Author Topic: Shutterstock Milestones (Read 53713 times)

dpimborough · « **Reply #50 on:** November 16, 2018, 11:16 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 16, 2018, 10:10

Hey, tried to sneak one past me, didn't they?

Nov. 12th 2018 231 Million images on Shutterstock.

They could at least be honest

1 million really good images

2 million not so bad images

100 million really krap images that would make your eyes bleed

and 128 million similars and stolen images

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #51 on:** November 16, 2018, 11:28 »

Quote from: Sammy the Cat on November 16, 2018, 11:16

Quote from: Uncle Pete on November 16, 2018, 10:10
Hey, tried to sneak one past me, didn't they?

Nov. 12th 2018 231 Million images on Shutterstock.

They could at least be honest

1 million really good images

2 million not so bad images

100 million really krap images that would make your eyes bleed

and 128 million similars and stolen images

100% agreement. The numbers are for impressing investors, not for us or license buyers.

Edit: Adobe has 125 million images, but that includes Editorial and everything else. Just "images" is 116 million, which I think means Illustrations, Photos and Vectors, Etc. not video, 3D, premium, Editorial.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #52 on:** December 27, 2018, 09:15 »

2018 Update

Shutterstock Milestones:

September 21, 2006 - Shutterstock surpasses one million stock photos
February 20, 2009 -Shutterstock reaches 6 million photos, (5 million 2.5 years)
February 14, 2010 - Shutterstock reaches 10 million Photos (4 million 12 months)
June 19, 2012 - Shutterstock reaches 20 million stock Images (10 Million 28 months)
October 30, 2013 - Shutterstock reaches 30 million images (10 million 15 months)
August 4, 2014 - Shutterstock celebrates 40 million images in it's collection. (10 million 10 months)
December 31, 2014 - 46.8 million images in the collection. (1 million new files per month)
March 3, 2015 - 50 Million Image mark is reached (10 million in 7 months for those watching)
August 12, 2015 - 60 Million Images (10 million in 160 days. 62,500 new files a day)
December 15, 2015 - 70 Million Images (four months)
March 26, 2016 - 80 Million
June 16, 2016 - 90 Million (10 million under three months)
Sept 8, 2016 - 100 Million
February 2017 - 110 Million
October 28, 2017 – 160 Million
December 29, 2017 - 170 Million (10 million new two months)

February 24, 2018 - 180 Million
April 16, 2018 - 190 Million (20 million new in 3.5 months)
June 10, 2018 - 200 Million (10 million new in 55 days)
August 1, 2018 - 210 Million (10 million new in 53 days)
Sept. 26th 2018 - 220 Million images now on Shutterstock
Nov. 12th 2018 - 231 Million images on Shutterstock.
Dec. 26th, 2018 - 240 Million royalty-free stock images Shutterstock (10 million new in 44 days)

70 million new images added in 2018 vs 10 years to add that same amount 2005-2015

End of Dec. 2018
17877 contributors with over 1000 images
7616 Authors with over 1000 video clips

wds · « **Reply #53 on:** December 27, 2018, 09:25 »

It would be interesting to know of those 200 million plus images, the percentage that have sold at least once.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #54 on:** December 27, 2018, 09:51 »

Quote from: wds on December 27, 2018, 09:25

It would be interesting to know of those 200 million plus images, the percentage that have sold at least once.

And note that the 17,877 artists is our competition, some of those are the spam portfolios that probably have 10 images out of 1,000 sold at all and 99% never get one sale. There are a good number of people with 2,000 walkabout images that will have terrible sales, they don't make anything that displays a concept or has any use for illustrating and idea or telling a story.

People who care, like most forum members, will have much better results. Personally I'm at 27% but there's a bunch of old stale tabletop and nasty bad illustrations, plus some things I found around the house or office and did tabletop. Since I do some specialty areas, many times I make one of a kind or three of a subject, even with that, all of the three, for example, don't get downloads, but one will get better attention.

Years ago, and I realize much has changed in both, the average income of forum members here, was in the top 5% of all iStock contributors. There are many ways to view that, like serious people made better income and others came and went without having their boat leave the dock.

That's one reason why I thought the SS stats are interesting, at least these people have 1,000 images which shows they did more than sign up.

When we had referrals, and I didn't try hard but I did have some, two people out of 20. that I got from a Photo Forum, actually passed the test, only one ever had a sale. Somehow last year, out of the blue I had another join and make a single sale. Whoo Hoo! Big celebration?

