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I'm becoming really aware of logos and things when I'm shooting now. I do find that there are some weird grey area's - including things like some specific brands are more strict than others. It's definitely a learning experience!

It's also strange how different all the stock agencies are. Some are more strict and some more relaxed. Even though Adobe's pretty strict, I do still like dealing with them though.

@@redandthewolfphotography Yep that has been the problem with most of the microstock site since the early 2000(s) "strict and some more relaxed". When dealing with images of people no matter if you think the site you're submitting to is relaxed about model releases, it always best to get and submit them with any images of people.

True, it's probably better safe than sorry. :)

I'm glad my video resonated with you!

Thanks Jim! Still lots to learn, but loving it. :)

Hey Craig. Thanks for the link feedback - I'll make sure to fix that asap! I've subbed to your channel too - it's great to see other small channels coming up. And yes - the concept of "I'll do it when the time is right"... the time is almost never "right"! And even if you stumble when you start - it's better to at least have started than not. And all those bigger channels - they started right where we are. Once upon a time, even Peter McKinnon probably only had his Mum subscribed. lol. But yes - time is totally different when you have other responsibilities. That's why all my stuff so far is just talking head - it's the easiest for me to produce - lowest hanging fruit, if you will. One day I'd love to be out there getting amazing b-roll, but I just don't understand my camera well enough for that to be easy. I'm starting where I'm at - but I do have some pretty big self-improvement goals. It just means I need to be a lot more strategic about upleveling - AND really push myself out of my comfort zone. And instead of just upleveling one thing at a time, I'm trying to do a tonne this year, so it's kind of all being thrown in together. lol. It's weird - cos when you finally start to get good photography work - it's kind of like you don't want your videography, or other area's your testing in, to be less than the new standard you've set yourself - but every area is a new journey - so I've made peace with my work looking all over the place. I'll make sure to go check out some of your video's too! :)

Hey Jack! What a neat comment to wake up to this morning! :) I am also the kind of person that likes to do a million amounts of research - I think as you get older you realise that there's always more to something than you thought there was, so you become a little paranoid about moving forward until you've got "all the info". lol. At least, that's how I felt. In the end, after YEARS of wanting to do things and never moving forward, I've decided just to do them - and if I fail, at least I tried it and I can try again or make a decision at least from being on the other side. As for sites - I'd definitely recommend Shutterstock to begin with - they have a great interface and it's easy to use, plus they generally let you know within a few days - I think it's taken like a week at the latest to get a yes/no answer from them. And they give pretty good feedback on one's they decide not to take so you can adjust from there. After that I'd go to Adobe. I'm actually changing my strategy this month and dropping DepositPhotos, Alamy and Pond5 - all 3 of their back end systems are - clunky - is probably the best word. And I get no sales at all from them. I'm thinking of starting up with Getty/iStock - so I'll probably cover that in my next video too. But definitely - start with Shutterstock and go from there. And remember - just build your portfolio, it's definitely not an overnight success, and the people who do really well with it, have been building portfolio's over years. So don't give up too soon. :) Best of luck.

@@redandthewolfphotography Thanks for the advice

Hey! Thanks! :) My cousins actually a photographer and lives over in NZ too. :) One day I'd love to get over there. Maybe when my stock takes off. ;)

I'm thinking the same thing! I enjoy it, and I'm willing to ride it out.

Hey! It's great to see people starting out and finally pushing play on that first video. Just keep going. :) x

Yea, it's the adulting that'll get ya. lol.

Well, I think that there's short term gain when you're trading time for money - like doing one off gigs. And then there's marathons like stock photography - where you invest your time up front and you get pay back later. BUT, the people I've seen online who are successful at it, treat it like a job. Some are making 6 figures out of it, but they have a 10 year portfolio. And I keep seeing it repeated, that it's only about 10% of that portfolio that's actually making the money. The other 90% is just there to basically point to the 10%. At this point, I'm going off other creators I'm watching, cos I've only ever made a few dollars. But I also get that you need to have a large portfolio to make larger money. I think the only exception would be if you got something REALLY timely - like during "the big sick" a few years ago, people that were making content related to that did quite well I think. And also some strategy - paying attention to what people are talking about, and then making content specifically for that. For instance, if you enjoy doing health related photography, maybe there's a new diet fad everyone's raving about - so if you make content on that, it's going to sell better for example. So there's definitely strategy to it - but it's possible. It's just up to you if you want to put the time and effort into it. Like working out - you've got to be strategic and consistent to see results. There's always people succeeding in area's and those failing. It's up to you if you're willing to dip your toes in to try. :)

What can I say, it's natural. 🤣🤣🤣

Do you have a link to one of your portfolio's? I'd love to have a look if that's ok. Are a lot of them photo's of europe?

