In the interest of your time, I cut a few things out of this video. Probably the most important one is how much time it takes to reach this level of income. I’m in my third year producing stock video. I probably saw very near 0 sales in the first 3 months or so. Even after the first year, I was just making “extra” money. It took until near the end of the second year before I really started to see $2-3k months. But the great news is that my portfolio never shrinks, it only gets bigger. That’s not to say I will always retain this level of income from stock. There is an ever-growing amount of competition after all. However, it has paid for my time and equipment many times over and at least for now, my passive income is still growing.
what sites are you using to sell? I have a problem every time with Shutterstock or the other big ones as they require perfect editing - All my shots are smooth 4k, mostly drone shots of unique places around the world
I'm a stock footage producer, I can tell you it's not easy, everything has to be perfect there's pre-production, recruiting professional actors, location scouting, wardrobe, filming gear etc. but the money is good.
“You don’t know what’s going to sell” 100% I’ve been at this for about 3-4 or so months after finding your video, made less than 10 sales but surprisingly some of the most mundane and crappy ones (in my opinion) that I initially was considering not bothering to sell have sold the most and the ones I am most proud of haven’t had a single sale yet!
Finally, a great topic with actually showing on how to do it. Too many false guru out there just talking about money, giving an impression that is easy money without skill but never show the real them or behind the scene. What I like about this video, you actually showing people how. Thank you so much!
Wow! I got started with stock photography back in 2020, managed to get only about 300 photos across three agencies. Later that year, I got employed again (non photographer job) and ever since I was too busy, or too lazy to pick up a camera and use it. My main focus was on images, but did manage to upload a handfull of videos, but I found the process of filming, editing, uploading and keywording extremely time consuming, especially for an amateur hobbyist photographer, so eventually I stopped. This video, and your whole process and system of doing stock media has reignited my fire towards stock and I feel motivated to get back to it and focus on video, because someone finally explained how to do it right. I'd like to thank you for this valuable information that I've come across. I would most certainly want to get involved with Pic ur photo. Thanks, Dino
Love it! It all comes down to getting started and then investing/re-investing in the most time consuming tasks. What really sucks the lfie out of stock is the minutiae, but batch and automate, and you'll be able to spend more time doing the fun part. Pic ur Photo is currently at max capacity, but we'll be opening up spots soon. Send an email to c.ostmo@gmail.com, and I can get you on a waitlist
Love this because he is being honest about the entire stock photography and video website like shutterstock etc. Only small creator I do it on the side as hobby while travelling etc. Only got around 1k pictures and around 100 videos on shutterstock. It's lot of work time to record or shoot , sorting what image is good which not , then editing then actually listing them on the website, good description and keywords takes ages too. Then the cost of equipment got dslr camera range aroud £700 , plus lenses, then got drone for like £400, then your lightroom subscription just for editing pictures like £12 a month which obviously comes to around £ 150 a year etc etc fuel cost etc while travelling. And the reality is having like 100 sales entire year making whoping £20 💀 it's definitely numbers game and quality and quantity, also depends on your niche too. Thinking trying other websites like adobe etc but that be so mich work ain't got time for that yet while working full time. Only doing it because I love it as my hobby and I'm very passionate about it, but definitely not get quick rich scheme like people make it looks like in videos on youtube or tik tok etc.
My first time commenting on a video A very clear, frank and simple explanation You are not like the person who asks to participate in a private course Everything is free and very clear
I am professional full time stock photo and video producer and i am experiencing big drop in my sales although my portfolio is increasing. Shutterstock is by the the worst and adobe is better but i think is due to AI and its only going to go down and its becoming difficult to keep producing more content and infuse more money in the production.
@@chinthakaspriyankara3905 originally from Oregon (USA), but currently living London. What part of India are you from? I spent 3 months traveling around your beautiful country with my two little kids earlier this year
Generally, you can’t show brands/logos even with a release. Buildings are ok to show, but you’ll need a release if they’re “recognizable”. Some random storefront will probably be fine, but the shard in London won’t. Vehicles-no. Products-just don’t show any logos.
Best to perfect both. I’ve started out in stock photography and it’s know the market. Stock pictures from 2000-2015 won’t be in season compared to the candid-look of today. A friend of mine is already on £2500 per month pictures alone....and he’s ‘lazy’. Best to see Stock like a video game. Get better once you learn new moves/themes. Video is the future though, as billboards are adopting video advertisements more and more.
I do take photos, I just don’t “go out of my way” to take them. They were really important at the beginning especially to build confidence. Those daily sales-even if they’re small are a solid morale boost. Videos sell for much more money, but obviously not as often, so it’s easy to get discouraged
@@callmelil I’ve learnt a lot from your video. The image of the flags or close ups of cooking is smart. I sold a picture of a water bottle for £7. Your idea “Simplicity sells” is genius.
what sites are you using to sell? I have a problem every time with Shutterstock or the other big ones as they require perfect editing - All my shots are smooth 4k, mostly drone shots of unique places around the world. Sorry just trying to figure this out..
Dude, I love your channel! Question for you regarding stock photography contribution. Do you upload the same images to each of your contributing sites, since you are the creator? Or are there stipulations between platforms that restrict having the same image across the board?
Sorry for the late response! I upload the same media to all agencies-or I try to. Some of them have stricter requirements than others, and Shutterstock imposes weekly limits, but otherwise I have every right to upload the same media to as many sites as I want. There are some creators who decide to become “exclusive” with x agency or y agency. They’ll usually get a better commission that way, but IMO, it’s not nearly enough to justify not uploading to multiple agencies (like 50% commission instead of 35%).
look at the beginning under earnings one time he is christian ostmo then becomes Kanel Bulle on the other agency, this is bull, money are made from youtube views
Loved the video!! I am American expat of many years now. And this May, will be jumping into the deep end by quoting my full time job and traveling for at least a year. I love photography and videography! So the idea of making passive income like this sounds like a dream….if it is really possible. Sorry to rant, but one question - how long are these video clips you are posting to Shutterstock? And why can’t I find the ‘upload video’ option on their app? I only see photo option. Thank you so much for your reply! Your newest subscriber, Zach
Thank you, I appreciate you! And I wish you the best of luck on your travels! To answer your question, some of them are up to 30 seconds long (usually slow drone footage), but most and the most profitable clips are around 7-9 seconds long. I don't use their app, so I'm not sure. On their site, I have the option to upload both, but the app I built actually uses their FTPS capabilities: support.submit.shutterstock.com/s/article/How-do-I-upload-content-via-FTPS. Check out that link for an "easier" way of bulk uploading footage. Some agencies also make you apply for-and get approved for-videos and photos separately. It's been so long, I can't remember if Shutterstock is one of those agencies or not, but double check and make sure you've been approved for video submissions.
Great video Lil !! Thank you very much for the valuable information. I’ll use some of your tips and even perhaps get help from your company’s website. You have a beautiful family. I wish you many blessings. 🙏
This video is cool and I support you to make more videos, because you tell it clearly and gave us the example from the video which we could upload on shutterstock. Informative and simple. Good job
thank you for the amazing video , please i would you learn more from you , and i don't know if shutterstock work in nigeria also or i have to leave abroad before it can work for me?
I’m sorry, I don’t have an answer for you. Shutterstock accepts contributors from almost all countries, but I’m aware that there are really strange rules around money/payment in Nigeria that might make it impossible to get paid. I don’t know this, your best bet is to try and see if
Love your content. Im a begginer photograp who lives in Vienna, Austria. Every day I go out and I try to find subjects I can sell. Can you please make video about all the different type of things we can photograph outside in the city with out model or property release. And what aperture, iso and shutter speed do you use? Thx
look at the beginning under earnings one time he is christian ostmo then becomes Kanel Bulle on the other agency, this is bull, money are made from youtube views
Kanel Bulle is a username I have used for many different websites since around the time I met my wife. It means "cinnamon rolls" in Swedish (my wife is Swedish). Christian Ostmo is my real name. To answer the original question, you can always shoot cityscapes. As long as there isn't "one" focal building that has a copyrighted design. I also film lots of food, city buses, vegetables in the market, etc..pretty much anything that doesn't have a "recognizable" person or building (other than cityscape, which is fine), it's fair game. You'll see in this video, I filmed some slow mo grilling, a Greek flag, etc..
