Saturday, October 24, 2009

My microstock Do's and Dont's list



I put up a non exhaustive list, not in a particular order, of few things that came to my mind about microstock that I organized in a Do's and Dont's list. I wrote this list with pictures I mind but it can be applied as well to a large extent to other medias such videos and illustrations.

Do's

  • Do keep uploading
  • Do spend time on keyworking
  • Do aim to simplify your workflow (by using distribution softwares and platforms)
  • Do submit to multiples agencies
  • Do prefer quality over quantity
  • Do submit small batches of pictures
  • Do backup your data regularly
  • Do find multiple thematic niches
  • Do think about shelf life and seasonality of pictures
  • Do check your pictures at 200% for spots, chromatic aberration and sharpness
  • Do adjust contrast and levels
  • Do shoot horizontal and vertical
  • Do shoot what you like and sell but not always
  • Do shoot with the designer in mind
  • Do learn about new processing techniques and softwares
  • Do resubmit pictures if you they worth it
  • Do learn from rejections
  • Do participate in forums and read blogs
  • Do research
  • Do try to make sense of your stats but not too much
  • Do promote your work on social networks
  • Do invest in new equipment that potentially can add value
  • Do  branch into new activities (illustration,audio,footage)
  • Do follow microstock business news


Dont's

  • Do not spend too much time on forums and Twitter
  • Do not check your stats every minute
  • Do not use a compact as a main camera
  • Do not take rejections personally
  • Do not take only objects isolated on white
  • Do not think that microstock is a get-rich-quick scheme
  • Do not take the same subject over thousand of multiples angles
  • Do not necessarily submit to every new agencies

3 comments:

Alex said...

Good lists Laurent! I think they all boil down to 'work smarter, as well as harder!'
Alex

Luis Santos said...

Nice post! :) I think I am doing a bad think which is shooting everything but in fact I think that it will sell.. :P

cheers and good weekend!

BJS said...

Great advice! Thank you for sharing :-)