26 How to Make Dollars from Cents
iSTOCKPHOTO
Last but not least in this section, we come to iStockphoto. For
many, iStockphoto is a top earner, but it has a very controversial
artist exclusivity option that divides the standard, nonexclusive
photographer, who receives a fi xed commission of 20% (yes, you
read that right, just 20%), and exclusive photographers, who receive
up to a maximum of 40% commission when they hit 25,000
downloads.
iStockphoto is very keen to secure your services as an exclusive
photographer. It operates a “canister” reward system that ranks
photographers by the number of downloads they have had from their
portfolio. For nonexclusive photographers, these canisters (which
appear by your name on the site) are simply status symbols, but for
exclusive photographers, they govern the percentage commission you
receive. Here is a list of the current photographer canister rankings,
with the exclusive commission rates in parentheses (you are eligible
for exclusivity at 250 downloads, or the Bronze canister level): 0–249
is White, 250–2,499 Bronze (25%), 2,500–9,999 Silver (30%), 10,000–
24,999 Gold (35%), 25,000–200,000 Diamond (40%), and 200,000
Black Diamond (no change).
Make no mistake, iStockphoto is a great choice for inclusion in your
portfolio of microstock libraries, but I cannot help thinking how much
better it feels to be earning 50% commission or more from other sites,
a fi gure even iStockphoto exclusives at the top rate do not receive.
Twenty percent for nonexclusive photographers is too low, and I
believe it will have to be raised as iStockphoto comes under increasing
competitive threat from other microstock libraries. There is also an
extended license option available.
Like Fotolia, iStockphoto has gone international, with the ability to
choose which language you would like your Web site to be displayed
in, automatic key word translation, and a choice of currencies for
payment.
Presently, there is no FTP upload for photographers; instead, there
are third-party bulk upload alternatives. Otherwise, you have to submit
images one at a time, which is time consuming. iStockphoto has an
outstanding, well-designed site, full of content, with carefully moni-
tored forums that are best used for technical queries. Any signifi cant
criticism is usually deleted—use the independent forums for that. It
also runs events for its photographers called “istockalypses,” where
you turn up and shoot models and places and meet other iStockphoto
photographers.
My concluding view of iStockphoto is that it’s a great site, superbly
designed and run, but with commissions that are too low even for