Really great question! I carry around Aputure lights: amzn.to/3abiZWs. They are these mobile (but powerful) lights that allow you to change colors and connect to bluetooth for control. I try to use daylight as much as I can, but I sometimes whip those out as well
Thank you for sharing those tools! I'll try them because my stock video workflow is so slow, so I meanly take photos. I'm trying to make a living from stock, and after watching this video I have decided to shoot more footage at shootings with models.
Thank you to share so much valuable information bro! In the 19:16 you mentioned the virtual assistant you use to edit and keyword the videos, what's the name of that?
Appreciate the compliment! And apologies for the confusion, a virtual assistant is like a PA, but remote/online. You can hire one on a site like upwork, or use something like my agency lilassistance.com
HI . I am watching your video from Tunisia and it's inspiring me so much .Would you please share some recommendations on what to choose as settings for the video exporting and how long are the videos you upload Thank you
Sometimes I export videos up to 30 seconds, but most often/most sales are footage in the 6-9 second range. I export in prores 422, but what options are available to you will depend on your camera and editing software
@@kk_3354 You can and should upload the same media to multiple sites! This will not result in any issues unless you sign up as an "exclusive" seller for one of them (don't do that, it's not worth it)
i have uploaded over 500 Footages on depositphotos during last six months but i didn't get any sale there. Should i continue to upload clips there... or not? Do you got your Footages sold on depositphotos?
Good video! Can I ask how long did it take u to get to making $1000 a month? Also on average how many mins per month do u think u upload? Roughly of course, haha, I know alot of these type Qs have so many variables but I think u do a good job answering these type Qs like I wanna know! I think I'm about to start doing something similar to this and gameplanning now. I'm hoping to make a rough plan for things to shoot after doing a little research in sites to use and see if there's anything that I can find that I can shoot that is either missing now or selling good! This has been an idea I've had for a lil while now but I think u just gave me the inspiration to follow thru w some decent facts and your the story of your journey. I also didn't catch what u did before this for work and is the only thing (besides the booking site) that you do for work? One thing I hope to bring to my footage to help me stand out is optional music or dialog...may wait to try and add this after I get going tho or slowly over time!
I started a couple weeks. Uploaded 55 and got 4 accepted. Noise is a huge problem with acceptance rates in shutterstock It pays to buy a bit more expensive cameras with better sensors that handle well at high ISO's.
That's true, I just want to add, it always seems to me that one file getting rejected can have a domino effect on an entire upload. There are real people reviewing your upload, and I think when they pass by a file they particularly don't like, they'll look at all your other stuff more critically. Either that, or some of them are just hardasses, and some of them are chill. Either way, I have a ~60% acceptance rate (which I believe is normal), but some batches will be almost entirely rejected and others will be almost entirely accepted. If you're worried about noise, check out neat video. It's not going to work miracles, but it can make a big difference
@@jonjoe89 Good question: very rarely. I did it a lot at the beginning, but I realized things that get rejected once have a very high chance of getting rejected again. True that they are probably separate reviewers with their own sets of standards, but I think (I don't know, but I think) these stock agencies have ways of flagging those re-uploads, even when you change titles and filenames. I rarely even look at what was accepted/rejected anymore. Maybe not a bad habit at the beginning, but once you get in the groove of uploading, it's really a numbers game. Bigger portfolio = more money, and if you can imagine yourself spending an extra 20 or 30 min to save 1 video, how many more videos could you have produced in that time? Probably more than 1.
If you are shooting stills than you don't need expensive cameras or fast lenses to get quality results with today cameras...even with an entry level. All you need is a nice stable tripod. If you shoot action in dark places is a different story.
@@og3139 true, but if there’s one thing you should take from this video, it’s that photo pays basically nothing. You should be shooting as much video as possible
Thanks for the info.) If you're still reading this - would be interesting to know how many videos do you upload per week or per month - to consider it a normal ongoing process.
When I first started, I committed to 30 files per month (1 per day). I was not really getting anywhere at first, so I quit. But then my sales started (from those original 60 or so files), and it got addictive. Peak (around when I made this video), I was probably submitting 20 per day on average. Some days, I would submit a lot and others none. Today, I’m focused on other businesses, but I still get steady sales.
Good night. How do you ensure that a buyer, after buying a photo of you, doesn't sell it as if it were that buyer's photo? What security does shutterstock give you so that this doesn't happen to you? Thanks
This is a good question that doesn't come up often. Google "legal indemnification Shutterstock" or {insert agency name}. Each agency offers some sort of protection for the unlicensed/illegal use of your images, but truth is, I don't know much about how it works in the real world.
@@carrilhanodias7936 it might not put your mind at ease, but stealing/selling your photos is a crime. Crimes do happen, but that’s true in any business and IMO shouldn’t put you off. It would be like saying, “my dream is to open a bookstore, but I won’t because I’m afraid of shoplifting resellers.” Yeah, it could happen. There are always risks, but there are also ways to deal with that.
@@callmelil Hi. I've already uploaded images taken by me on my travels but most of what I've uploaded are AI images. It's just a matter of investing time in creating a portfolio and someone stealing it. Thank you for answering my question. All the best
Thank you for sharing and what a beautiful family. I am very new at this, I would say I'm on step one. I have a few questions for you. I hope you can help. 1. You mentioned you use virtual assistance for editing, is there a particular company you recommend to edit? What is the usual charges for virtual assistance?
Hey Kebandi, thank you so much! I’m going to be a bit biased, because I run the virtual assistance company: lilassistance.com. You can also find people on freelancer.com or Upwork, but you will want to make sure you get the process perfect beforehand. Ideally, you’ll find native English speakers if they’re writing your metadata (ours are), but that can run up the price
Great video. I never thought about selling photos or videos until recently my sister shared some gorgeous video clips and photos from my hometown. And I love documenting my life, trips, and experiences. I have many many videos available already. I would love to be able to reuse them other than being used in my vlogs. Could you please share the bulk editing and uploading tool again? Do you need to create an vendor account with all the stock image agencies first? Appreciate your generous sharing!
I think what you're referring to was at 10:02. Sorry, I kinda blended it together with my mouth but what that should have been was "EOS R" www.canon.co.uk/cameras/eos-r-system/. Thank you for watching, I appreciate it!
Different platforms do it differently. As an example, Pond5 allows you to set your own prices, but Shutterstock does not. I also sell on my own website, where I can set the price.
Interesting. What legal complexities do we need to be aware of when starting this business? Are we allowed to upload stock videos with random strangers in it?
I can't give you all the answers to that, but in general: - Do not include logos - Any "recognizable" people need to have model releases - Any "recognizable" buildings need property releases If you have recognizable people or buildings with no releases, you can still sell it as "editorial", which is usually used for informational purposes/news, but can't be used in commercial projects.
Cool video! How do you handle situations where you have no model release, especially in other countries when doing street photography / shooting stuff when you travel? How do you ensure you are allowed to sell the image, especially when it's only 1 other person on it? That person might have consented to you taking the picture, but might not be happy if you sell it to others?
@@callmelil This comes as a surprise to me. Been watching your whole video with great interest, and I thought to myself; because you seem to film all the time (quantity), surely a great deal of your footage must be uploaded as "editorial"?
@@tomask.3983I’m not usually filming peoples faces. Though I film all the time, it’s usually my family, food, generic products/stuff (with no logos), and cityscapes. You don’t need a release for blurry faces in the background, nor do you need one for buildings no one recognizes
I film my family and myself (for whom I have model releases). I try to avoid other identifiable people. There is certainly money in filming people, though, I wouldn't discount other stock videographers who pay models and use that as part of their strategy. Buildings younger than 120 years old only require releases if they're identifiable and the "main subject". Just filming something on a wall, a video with multiple buildings, or the inside of some random building, doesn't usually need a release. Shutterstock sometimes disagrees, but again, it's a numbers game, and they'll just reject whatever doesn't work for them. no big deal. I would not bother trying to get a release from somewhere I knew would require it. Your time is valuable. Your money is in numbers. And, by the time you got your release, you could have filmed 100 other things that don't need one.
Great video Lil, and beautiful family! Thank you for being transparent and frank about equipment and earnings. Just 2 simple questions if you have a moment: how long are the clips typically? If I'm recording something like rain on the sidewalk, or low shot of people passing, what's a good length? 2nd question: you mention editing. Does that involve the same process similar to editing photos in Lr? Thank you in advance for your help.
