Microstock?

So I have been doing microstock for almost two years now. Its rewards have gradually been increasing as I slowly upload more images but nothing to live off rather a nice bonus at the end of the year. Wonder how much the top microstock photographers are making? Would it be possible to become a full-time microstock photographer and just travel around figuring out new concepts to photograph? Sounds nice, huh?


It almost seems possible because I dedicate very little time to microstock and it has been generous for that time. But what does it take to become a full-time microstock photographer and where is microstock photography going in the future. I can tell you that in my two years it has gotten much harder to get an image accepted. No more uploading random images that are wasting your hard drive space. It is getting saturated with photographers, and good ones because they are realizing there is money in microstock. So it forces you to up the level of your images that you sell for a couple bucks. And then you have the copy cats who research the top selling images and then take a similar image making your once popular image not popular.


But no matter where it goes, it's going, and you should jump in too.
It has improved my photography because every image that was rejected, I would open it up and see what they were talking about. Most of the time they were right and it made me look much deeper into my images to improve them. Interest, composition, sharpness, noise, dust, color fringing, black point, white point, mid-tones, color temp, the list goes on. Once you have the technical stuff dialed in the fun really begins. Thinking of creative shot ideas that have not been shot by thousand other photographers. And most importantly, branding your style as a photographer. I love the action in any sport and this is what I find myself photographing and selling the most.


This image is one of my best sellers

Which microstock agencies are the most profitable and which are a waste of time? Below is a sales chart of the world's top microstock photographer, Yuri Acurs. I have found it to be an accurate chart for my sales too. It should be a good list of microstock agencies so you know which ones to contribute your photos to.



The microstock superstars are making an average of $3-4 RPI/month (return per image). So if you are not a superstar you could still receive $1-2 RPI. So get a 1000 images uploaded and you got a nice chunk of change to buy some toys with.

Overall, microstock is happening. Another rapid change in photography and just trying to keep up with it. Just look at the reluctant photographers who bitched about digital. We can fight it or embrace it. The best part of it is that it gives you an accuse to go out and do something you love.


Below are links to get started with the microstock agencies starting with the top sellers.





Submit Photos to Shutterstock and make $$$!