Micro's the best deal?

[KevinA]

OK I have tried Micro's in the past and I earned more through RM so I binned the idea. I am going to try another experiment with them. Trying to figure the credit and level payouts is a nightmare. So those of you who use them which is given you the best payout all things considered, volume and money in your pocket.

Kevin.

[brianrybolt]

OK I have tried Micro's in the past and I earned more through RM so I binned the idea. I am going to try another experiment with them. Trying to figure the credit and level payouts is a nightmare. So those of you who use them which is given you the best payout all things considered, volume and money in your pocket.

Kevin.

Will you define RM please.  Royal Marines, Resident Magistrate, Republic of Macedonia. . .

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Will you define RM please.  Royal Marines, Resident Magistrate, Republic of Macedonia. . .

Since this is the Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear forum, I was wondering whether Micro's (Micro 4/3?) and RM were Cameras, Lenses, or maybe rifles?


Eric

[Quentin]

OK I have tried Micro's in the past and I earned more through RM so I binned the idea. I am going to try another experiment with them. Trying to figure the credit and level payouts is a nightmare. So those of you who use them which is given you the best payout all things considered, volume and money in your pocket.

Kevin.

I wrote a book about the micros under my Douglas Freer pen name that might help answer your questions.  Some of the details are now out of date but the basics remain (an updated book is on the cards for publication in mid 2011).  look up "microstock photography" on Amazon.

Generally the top performers are iStockphoto, Fotolia,. Shutterstock and Dreamstime.  iStock is now Getty's most profitable division.  You can make money from the micros - Fotolia's top four contributors are said to each make in excess of $100k per annum.  

Quentin

[KevinA]

I wrote a book about the micros under my Douglas Freer pen name that might help answer your questions.  Some of the details are now out of date but the basics remain (an updated book is on the cards for publication in mid 2011).  look up "microstock photography" on Amazon.

Generally the top performers are iStockphoto, Fotolia,. Shutterstock and Dreamstime.  iStock is now Getty's most profitable division.  You can make money from the micros - Fotolia's top four contributors are said to each make in excess of $100k per annum.  

Quentin

Thanks Quentin, I'm signed up with all of those except Shutterstock. From what I could tell iStock looked to get more sales on similar images to Dreamstime on lifestyle subjects. Do you have a feeling that some sites attract buyers easier than others?

Others,
Posted here because there isn't a forum for Stock or business, as photographers tend to you use Cameras, lenses and shooting gear I figured some might also shoot stock. RM (Rights Managed) is a well known term as is RF ( Royalty Free).

Kevin.

[Rob C]

Yes, I also remember hearing about great photograhers earning great sums of money from stock when I was with Tony Stone Worldwide (later it became Getty) but I never met them; in those days, the sum being talked about was fifteen thousand pounds, if memory serves (70s - 80s) and going by my own returns it sounded wildly optimistic. And those days it was pretty well all RM. But who knows - perhaps people do make a fortune today, despite what may seem the reality of modern business. Thank God it doesn't really matter any more.

Rob C