Thank you! I appreciate the love. In my experience, around 7-9 seconds sell best, but I upload anything from 5-30 seconds. I go through my editing process toward the end of the video, but to sum it up: I use FCPX and batch export using a plugin called frame.io/
Thank you for the love! I shoot mostly on my sigma art 35mm these days. It’s my favorite lens and (what I feel) is the perfect compromise for attacking all types of media from portraits to landscapes to food on tables in tight spaces
IMO, the clip length sweet spot is 7-9 seconds. I have some as short as 5 seconds and as long as 30, but under 7 and over about 15 is rare. I do tons of slowmo, but mostly because it's easier to stabilize/keep stable. Stability is, like, the number 1 thing. I used to shoot everything on a gimbal, but when I bought my EOS R5, I ditched the gimbal and started shoointg everything 4k slowmo. Sometimes, I speed it back up to normal speed, but I record in slowmo like 95% of the time. I have model release for my wife, myself, and my kids. I try to keep everyone else's faces out of the videos. Getting model releases/paying people to be in my videos isn't worth it.
@@callmelil Thanks SO much for the help! I wasn't expecting such a fast response. I'm glad you said most is slo-mo. I do have a gimbal but I am like a learner driver with it! I will get practising at once :)
It depends on what you shoot, but since I’m always moving and shooting indoors and outdoors, I like my sigma art 24mm. It’s really dynamic in a big fast prime
I'm currently using an EOS R5, but you can get away with something much cheaper. Something like an EOS M6 will get you most of the way there for a small fraction of the price.
Hi Lil, thank you soooooo much for this valuable content. I am a beginner with contribution to this stock portals. As I can see, Wirestock offers to distribute contributed materials to other marketplace portals (like Pond5, Adobe, Shutterstock etc). Do you think that is a good scenario to post all my stuff on Wirestock and let them distribute elsewhere or I should still go on Pond5, Shutterstock and Adobe and post there as well?
I actually don’t know wirestock, but if they’re anything like Blackbox, I DON’T recommend it. The commission they take is way too high, and they’re licensing terms are very restrictive. You’re basically stuck with them (and can’t submit anywhere else) for (I think) 2 years. Their language in their licensing agreement even forbids you from doing any other sort of “related” work outside of their platform. I confirmed with their support that it says that and “they don’t really mean it”, but I wouldn’t work with that hanging over me.
9:51, when you say 'stock video'... What do you actually mean by that!! Can you explain in the next video with some examples shot via phone n dslr, please. And how to shoot, edit n upload to Shutterstock?
I didn’t mention stock video at 9:51, so I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but the whole video is about stock video-as in video you sell usage license for. Around that time marker, I did give examples of what was taken via phone (the airplane landing for example), and most of the rest was shot with a mirrorless camera (not DSLR, but there’s no meaningful difference). Shoot, edit, and upload: that’s what the whole video is about, so unsure exactly what you want to know that’s not in here
First off, download an app called Filmic Pro. That's probably the best camera app for iPhone, though it's pretty expensive. You can find cheaper alternatives like Protake+. I don't have a 14, but I think like my new 15, it's capable of shooting LOG. If it is, shoot LOG. If not, shoot in ProRes. This will give you more usable footage as it won't be (visually) compressed like phones do automatically in the stock camera app. If shooting LOG, you'll need to color-correct using final cut pro or similar. Here's the LUT I made for my 15 Pro Max's footage: short.lilassistance.com/GlUm Other than that, try to keep your subject centered, keep movements slow and smooth, and keep things clean and brand-free. After you've been doing it for a while, you might consider getting ND filters, so you can abide by the 180 degree rule (though I wouldn't worry about it yet).
Thank you! The answer to that question is always "more". Shutterstock is the hardest, though, because they currently cap you at 100 videos/week. I can/sometimes do produce 100 new videos per DAY. Which means a lot of my videos never make it to Shutterstock (they do go to the rest of my network). My total library is about 15,000 assets-roughly 50/50 photos and videos-but only about 5,000 on Shutterstock. I guess you could use that as a goal, but you really need to commit to submitting x/day and stay consistent IMO. When I first started, I set a goal of producing, writing metadata for, and submitting 10 new clips every single day, and that consistency is what carried me through.
@@callmelil thanks for such a quick and honest answer! This helps a lot. I have currently 280 videos and I am now trying to do exactly as you mentioned - upload roughly 10 videos a day. I have learned that it really depends on who is reviewing so I am afraid to upload too much at the same time to make sure that one picky person wont decline too many videos at once 😅 With this system 99% of my videos get accepted :) Thanks again and good luck! (Fun fact, my most sold video is a 4K closeup of a pine cone. I remember doubting if I should even upload this ‘useless’ clip)
Hi, I just got acquainted with Shutterstock and registered. The photos I uploaded are photos of nature that I took with my phone camera, but most of them are rejected because of noise and... I am from Iran and the income from this site will be very good for me, but currently it rejects the photos, what is the solution? Do you think I should continue uploading nature photos or should I start making graphite photos like making avatars and...? Thank you for answering
Unless you have a newer iPhone the camera on most phones won’t be good enough. Also even with some iPhone cameras a photo a night or in the dark will have a lot of noise.
This is a result of having a high aperture. My camera/lens setup films at f/1.4 (you can google that), which gives it that blur. You don't have to have a blur to sell videos and I think if you were to add it artificially (like what smartphones do in portrait mode), most of those videos/photos wouldn't pass inspection by the agencies.
Awesome! I bought a gimbal to use with my 6D and it made a huge difference…carried it everywhere all the way through owning the EOS R. However, I eventually invested in the R5 so that I didn’t need the gimbal anymore. They are amazing but also a huge pain to carry everywhere. The R5 has in built stabilization second to none-so good that combined with the 120fps, I can leave the gimbal at home 97% of the time. Batteries-I have one inside my camera and I carry two extras. I have a few more extras, but they live in my drawer. That’s plenty, I’m not sure I’ve ever run through all 3 batteries in a single day, but I carry a small battery pack for emergencies. It can charge my camera directly through USB-C. It also charges my mics and phone.
For sure 4K, and nothing wider than 24mm (maybe 16mm in some circumstances) on a fullframe camera. 4K: my average 1080p clip makes me around $3. My average 4K clip: around $50...and the thing is, if the clip is in 4K, you can still sell the 1080p version, but it doesn't work the other way around. I didn't start making "real money" until I started selling 4K footage. 24mm and up is largely a stylistic choice and dependent on what you're shooting. I keep a 24mm strapped to my camera because it's roughly the widest lens I can use without getting that fisheye look on close subjects. It's also the longest lens I can use in selfie mode and oftentimes indoor settings, so IMO it's the perfect compromise if you're a one-lens show like I am (because of convenience).
Looking for a side hustle, and a way to start making money off my love for sky, thunder and other landscape stuff to reinvest, and potentially live off.
I’m going to throw out a cliche: “the best camera is the one in your hand”. I’ve sold hundreds of dollars worth of stock straight out of my iPhone 8, so you really don’t need anything fancy to get started. Of course, the better your camera, the better you’ll sell (probably). I shoot with an EOS R5, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who has the money and is ready to invest in this on a big scale. The key differences between the R5 and a cheaper camera are the 120fps 4K and the 8 stop stabilization. It will make it so you can get buttery smooth footage-even in lowlight environments-WITHOUT a gimbal. I used to carry a gimbal everywhere I went and it was not easy. The R5 means I get way more quality footage with less effort. A more budget (but still good) camera I recommend is the EOS M6. It’ll get you like 80% of the way there for 20% of the price.
I'm a bit late to this video but I noticed you don't shoot in a log profile. Can/should you shoot in log footage or is that something you should avoid altogether with stock footage?
I do actually shoot LOG. All footage in this video has already been color-corrected. Log can be a bit tricky, but as long as you know how to properly expose your footage, get the white balance right, etc..it's the better option.
If people are in your videos, and if their face is showing, do you need a release document signed by the person to allow you to use their face in the video? I you took a video of a guy stacking boxes, like I saw in your video example, is that not enough exposure to their face or if the face is in the video for more than 5 secs? Basically, what are the rules. I don't want to gather all these videos from visiting another country and then when I get back to the US I find out I can't use many of the videos.
