Got a 3000$ sale yesterday, feels a bit over the top in terms of high sale, previous record was 600$ a couple of months back.

You're lucky, lucky duck Congrats!

I, on the other hand, recently have only teeny tiny sales and none of big fat sales. But this is November, and for me November is always low in big fat sales...

Anyway... waiting for December to get what is mine

Quote from: BigBubba on November 17, 2022, 10:09

Got a 3000$ sale yesterday, feels a bit over the top in terms of high sale, previous record was 600$ a couple of months back.

You're lucky, lucky duck Congrats!

I, on the other hand, recently have only teeny tiny sales and none of big fat sales. But this is November, and for me November is always low in big fat sales...

Anyway... waiting for December to get what is mine

Pure luck with that clip, tons of other options online. 


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That�s what I don�t get, they could easily get that shot for�500-600$ by hiring someone to shoot it. Definitely not a rare subject, tons of similar options online. I was just lucky I guess.

So probably time was the main factor. If someone is in big rush, money plays secondary role

Quote from: BigBubba on November 17, 2022, 10:09

Got a 3000$ sale yesterday, feels a bit over the top in terms of high sale, previous record was 600$ a couple of months back.

You're lucky, lucky duck

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. 

...
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. 

"chance favors the prepared mind" - Louis Pasteur

Got a 3000$ sale yesterday, feels a bit over the top in terms of high sale, previous record was 600$ a couple of months back.

Any idea what kind of license is that?
editorial clip, not exclusive (the file is still live on site and on other sites as well and I was not asked to take it off).


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Hammer! Never read about an amount like this before!

(My husband Nick has been sick. He woke up one morning with the lefthand side of his face paralysed. It was such a shock - he only recently turned 50yo. But fortunately it wasnt a stroke. He has Bells Palsy.

Annie, I am sorry to hear this. I really hope that this condition is temporary and that he can recover soon.

Quote from: BigBubba on November 18, 2022, 10:24

... I think the reset is a very good structure to support contributors that are deeply invested into a solid selling portfolio or for contributors that see it as a marathon and not as a random gig...

Couldn't disagree more. If they actually wanted to motivate contributors with a similar scheme they could have had a rolling 12 month target (if you sold X number in the last 12 months you are on level Y). They could even work it so they are making the same amount on their end.

A January reset is just cruel and makes no sense. Does anyone feel extra motivated come January first, or demoralised and p*ssed off? I firmly believe they just didn�t want to make the extra investment to implement the slightly more technically complex option.

If a contributor has a good solid quality and diversified portfolio, the reset is almost meaningless. a new contributor or growing contributor who plans to be here for the long run, shoots quality, invest time in research and dig into the industry will take a hit for a year or two and will also reach the meaningless reset point as well (if the industry survives).

I wish the reset wasn�t there and I�m not scared of competition, I guide new contributors and still encourage people to join in, but the first thing I tell them is that if they�re not fully committed to obsessively invest time into it, they shouldn�t bother opening an account (anywhere).

I definitely feel bad for small contributors with great portfolios, and there are many of them, great clips, very focused on a couple of subjects, but the limited market made the reset hurt them bad. That�s unfair, no doubt.

I�m very into the long tail strategy and I think it pays off very well (even now with all the market changes, structures, SS bought P5) there�s still solid income in this business.
I�ve made my adjustments to the market and responded quickly but responsibly to any �exciting news� email and there�s still good solid full time 1st world upper middle class money to make here every month and especially on Shutterstock!

Forget this 3000 sale, it took me nowhere in terms of BME, my numbers are down, this industry will keep smacking us in the head with �exciting news� emails, but I�m already deep into this obsession, was lucky enough to join in 2014, and lucky enough to be able to shoot stock regularly (I�m a videographer for a living and get great opportunities to legitimately shoot stock while I�m out there). 

I feel bad for any fellow contributor that took a more dramatic hit from all these changes, people who relied on a steady predictable income which was possible until the new subs/structure/covid/reset days�but come on, You can�t ever trust an industry that you have zero control over. At my best of best months I never thought of doing just stock, I did it obsessively, I still do, but I will never let an algorithm dictated by a 20 year old trendy minded kid decide if there will be food on my table next month.