But what I'm getting at is nearly 18,000 people who have invested sometime and effort, to produce and upload images.

mindstorm · « **Reply #55 on:** December 27, 2018, 12:47 »

Quote from: wds on December 27, 2018, 09:25

It would be interesting to know of those 200 million plus images, the percentage that have sold at least once.

One of the forums I frequent is run by a guy that has frequent interactions with the heads of Shutterstock, Adobe stock, etc. After a meeting with at a big electronics show earlier this year in New York, he reported some key info.

The SS rep stated that 90% of their photos never have a single sale. The other agencies agreed that was about the right ratio.

They then went to say that the trick is to figure out WHICH 10% will sell. They are each trying different approaches to try to raise that percentage, but none have come up with a workable mechanism yet.

jonbull · « **Reply #56 on:** December 27, 2018, 13:21 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on December 27, 2018, 09:15

2018 Update

Shutterstock Milestones:

September 21, 2006 - Shutterstock surpasses one million stock photos
February 20, 2009 -Shutterstock reaches 6 million photos, (5 million 2.5 years)
February 14, 2010 - Shutterstock reaches 10 million Photos (4 million 12 months)
June 19, 2012 - Shutterstock reaches 20 million stock Images (10 Million 28 months)
October 30, 2013 - Shutterstock reaches 30 million images (10 million 15 months)
August 4, 2014 - Shutterstock celebrates 40 million images in it's collection. (10 million 10 months)
December 31, 2014 - 46.8 million images in the collection. (1 million new files per month)
March 3, 2015 - 50 Million Image mark is reached (10 million in 7 months for those watching)
August 12, 2015 - 60 Million Images (10 million in 160 days. 62,500 new files a day)
December 15, 2015 - 70 Million Images (four months)
March 26, 2016 - 80 Million
June 16, 2016 - 90 Million (10 million under three months)
Sept 8, 2016 - 100 Million
February 2017 - 110 Million
October 28, 2017 – 160 Million
December 29, 2017 - 170 Million (10 million new two months)

February 24, 2018 - 180 Million
April 16, 2018 - 190 Million (20 million new in 3.5 months)
June 10, 2018 - 200 Million (10 million new in 55 days)
August 1, 2018 - 210 Million (10 million new in 53 days)
Sept. 26th 2018 - 220 Million images now on Shutterstock
Nov. 12th 2018 - 231 Million images on Shutterstock.
Dec. 26th, 2018 - 240 Million royalty-free stock images Shutterstock (10 million new in 44 days)

70 million new images added in 2018 vs 10 years to add that same amount 2005-2015

End of Dec. 2018
17877 contributors with over 1000 images
7616 Authors with over 1000 video clips

and we complain about sales...i'm still amazed i can reach some sales every month.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #57 on:** December 27, 2018, 22:04 »

Quote from: mindstorm on December 27, 2018, 12:47

Quote from: wds on December 27, 2018, 09:25
It would be interesting to know of those 200 million plus images, the percentage that have sold at least once.

One of the forums I frequent is run by a guy that has frequent interactions with the heads of Shutterstock, Adobe stock, etc. After a meeting with at a big electronics show earlier this year in New York, he reported some key info.

The SS rep stated that 90% of their photos never have a single sale. The other agencies agreed that was about the right ratio.

They then went to say that the trick is to figure out WHICH 10% will sell. They are each trying different approaches to try to raise that percentage, but none have come up with a workable mechanism yet.

Sounds reasonable considering some of the files that have been accepted on SS lately. For AS I'm surprised because I know they try harder to keep the quality up. But all very believable.

And repeating, the people here do better than average so if we are at 72% never one sale that's fair as well.

I will say, that the same files pretty much sell everywhere and the same duds, don't sell anywhere.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #58 on:** December 28, 2018, 03:32 »

Quote from: mindstorm on December 27, 2018, 12:47

Quote from: wds on December 27, 2018, 09:25
It would be interesting to know of those 200 million plus images, the percentage that have sold at least once.

One of the forums I frequent is run by a guy that has frequent interactions with the heads of Shutterstock, Adobe stock, etc. After a meeting with at a big electronics show earlier this year in New York, he reported some key info.

The SS rep stated that 90% of their photos never have a single sale. The other agencies agreed that was about the right ratio.

They then went to say that the trick is to figure out WHICH 10% will sell. They are each trying different approaches to try to raise that percentage, but none have come up with a workable mechanism yet.

