Istockphoto

iStockphoto – one of the first, if not the very first microstock. Today, it is among the TOP-3 best microstocks. Perhaps 90% of famous stockers started their work with iStock. iStock has always had very high requirements for the quality and thematic focus of images. Passing the exam on iStock means that you are clearly not a beginner in your field. iStock puts a lot of emphasis on working with exclusives, who receive significantly better conditions from the stock compared to regular authors. In addition to photos and vectors, you can also buy videos, flash, audio, and logos on iStock.

The stock was founded in May 2000 by Bruce Livingstone. Initially, it was just a gallery of free images, and only in 2001 did it switch to a micropayment model. In February 2006, iStockphoto was sold to the large photo bank Getty Images for $50 million. Images are sold both individually and by subscription. Sales are made for photo bank credits. The cost of images in dollar terms ranges from $1 to $40, and videos vary in price from $5 to $50. Compared to other stocks, prices on iStock will be higher, but the quality is always at the highest level. By the way, there is a free section where registered users can download works from different categories for free every day.

To become an author on iStock, you need to register, upload a scan of your passport or driver’s license, and pass the exam. The exam consists of a theoretical part and a practical one (checking 3 of the author images). They are very demanding on the quality of works. Pay attention to the selection of keywords for the image so as not to indicate anything unrelated to the plot. Rejections are quite frequent for various reasons. The reasons for refusal are explained in detail. The attribution process is quite complex. A non-exclusive author on iStockphoto receives 20% of the image price. Exclusives receive up to 40%. From the first days on microstocks, do not even try to become an author on iStockphoto, as you will just waste your time. Practice with other photo banks first, and then try your hand here. The minimum payout is $100.

For the rest of the information, see the articles in this section. To start working, register on iStockphoto:

photo stock iStockphoto



List of Common Photographer Mistakes

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Usually, there is catastrophically little time during shoots, so I try not to step on the same rake. I don’t want to repeat the typical mistakes of many photographers that once stole my time, which I could have spent more productively on better collaboration with stock agencies and improving my professional skills as a photographer.

Desktop Microstock Dictionary

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Many novice microstockers often find it quite difficult to understand the specific jargon used by experienced stock photographers, which is filled with various slang terms and abbreviations.

How to Choose Keywords When Attributing

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For beginners, one of the challenging moments when uploading and attributing images on stock photo sites is the selection of keywords.

First, it’s difficult to determine which words will be key for a specific image; second, it’s challenging to choose the best-selling keywords from the entire list of possible words; and third, many simply don’t understand the purpose of keywords.

Correct Keywords for Images

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Typically, selecting keywords for an image is the final step in the process of uploading images to stock banks. Unfortunately, many microstock contributors tend to push keyword selection to the background.

About Vectors and Vector Graphics for Beginners

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If you are a beginner in vector graphics and you are not a professional designer with an amazing knowledge of Illustrator, you may feel quite scared. Don’t be. Vectors, like sharks, are just misunderstood creatures.

Top Stock Trends for Fall-Winter

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What wish would a microstock photographer make for the upcoming Christmas? I suppose all one needs is a regular crystal ball of the fortune teller. After all, if we knew exactly what buyers