Microstocks
There are two biggest and most profitable microstocks :
Other significantly smaller, but worth attention :
There is quite a lot of other microstocks, however, they will not bring appreciable profit, as they are very small or unpopular. If one starts with such microstocks and does not get the desirable results, one can get disappointed and completely loose interest in their activity. So I would suggest to start with „Shutterstock“ and „iStock“.
However, do not forget that being the most popular they attempt to offer their customers only a product of high quality. That means that their demands for photos are the stricktest. "Noises“, absence of focus, mistakes of exposition are intolerable. Attention is also focused to the content of the photo very much – flowers, beetles, your pets or in general accidental shots are simply rejected, indicating the reason “too small commercial demand”. Well even if they pass the screening – most often the sale of such photos is very poor.
In microstocks the shots with people portraits are the most popular. Merry or sad, in the office or country-side, alone or among friends. The most popular are groups of emotional people interacting among themselves. The photo will be a great success if in it we’ll see several focused businessmen sharing documents in office environment and in the background an absent-minded secretary who is holding a pile of disorderly assembled files. A photo in which a neatly dressed construction engineer is giving orders to colleagues and in the background work is going on will be successful as well.
Do not forget that a written consent of the persons of whom you are taking photos is necessary. You will find it in any microstock website. It is called „Model release“ and without it if in the photo faces of the people are seen the photo will not be accepted. The photos of the objects are popular as well – books, office equipment, computer mouse, spectacles, telephones and others. The objects must be presented very inventively – a new face must be put on them, as their popularity is overwhelmed by endless number of offered photos. In the photo the trademarks (of mobile phone, drink, car or similar producer’s name) cannot be seen by any means. Such photos are eliminated without exceptions.
Sell photos online in microstocks