the microstock opportunity for pro photographers
This is a guest post by Lee Torrens, author of Microstock Diaries and ProPhotoLife subscriber!
ProPhotoLife creator Jim Talkington has given me the opportunity to introduce you to microstock and highlight the opportunity it represents for pro and aspiring professional photographers.
First, I want to quickly tell you where microstock fits in the photography industry. You likely already know about ’stock photos’ - photos created and put into a database to be sold in the future. Most non-stock professional photographers do it the other way around and sell the photos first, either by commission, assignment or booking.
Microstock is a relatively new branch of the stock photography market. It’s different because it’s open to everyone, operates entirely online, and sells photos at much lower prices than what was previously possible. The volume of sales makes up for the low prices and there is still a lot of debate about whether images earn more in microstock or the traditional stock photography market, which is often referred to as ‘macrostock’ with an ‘a’.
It’s the ‘open to everyone’ aspect that makes microstock an attractive opportunity for you and me. Gone are the days where you have to present a portfolio of 200 perfect photos from different professional shoots (which usually takes years to build) just to get your foot in the door at an agency. Simply choose some microstock agencies, register, and then start uploading. Photos start to sell as soon as they’re approved.
Microstock is perfect for photography students. You have the equipment and you’re actively learning the craft. Earning some money with the photos you take as part of your study or in your spare time beats most typical student jobs. It’s the ultimate ‘earn while you learn’ experience.
Microstock is also ideal for pro photographers who also have the equipment and the skills. Between projects it’s easy to shoot some stock and add it to your microstock portfolio. Microstock portfolios with a broad range of subjects create very consistent earnings, flattening out the earnings rollercoaster of project work.
If all this sounds liberating, it’s true. Microstock imposes no commitments, no time limits, and no art director. You have complete freedom and unlimited opportunity. Many photographers end up making microstock their full-time occupation because that’s what they prefer to do. You might prefer one of the other types of photography, but you can still contribute to the microstock market and have another income source.
To give you an idea of the earnings potential, most hobbyist contributors (like me!) find they earn one dollar per photo per month on average when they use the top six agencies. So a portfolio of 600 photos will earn you around $600 per month, which is my current experience. However, top microstock photographers can earn up to $10 per photo per month, and with a portfolios in the thousands, that’s not a bad income. The photograph to the right is of one of my better earning images which earns well above my average.
You need to know that I’ve made it sound easier than it really is. That’s why you’ll need to check out my blog where I tell you everything you need to know to get started and succeed in the microstock market - professional photographers especially! Microstock breaks a lot of rules, so many proven professionals get frustrated by rejections simply because they aren’t aware of the market eccentricities.
I hope I’ve inspired you to add microstock to your photographic income streams and I welcome any questions or comments you may have over at Microstock Diaries.
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