with more and new content he will make a decent return.

A lot of it is more concept then lifestyle, which should help. The really dated stuff, I'm avoiding.

Good thing monkey business did not take this advice. Most of the images theyt put on istock were taken with an outdated camera and lifestyle shots of 7 years old or more. It did not seem to hurt their sales. Generic clothing and looks don't change much even after ten years. I have a photo from 1997 of me with friends that looks like it could have been from 2 years ago. Only change is every one would look older now.

Same with the getty junk they sold as agency on IS. That stuff was from the 1990s. No one seem to notice. The only dated item was the file size.

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Author Topic: S J Locke Uploading to Shutterstock (Read 54549 times)

Sean Locke Photography

loop

suemack

loop

gostwyck

stockastic

Ron

Shelma1

lisafx

Snufkin

Ron

gbalex

ShadySue

Ron

ruxpriencdiam

Mantis

ShadySue

Curvabezier

Mantis

Ron

elvinstar

KB

lisafx

Konstantin Sutyagin

pro@stockphotos

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