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:
Good lists Laurent! I think they all boil down to 'work smarter, as well as harder!'
Alex
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!
Great advice! Thank you for sharing :-)
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