I don't believe they really are though. It would be easy to raise that percentage by having tighter quality control. However that would reduce the overall total sales as those images that we might all consider rubbish but still for some bizarre reason someone buys wouldn't be available . As the cost of maintaining pictures on the web gets closer and closer to zero I don't think agencies care much about what proportion sells hence the trend toward "loose" inspection.

BigBubba · « **Reply #59 on:** January 07, 2019, 13:29 »

Hi,
In the past year or so, someone posted a deep contributor statistic file here, something with data about how many contributors are from each country, and other statistics.

Any chance for a link? Couldn’t find it.
Any chance for the recent file as well?

Thanks.
ShutterStock fan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #60 on:** January 07, 2019, 14:14 »

Quote from: Liorpt on January 07, 2019, 13:29

Hi,
In the past year or so, someone posted a deep contributor statistic file here, something with data about how many contributors are from each country, and other statistics.

Any chance for a link? Couldn’t find it.
Any chance for the recent file as well?

Thanks.
ShutterStock fan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Probably this, in Off Topic, but you are right, better here.

http://www.microstockgroup.com/off-topic/what-to-do-with-site-www-microstock-top/

BigBubba · « **Reply #61 on:** January 07, 2019, 14:39 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 07, 2019, 14:14

Quote from: Liorpt on January 07, 2019, 13:29
Hi,
In the past year or so, someone posted a deep contributor statistic file here, something with data about how many contributors are from each country, and other statistics.

Any chance for a link? Couldn’t find it.
Any chance for the recent file as well?

Thanks.
ShutterStock fan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Probably this, in Off Topic, but you are right, better here.

http://www.microstockgroup.com/off-topic/what-to-do-with-site-www-microstock-top/

Fantastic, Thank you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #62 on:** January 17, 2019, 01:50 »

Earlier today SS was at 244,523,790 images online. I looked at that because I was taken aback at the image number of an approval this week - it was 1.28 billion

Assuming that they are actually assigning numbers to uploads sequentially, which I think they are, that's a staggering number.

Given the number of images online, the ratio is 5.256 - meaning for every image accepted, 5.256 are submitted. That's over the life of the agency. I wondered if that ratio had varied from year to year.

When the collection started to balloon in 2013-14, and when they did away with the 7/10 acceptance to become a contributor in 2015, I assumed, as I think many did, that they just accepted more of the work submitted - and that the junk came from the dropping of any useful standards.

I did a little sleuthing with numbers today and it told me that the issue was not accepting a higher portion of what they received, but increasing the number submitted by a vast amount.

As a contributor, I have image numbers with an approval date that will tell me the total images submitted by that date. With the Wayback Machine, I can look at the total number of images online on the site on that date (after December 2004 when there were "more than 53,000 images" online; before that they didn't show collection size.

My earliest image was from October 28 2004, number 18,634; I found image submittals at roughly yearly intervals (sometimes the dates didn't line up exactly) except for my hiatus while exclusive at iStock.

Not surprisingly, in 2004 and 2005 the ratio of images submitted : accepted was very low - 1.779 and 1.875. They were accepting more than half of what they received. That climbed to 3.035 by October 2007.

Picking back up in October 2011 through August 2016, the number floated around the 5 mark - 4.345 was the lowest between 2015 and 2016. They were then receiving 464K images a day and approving 106K per day

Between Aug 2016 and Feb 2017 the ratio soared to 7.618 - they were receiving 610K images a day and only putting 80K online

From Feb to Nov 2017 things settled back down and the ratio was 3.529, but then between Nov 2017 and Sep 2018, the images per day exploded to 1.38 million, with only 182K going online - ratio back up to 7.566

It's possible there was some chunk of image numbers skipped or reserved during that time - my only data is the image numbers of my submissions.

From Sep 2018 to Jan 15 2019, the acceptance ratio is now 4.006 and submissions are a less crazy (but still very high) 861K per day

You certainly have to wonder at the insane numbers of submissions after 2013 - 2014 or so. I still believe they aren't doing themselves - or contributors - any favors by encouraging this sort of bloatware.

I would also love to see what they're rejecting (given some of the horrendously bad images we've seen them flood the collection with).

Pauws99 · « **Reply #63 on:** January 17, 2019, 03:17 »

Another factor here is their policy on resubmitting rejected images. In the past you needed to be careful not to do this too often or you could be in trouble. Now it seems they actively encourage it.

I believe their theory is that "intelligent" search technology means the dross is not presented to buyers too much. Probably an unproven theory at best.