@@redandthewolfphotography most are from the Netherlands. I have send a link on Instagram to you.

:) Thanks! That's actually the best way to put it. If you're going to have photo's, why not just store them on a stock site and at least make money from them? It's kind of like having a portfolio online of your work and instead of paying for a website, they pay you occassionally. lol. It's crazy, cos most of the time they're really small prices - I've often said how disproportionate the joy is for even a 10c sale. I can't imagine how happy I'd be to get an $18 sale! 😂

@@redandthewolfphotography my usual is the .10 cent sale as well.

I'm pretty sure my story is lots of people's stories. There's always so many complicated reasons why we don't take steps forward - and the hardest part is when you go "I'm a fairly intelligent person, WHY can't I figure this out?" And truthfully I've found the only answer is cos I'm afraid to take that step forward. As soon as I take that step forward, I end up figuring something else out - that I never would have, had I not actually DONE it myself. That's quite simply what all the "experts" have over the rest of us I've come to believe - they simply take steps that we're afraid to. I'd love to see your portfolio - can you send me the link? It's so cool to see what others are doing! I'm also trying to get into video at the moment - I'd love to get good at video too - but one step at a time. lol. And AI fascinates me. My other half and my kids are creating a game and are using AI to help solidify some of the idea's. They already had half the game designed, but questions around landscape idea's and stuff - it's AMAZING what AI can do. What program are you using?

Honestly Asheesh, I would love to too - but I don't think/speak well on camera. I think so much better when I write, so I script most of it before I film. And with the kids in the background, it's easy to get distracted while I'm doing it - and some days I'm just exhausted from burning the candle at both ends at the moment. So I put it together like that because I'm often looking down at the script I have on my phone, so it doesn't come out as naturally as I'd like - thus the quick cuts. It's a skill I'm hoping to improve on, but - as they say - you have to start somewhere. :) Thanks for reaching out though, I appreciate all the feedback to get better!

Thanks for the support. 😊

That's such a cool idea! Great especially if you're doing nature or landscape photography!

Thanks! I'm trying to improve it in editing at the moment, but as soon as I'm able, i'll be investing in some better audio gear. Especially because the setup I have is just one huge open plan room, we're right next to the main road, and I'm always filming with the kids on their computers in the background - I think a wireless mic is a good idea for a start.

@@redandthewolfphotography sounds like you’re on top of it! Even consider something like wired earbuds for $10-20 that plug into phone, and can sync audio easily from there. Affordable hack, but might be worth it while waiting to get into proper mics. I personally love stumbling across smaller channels like yours, picking up tips, and seeing channels grow. You’ve got a cool format and good info, no reason this won’t grow imo! Keep up the good work, we appreciate you 👌

Thanks for the kind words. It's such a neat thing to watch your channel grow, and even though often there's that drop off in the views as the video progresses - I'm amazed still at the number of people who watch my video's to the end. It's very humbling. Hopefully I can help or inspire others the way I've found help and inspiration here on TH-cam. :) I might just try out the ear bud thing - I've got an extension around somewhere, so I can probably plug them directly into the camera. I'll test it out tomorrow when I film and see how it comes out.

@@redandthewolfphotography the audio is prob a small detail in the big picture, but in a weird way i just want the best for this cool little channel 😊 (and it helps legibility to folks who do not have the same native tongue). it adds a little bit of work in post to sync audio, but nothing you can't handle i'm sure. also worth testing a few built-in noise reducers or vocal enhancers depending on what you're editing in. i think we're in approaching a different age of YT where the real & relevant creators are captivating their audience more than channels with 100k++ subs. much rather watch/interact with industry pro i relate to vs influencer on the same topic with watered down info and constantly selling their plug-ins/lut packs/sneaky collabs etc.. and tbh, I think in the next year or two we're going to see a very subtle but sizable shift in what viewers want. this is pure speculation, but in a sentence, i think we're going to see honesty & transparency prevail ... we've all had enough of these 'well-lit camera box readers' saying the same stuff as everyone else, and not being daring enough to say the downsides/downfalls of certain things. this is a long-winded way of saying thanks for putting the focus/effort into something that means something to you, and subsequently helps inform/inspire the folks in the camera industry. sorry for long reply, yay afternoon-expresoo hahahaa!