I've certainly made some money from that type of stock, but I'd encourage you to get diversity. A lot of my best selling clips are food, signs, city buses, and yes, some nature shots
Thank you! I do not personally have an experience with Pic-Time. I have seen them around, but I've always sold prints on my own website, so I have never really felt the need to use Pic-Time. I can certainly see the niche they fill, though
@@callmelil Pic-Time has a huge niche around Wedding Photographers, its also really good for transferring photos to clients quickly. Actually, I'm looking to build my own website, but I don't know where to start. Do you have a video on this by any chance?
Hey Martin, thank you! Blackbox is a different solution to the same problem of speeding up the editing/keywording/uploading process. I can definitely see why it's appealing. It's been a while since I've investigated them, but if I remember correctly, you "share" the revenue with collaborators-so you find a writer who does your metadata, an editor who does your editing, and give them each some pre-agreed percentage of your sales. I don't know what the going rates are for collaborators, but between a keyworder, editor, and Blackbox's own fee, I could easily see that taking you down to 50% of your revenue or even less. Using a VA from something like lilassistance.com/ for editing/meta and picpurphoto.com for distribution will probably net you more in the long run (I mean, if 50% of your revenue is only $4/hour in the long run, you were probably never going to make it anyway)-though admittedly, the VA route is more expensive upfront. Edit: also, I just looked and Blackbox only deals with Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Pond5, VimeoStock, DepositPhotos and Envato. Not too bad a list..I think when I was looking into it for myself years ago, it was only Shutter and Adobe. Either way, they leave off my best stock site (iStock), as well as I think 4 or 5 others I use.
I was curious enough that I went ahead and signed up with Blackbox...I got approved last night, and it is even worse than I described in my last comment. For starters, they force you to agree not to upload the same footage to a long list of stock sites-those stock sites include ones that they DON'T distribute on. Right off the bat, you are losing revenue there. They also have this very broad clause in their agreement that stops you from working on any other projects that could be "considered to be competitive in terms of theme and genre"..which is like, you know, my whole job. Sounds unenforceable, but idk, I'm not a lawyer. The going rate for metadata is also a 20% share-which is the easiest part to outsource, so it's all around not a better solution.
The work being put in is to increase passive income. I can stop producing, and my income will more or less be maintained. It would probably decline slowly over time, but don’t be fooled: all passive income requires time to produce your product, and it really doesn’t get much more “passive” than stock media.
Hey! I have a company called Lil Assistance (lilassistance.com). You can also hire people off upwork or similar-just make sure they are native English speakers
hey man, Im with pond 5 already, but this video helped alot. Using your tool, and that app to download, whats the fastest way to get signed up with the other stock platforms? Thats my question and also does your tool cost monthly?
Great video! Some advice please. I need to upgrade to a new camera on a budget. I write articles so need a good camera to sell good accompanying photos, but I am also interested in uploading stock video as I travel. I am thinking the Sony A7 iv, but this camera has a 1.5 crop when you shoot in 4k @ 60 fps. Is that a problem do you think? Thank you!
Hey Steven, a 1.5x crop is "fine". Like if you really love the A7 iv and all it's features, and that was the only drawback, it's probably worth working around it. You can buy a shorter lens-a 16mm with a 1.5x crop will be almost the same as a 24mm without the crop. That said, there are bad things about to doing it this way. For example, a 16mm will have slightly more of a fisheye look, and if you use really fast lenses like I do (f/1.2 or f/1.4), a 16mm will be more expensive and/or harder to come by. So all in all, you can certainly "get by" and produce sellable stock video, but it's not without drawbacks. That said, before you commented, I didn't actually know that the A7 iv has a 1.5x crop at 4k 60fps. I've always thought of it as a similarly specced Sony camera to the EOS R5. I've only used one briefly, so never looked too far into it, but it's definitely a very expensive/top tier camera. Usually when justifying a crop factor, we're talking ASP-C cameras-like the EOS M6 or Sony A6000 or maybe much cheaper full frame cameras-like the EOS R. Personally, I wouldn't be dropping that kind of money on a camera with that limitation. An EOS R5 is only a little bit more money..and forget the crop factor, the 4k 120FPS alone is worth the price difference.
@@callmelil Hmmm! Thank you very much for the advice Christian. I'm not stuck on the Sony A7 iv, but I was trying to find something in that price range. I have an old Canon 7D and love it! But, well overdue to move on. What's the Canon EOS R5 like for taking normal photos? Thanks for such detailed info by the way.
Final Cut Pro and other editing software can do some to improve it, but ultimately, when you’re filming in public, it’s very hard to get perfect audio. Film indoors with something like a Rode podmic, and you’ll be miles ahead of this.
Start with whatever camera you have. If that's a GoPro Black, then great. What you will find as you get more experienced with the GoPro is that anything in less-than-perfect light will probably get rejected. Likewise, anything with really fast movements will probably get rejected. So, if you can stick to slow-moving, well-lit scenes, that don't require depth (background blur), the GoPro will be just fine. I have more than a few GoPro clips for sale on stock sites-they aren't my bestsellers, but they do sell. Once you start generating revenue, upgrade to something like an EOS M6-that would be the most logical (cheaper) step IMO.
How do you deal with. model releases? Seemed like you were getting quite a few shots with people in them... your table of friends, the large group of Jewish folks, etc. I can't imagine you can go around and get signed model releases for every person that appears in those shots. So how do you deal with images like that?
I don't get model releases, they're not worth the time. I have model releases on record for my family and myself, and I do my best to avoid "recognizable" people otherwise. Most of my footage of the Jewish people will probably not make it, but I have one great shot where you just see the back of the guy's head/hat and everything else is very blurry-similar to 3:38, but a bit closer (so bg is blurrier) and he doesn't turn his head. No release required for that shot. Every once in a while, Shutterstock disagrees with me on whether I need a release or not. I just move on when I get that kind of rejection.
Literally any editor can edit stock videos. It’s just about the simplest editing I do. If you have a mac, iMovie works. Otherwise, really anything. The reason I use FCPX is because I’ve figured out this batch editing with frame.io. It’s the most efficient way to edit tons of stock footage at the same time, and I don’t know of any other software that allows you to do it (and I’ve looked). Frame.io has davinci and premiere plugins too, but I’ve not been able to get them to work in the same way. You may want to experiment with Davinci as it’s free.
I have suspended new users as we're at capacity, but we are currently rebuilding the platform to be more robust! Please do get in touch hello@picurphoto.com to be put on the waitlist.
In the interest of your time, I cut a few things out of this video. Probably the most important one is how much time it takes to reach this level of income. I’m in my third year producing stock video. I probably saw very near 0 sales in the first 3 months or so. Even after the first year, I was just making “extra” money. It took until near the end of the second year before I really started to see $2-3k months. But the great news is that my portfolio never shrinks, it only gets bigger. That’s not to say I will always retain this level of income from stock. There is an ever-growing amount of competition after all. However, it has paid for my time and equipment many times over and at least for now, my passive income is still growing.
Wich website you use ?
@@othmanemasaif5690 you mean which stock agencies?
@@callmelil and what about length of the clips? How long should they be?
@@4kbrazil 5 seconds up to 60 seconds.
what sites are you using to sell? I have a problem every time with Shutterstock or the other big ones as they require perfect editing - All my shots are smooth 4k, mostly drone shots of unique places around the world
I'm a stock footage producer, I can tell you it's not easy, everything has to be perfect there's pre-production, recruiting professional actors, location scouting, wardrobe, filming gear etc. but the money is good.
“You don’t know what’s going to sell” 100%
I’ve been at this for about 3-4 or so months after finding your video, made less than 10 sales but surprisingly some of the most mundane and crappy ones (in my opinion) that I initially was considering not bothering to sell have sold the most and the ones I am most proud of haven’t had a single sale yet!
It’s always like that. Some of my favorite clips NEVER sell, and my bestselling stuff often just seems so random.
I doubt you’ll even see this but how many sales have you made now a year later and how many images/ videos have you uploaded?
what platform did you use to sell those photos?
Finally, a great topic with actually showing on how to do it. Too many false guru out there just talking about money, giving an impression that is easy money without skill but never show the real them or behind the scene. What I like about this video, you actually showing people how. Thank you so much!
Wow!