The problem they have created for themselves is that the sheer volume of submissions must make Inspection almost unmanageable with vast numbers of images inspected that are not approved or even if they are very unlikely to sell. I suspect many images are "waved through". Along with this they have a vast number of naive contributors requiring lots of support for even the most basic questions....hence the need to outsource customer service.

I also think its a pretty cynical ploy to give to people in poorer countries the impression that by uploading a couple of dozen phone pics they are going to make serious money.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #64 on:** January 17, 2019, 14:54 »

Interesting Jo Ann, I didn't quote the whole thing, but how are you determining the accepted and rejection ratios? For some reason every upload is +3 from the last used number. if an image is #10,000 the next is 10,003 I don't know if that makes any difference to how you figured rejections?

And yes, That's why I started tracking the total images growth as it was exploding. Now I'm just trying to note every 10 Million new images. Seems kind of strange as that's around every two months now and it took about 5 years to reach the first 10 Million, 2 1/2 years for the next 10 million. And we wonder why sales started dropping in 2012?

February 14, 2010 - Shutterstock reaches 10 million Photos (4 million 12 months)
June 19, 2012 - Shutterstock reaches 20 million stock Images (10 Million 28 months)

Last 10 Million new images accepted was 44 days.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #65 on:** January 17, 2019, 16:25 »

Well that makes things more complicated

I looked at some images, recent and older, and the every-third-image numbering scheme wasn't always the way things were. So images from the early days - I checked some from 2006 - are sequential. By 2011 (when I came back from exclusivity and started uploading again, the numbers are every third.

I did check some searches by number just to see if other people got assigned numbers in between my image numbers from a batch uploaded sequentially, and I can't find anything when searching for those "in between" numbers, so I assume they're skipping them completely.

That does affect the ratio, but it doesn't affect the overall patterns and how they change over time. There was higher rate of rejections from late 2016 and they accepted almost everything in the summer of 2017, for example.

This morning I dug around to see when the image assigned numbers really jumped up, and was able to narrow it down to something happening on Jan 20, 2018 where image numbers in the high 797 millions were followed - on the same day - by numbers in the low 1 billion range. I can't find any online content (with some quick spot checks; I'm too lazy to do more) with image numbers in the 800 million or 900 million range, so I think they skipped some numbers.

I think I'm just going to let this investigation go as there's too little solid data.

By the way, if you want to find the upload date for an image - they don't display it on the page - use the browser's View Source option and search for "datePublished".

gnirtS · « **Reply #66 on:** January 18, 2019, 00:57 »

Quote

By the way, if you want to find the upload date for an image - they don't display it on the page - use the browser's View Source option and search for "datePublished".

Thats the best tip ive read for ages.

I just ran it on a lot of the fraudulent accounts people on the SS forum have identified. Pretty much every single on of them started uploading the stolen images from October 2018 onwards (original images 2013 or earlier). It looks like towards Q4 2018 a brand new SS security bug appeared, the known bugs got exploited industrially or maybe more and more image backs became available on torrents/black market.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #67 on:** January 18, 2019, 11:15 »

Quote from: gnirtS on January 18, 2019, 00:57

Quote
By the way, if you want to find the upload date for an image - they don't display it on the page - use the browser's View Source option and search for "datePublished".

Thats the best tip ive read for ages.

I just ran it on a lot of the fraudulent accounts people on the SS forum have identified. Pretty much every single on of them started uploading the stolen images from October 2018 onwards (original images 2013 or earlier). It looks like towards Q4 2018 a brand new SS security bug appeared, the known bugs got exploited industrially or maybe more and more image backs became available on torrents/black market.

Sorry but the preview without a watermark has been around way before 2018, it's been that way back to pretty much forever, just that it's one way to get free, not so large, downloads. This in not a SS only bug as there are also sites that have links to get free from IS or AS as well. Part of the problem is even easier, if you can view an image, it's on your computer in the cache. Anything you see, is already downloaded. In other words, if a site shows an image, the person with a computer view it, already has a copy. That's the way the web works.

You findings are also flawed as there are a number of older thief accounts that haven't been detected because they are using parts of vectors, making changes and they don't show up as easily as stolen photos that are just cropped, flipped, re-colored or filtered. Vector thieves who make composites or use parts are harder to find. I just discovered one that has over 1.3 million images. They could have a subscription, and legally download all they want.

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on January 17, 2019, 16:25

Well that makes things more complicated

I looked at some images, recent and older, and the every-third-image numbering scheme wasn't always the way things were. So images from the early days - I checked some from 2006 - are sequential. By 2011 (when I came back from exclusivity and started uploading again, the numbers are every third.