@@kernzilla It's really nice to see other people who like to write novels like I do! lol. Thanks so much for the supportive comments. I really think the whole "business" side of youtube is important, but some people DEFINITELY do a better job than others. I really love it when someone takes the time to be creative with ads or sponsorships, rather than just reading it out. I have to admit, even on TV, most ads are rubbish... I really love it when I find an ad that makes me laugh and is super clever. I think people need to be just actually genuine - and that's missing from lots of creators. Still SOOO much to learn on this platform, but if I just get 1% better each time (either in front of the camera or in my processes), then I figure in another year or two, I'll be on the right road finally! :)

Thanks Lauren! I'm trying. Slowly getting there!

I guess that's one bonus of the mirrorless, everything can be seen through the viewfinder. I find myself in a funny space and time - loving the technology that can help me learn and start a business, but still loving the mechanical aspect of some things. My concern with the on-brand batteries, is that if there's ever any issues, I can say that I followed the instructions and used what was provided. In my older cameras (both of which were second hand), I just used the cheaper non-brand batteries. But when you really splurge on something like the 5D and the 24-70 lens... there were a few things I wanted to make absolutely sure were the "right" thing to protect it. And yea, I'm super humbled to watch my numbers go up each day. It's a bit weird, because I'm still learning myself, but it's really nice. And the coolest thing, is getting to chat with people around the world like yourself! Just mindblowing. :)

Hi! Thanks for that. :) I still have a lot to do in the area of colour grading - actually, lots to learn about the whole process! But just like with photography, another few years and I'll get it right. :)

@@redandthewolfphotography tracy if you need an video editor I'll happy to help you with that

Thanks, but that's a skill I really want to work on too. :) The editing bit makes me really happy. :)

It's definitely been a slow start for me, but it's also been a busy year. I'd suggest giving yourself a time frame and going full on into it. The more you put up, the faster you'll see results - either it'll work for you or not. Best of luck with it!! :)

I've been blessed to have really kind words on my videos so far that have encouraged me to keep going too - so thankyou for your support. :)

Thankyou for your kind words!! <3

Thanks! I'm a little mind blown at people subscribing still. :)

I think in the beginning most of us just want to photography EVERYTHING. I just took my camera everywhere. lol. But now I'm wanting to move into the professional field - I really need to niche down, and I think if your friends can describe what you do, I think that's a good indication that you're representing yourself on social media well. And that's a great analogy - yea, it's like being in the right spot on the shelf to be found. That's exactly it.

Thanks. I think there's a lot of us out here feeling it, so I wanted to address it. :)

Thanks! :) 138 was accurate on Tuesday when I filmed - it's crazy how quickly it's climbing!

I'll look into it. I'm always up for doing things smarter not harder! :)

Hi Sandeep! My understanding is that things need to be 100% original. So if you are creating something where you are "curating" rather than "creating from scratch" - that's not fully original. So for example, if you are using elements or templates provided by Canva or Adobe Express, that's probably why you're getting a rejection in this instance. If you are only using fonts and shapes (squares, circles, triangles, etc), it would probably be ok. But any additional elements - such as photo's, Adobe Express or Canva specific png's, pre-made logo designs - that's most likely the issue. My suggestion would be to learn a little about adobe's firefly if you want to get into AI created work (which you can then alter if you choose), and / or InDesign or Illustrator, where you can guarantee that your design work is 100% yours. Currently only Adobe Stock allows for anything AI created. Shutterstock is not allowing AI yet. There's a tonne of fascinating and helpful tutorials on youtube for all of them if you're interested. :) I hope this helps and you can get on with some awesome design work in the future! :)

@@redandthewolfphotography thank you so much. This is really helpful.

I will be making a video on this in the near future, but the basis of what I do, is to go into shutterstock and adobe stock, and type up what I THINK I would type up if I were looking for my own images. So if I had a photo of a daisy, I'd type up "daisy" in the search term, and then find similar images and copy the keywords. I aim for 49 keywords, but some of my images I'm lucky if I get to 20 to describe them. That's sort of the basics, so start with that at least. I'll try to remember to drop you a comment when I create and load up that video. :)

@@redandthewolfphotography Do sweat the comment. I'm a subscriber and will see it come through.

