Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

sabinica · Joined: 16 Apr 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Zaragoza, Spain

I'm one of those users that abandoned their portfolio with less than 50 images (well, 48). I was focusing on graduating from college and could not give microstocks the time they need. That was one year ago, April 2011.

So, after almost a year, my 48 images had reached the first milestone of 100$ (I was counting on the money for my graduation ceremony dress, then I realized I had the payment set at 300$).

So, now that I'm kind of less stressed, I decided to keep working on this at a regular basis. 27 new images plus 5 new on queue is the result of a month's work.

The problem isn't new: new images are not selling at all. I know the factors: a lot of new submitters are pushing the new images off the main pages quickly, also the beast is quite fed by now. Only the best artists can be noticed above the competition.

Well yes, but anyway I was expecting some small increasement of sales if I uploaded more pics, if not exponential, a slow raise at least. It was very time-consuming adding 30 new images in a month, specially these new batches where I really wanted to noticeably improve the quality over my old stuff.

But none have sold. 20 of them have 0 sales, the rest don't have more than one. It's REALLY discouraging.

So, is it really worth it for us new submitters to start a new portfolio nowadays? Do sales on new images eventually kick in? I'm considering removing the 5 on queue and stop, it just make no sense if they are going to be unnoticed.

mjak · Joined: 12 Mar 2010 Posts: 180 Location: Potatoland

Hi!
It is hard time now how I see. Even top artists are not satisfied with sales, especially of the new images. And this situation did't begin yesterday and will not become better tomorrow. How I think - now stocks are good for some incredible good artists, for amateurs who doesn't care too much for income and for people from poor countries who is happy with couple dollars monthly.
However, if you stop you will not get more money...48 or 27 images is nothing. Let's talk after you'll reach 1000!

ktgraphics · Joined: 16 Jan 2008 Posts: 819 Location: Ont, Canada

lirch · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 842

Bottom line is that March is one of the worst months so far.

liviupeicu · Joined: 14 Dec 2009 Posts: 93

Oldies are selling pretty good for me but only a few of the new ones have taken off, definitely not like 2+ years ago. I noticed a lot more of my rasters selling better recently.

Good luck

davidarts · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 790 Location: Italy

What can I say...
Same thing here. Doesn't matter what you submit..it won't sell so much at start and only if you're lucky it will start to sell after some weeks.
I'm not sure if the problem is about the quantity of submitters and new submission... I believe that the search alghorith changed or it is actually changing...
I'm thinking that because if you see the number of weekly submission (in the ss main page at the bottom) is always arounf 70-80k... it's the same about one year or more...
So if one year at the start our images usually sold good why don't they should sell the same now (if, of course, the number of new submission is constant during the time)?
This is a particular point of view... I'm trying to be objective and understand how things work now.
I have to admit that from 2008 to today every year my overall sales has been increased ....usually from may to december (every month a little growth).
Now , as usual, I can see a decrease compared to november and december sales.. but of course it's normal... However I'm curious to see if may and june will be better also this year.
I really would have been in the game when this market was born... :-D :-D heheh but it's better to think about the present and as Anja said we should find a way to adapt and deal with the new market rules....

cthoman · Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 304 Location: Austin, TX

sabinica · Joined: 16 Apr 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Zaragoza, Spain

It's interesting to read here there's a peak on sales for the old stuff in a portfolio. Older members see their sales steady as old images keep selling and that's good with them. Steady sales is better than no sales, but the problem is still there: you can't see any increasement on sales with the old stuff, it can only be done with a growing portfolio and nowadays new images go unnoticed and get no sales. It's a waste of time, and the big artists here have admited it's hard even for them to sell the new stuff too, so it's not a matter of fighting the problem with quality. How can we adapt to this?

I find it wonderful that old images still get their sales, that's a big thumbs up for Shutterstock algorythm.

In a perfect world, old images should keep selling and new images get their chance and help you increase sales as you keep growing your portfolio, keep working and see how your effort gets paid back.

Right now, putting an effort into a growing portfolio is kind of meaningless. Or it is for me, I've removed the images on queue (which I find them to be among my best work and refuse to see 0 to 1 sales). I'm not above average but I do put all my efforts and free time on them.

I do appreciate though to see people more encouraged than me here and willing to share some of their positive energies. =)

I really hope it changes in a near future, for I'll be working at a 100% then. So far, I can't afford spending two full evenings in a new design that gets 0 or 1 sale.

The deal is: Is Shutterstock interested on people growing their portfolios anyway, or they are happy with the millions of images they already have to offer and new images added only means maintaining a support team but no more customers revenue?

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1152 Location: Dante's Peak

sabinica · Joined: 16 Apr 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Zaragoza, Spain

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1152 Location: Dante's Peak

akaiser · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 2379 Location: Munich

I'm almost experiencing the same thing David noticed: problems with new uploads. Also due to the bugs going on since months now.
Apart from that I agree with what Stacey said. Shutterstock's really doing alot for us. (It's one of the best fighters against copyism by now, plus - what's pretty important to me - they at least *try* to keep us informed. They've always been my favorite agency and still are.)
Anyways, I think, we've now reached the point where skills and the quality of your illustrations matter less than either good luck regarding the moment your illustrations get approved and sheer volume. I'm now doing things I never wanted to do just in order to get new things online. (Not here yet, but elsewhere.)
Don't know what's going to happen, but no good predictions here at all.
There's something going on for sure. Loads of new submitters from eastern Europe over at FT, changing algorythms, bugs, market crisis anyways ... Don't know.
Still need to think about that.
I'm pretty sure larger companies (like Yuri's and others) will take over sooner or later, tho, and chase everyone working alone out of this market.

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1152 Location: Dante's Peak

cthoman · Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 304 Location: Austin, TX

suwanneeredhead · Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1152 Location: Dante's Peak