I got started with stock photography back in 2020, managed to get only about 300 photos across three agencies. Later that year, I got employed again (non photographer job) and ever since I was too busy, or too lazy to pick up a camera and use it.
My main focus was on images, but did manage to upload a handfull of videos, but I found the process of filming, editing, uploading and keywording extremely time consuming, especially for an amateur hobbyist photographer, so eventually I stopped.
This video, and your whole process and system of doing stock media has reignited my fire towards stock and I feel motivated to get back to it and focus on video, because someone finally explained how to do it right. I'd like to thank you for this valuable information that I've come across. I would most certainly want to get involved with Pic ur photo. Thanks, Dino
Love it! It all comes down to getting started and then investing/re-investing in the most time consuming tasks. What really sucks the lfie out of stock is the minutiae, but batch and automate, and you'll be able to spend more time doing the fun part. Pic ur Photo is currently at max capacity, but we'll be opening up spots soon. Send an email to c.ostmo@gmail.com, and I can get you on a waitlist
Love this because he is being honest about the entire stock photography and video website like shutterstock etc. Only small creator I do it on the side as hobby while travelling etc. Only got around 1k pictures and around 100 videos on shutterstock. It's lot of work time to record or shoot , sorting what image is good which not , then editing then actually listing them on the website, good description and keywords takes ages too. Then the cost of equipment got dslr camera range aroud £700 , plus lenses, then got drone for like £400, then your lightroom subscription just for editing pictures like £12 a month which obviously comes to around £ 150 a year etc etc fuel cost etc while travelling. And the reality is having like 100 sales entire year making whoping £20 💀 it's definitely numbers game and quality and quantity, also depends on your niche too. Thinking trying other websites like adobe etc but that be so mich work ain't got time for that yet while working full time. Only doing it because I love it as my hobby and I'm very passionate about it, but definitely not get quick rich scheme like people make it looks like in videos on youtube or tik tok etc.
My first time commenting on a video
A very clear, frank and simple explanation
You are not like the person who asks to participate in a private course
Everything is free and very clear
I am professional full time stock photo and video producer and i am experiencing big drop in my sales although my portfolio is increasing. Shutterstock is by the the worst and adobe is better but i think is due to AI and its only going to go down and its becoming difficult to keep producing more content and infuse more money in the production.
Good luck in your pivot
@@callmelil Hello, where are you from?
@@chinthakaspriyankara3905 originally from Oregon (USA), but currently living London. What part of India are you from? I spent 3 months traveling around your beautiful country with my two little kids earlier this year
Awesome work 🙌☘️, share your Shutterstock portpholio link.
Thanks for sharing! Do you need releases for vehicles, store-fronts, buildings, logos, products (brands)?
Generally, you can’t show brands/logos even with a release. Buildings are ok to show, but you’ll need a release if they’re “recognizable”. Some random storefront will probably be fine, but the shard in London won’t. Vehicles-no. Products-just don’t show any logos.
Best to perfect both. I’ve started out in stock photography and it’s know the market. Stock pictures from 2000-2015 won’t be in season compared to the candid-look of today.
A friend of mine is already on £2500 per month pictures alone....and he’s ‘lazy’.
Best to see Stock like a video game. Get better once you learn new moves/themes.
Video is the future though, as billboards are adopting video advertisements more and more.
I do take photos, I just don’t “go out of my way” to take them. They were really important at the beginning especially to build confidence. Those daily sales-even if they’re small are a solid morale boost. Videos sell for much more money, but obviously not as often, so it’s easy to get discouraged
@@callmelil I’ve learnt a lot from your video. The image of the flags or close ups of cooking is smart. I sold a picture of a water bottle for £7. Your idea “Simplicity sells” is genius.
what sites are you using to sell? I have a problem every time with Shutterstock or the other big ones as they require perfect editing - All my shots are smooth 4k, mostly drone shots of unique places around the world. Sorry just trying to figure this out..
any tips?
Best informative TH-cam on footage stock !! Thank you!!
Thank you!
Dude, I love your channel! Question for you regarding stock photography contribution. Do you upload the same images to each of your contributing sites, since you are the creator? Or are there stipulations between platforms that restrict having the same image across the board?
I want to know this also
Sorry for the late response! I upload the same media to all agencies-or I try to. Some of them have stricter requirements than others, and Shutterstock imposes weekly limits, but otherwise I have every right to upload the same media to as many sites as I want.
There are some creators who decide to become “exclusive” with x agency or y agency. They’ll usually get a better commission that way, but IMO, it’s not nearly enough to justify not uploading to multiple agencies (like 50% commission instead of 35%).
look at the beginning under earnings one time he is christian ostmo then becomes Kanel Bulle on the other agency, this is bull, money are made from youtube views
Loved the video!! I am
American expat of many years now. And this May, will be jumping into the deep end by quoting my full time job and traveling for at least a year. I love photography and videography! So the idea of making passive income like this sounds like a dream….if it is really possible. Sorry to rant, but one question - how long are these video clips you are posting to Shutterstock? And why can’t I find the ‘upload video’ option on their app? I only see photo option. Thank you so much for your reply!
Your newest subscriber,
Zach
Thank you, I appreciate you! And I wish you the best of luck on your travels! To answer your question, some of them are up to 30 seconds long (usually slow drone footage), but most and the most profitable clips are around 7-9 seconds long. I don't use their app, so I'm not sure. On their site, I have the option to upload both, but the app I built actually uses their FTPS capabilities: support.submit.shutterstock.com/s/article/How-do-I-upload-content-via-FTPS. Check out that link for an "easier" way of bulk uploading footage. Some agencies also make you apply for-and get approved for-videos and photos separately. It's been so long, I can't remember if Shutterstock is one of those agencies or not, but double check and make sure you've been approved for video submissions.
Great video Lil !! Thank you very much for the valuable information. I’ll use some of your tips and even perhaps get help from your company’s website. You have a beautiful family. I wish you many blessings. 🙏
Thanks so much for your kind words!
This video is cool and I support you to make more videos, because you tell it clearly and gave us the example from the video which we could upload on shutterstock. Informative and simple. Good job
Thanks for your kind words!
thank you for the amazing video , please i would you learn more from you , and i don't know if shutterstock work in nigeria also or i have to leave abroad before it can work for me?
I’m sorry, I don’t have an answer for you. Shutterstock accepts contributors from almost all countries, but I’m aware that there are really strange rules around money/payment in Nigeria that might make it impossible to get paid. I don’t know this, your best bet is to try and see if
Love your content. Im a begginer photograp who lives in Vienna, Austria. Every day I go out and I try to find subjects I can sell. Can you please make video about all the different type of things we can photograph outside in the city with out model or property release. And what aperture, iso and shutter speed do you use? Thx
look at the beginning under earnings one time he is christian ostmo then becomes Kanel Bulle on the other agency, this is bull, money are made from youtube views
Kanel Bulle is a username I have used for many different websites since around the time I met my wife. It means "cinnamon rolls" in Swedish (my wife is Swedish). Christian Ostmo is my real name.
To answer the original question, you can always shoot cityscapes. As long as there isn't "one" focal building that has a copyrighted design. I also film lots of food, city buses, vegetables in the market, etc..pretty much anything that doesn't have a "recognizable" person or building (other than cityscape, which is fine), it's fair game. You'll see in this video, I filmed some slow mo grilling, a Greek flag, etc..
Thanks for the advices. What about light ing? Do you carry some light with you for low light conditions like in restaurants, shops, etc?
Really great question! I carry around Aputure lights: amzn.to/3abiZWs. They are these mobile (but powerful) lights that allow you to change colors and connect to bluetooth for control. I try to use daylight as much as I can, but I sometimes whip those out as well
@@callmelil thank you very much
Thank you for sharing those tools! I'll try them because my stock video workflow is so slow, so I meanly take photos. I'm trying to make a living from stock, and after watching this video I have decided to shoot more footage at shootings with models.
What gear are you working with? Where are you based?
This feels like solid advice. Thank you.
Hey! I would love to sign up for Pick Your Photo, and get some more information on that. Thank you!
Thank you to share so much valuable information bro! In the 19:16 you mentioned the virtual assistant you use to edit and keyword the videos, what's the name of that?
