Shutterstock digital photography site

Shutterstock is the best photography stock site.They already have a portfolio of more than 300 000 pictures and around 15 000 active photographers.
Join in.Earn money by uploading Your pictures and creating Your own portfolio.You can register HERE (http://submit.shutterstock.com)
and start making $$$.Also at Shutterstock You can test Your photo skills and learn about digital photography from more experiensed members.
Give it a go.

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sorry... still prefer the quality of the admin, people and site at istockphoto.com

What about the payout at istock? ;)

what about it? i'm fine w/ it - im exclusive.

my day rate for "for hire" work is around $1000, more if they want exclusive rights to it... half day is $650. (not for istockphoto work)

most of my stock work is done on free time, or on free time between someone elses shoot, or on vacation or clowing around w/ friends. im sorry, but 95% or more of the photogs out there who are thinking their work is worth $500+ an image need to try to apply to comstock or corbis... most of these people are hobbiest who think that buying a $900 point and shoot or $1500 dslr makes them a pro.

i am not the best at anything, but i can market myself and take a good shot. im also humble enough to realize that a stock shot on an isolated white background probably won't fetch a few hundred dollars... but a large download (3 credits) on istockphoto will net me $1.05 - i get a premium because of the total number of d/l's i have an being exclusive

istockphoto is also a good primer to get you into what market demand is, and get you ready for larger things like istockpro.com - where you split revenue 50/50 - and most low rez pieces sell for $50 each there

;) Glad you bit. As istockphoto has progressed, they've gotten better... great post, Mike. :)

edited my responce so it made a lil more sense

i will say that it is worth my wild to put photos on there... it does pad my wallet each month and i have met some great people there

I agree I think it's generally worth while for amateurs to pass their not-quite perfect, or hobbiest shots to stock companies... you generally won't make a living off of it, but it's better than nothing, and can help you buy some new equipment every once and a while. ;)

im also humble enough to realize that a stock shot on an isolated white background probably won't fetch a few hundred dollars... but a large download (3 credits) on istockphoto will net me $1.05

I really don't want to open a can of worms here...I guess there are pros and cons to stock photography. The pros as I see it, are that it lets amateurs a place to start, to get their foot in the door, to see what selling is like. The con, though, is what the buyer does with a photo after he/she buys it. My customer could use it once on a promo ad for an event, or use it in a half-page ad in a magazine that produces $500k in sales. Either way I'd net $1.05. How do you feel about this?

I know this is a hot topic these days....so I don't mean to offend, just trying to get your helpful opinions.

there are a few ways you can look at the scenario you've listed.

one... do you think that your website, name and branding are strong enough to net yourself an interview with said company who profits $500k off an image used in their ad campaign?

do you think that your work is unique enough to seperate it from something myself or anyone else can replicate and sell for 1/10th of what you charge?

here is your situation in black and white: http://www.istockphoto.com/design_spotlight_details.php?ID=3475

one of my photos that may be used very soon in a nationally sold product to a large demographic. clearly the designer knows where to look for images rather then hiring them to shoot what they want. he makes more profit by buying low prices work.

upside for me as a photographer is that is one more piece i can put in my porfolio, along w/ nearly a dozen magazine tear sheets i've aquired on my own and several other great uses of my stock images.

w/ all of that in tow, now i can start to demand more money from clients whom i deal with based on the strong porfolio i bring to the table.

flip side... im an ad exec who likes your work... you do great work and im looking to have you shoot some stuff for me for an upcoming widget (fake product) for our company. i can afford to either give you $1500 for the shoot, or i can surf the web and pay as little as a $1 or as much as $1500 for the shot. the catch is, i need it of the rockie mountains, your based in hawaii. you need a half day to fly there, get the shots provided that the weather is how i need it, say sunny, and then ftp them backto me... or i go online and find the shot i want / need and buy it.

i understand both sides very well... its frustrating geting such little payout, personally im ok w/ it now and i get more then a few less then a thousand downloads a day from istock. it all adds up, which i like... as the flip side of the coin is i start to upload more photos to istockpro (where i am also a member) and hope that one or two get downloaded am month

I agree the payout is small...but I see your points. Thanks for sharing.

Mike,

I've recently submitted an application to istockphoto, after discovering that shutterpoint (www.shutterpoint.com), where I am currently attempting to sell stock photography for $40, sees an average of 10 sales a day across the whole site! I agree with you totally that istockphoto is the best way forward, as I begin to market myself as a photographer. As I wait for my application to (hopefully) be approved, the only dislike I have with what istockphoto are offering is that there appears to be no way to find out how the buyer has used my image (simply for my personal information so I can see my work in print). You say you have managed to collect many magazine tears, etc, but how did you find out where your photo has been published, so that you can show the publication to your clients?

Thanks,
Matt