Microstocks

The Successful Photographer

Business Help For The Visual Artist

Microstock Stock Photo Agencies

	istockphoto is the clear leader in the microstock field. Owned by stock photo giant Getty Images, istockphoto has greater marketing depth than any of its competitors. If you are serious about being in the microstock world, you have to be submitting to istockphoto. On the downside, their limit of 15 uploads per week for new contributors makes it extremely difficult to get the level of thousands of images on line that you need to prosper in the microstock photo business. Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 296 Number of Images 3 Million Royalty 20% Minimum Image Size 1600 x 1200 (appx 2MP) Headquarters Alberta, Canada Application Submit 3 images for review
Shutterstock	Every microstock photographer I talk to ranks Shutterstock either first or second in income production (the other first or second is istockphoto). This always suprises me as they pay a $0.25 USD royalty. They must be doing something right. As yet I do not have a relationship with Shutterstock. I consider that a mistake that I intend to correct shortly. Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 2,229 Number of Images 3.5 Million Number of Photogs 98,000 Royalty $0.25 USD per download Minimum Image Size 2.5 MP Headquarters New York, USA Application Upload 10, 3 must be taken
	Dreamstime strikes me as the most professional of the top microstock agencies. They are consistently listed in the top four of income producers and they allow up to 100 images a day to be put online when you first start with them. This clears the way for getting your 1000's of images on-line quickly. In fact, my only problem with Dreamstime is that parts of their upload could be simplified. They are another must if you are serious about earning an income in microstock. Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 2,386 Number of Images 2 Million + Number of Photogs 26,000 Royalty 50% Minimum Image Size 3 MP Headquarters Brentwood, CA, USA Bucharest, Romania Application Upload images for review
Fotoloia	Fotolia is another microstock that consistently ranks in the top five. Having said that, I find less to recomend at Fotolia than I do at any of the other agencies listed here. Their selection process seems particularly flawed. Images that even istockphoto has selected, Fotolia will often pass on. It does not seem to me that Fotolia has the marketing strength to be that picky. Never the less, I continue to submit images to them and would suggest that you do likewise. Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 2,133 Number of Images 3.5 Million Royalty 33% minimum Minimum Image Size 2 MP Headquarters New York, USA Application Upload images for review
123RF	I suppose that 123RF is not in the top tier of microstock agencies. They are close however. I include them on this list because I have a bit of a soft spot for them. 123RF was the first microstock I submitted to years ago when I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Additionally, they accept about 95% of what I send them. They have no upload limits and their upload process is the easiest of the bunch. Now if only they would start selling like the others! Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 7,384 Number of Images 1.8 Million Royalty 50% Minimum Image Size 2,200 x 1,700 4 MP Headquarters Houston, TX, USA Application Upload images for review
Stockxpert.com	Stockxpert is included here not because they are a top tier microstock agency, but because they should be. They are owned by another stock photo powerhouse, Jupiter Images, and that alone should give Stockxpert marketing and sales strength. Photographers I am in contact with typically report low sales. Perhaps because of that I have yet to form a relationship with them. If you have the extra time, however, they could be worth a try. Info of Interest: Alexa Rank 7,826 Royalty 50% Headquarters Budapest, Hungary Application Submit 5 images and complete an application

Notes:
1) The royalty rates are for non-exclusive contributors. It is my feeling that a good business plan integrates a variety of sales outlets. This precludes being exclusive to any one agency. Besides, if you are just starting out, you need to sample the waters before agreeing to drown with one source.
2) Alexa rank, number of images and number of photographers are effective as of mid-April 2008. They will change on a daily basis.
3) I have not included SnapVillage, the Corbis entry into the microstock field. (Corbis is the third of the big three in the stock photo world. Getty and Jupiter Images are the other two). Corbis does not seem to want to take SnapVillage seriously and until they do, I am not going to either.