Appreciate the compliment! And apologies for the confusion, a virtual assistant is like a PA, but remote/online. You can hire one on a site like upwork, or use something like my agency lilassistance.com
HI . I am watching your video from Tunisia and it's inspiring me so much .Would you please share some recommendations on what to choose as settings for the video exporting and how long are the videos you upload
Thank you
Sometimes I export videos up to 30 seconds, but most often/most sales are footage in the 6-9 second range. I export in prores 422, but what options are available to you will depend on your camera and editing software
kindly let us know.... top 5 sites to upload our stock videos....thank you
Shutterstock, istock, Adobe stock, pond5, deposit photos
@@callmelil Thanks❤️
@@callmelil can you monetize the same stock video on multiple sites? will this cause any copyright issues? thanks
@@kk_3354 You can and should upload the same media to multiple sites! This will not result in any issues unless you sign up as an "exclusive" seller for one of them (don't do that, it's not worth it)
i have uploaded over 500 Footages on depositphotos during last six months but i didn't get any sale there. Should i continue to upload clips there... or not? Do you got your Footages sold on depositphotos?
Good video!
Can I ask how long did it take u to get to making $1000 a month?
Also on average how many mins per month do u think u upload? Roughly of course, haha, I know alot of these type Qs have so many variables but I think u do a good job answering these type Qs like I wanna know!
I think I'm about to start doing something similar to this and gameplanning now. I'm hoping to make a rough plan for things to shoot after doing a little research in sites to use and see if there's anything that I can find that I can shoot that is either missing now or selling good!
This has been an idea I've had for a lil while now but I think u just gave me the inspiration to follow thru w some decent facts and your the story of your journey.
I also didn't catch what u did before this for work and is the only thing (besides the booking site) that you do for work?
One thing I hope to bring to my footage to help me stand out is optional music or dialog...may wait to try and add this after I get going tho or slowly over time!
Thanks for very inspiring video. I checked this video description, but could't see. Could you please share your gimbal model? It's seriously amazing:)
Sorry! When I was using my 6D and EOS R, I had an Ronin RC. I have the RC 2 now, but I rarely break it out now that I’m shooting with an EOS R5
I started a couple weeks. Uploaded 55 and got 4 accepted. Noise is a huge problem with acceptance rates in shutterstock
It pays to buy a bit more expensive cameras with better sensors that handle well at high ISO's.
That's true, I just want to add, it always seems to me that one file getting rejected can have a domino effect on an entire upload. There are real people reviewing your upload, and I think when they pass by a file they particularly don't like, they'll look at all your other stuff more critically. Either that, or some of them are just hardasses, and some of them are chill. Either way, I have a ~60% acceptance rate (which I believe is normal), but some batches will be almost entirely rejected and others will be almost entirely accepted.
If you're worried about noise, check out neat video. It's not going to work miracles, but it can make a big difference
@@callmelil Do you ever try uploading the same videos even tho they were rejected prior?
@@jonjoe89 Good question: very rarely. I did it a lot at the beginning, but I realized things that get rejected once have a very high chance of getting rejected again. True that they are probably separate reviewers with their own sets of standards, but I think (I don't know, but I think) these stock agencies have ways of flagging those re-uploads, even when you change titles and filenames.
I rarely even look at what was accepted/rejected anymore. Maybe not a bad habit at the beginning, but once you get in the groove of uploading, it's really a numbers game. Bigger portfolio = more money, and if you can imagine yourself spending an extra 20 or 30 min to save 1 video, how many more videos could you have produced in that time? Probably more than 1.
If you are shooting stills than you don't need expensive cameras or fast lenses to get quality results with today cameras...even with an entry level. All you need is a nice stable tripod.
If you shoot action in dark places is a different story.
@@og3139 true, but if there’s one thing you should take from this video, it’s that photo pays basically nothing. You should be shooting as much video as possible
New to stock photography here...Can you add the same pictures and videos for different platforms?
Yes! and I would encourage you to do so. Some agencies offer more money for "exclusive" rights, but IMO it's not enough to be worth it
Legend! Great advice man. Thank you
Thanks for the love!
Thanks for the info.)
If you're still reading this - would be interesting to know how many videos do you upload per week or per month - to consider it a normal ongoing process.
When I first started, I committed to 30 files per month (1 per day). I was not really getting anywhere at first, so I quit. But then my sales started (from those original 60 or so files), and it got addictive. Peak (around when I made this video), I was probably submitting 20 per day on average. Some days, I would submit a lot and others none.
Today, I’m focused on other businesses, but I still get steady sales.
@@callmelil thanks a lot for the answer! It's useful information.
Great video! It helps because I’m planning on visiting London in a few months. Thanks for the city tips as well!
Good night.
How do you ensure that a buyer, after buying a photo of you, doesn't sell it as if it were that buyer's photo?
What security does shutterstock give you so that this doesn't happen to you?
Thanks
This is a good question that doesn't come up often. Google "legal indemnification Shutterstock" or {insert agency name}. Each agency offers some sort of protection for the unlicensed/illegal use of your images, but truth is, I don't know much about how it works in the real world.
@@callmelil Thanks Mate. Because im afraid send my images someone buy for 0.10p and sell after for much money then the 0.10ps,
@@carrilhanodias7936 it might not put your mind at ease, but stealing/selling your photos is a crime. Crimes do happen, but that’s true in any business and IMO shouldn’t put you off. It would be like saying, “my dream is to open a bookstore, but I won’t because I’m afraid of shoplifting resellers.” Yeah, it could happen. There are always risks, but there are also ways to deal with that.
@@callmelil Hi.
I've already uploaded images taken by me on my travels but most of what I've uploaded are AI images.
It's just a matter of investing time in creating a portfolio and someone stealing it.
Thank you for answering my question.
All the best
I would like more information on how to hire the out-sourced assistants.
@@EnergyProfessionals hey, check out lilassistance.com and/or reach out to me via email christian@lilassistance.com with any questions
Thank you for sharing and what a beautiful family.
I am very new at this, I would say I'm on step one. I have a few questions for you. I hope you can help. 1. You mentioned you use virtual assistance for editing, is there a particular company you recommend to edit? What is the usual charges for virtual assistance?
Hey Kebandi, thank you so much! I’m going to be a bit biased, because I run the virtual assistance company: lilassistance.com. You can also find people on freelancer.com or Upwork, but you will want to make sure you get the process perfect beforehand. Ideally, you’ll find native English speakers if they’re writing your metadata (ours are), but that can run up the price
Great video. I never thought about selling photos or videos until recently my sister shared some gorgeous video clips and photos from my hometown. And I love documenting my life, trips, and experiences. I have many many videos available already. I would love to be able to reuse them other than being used in my vlogs. Could you please share the bulk editing and uploading tool again? Do you need to create an vendor account with all the stock image agencies first? Appreciate your generous sharing!
may i ask what a usr is? it’s mentioned alongside the gimbal at approx 9 minutes in… thank you for this helpful video!! ❤
I think what you're referring to was at 10:02. Sorry, I kinda blended it together with my mouth but what that should have been was "EOS R" www.canon.co.uk/cameras/eos-r-system/. Thank you for watching, I appreciate it!
aha! thank you!! so grateful for your video, great info brilliantly presented if i may say so 🙏 best to you snd all your ladies there for a fab ‘24 🎈
To be honest, I am very grateful that I found your video, thank you for sharing this valuable knowledge, thanks again.
New subs here!.
Do you set the price of your content? I’m new to stock photos but far from new in taking photos.
Different platforms do it differently. As an example, Pond5 allows you to set your own prices, but Shutterstock does not. I also sell on my own website, where I can set the price.
@@callmelil I appreciate the information thank you.
Interesting. What legal complexities do we need to be aware of when starting this business? Are we allowed to upload stock videos with random strangers in it?
I can't give you all the answers to that, but in general:
- Do not include logos
- Any "recognizable" people need to have model releases
- Any "recognizable" buildings need property releases
If you have recognizable people or buildings with no releases, you can still sell it as "editorial", which is usually used for informational purposes/news, but can't be used in commercial projects.
can we use pic ur photo apps to upload to stock media ? is there any charges
Cool video! How do you handle situations where you have no model release, especially in other countries when doing street photography / shooting stuff when you travel? How do you ensure you are allowed to sell the image, especially when it's only 1 other person on it? That person might have consented to you taking the picture, but might not be happy if you sell it to others?