I did check some searches by number just to see if other people got assigned numbers in between my image numbers from a batch uploaded sequentially, and I can't find anything when searching for those "in between" numbers, so I assume they're skipping them completely.

That does affect the ratio, but it doesn't affect the overall patterns and how they change over time. There was higher rate of rejections from late 2016 and they accepted almost everything in the summer of 2017, for example.

This morning I dug around to see when the image assigned numbers really jumped up, and was able to narrow it down to something happening on Jan 20, 2018 where image numbers in the high 797 millions were followed - on the same day - by numbers in the low 1 billion range. I can't find any online content (with some quick spot checks; I'm too lazy to do more) with image numbers in the 800 million or 900 million range, so I think they skipped some numbers.

I think I'm just going to let this investigation go as there's too little solid data.

By the way, if you want to find the upload date for an image - they don't display it on the page - use the browser's View Source option and search for "datePublished".

Good discovery Jo Ann I started using the view page source and searching for "datep" (just shorter, nothing different) to see datepublished. Makes finding the first upload easier. Although unlikely the real artist could have been the second to upload if they had the same image somewhere else, where it was stolen, and the creator didn't upload to SS until more recently. Unlikely but possible.

I found the file numbering many years ago as far as I could see, the images were numbered 3 apart from the beginning. I was playing and bored at the office and started searching for first the oldest image, and then there was a big gap, until the system actually went live. I also located Jon's portfolio which was fun.

Not disagreeing that reviews are more lenient or many more images are getting in, almost without review. Just noting that if you used file numbers, the actual number of images uploaded and rejected would be 1/3rd. I don't know if that would change the acceptance rate?

Also as noted, people get rejections and re-up images. I know I have. When I send in a batch of Editorial and they are rejected for focus or some higher image standard (old days) I'd wait until Monday and send them again. Invariably 100% accepted. Just like now, some of the reviewers must just make some quick cash by wholesale rejects, and we pay by having to upload everything over again.

By the same theory some could also be accepting based on looking at a few in a batch and passing all.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #68 on:** February 20, 2019, 06:28 »

Shutterstock Milestones:

September 21, 2006 - Shutterstock surpasses one million stock photos

February 20, 2009 -Shutterstock reaches 6 million photos, (5 million 2.5 years)

February 14, 2010 - Shutterstock reaches 10 million Photos (4 million 12 months)

June 19, 2012 - Shutterstock reaches 20 million stock Images (10 Million 28 months)

October 30, 2013 - Shutterstock reaches 30 million images (10 million 15 months)

August 4, 2014 - Shutterstock celebrates 40 million images in it's collection. (10 million 10 months)
December 31, 2014 - 46.8 million images in the collection. (1 million new files per month)

March 3, 2015 - 50 Million Image mark is reached (10 million in 7 months for those watching)
August 12, 2015 - 60 Million Images (10 million in 160 days. 62,500 new files a day)
December 15, 2015 - 70 Million Images (four months)

March 26, 2016 - 80 Million
June 16, 2016 - 90 Million (10 million under three months)
Sept 8, 2016 - 100 Million

February 2017 - 110 Million
October 28, 2017 – 160 Million
December 29, 2017 - 170 Million (10 million new two months)

Feb. 24, 2018 - 180 Million
April 16, 2018 - 190 Million (20 million new in 3.5 months)
June 10, 2018 - 200 Million (10 million new in 55 days)
August 1, 2018 - 210 Million (10 million new in 53 days)
Sept. 26th 2018 - 220 Million images now on Shutterstock
Nov. 12th 2018 - 231 Million images on Shutterstock.
Dec. 26th, 2018 - 240 Million images Shutterstock (10 million new in 44 days)

Feb. 14, 2019 - 250 Million images on Shutterstock (10 million new 49 days)

Brasilnut · « **Reply #69 on:** February 20, 2019, 06:38 »

At this rate (10 million images accepted average every 50 days), in just over 10 years there will be 1 billion images on there :/

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #70 on:** February 20, 2019, 06:52 »

Quote from: Brasilnut on February 20, 2019, 06:38

At this rate (10 million images accepted average every 50 days), in just over 10 years there will be 1 billion images on there :/

Yes and this one was late because I made a note and forgot to post the Feb. 14th milestone.

70 Million new images in 2018. I don't know if the limit has been reached and the exponential growth will stop. We'll see in about 45 days on April 1st.