I know, right?? lol. It's the little things in life. :)

I think with photography and videography becoming so available to everyone these days, you're definitely going to see more of the "oh, photography is just point and click, so anyone can do it" attitude - which I think filters down into the "cheap" feeling sometimes. I think it's a blessing and a curse - it's more saturated, but it's also more accessible for those of us coming into it later in life, or who are living somewhere that would have made it more "restrictive" (for lack of a better word) back before the internet. So - I have to ask - have you followed your dream? Are you a stock photographer full time? :)

@@redandthewolfphotography It’s a hobby at the moment, I drive buses for a living 😁

Yea, Adobe's review process is CRAZY slow. I've actually found them to be the pickiest with quality issues. And I had images sitting there for months that I just ended up deleting cos they were clogging up my work flow. Also - just saw your second comment, so that answers my first question about if you followed your stock photography dreams. lol. :)

That's definitely part of my plan. I really want to improve my filming too - and that's a great way to do both at the same time! It's great to get feedback that I'm heading in the right track though! :)

Hey! That's a great suggestion! I'll include that in one of my next videos. :)

That's my theory too. Just need enough to keep making those little sales gather some traction. :)

None of my smart phone cameras have ever been good enough for that, but I've seen a lot of people online talking about the same thing.

Yes. I do keyword research first, then title them from the keywords I've collected. I generally batch them - so I'll do 20 or 30 images at a time, and go through each and keyword each. Also, I keep my keywords for other images, so it's helpful if I have similar images to just go back and cut and paste relevent ones. Also, Adobe is really good at coming up with extra keywords, so I always paste them in there first, and collect Adobe's other suggestions.

The short answer is yes - I had no specific agencies in mind when I started research except shutterstock, as that was the only one I had already uploaded half a dozen to a few years back. When I really got into it this year, I did do some research, but I also decided I would start with 5 (and not stress too much over it, just to get started), and after doing my research, I chose the 5 I currently use. But that's not to say I wouldn't use iStock at some point. I do remember seeing some not-so-great reviews from contributors who were reputable, but I can't remember the exact reason I chose not to try them. But I certainly won't bad mouth them, as I haven't had any personal experience using their services.

Thanks @@redandthewolfphotography

Thanks! :) There's a lot to learn.

Thank you very much! :)

Well, hopefully by the end of the year I'll be able to look back and see the ups and downs, but ultimately see the progression. But I really appreciate seeing other people's ups and downs too, that's why I want to include the not so great times too. Social media often makes everything look so perfect, I think we need some doses of realism. :)

I know, right??? lol. I'll get there one day Ma. Let you live the life you'd like to become accustomed to... <3

Hey! I've literally just put it up! It's been a pretty hectic past few months, and this is the first chance I've had to catch up! It's not quite my normal upload, but I hope you like it. <3 It's honest, if nothing else. lol

@@redandthewolfphotography excited to watch it!

That's absolutely why I make these videos. I really appreciate watching other creators, and I just love joining in the conversation. Plus it challenges me in other ways. :) Thanks for popping over!!

I'm up at the base of the Coromandel, but it's so nice to connect with other NZ photographers! I'm still crazy excited over any sale - I'll take 10c over a thumbs up like on facebook any day. 🤣🤣🤣 One day I'm just hoping there'll be like 100 sales in a day, rather than like 3 a month. But I'll get there eventually. :)

@@redandthewolfphotography yes it was nice to hear a kiwi accent :) I'm at 10-20 a month, slow and steady is all good. Haha good point - 10c is definitely worth more than a like!

Hey! I'm so sorry I haven't replied to your message! It's been a crazy past few months, and I'm behind on EVERYTHING. lol. I tried to speak a little slower this time, but I also cut my video a lot because I'm not good at recording and so I write a script and then basically just speak one line at a time - so I often have to mush it together so it doesn't sound quite so akward. lol. And I know the feeling about being old - I just can't be bothered with some that go too fast... still trying to find the right pacing. :)

Hey! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, the past few months have not been the easiest! Thanks for the compliment. 😊 I had wondered if people would agency hop to find cheaper pricing - but I think a lot of people also have their favourite agency or agencies they use repeatedly, so I haven't really got enough experience to judge either way yet. Hopefully one day I will have lots of sales and I'll actually be able to weigh in on that properly! lol. Most of my photo's so far were simply old ones off my hard drive - so yea, moving forward, there will definitely be a change in my style to reflect space for text, and also for use for headings and things. I know for myself, I've tried to use stock images for clients to create facebook headers - and they're beautiful images, but I just can't fit them right for a header image. I'm super looking forward to getting back behind the lens!!

@@redandthewolfphotography I've been submitting to stock for little over a year and plan to change direction a little bit.