No model release with a photo/video of a recognizable person = auto-rejection. I avoid including recognizable I don't have model releases for.
@@callmelil you don't upload editorial footage?
@@mariosilva6866 sometimes, but it’s a pretty small fraction of what I submit. I just try to avoid faces where possible
@@callmelil This comes as a surprise to me. Been watching your whole video with great interest, and I thought to myself; because you seem to film all the time (quantity), surely a great deal of your footage must be uploaded as "editorial"?
@@tomask.3983I’m not usually filming peoples faces. Though I film all the time, it’s usually my family, food, generic products/stuff (with no logos), and cityscapes. You don’t need a release for blurry faces in the background, nor do you need one for buildings no one recognizes
Very informative video, thanks mate 🙏
Loved your video. How long do the videos have to be?
I have videos as little as 5 and up to 30 seconds long, but the best selling ones are in the 7-9 second range
nice video, Lil. Do you have tutorial how to upload editorial photo on pond5?
It’s pretty much the same as commercial, except you rock the “editorial” box
Do you need model releases, and property releases for buildings younger than 120 years of age?
I film my family and myself (for whom I have model releases). I try to avoid other identifiable people. There is certainly money in filming people, though, I wouldn't discount other stock videographers who pay models and use that as part of their strategy.
Buildings younger than 120 years old only require releases if they're identifiable and the "main subject". Just filming something on a wall, a video with multiple buildings, or the inside of some random building, doesn't usually need a release. Shutterstock sometimes disagrees, but again, it's a numbers game, and they'll just reject whatever doesn't work for them. no big deal.
I would not bother trying to get a release from somewhere I knew would require it. Your time is valuable. Your money is in numbers. And, by the time you got your release, you could have filmed 100 other things that don't need one.
what is your shutterstock account sir?
Great video Lil, and beautiful family! Thank you for being transparent and frank about equipment and earnings. Just 2 simple questions if you have a moment: how long are the clips typically? If I'm recording something like rain on the sidewalk, or low shot of people passing, what's a good length? 2nd question: you mention editing. Does that involve the same process similar to editing photos in Lr? Thank you in advance for your help.
Thank you! I appreciate the love. In my experience, around 7-9 seconds sell best, but I upload anything from 5-30 seconds. I go through my editing process toward the end of the video, but to sum it up: I use FCPX and batch export using a plugin called frame.io/
Great video. Thanks for putting it together ! What lens are you shooting on? Are you uploading all your clips as 4k 120FPS?
Thank you for the love! I shoot mostly on my sigma art 35mm these days. It’s my favorite lens and (what I feel) is the perfect compromise for attacking all types of media from portraits to landscapes to food on tables in tight spaces
Hi ! I would love to know more about the virtual assistant, thanks for the great tips, seems very cool!
This is my company: lilassistance.com/, but you can also use Upwork or similar.
So many questions!!! Clip length? Full speed or slo mo? Model releases? Sounds like a really good thing to get into though!
IMO, the clip length sweet spot is 7-9 seconds. I have some as short as 5 seconds and as long as 30, but under 7 and over about 15 is rare.
I do tons of slowmo, but mostly because it's easier to stabilize/keep stable. Stability is, like, the number 1 thing. I used to shoot everything on a gimbal, but when I bought my EOS R5, I ditched the gimbal and started shoointg everything 4k slowmo. Sometimes, I speed it back up to normal speed, but I record in slowmo like 95% of the time.
I have model release for my wife, myself, and my kids. I try to keep everyone else's faces out of the videos. Getting model releases/paying people to be in my videos isn't worth it.
@@callmelil Thanks SO much for the help! I wasn't expecting such a fast response. I'm glad you said most is slo-mo. I do have a gimbal but I am like a learner driver with it! I will get practising at once :)
I am interested in the photography booking site...
OMG This is Awesome thanks so much for the inspiration
📽🎞📽📽📽📽
Good luck on your journey!
nice!! good tips! do you submit editorial or commercial?
I submit commercial if I can get away with it. Ill upload the occasional editorial clip, but commercial is where the money is.
Hello. What focal length do you recommend for video and photo?
It depends on what you shoot, but since I’m always moving and shooting indoors and outdoors, I like my sigma art 24mm. It’s really dynamic in a big fast prime
@@callmelil Thanks!
Thanks for the video! How many videos are in your stock footage portfolio?
Each agency is different, but my largest is about 7,000 clips.
@@callmelil great thank you!
Which camra is the best for photographic..
I'm currently using an EOS R5, but you can get away with something much cheaper. Something like an EOS M6 will get you most of the way there for a small fraction of the price.
What kind of camera do you use? 📷 and what kind of pictures do they accept?
I use an EOS R5, but they accept any type! I have even sold cell phone photos. They just need to have commercial application and be high quality
@@callmelil is shutterstock still available though does it still work?
@@Prince_of_war777Elias Yes, it still works. Are you having issues?
Legit video, A+ all day long!
Hi Lil, thank you soooooo much for this valuable content. I am a beginner with contribution to this stock portals.
As I can see, Wirestock offers to distribute contributed materials to other marketplace portals (like Pond5, Adobe, Shutterstock etc). Do you think that is a good scenario to post all my stuff on Wirestock and let them distribute elsewhere or I should still go on Pond5, Shutterstock and Adobe and post there as well?
I actually don’t know wirestock, but if they’re anything like Blackbox, I DON’T recommend it. The commission they take is way too high, and they’re licensing terms are very restrictive. You’re basically stuck with them (and can’t submit anywhere else) for (I think) 2 years. Their language in their licensing agreement even forbids you from doing any other sort of “related” work outside of their platform. I confirmed with their support that it says that and “they don’t really mean it”, but I wouldn’t work with that hanging over me.
@@callmelil Thanks a lot for these valuable details, I highly appreciate it.
9:51, when you say 'stock video'... What do you actually mean by that!! Can you explain in the next video with some examples shot via phone n dslr, please.
And how to shoot, edit n upload to Shutterstock?
I didn’t mention stock video at 9:51, so I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but the whole video is about stock video-as in video you sell usage license for. Around that time marker, I did give examples of what was taken via phone (the airplane landing for example), and most of the rest was shot with a mirrorless camera (not DSLR, but there’s no meaningful difference).
Shoot, edit, and upload: that’s what the whole video is about, so unsure exactly what you want to know that’s not in here
Firstly, Great video by the way! I have a question. How did you get the bokeh that close up doing handheld selfies? Fullframe - or a phone?
Thank you! It's a fullframe camera (EOS R5) + 24mm f/1.4 Sigma Art Lens. A phone doing it that well would be unreal
Thanks - yeah not without unrealistic software processing! 🙂@@callmelil
if i use iphone 14 pro max how to set up for stock ? thank you so much
First off, download an app called Filmic Pro. That's probably the best camera app for iPhone, though it's pretty expensive. You can find cheaper alternatives like Protake+. I don't have a 14, but I think like my new 15, it's capable of shooting LOG. If it is, shoot LOG. If not, shoot in ProRes. This will give you more usable footage as it won't be (visually) compressed like phones do automatically in the stock camera app.
If shooting LOG, you'll need to color-correct using final cut pro or similar. Here's the LUT I made for my 15 Pro Max's footage: short.lilassistance.com/GlUm
Other than that, try to keep your subject centered, keep movements slow and smooth, and keep things clean and brand-free. After you've been doing it for a while, you might consider getting ND filters, so you can abide by the 180 degree rule (though I wouldn't worry about it yet).
Thanks for one of the best videos on this topic! What would you say is a good amount of videos to aim for in Shutterstock?
Thank you! The answer to that question is always "more".
Shutterstock is the hardest, though, because they currently cap you at 100 videos/week. I can/sometimes do produce 100 new videos per DAY. Which means a lot of my videos never make it to Shutterstock (they do go to the rest of my network). My total library is about 15,000 assets-roughly 50/50 photos and videos-but only about 5,000 on Shutterstock. I guess you could use that as a goal, but you really need to commit to submitting x/day and stay consistent IMO. When I first started, I set a goal of producing, writing metadata for, and submitting 10 new clips every single day, and that consistency is what carried me through.