April Fools Day

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #71 on:** April 01, 2019, 12:19 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on February 20, 2019, 06:52

Quote from: Brasilnut on February 20, 2019, 06:38
At this rate (10 million images accepted average every 50 days), in just over 10 years there will be 1 billion images on there :/

Yes and this one was late because I made a note and forgot to post the Feb. 14th milestone.

70 Million new images in 2018. I don't know if the limit has been reached and the exponential growth will stop. We'll see in about 45 days on April 1st. April Fools Day

Tried to sneak another one by me eh?

March 31st, 2019 260 million images available on Shutterstock.

I'll be back around May 15th... for another 10 million images. And just because I sometimes like being redundant for the obvious. As many people noticed Microstock had stopped the rapid growth of the previous years, roughly in 2012.

February 14, 2010 - Shutterstock reaches 10 million Photos (4 million 12 months)
June 19, 2012 - Shutterstock reaches 20 million stock Images (10 Million 28 months)

That's right, every month and a half, we are competing with 10 million new images, which back then took 2 1/4 years to add 10 million images.

Competition is what used to take five years to be uploaded, then 2 1/4 years, when Microstock was new and growing, is now uploaded every month and a half.

Every 90 days we get more new images as competition, than there were total on SS in 2012.

cobalt · « **Reply #72 on:** April 01, 2019, 12:35 »

And yet...I sell, nearly every day with only 1400 photos and 800 videos online and sometimes I don‘t upload for weeks or months.

There must be something to their software that seems to be able to present content that buyers really need or prefers portfolios with a healthy sales to upload volume.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #73 on:** April 01, 2019, 12:56 »

Quote from: cobalt on April 01, 2019, 12:35

And yet...I sell, nearly every day with only 1400 photos and 800 videos online and sometimes I don‘t upload for weeks or months.

There must be something to their software that seems to be able to present content that buyers really need or prefers portfolios with a healthy sales to upload volume.

One thing that sometimes gets overlooked is the simple fact buyers will only ever buy what they need despite all the conspiracy theories. I'm surprised my sales hold up as well as they do. I only regard myself as reasonably competent but in the last few years the standard of what now gets accepted is risible.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #74 on:** April 02, 2019, 13:43 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on April 01, 2019, 12:56

Quote from: cobalt on April 01, 2019, 12:35
And yet...I sell, nearly every day with only 1400 photos and 800 videos online and sometimes I don‘t upload for weeks or months.

There must be something to their software that seems to be able to present content that buyers really need or prefers portfolios with a healthy sales to upload volume.
One thing that sometimes gets overlooked is the simple fact buyers will only ever buy what they need despite all the conspiracy theories. I'm surprised my sales hold up as well as they do. I only regard myself as reasonably competent but in the last few years the standard of what now gets accepted is risible.

I suppose I shouldn't make it look like my sales have gone dead or that making a note of 10 million new images, is any kind of comment on my personal sales. What I have that sells, continues to get downloads. The Crapstock that used to get downloads in the Golden Era

doesn't get much activity. In other words, my better images, still sell, my junk and marginal efforts, are getting what they should = little or nothing.

I don't understand why some people think that just because they upload some snapshot, they should get downloads. Or if they make 10,000 snapshots, they should make more money. There are still people with portfolios in the 200-300 range of video, that are making over $1,000 a month from those. Quality still sells.

Maybe the buyers have to work harder to find the best images, but it seems they do, and they aren't downloading spam or video turned into backgrounds frame by frame, or terrible blurred images, just because they see them first.

Let me put this another way. I don't think that 10 million new images every 90 days has hurt the sales of my good, interesting or unique images. Sure there's much more competition. But as long as the competition keeps making what's most popular and what I don't, and the competition is uploading walkabout snapshots, I don't feel threatened. (I also don't rely on this income, so of course I can be less tense about market swings and changes.)

So if you please my posts about the numbers are mostly just notes about the numbers. If I hadn't tracked down the year by year, someone would be asking "How many images did SS have in 2010?"

That and to answer the never ending questions about, what happened and why doesn't the market stay the same as it was for many people? Competition

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Author Topic: Shutterstock Milestones (Read 53713 times)

dpimborough

Uncle Pete

Uncle Pete

wds

Uncle Pete

mindstorm

jonbull

Uncle Pete

Pauws99

BigBubba

Uncle Pete

BigBubba

Jo Ann Snover

Pauws99

Uncle Pete

Jo Ann Snover

gnirtS

Uncle Pete

Uncle Pete

Brasilnut

Uncle Pete

Uncle Pete

cobalt

Pauws99

Uncle Pete

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