Review of the Microstock Istockphoto

The Istockphoto Photobank is a pioneer in the microstock business and arguably one of the largest in the world. The Istockphoto microstock has a huge reputation in its field. A sign of professionalism for a microstock photographer is selling their works on Istockphoto. Why is this so prestigious? Because the Istockphoto photobank sets very high standards for the quality, theme, and execution of works. To be able to sell your works there, you will first need to pass a theoretical test and then submit 3 works for examination.
The exam that you need to take on Istockphoto is much more difficult than on the Shutterstock photobank, although, unlike Shutterstock, you are given several chances to retake the exam. For example, if two of your works pass the microstock exam, you will simply be asked to upload one more work. It may not sound very optimistic, but don’t be afraid; it’s not as scary as it seems. If you already have experience working on other microstocks and your works are selling on Shutterstock, now is the time to try to raise the bar higher and test your skills on the Istock microstock. If you pass the exam and the Istockphoto photobank accepts your works without issues, then it can be stated that you have clearly outgrown the beginner level, and perhaps even the intermediate level, and you are close to or have already achieved professionalism in microstock work. So, let’s take a closer look at the Istockphoto photobank.

What can you sell on Istockphoto?

The Istockphoto photobank accepts illustrations, photographs, and 3D visualizations in JPG format, vector illustrations in EPS format, and it is said that the sale of audio works is also possible. As for the latter, I cannot comment or elaborate since I am not familiar with it, and honestly, it does not interest me.
The images submitted to Istockphoto must be at least 1600×1200 pixels. However, there are nuances related to the reputation of the Istock photobank. While for all authors, preparing or selecting works from their portfolio for the exam is a significant aspect of working with photobanks, in the case of the Istock microstock, you will have to endure painful trials each time you select works for this microstock. Whereas on most other microstocks you can generally upload anything that is somewhat decent, Istockphoto immediately requires authors to submit only their best works. From day one of working on Istockphoto, you will be instilled with the skills of a true artist. So, immediately discard the thought of submitting incomplete floral backgrounds or backgrounds created in a couple of minutes from squares and other shapes. The photobank, once again, is very demanding regarding the quality of works. Istockphoto has very strict requirements for vector images. For instance, if you have left a single point, or your file contains open paths and unexpanded brushes, or the curve consists of a large number of anchor points, you will undoubtedly be rejected on Istockphoto, even if this work was accepted without issues on other photostocks. Or, for example, if your illustration features icons and symbols (text, musical notes, and other decorative elements), you will receive a rejection. Even if you used automatic tracing or decided to upload a derivative work that has not changed enough compared to the previous one, rejection is guaranteed. How do you feel about such strictness and demands?
In addition to the above cases, rejections are also guaranteed in instances where similar works already exist on the Istockphoto microstock website. This includes icons based on simple geometric shapes, country flags, geographical maps, silhouettes of people, and so on. In general, much of what may be successful for you on other photobanks may not pass on Istockphoto without discussion.
However, again, it’s not as scary as it seems. The Istockphoto photobank provides all the information about its requirements, as well as what they need and what they do not. So, there are no secrets about what is needed on Istock.

