Microstock photography: Summary of sell photos at Shutterstock

[ ภาษาไทย ]

Micro stock photographer can save little by little from sale picture online. They have to be patient because they have not many pictures in their portfolio at the beginning so they will get less commission (each downloads 25 cents).

My friends asked me that you are unemployed so, what do you do? I told them I sale picture online. They asked me how much money you got from it. I told them I got 25 cents each pictures. My friends laughed at me and told me that why is so little. It is true that I got little money.

I think that I save little by little and then one day I will get much money from this job. And the important thing is that my operating result won’t be negative.

Lastest Downloads View of Shutterstock Contributor Page

The above picture is a part of webpage that photographer sale picture online at Shutterstock. It called contributor. I think that most of photographers in the world open this webpage. I also do that.

This webpage show that the ten latest pictures are sold and which where the customers download the pictures. So, I can know which country like my pictures. I feel very proud myself that I export some goods such as export coffee to USA or export woods to AUS.

The below picture is the summary of download picture statistic at Shutterstock on May 2010 which I start to sale pictures. I bought the book about teaching sale picture online that written by Mr. Sura Nualpradid. I read this book for 4-5 days. Then I sent my 10 pictures to Shutterstock to test and at least 7 pictures should be pass to become contributor. If the pictures don’t pass this month, you can send again next month.

My seven pictures were pass in that time but now it is very difficult to pass the test. This is because they got many pictures from all photographers around the world so, there are many competitors. But there are some Thai photographers sent the pictures and pass every times. Don’t be scare to send the pictures. If you are interested, you can click Become a Contributor.

Download Stats - May 2010, Shuttersotck Contribute Page

My first month start to sale the pictures online. I think that I am very lucky to got Enhanced Download which I received 28$ plus 25 cents from normal download include On Demand download. My statistic show that I got more than 100$ in my first month.

I have 1,952 images and 36 footages at Shutterstock. Most of my income comes from sale pictures. My acceptance ratio is 60%. I think most of my pictures pass the test. During I write my blog, I got 8,637 downloads now. So, I got more than 4,000$.

To withdraw money from Shutterstock, if you have money more than 100$ (can change the amount of withdraw money) in this bill date, Shutterstock will transfer money to PayPal around 6-7 days next month then PayPal will transfer money to Bank in Thailand around 5-7 working days. I think that I will get the money around 14-15 another month.

The above statistic can be see that each downloads have a difference price. The details as given below:

Shutterstock Submitter Earnings Schedule

To calculate income per download, earning Schedule divides into 4 things:

Level 1 - The accumulate income not more than 500$.
Level 2 - The accumulate income between 500$ and 3,000$.
Level 3 - The accumulate income between 3,000$ and 10,000$.
Level 4 - The accumulate income more than 10,000$.

A new photographer will start at level 1. For myself, I am at level 3 now. It took me 2 years. But some Thai photographers took only one year to level 3.

Products Type depends on customers type as below:

Subscriptions(25-A-Day) – Customers download every day. The photographers will get around 0.25$ to 0.38$.
On Demand (Small/Medium) – Depends on customers can buy small or medium size when they want to use it. The photographers will get around 0.81$ to 1.24$.
On Demand (Any Size) – Depends on customers can buy any size when they want to use it. The photographers will get around 1.88$ to 2.85$.
Enhanced License – Depends on agreement condition between photographers and Shutterstock. The income is around 28$.
Single Image On Demand is the latest one. The photographers will get money by the percent of sale price which is around 20%-30%.

Note: Deduct 15% tax if the revenues come from American customers. The others countries won’t be charge.

I have not only picture or vector but also have footage. I will told you next blog.

Before I finish my blog, I have the best five pictures that I make money more than 200$. See you next blog.