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| | Getting Started with
Microstock or Micropayment Photography
Stock photography is a great way for photographer's or those who just like to
take pictures to make a little extra money, have a side-job, or have a career.
This Web site is for those who are new to stock photography and are looking for
some information. Specifically, this site is for those interested in working
with microstock
or micropayment stock photography sites.
What Are Microstock or Micropayment Photography Sites?
Microstock (sometimes also referred to as micropayment) stock photography
sites sell stock photos at very low prices, usually
around $1. You make a portion of this small amount, usually
between $.20 and $.50. With these low payouts, you are probably wondering how anyone can make more than
a few dollars selling at such low prices - the key is quantity. Before
microstock sites came along, if a designer wanted to use a stock photo,
he/she would need to pay several hundred, if not a thousand dollars for a photo.
In many cases, this was beyond the budget of a lot of designers. With microstock
sites providing pictures for $1, stock photos became affordable, so a lot more
designers out there could use stock photos. With more designers and low prices, more
photos are sold, so even though a microstock photographer makes only pennies, the
photographer makes pennies many many times, and it all adds up. Common examples
of microstock sites are:
For more information on these sites, see Microstock Sites.
Why Do Microstock?
The business of stock photography is not new, but microstock sites are
relatively new. With traditional stock sites, you can get paid
hundreds or thousands of dollars for the sale of one picture. This sounds great,
so why bother with a few pennies a picture from microstock sites?
There are many reasons, Here are a few of them:
- No expensive equipment needed
If you have a point-and-shoot camera, you
can be a microstock photographer. You do not need an expensive high
resolution camera and a lot of lenses. This doesn't mean that having nice
equipment won't help you. It can definitely help but is not required. IF you
have a camera, a computer, and the internet, that's all the equipment you
need.
- No large portfolio needed
Many traditional stock photo sites require a
large portfolio of photos, maybe a thousand or more. For the
average non-professional photographer, this is a lot of photos needed just
to get started. With most
microstock sites, you can get started with 10 photos or less. Of course, the more
you have, the more money you can make, but it is not required. You can be
selling your photos while building your portfolio.
- No continuous stream of pictures needed
Many traditional stock
photography sites require a commitment that you submit so many pictures
every month, month after month. With microstock sites, you submit whenever
you want to. It doesn't matter. You have full flexibility to do it when you
can or want to.
- No Web site needed
Many traditional stock photography sites require you
to have an up and running Web site with a large portfolio of pictures for
them to see and evaluate. With microstock, you don't need any Web site at
all.
- Less restrictive picture requirements
Traditional stock photography sites
are much more particular about the pictures they will accept and often
require very large resolution pictures that most digital cameras cannot
output. Microstock
sites do have quality standards, but a beginning photographer is much more
likely to get his/her pictures accepted by a microstock site than a
traditional stock photography site.
If you have the inclination to sell your photos, give microstock a try. it
isn't for everyone, for example if you are a seasoned professional with your own
business and Web site going, you might not want to try microstock, but for the
vast majority of photographers, microstock can be a great place to start.
Also, if you feel that a few cents a photo is just not fair, then microstock
might not be for you, but remember, you make the money based on the quantity,
lots of small successes instead of one home run.
What Do I Need to Get Started in Stock Photography?
The great thing about microstock photography is that you don't need a lot to
get started. At a minimum, you need the following:
- Digital camera with 4 Megapixels
You can
get away with less than 4 megapixels on some sites, but a minimum of 4 will
meet the requirements of most microstock sites. Having 6-8 will get you on
almost all of the microstock sites and give you a bit of flexibility in
cropping your pictures. Of course, you can use a film camera, but the
process is much more time consuming, complicated, and expensive.
- A computer with an internet connection
You use your computer to download your pictures off the camera, edit your
pictures and enter information about the picture, and upload your pictures
to stock photography sites. A fast connection will make it quicker to upload
your pictures, but is not required.
- Photo editing software
You want to have the
best pictures you can and not editing them, even a small bit, with a photo
editing program puts you at a disadvantage. This is not to say that you need
to buy the several hundred dollar editing programs. There are some free
programs that will help you with the basics. The important thing is
that you will want to perform a bit of touch-up on your photo. The more you
get into the stock photography business, the better the software you will
want, but you can definitely start out simple.
- Photos
Maybe an obvious point, but you
definitely need them. Get out there and shoot everything. Experiment, read,
learn the business. Have fun. The more qulaity pictures you have, the more
money you can make.
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