Earnings on Istockphoto

After reading the previous section, most of you may be thinking, “Why do I need this photobank with its demands?” I respond that the Istockphoto microstock, like Shutterstock, generates the highest sales volumes in the world of microstocks. Consequently, if you break through on Istockphoto and get into the stream that is accepted without issues, then good earnings on Istockphoto are guaranteed.
There is no ranking of authors by sales levels on the photobank. The prices for sold images vary from $1 to $40 depending on the resolution and complexity of the work; for video works, the price can range from $5 to $50. Royalties for non-exclusive authors are 20% of the sale price of the work, while for exclusive authors, the royalty percentage increases to 40%.
The photobank offers a very interesting earning program for exclusive authors. A non-exclusive author can transition to exclusive status when the number of sales exceeds 250 and the acceptance rate of their works is at least 50%. Having exclusive status on Istockphoto can increase sales due to the larger number of visitors that the photobank itself ensures. Additionally, exclusive authors receive a higher limit on weekly uploads to the microstock. Istockphoto also offers bonuses such as a 10% markup on sales under extended license terms, as well as the opportunity to sell your work on Getty Images (one of the largest stock photo agencies in the world). However, not everything is as enticing as it seems. Exclusive authors are prohibited from working with other microstocks, meaning you will not be allowed to upload your work to other stock photo agencies and will have to delete any existing portfolio from these agencies. 🙁
Once again, the fundamental rule of the market is violated – do not put all your eggs in one basket. If Istockphoto were to go under, what would you do? Essentially, transitioning to the category of exclusive authors at a stock agency makes sense if your primary income comes from this microstock. If Istockphoto accounts for no more than 50-60% of your overall earnings, then there is no reason to panic.
Nevertheless, there are quite a few authors who have transitioned to the exclusive category and do not regret it. Besides the bonuses mentioned above, there are also considerations like reduced time spent on uploading and attributing works – submitting to one microstock is much easier than to 6-7, given the variety of their submission requirements. It is also significant that working with Istockphoto allows authors to grow professionally, as they are not just churning out similar works but are encouraged to develop creatively and showcase their artistic flair.

Exam at Istockphoto

At the exam at the Istockphoto stock agency, after passing the theoretical test, you will need to submit 3 images in your chosen field for subsequent work. If you wish to work in multiple fields, you will have to take the Istockphoto exam separately for each field.
You must upload 3 works for the exam in succession. When selecting works for the Istockphoto exam, try to choose dissimilar works completed in different techniques. You must demonstrate that you not only know how to work with specialized graphic software but also show that you are skilled in creating vector illustrations and, furthermore, that you can draw as well. Photographers will need to show that they can not only take technically correct photographs but also know something about composition, lighting, and can create narrative photography, in short, prove that they are not new to photography.
Here’s a little advice – before taking the Istockphoto exam, evaluate your existing portfolio on microstocks like Dreamstime, Fotolia, Stockxpert, and Shutterstock. Analyze what they accepted from you and what they did not. For the Istockphoto exam, try submitting works that were accepted by the mentioned microstocks, as this will increase your chances of passing the exam successfully on the first attempt.
After uploading your exam works, wait for the exam results. The review is usually conducted quite quickly, within 1-2 days. In case of failure or success, the inspectors will notify you by letter. If you pass the exam, you will be informed that you can now upload works for sale. If you do not pass the exam, you will be able to submit new works in 4 days; if you fail again, the resubmission period increases to 7 days, then to 14 days, and so on. The exam works with which you passed will not appear in your portfolio, so you will have to upload them again for sale later. By the way, sometimes it happens that exam works pass but may not be accepted for sale by inspectors.

Receiving Payments from Istockphoto

The minimum amount for withdrawal from Istockphoto is $100. You can withdraw your earnings upon request to a wallet in payment systems like Moneybookers, PayPal, or order a personal check for the amount of your earnings. The microstock also offers the option of withdrawing money using a Payoneer MasterCard payment card. You can order a Payoneer card only when your earnings reach $100. In this case, you will be able to visit a site where you can enter your personal details and request the card’s delivery. The card’s production and delivery take about a month. Since the card is issued on the MasterCard payment system, it enjoys all the benefits offered by cards from this system: you can use the card in the retail and service network wherever the MasterCard logo is displayed, and also withdraw cash from the Payoneer card at ATMs worldwide.
To summarize all of the above, it can be said that the micropayment stock agency Istockphoto has established quite strict requirements for the works sold through it. Inspectors of this microstock conduct a very thorough selection of works. However, the volume of sales generated by the stock agency allows for good earnings for both non-exclusive and exclusive authors. Therefore, if you are confident in your abilities and are willing to test your professionalism, as well as increase your earnings level on stock photo agencies, you are most welcome at Istockphoto.