Case Studies
In the course of preparing this book, I asked a number of microstock
contributing photographers to volunteer to outline their microstock
experiences and provide me with some numbers. The statistics and
responses presented here are from the end of 2006, and the fi gures
will no doubt have changed since they were compiled (e.g., anecdotal
evidence suggests that Fotolia is improving and iStockphoto is giving
some ground to the newer competition). Nonetheless, they provide an
interesting snapshot of the microstock market as it matures and
expands. Their additional comments were also fascinating, and I have
taken some of the more relevant fi gures and comments and detail them
below.
Some of our top contributors are making between $100,000 [and] $300,000 a
year. That’s a lot of “cents.” Many are paying their mortgages, putting the kids
through school, buying cars, etc. Others are making a nice supplemental
income.
Bruce Livingstone, CEO, iStockphotoBear in mind that a number of factors infl uence fi nancial perfor-
mance. For example, if a photographer has just uploaded a large
number of images, then his or her average monthly earnings for that
library or libraries may appear to be diluted. Obviously other factors
also affect the fi gures, such as the types of images uploaded. As the
microstocks evolve, their relative performance can also change quite
radically. Alterations to search engines may benefi t some photog-
raphers at the expense of others, as can site redesigns, new advertising
campaigns, and so on.
Stephen
Stephen is a former Web designer living in California. He has a
few years’ experience of photography and developed his photo-
graphic skills mainly through self-learning using the power of the
Internet—online forums, tutorials, and other resources. Stephen
says, “Currently, I would classify myself between amateur and