Microstock Photography Sites

Hi guys, here are some of the sites that I submit to and some reviews..
Shutterstock - Instant downloads; highest volume sold
iStockphoto - Average volume; strict quality standard, high commission
Dreamstime - I am just starting here so no comments yet...
Stockxpert - Average volume; okay commission
123RF - Low volume; okay commission
Fotolia - Low volume; high commission
Yaymicro - New site so not much sales yet, but they are going to do heavy marketing in Sept '08; pays in EURO!

68% of my income is from Shutterstock, 19% from Stockxpert, 10% form iStockphoto, 3% from 123RF and Fotolia

I suggest you try Shutterstock first, this will surely make you more interested in Photography because of the high downloads!

Also, please note that while some fare well in Shutterstock, others fare better in other sites, so you should upload in all sites as much as possible to maximize your potential.

Earnings at Shutterstock

After 27 days and 46 Vectors in Shutterstock, I have made $125. In the first few weeks, I average around 20 DLs per day on weekdays and 10 DLs per day on weekends. Now, I average 50 DLs per day on weekdays and 20 DLs per day on weekends. If this continues, I could make around $200+ by the end of June! Check out my portfolio here.

Guys, it's really simple! If you don't know how to draw, that's not going to be a problem because you can just combine circles and squares and you can sell! One of my best selling vectors is this. I made it in a few minutes. Nothing complicated!You just have to be patient and learn how to use Vector editing softwares such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Freehand, Inkscape, or Xaraxtreme. Inkscape is free which is a good way of trying it out first!

Join Shutterstock now for instant downloads! And I mean instant! The very first day my illustrations were approved, I got around 10 DLs, but it doubled the following week instantly! Just add more vectors and you will earn more!

Accepted at Shutterstock!

I am a contributor to Shutterstock just today! Check out my gallery here. I haven't had any downloads yet but hopefully it will come in a few days.

Join Shutterstock now and earn commissions from your photographs and illustrations!

Job Lead - High Paying Forum Posting Job

Guys, found this thread in Work At Home Mom Forum which is a forum posting job. The job pays $1 per post if you are accepted. But I think there is a limit to 25 posts per week. But that's still something worth checking out. $1 vs a few cents for other forum posting sites.

I am already a part of this and have been paid by them already. Go check it out here.

Blogging Jobs

Back to writing gigs for a moment, there are some new blog writing jobs in ProBlogger you guys might want to check out. They don’t usually have much blogging jobs that are of interest to me since my technical knowledge is limited. But currently, they have a blog job for Music lovers, I am sure there are a lot of people who love music and writing about it would be easy. The company is Orble and they are looking for Music Bloggers and bloggers get 50% share of the revenues. Check out this job posting here.

Stock Photography

I recently found a new "job" that gives you passive income. It doesn't involve writing. It just involves taking pictures and slightly editing it in Photoshop or making illustrations using any Illustration software such as Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or CorelDraw.

I am talking about Stock Photography sites. What is stock photography? According to Wikipedia, consists of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. In short, you will be taking these photographs and selling it to those who need it. If you take good stock pictures, you can get downloads even after a year of uploading that photo. It's always nice to get money from something you did a long time ago. By the way, you don't need fancy digital cameras for this. Basic Canon or Sony digital cameras with at least 5 Mega Pixel will do.

I tried photography when I found out about Stock sites but I am not really sure I get the technical aspects of it. Which is why I chose to make illustrations instead. Vector illustrations are drawn computer images representing different things, they are usually used for prints and web purposes. Cartoony like representations of people are good examples of Vector illustrations. There are also technical details in Vector illustrations but it is something that you can learn.

I have never used any computer drawing software before like Photoshop or Illustrator. I think the most complicated I have used is Paint! Anyway, I bought a copy of Illustrator and started reading up on it and now I can create illustrations! I can't really draw so I have to look at a lot of references (mostly in the stock sites) and get ideas from them.

Right now, I don't have a portfolio yet but I am doing them now. Try out Shutterstock first because they are more lenient on the Vector screening process. You need to have 10 vector illustrations or photographs as an application before you officially become part of the team. You should first look at their site to see what they require and what images/illustrations sell well. They pay you $0.25 per downloaded picture/illustration. It doesn't sound much but it would be worth it if the downloads are coming in. In Shutterstock, the customers have subscription. For example, if a customer subscribes for 1 year worth of subscription, that means, they will download 25 photos per day for 365 days in a year. Of course, they wouldn't like to waste their 25 downloads per day so they download a lot even if they don't need it yet. They store it for future use. So as long as you upload photos/illustrations, you can get downloads.

$50 for 50 words

Do you want to earn $50 with just 50 words? There is a website called Common Ties wherein they publish short answers to 20 questions that they have. All you have to do is to compose an answer to any of their questions and if you are chosen, they pay you $50 for it.

Of course, it's not easy to be chosen, but 50 words is easy to come up with especially if you take a look at their questions. It's easy and worth the risk. Here are their 20 questions...

1. What door do you wish you never opened?
2. What is your most obsessive thought?
3. Where is your favorite place in the world, and why?
4. What's the one thing your parents don't understand about you?
5. If you could relive a single day or moment, what would it be?
6. What were the strangest circumstances under which you have been intimate?
7. Under what circumstances have you been closest to death?
8. What is the most gracious act of kindness you have witnessed?
9. What is the worst betrayal you have ever experienced?
10. What is the most bizarre thing you have seen or done?
11. What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?
12. What is your earliest, most vivid memory?
13. What is the most meaningful "I love you" spoken by you or to you?
14. What was the single most terrifying moment of your life?
15. If you have experienced a moment of sudden faith or loss of faith, what prompted it?
16. If you could take back one thing you have done, what would it be?
17. What is your greatest talent or accomplishment?
18. What is the most joyful moment you have experienced?
19. What is the most painful moment you have experienced?
20. Open Question: Submit your own question and answer. No answer is off-limits, and can be on any personal theme. Here is a sample list of 20: abortion, addiction, adolescence, break-ups, crime, death, depression, eating disorders, humor, lucky breaks, mental disorders, moral dilemmas, pets, poverty, racism, religion, sex, suicide, turning points, war.

Very very easy! You could come up with 1 answer in 5 minutes. Try it!

Please read their Writer's Guidelines and FAQs for submission first. If you are an artist, they also accept art for their answers without illustrations.

Lastly, do read their Orphans page to see what type of submissions they are looking for so that you can pattern your answer to their style.

Note: They choose several answers every Monday and mail check for payments 30 days after publication. No paypal.