The Stock Image Revolution
(Part 2)
...Continued
Once you're approved as a contributor, you can start uploading your images. The submission process can take a little time, but it's very important. You'll need to enter a number of keywords and categories so buyers can find your images. Look at keywords of similar images on the site if you need some inspiration. Most sites will let you upload images in bulk via ftp (recommended method) or a few at a time via your browser.
Once submitted, you just need to wait until your image is reviewed (may take anywhere from a day to a week, depending on the site). Your stock image may be rejected (most sites allow you to correct whatever problem they found, and re-upload), or it may be approved, and you can immediately start making money off of it.
You will find that micro stock sites (iStock in particular) can be very picky about copyright, so only upload your own work. If there's a recognizable face, or an element from another image mixed in, you'll need to upload release forms with the stock image (found on the site). You retain the copyright of all your stock images, and yes, you can upload your images to multiple sites.
Microstock content is submitted by artists all over the world. Each site will allow you to keep track of downloads. There is usually a minimum payout amount, or some may pay monthly. Unfortunately, as you may have guessed, these sites take a hefty commission, which varies depending on the site. Your cut can be anywhere from 25 cents to $2.00 per download. Though again, it adds up over time. And once that stock photo is uploaded, there's no more work for you, so just relax and watch the dollars roll in!
Photographers: With the arrival of sub-$1,000 digital SLR cameras, anyone can be a professional photographer and make money from their photos. So whether you're a hobbyist who bought that Canon Digital Rebel you saw advertised on TV, or you're a professional photographer with a portfolio, you can greatly profit off of this new industry.
Be sure to always keep your images in the best quality (shoot in RAW format if you can, save jpg's at highest quality, etc.) If you have photo-editing software like Adobe Photoshop, use it to clean up your photo and bring out the colors - just beware of noise! Running your photos through a noise filter will get rid of some of the "grain" in your stock photos and increase your photo's chance of being approved. You will want to zoom in and check your stock photos at 100% to make sure it is in focus and there are no jpg compression artifacts.
Illustrators and Graphic Artists: Stock illustrations tend to do very well on microstock sites that are primarily known for their stock photos. You may upload jpg's of your illustrations, but vector formats will get more downloads. Most buyers will want to be able to edit colors or elements of your illustration, and if they have the native file format of your image they can do this. EPS is the preferred file format. It's a good idea, however, to upload multiple file formats of the same image to increase its appeal.
Think outside the box. Illustrators and artists aren't limited in the way that photographers are. You can create cartoons, intricate designs, textures, themed background patterns, or virtually anything. If you're more of a conventional artist, using paint as opposed to a computer, there's opportunity for you too. Although the sites are dominated by photos and computer illustrations, the unique medium might give you an advantage. Most sites accept high-resolution photos of paintings, but you may have to upload one of their property release forms with the image.
Videographers: Video producers also recognize the value of stock footage. In the past, there have been a number of companies that offer a pre-existing package of generic stock footage clips. Now, through sites like iStock and Shutterstock, they can search for the perfect shot for their video and buy it for a reasonable price. If you have a good video camera and a tripod, you can make significantly more per download than with still images.
There are quite a few people who have built up their stock image portfolio to the point where this is now their full time job. Others do it for just some extra cash in their pockets. To the contributors' advantage, the low prices for stock images has motivated a huge market of web designers and bloggers to pay for their images, as opposed to stealing any old photo off the web. As is the trend with many growing sites, the micro stock sites also have referral programs, which enable members to make even more money by referring their friends. Some pay for referring buyers. Some also pay for referring contributors. The opportunity for income is tremendous for talented artists and photographers, and it's also loads of fun to see your stock images working for you as they are downloaded over and over.
TOP MICRO STOCK WEBSITES
- Shutterstock.com
- iStockphoto.com
- Dreamstime.com
- Fotolia.com
- Stockxpert.com
- Bigstockphoto.com
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