Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

robhainer · Joined: 03 May 2010 Posts: 2914 Location: Dallas, GA, USA

Downloaded today.

I don't worry so much about timing anymore. I just try to shoot good concepts and upload when they're ready. In fact, I think the best sellers are ones that are generic enough to be used in as many ways as possible and not be affected by timing. Evergreen. My top seller approaching 1,000 sales is just a kid at a playground. It gets used by child care, schools, doctors offices, parenting sites and so on.

On the flip side, I've had an image sit with no sells for three weeks and drive me nuts. Then it took off. Now it gets downloaded nearly every day.

What happens more is an image gets some quick sales and then drops like a rock.

I don't claim to be the best on this site. Some people blow me away, but I think if you just work to shoot some basic, clear, generic concepts, your sales will grow. Other thing is to find a niche, either through subject or style or both, so that your images can stand out.

I don't disagree about the timing thing. But let's just say it's totally out of our control with these long review times, and even before it was barely something we could influence. You could submit images on Thursday or Friday, and they'd get approved on Saturday or Monday. No way to know.

Just keep shooting and let the buyers sort it out. That's all you can do. If there was more, I'd like to know about it.

luissantos84 · Joined: 29 Jan 2009 Posts: 1314

IMO I think the feeding the beast no longer "works", like most said only a very small % of new files sell, that said some nices surprises on new pictures too but its quite rare

I am not in SS for a long time, close to 3 years but I got this feeling lately, sales keep on climbing without the news files that are reviewed so slowlyyyyyyyyy

from the graphs/charts here in SS, I have made 21.8% of my income this last year from new files

for the last 6 months new files represent only 3.3%

robhainer · Joined: 03 May 2010 Posts: 2914 Location: Dallas, GA, USA

I still have a small port, but I've been trying to grow it heavily the past couple of months. It's having an impact and new images are selling. I'm at 800 images now, and hope to be over 2,000 by the end of the year. Over 5,000 would be nice, but I don't think it's doable.

I think the key is just a few new images won't show much. You need a lot. I've been putting in 50-75 a week, sometimes more. You need more new ones than you used to see an impact.

nder · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:12 am

Although new ones aren't selling as good as they used to I'm pretty sure those 500 images I uploaded in the last 6 months earned more on Shutterstock than they would on my hard drive. So I'll just keep uploading :)

rinder99 · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:44 pm

Newbs can feed the beast now. im gonna live off his fat.

jeffbanke · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:31 am

rinder99 · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:35 pm

I thought you would like that..

angelawaye · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:46 pm

Sooner or later you have to scratch the "itch". Stock is just too much fun for me.

The beast is fat and overfed but he is still growing (not as fast as we would like though).

The beast is very hormonal lately with new search algorithms and bugs but he still needs "food".

I'm trying not to piss it off with crap food ...

sfmthd · Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 300

i have a small and limited portfolio, but it sells pretty well. i used to get a bump whenever i uploaded a few new images. tried it recently, all approved, no change in sales except for the small amount of the new images themselves.

despite no new material, 3/4 last months have been BME, and overall sales are up something like 50% in dollar terms from a year ago, with basically the same few images!

rinder99 · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:55 pm

Sales are great!!! no doubt about it. But...........

andriikondiuk · Joined: 16 Apr 2011 Posts: 2510

After almost a year on SS I've decided to change my mind. Quality beats quantity in my personal experience(230 3d images) and I believe it works for many others. So far I'm not happy with my earnings here but I'll try to make less images with better quality.

thanks

mnsanthoshkumar · Joined: 25 Oct 2010 Posts: 488

I am pretty new - just 8-9 months in SS and have a port of 300+ images. Lately, what I submit(most vectors and a few photos) is becoming my most popular and staying there as popular.. But most of those which are climbing up are vectors.. So I dont know if NEW vectors are better performers than NEW images in general. But for me, vectors are becoming winners.. But I dont want to give up on photos as they have better chances of selling as a EL or SOD.. Waiting for those elusive ELs.. :)