The only significant change is that I stopped and won�t make any Stock trips abroad, they used to be 100% guaranteed in terms of at least 3X return on investment but I don�t see them payoff these days. I take advantage of any free good opportunity that I get to shoot stock these days.

It will all die in the end, everything will be free, We have zero control over it, but there�s still good money to make for established portfolios.

One last very important thing, most contributors are obsessed about how much they are getting per download and overlook the number of downloads and exposure. I know for a fact that some contributors are earning twice as much in this reset/cheap downloads era. They just get more exposure and downloads.

I�m on the other side of the rope for now, less downloads and less income, but some old contributors are having a hell of a ride these days, and this is verified intel.



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I find that attitude really odd. Why not advocate for better conditions from the agencies? They are constantly pushing for better conditions for their end (less money for us). The competition from other contributors will be there either way, even if we get a fairer deal, so it isn't about fearing competition.

I am definitely not at the level where the �the reset is almost meaningless�. It takes 25000 dls to reach level six which takes me several months (with my old content; the only stuff SS gets from me). If you shoot through the levels in month 1 I can understand not caring.

Contributors are scattered and powerless, this industry is heading to free downloads, advocating is useless unfortunately.

Level 4 is where the effect of the reset stops,   If you hit level six at any point of the year, level 4 should take you two weeks into January, the reset have a minimal impact on you and once you reach level 5 you�re actually making more %.


Thank you for this communication, I rarely write here but I always follow, read and learn from members.






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Quote from: BigBubba on November 19, 2022, 09:20

Contributors are scattered and powerless, this industry is heading to free downloads, advocating is useless unfortunately.

Well we don't have to be really organised. I am not talking about advocating with words but voting with our content. We can be scattered and still not upload where we are paid poorly. IMHO we just need to stop

I admire your optimism and spirit.

I�m treating it with the harshest realism I can find. I literally shoot stock these days memorizing �you said you�ll keep doing it hardcore even if the crazy numbers will stop�. (Hoping for better days).  I doubt if I will ever have a BME ever again anywhere but I know it is happening to others, and maybe it will flip back, no one knows and I have little hope for that to happen, but it�s an obsession, I shoot stock and it pays well even now.

I think the next step will be unlimited downloads across the board, same rates everywhere and possibly agencies will �rent� portfolios for a year ahead (a wider version of Adobe�s new model).





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...I doubt if I will ever have a BME ever again anywhere...

I guess the pessimism makes sense then. My BME overall was December 2021 (been uploading since 2006), hopefully I will beat it this December.

I also don�t rely on video as much as you do I think, though I have some in my portfolio. Video RPD has been sliding quickly since the micros started taking it.

Wish you all the best with it.

Quote from: BigBubba on November 19, 2022, 10:23

...I doubt if I will ever have a BME ever again anywhere...

I guess the pessimism makes sense then. My BME overall was December 2021 (been uploading since 2006), hopefully I will beat it this December.

I also don�t rely on video as much as you do I think, though I have some in my portfolio. Video RPD has been sliding quickly since the micros started taking it.

Wish you all the best with it.

Thank you for the conversation and insights.


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I find that attitude really odd. Why not advocate for better conditions from the agencies? They are constantly pushing for better conditions for their end (less money for us). The competition from other contributors will be there either way, even if we get a fairer deal, so it isn't about fearing competition.

I am definitely not at the level where the �the reset is almost meaningless�. It takes 25000 dls to reach level six which takes me several months (with my old content; the only stuff SS gets from me). If you shoot through the levels in month 1 I can understand not caring.

Yes, its a travesty.  I understand what BigBubba is saying, and yes, a lot of us here are usually on at least L4 by the end of January, but its Stan P's legacy to stop contributors from climbing up the levels. God forbid that we should all end up permanently on the top levels like when he first started. But even a month or two of lost income is still lost income.