@@callmelil thanks for such a quick and honest answer! This helps a lot. I have currently 280 videos and I am now trying to do exactly as you mentioned - upload roughly 10 videos a day. I have learned that it really depends on who is reviewing so I am afraid to upload too much at the same time to make sure that one picky person wont decline too many videos at once 😅 With this system 99% of my videos get accepted :) Thanks again and good luck! (Fun fact, my most sold video is a 4K closeup of a pine cone. I remember doubting if I should even upload this ‘useless’ clip)
I watch it for second time thanks❤
Those shots look amazing. What setup are you using?
Thank you! I have a Canon EOS R5 and a Sigma Art 35mm
Thanks for the video.
Hi, I just got acquainted with Shutterstock and registered. The photos I uploaded are photos of nature that I took with my phone camera, but most of them are rejected because of noise and... I am from Iran and the income from this site will be very good for me, but currently it rejects the photos, what is the solution? Do you think I should continue uploading nature photos or should I start making graphite photos like making avatars and...? Thank you for answering
Unless you have a newer iPhone the camera on most phones won’t be good enough. Also even with some iPhone cameras a photo a night or in the dark will have a lot of noise.
How is your background blur in the video? do you edit that after shooting or do you do some setting before shooting the video?
This is a result of having a high aperture. My camera/lens setup films at f/1.4 (you can google that), which gives it that blur. You don't have to have a blur to sell videos and I think if you were to add it artificially (like what smartphones do in portrait mode), most of those videos/photos wouldn't pass inspection by the agencies.
thanks for the great video! inspired to take and upload more videos! did you bring a lot of extra batteries or invest in a gimbal?
Awesome! I bought a gimbal to use with my 6D and it made a huge difference…carried it everywhere all the way through owning the EOS R. However, I eventually invested in the R5 so that I didn’t need the gimbal anymore. They are amazing but also a huge pain to carry everywhere. The R5 has in built stabilization second to none-so good that combined with the 120fps, I can leave the gimbal at home 97% of the time.
Batteries-I have one inside my camera and I carry two extras. I have a few more extras, but they live in my drawer.
That’s plenty, I’m not sure I’ve ever run through all 3 batteries in a single day, but I carry a small battery pack for emergencies. It can charge my camera directly through USB-C. It also charges my mics and phone.
Very informative! Really appreciated. Would you mind sharing the link to your shotterstock portfolio? Thanks
Shutterstock is my smallest library, but here it is: www.shutterstock.com/g/Kanel+Bulle
Super cool and informative great watch
hi hop your well. I want to know how much image i need to sell
or earn money. Pls tell me thanks
what quality of video would you recommend uploading 1080 or 4k? And how about linear angle or wide angle?
For sure 4K, and nothing wider than 24mm (maybe 16mm in some circumstances) on a fullframe camera.
4K: my average 1080p clip makes me around $3. My average 4K clip: around $50...and the thing is, if the clip is in 4K, you can still sell the 1080p version, but it doesn't work the other way around. I didn't start making "real money" until I started selling 4K footage.
24mm and up is largely a stylistic choice and dependent on what you're shooting. I keep a 24mm strapped to my camera because it's roughly the widest lens I can use without getting that fisheye look on close subjects. It's also the longest lens I can use in selfie mode and oftentimes indoor settings, so IMO it's the perfect compromise if you're a one-lens show like I am (because of convenience).
Thank you :) @@callmelil
@@callmelil How many on average would you say photo and videos do you upload a month or a year?
Looking for a side hustle, and a way to start making money off my love for sky, thunder and other landscape stuff to reinvest, and potentially live off.
Good luck! I hope you're able to achieve this! Just make sure you're investing your time in video, the photos are not worth much any more.
What camera do you recomend
I’m going to throw out a cliche: “the best camera is the one in your hand”. I’ve sold hundreds of dollars worth of stock straight out of my iPhone 8, so you really don’t need anything fancy to get started.
Of course, the better your camera, the better you’ll sell (probably). I shoot with an EOS R5, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who has the money and is ready to invest in this on a big scale. The key differences between the R5 and a cheaper camera are the 120fps 4K and the 8 stop stabilization. It will make it so you can get buttery smooth footage-even in lowlight environments-WITHOUT a gimbal. I used to carry a gimbal everywhere I went and it was not easy. The R5 means I get way more quality footage with less effort.
A more budget (but still good) camera I recommend is the EOS M6. It’ll get you like 80% of the way there for 20% of the price.
I'm a bit late to this video but I noticed you don't shoot in a log profile. Can/should you shoot in log footage or is that something you should avoid altogether with stock footage?
I do actually shoot LOG. All footage in this video has already been color-corrected. Log can be a bit tricky, but as long as you know how to properly expose your footage, get the white balance right, etc..it's the better option.
@@callmelil Ok awesome. Do you upload it in log, colour graded or both?
If people are in your videos, and if their face is showing, do you need a release document signed by the person to allow you to use their face in the video? I you took a video of a guy stacking boxes, like I saw in your video example, is that not enough exposure to their face or if the face is in the video for more than 5 secs? Basically, what are the rules. I don't want to gather all these videos from visiting another country and then when I get back to the US I find out I can't use many of the videos.
Can you give me a timestamp of the guy stacking boxes? If I can see the context, my answer will be better.
Whats your opinion on stock video of landscape videos, like waterfalls, scenics?
I've certainly made some money from that type of stock, but I'd encourage you to get diversity. A lot of my best selling clips are food, signs, city buses, and yes, some nature shots
Love your filming style, quality video!
Have you had any sort of experience with the Pic-Time photo selling platform??
Thank you! I do not personally have an experience with Pic-Time. I have seen them around, but I've always sold prints on my own website, so I have never really felt the need to use Pic-Time. I can certainly see the niche they fill, though
@@callmelil Pic-Time has a huge niche around Wedding Photographers, its also really good for transferring photos to clients quickly. Actually, I'm looking to build my own website, but I don't know where to start. Do you have a video on this by any chance?
Thank you for sharing your experience in very professional way! Its very good one!
Thanks for watching, I appreciate you!
Hi, thanks for a great video. I'm also a stock video creator, looking to up my sales. What are your thoughts on Blackbox?
Hey Martin, thank you! Blackbox is a different solution to the same problem of speeding up the editing/keywording/uploading process. I can definitely see why it's appealing. It's been a while since I've investigated them, but if I remember correctly, you "share" the revenue with collaborators-so you find a writer who does your metadata, an editor who does your editing, and give them each some pre-agreed percentage of your sales.
I don't know what the going rates are for collaborators, but between a keyworder, editor, and Blackbox's own fee, I could easily see that taking you down to 50% of your revenue or even less. Using a VA from something like lilassistance.com/ for editing/meta and picpurphoto.com for distribution will probably net you more in the long run (I mean, if 50% of your revenue is only $4/hour in the long run, you were probably never going to make it anyway)-though admittedly, the VA route is more expensive upfront.
Edit: also, I just looked and Blackbox only deals with Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Pond5, VimeoStock, DepositPhotos and Envato. Not too bad a list..I think when I was looking into it for myself years ago, it was only Shutter and Adobe. Either way, they leave off my best stock site (iStock), as well as I think 4 or 5 others I use.
I was curious enough that I went ahead and signed up with Blackbox...I got approved last night, and it is even worse than I described in my last comment. For starters, they force you to agree not to upload the same footage to a long list of stock sites-those stock sites include ones that they DON'T distribute on. Right off the bat, you are losing revenue there.
They also have this very broad clause in their agreement that stops you from working on any other projects that could be "considered to be competitive in terms of theme and genre"..which is like, you know, my whole job. Sounds unenforceable, but idk, I'm not a lawyer. The going rate for metadata is also a 20% share-which is the easiest part to outsource, so it's all around not a better solution.
Helpful video. "Passive income" is a stretch when considering the time in the field and at home preparing deliverables for Shutterstock.
The work being put in is to increase passive income. I can stop producing, and my income will more or less be maintained. It would probably decline slowly over time, but don’t be fooled: all passive income requires time to produce your product, and it really doesn’t get much more “passive” than stock media.
Is picurphoto still online/give the tools service?
Thanks a lot for Information and Support and It's really Inspiration for us
Please elaborate more on your virtual assistants.
Hey! I have a company called Lil Assistance (lilassistance.com). You can also hire people off upwork or similar-just make sure they are native English speakers
Hello Lil! I did not understand in what program you edit the video and how you assign keywords. Please tell me more...
And how to find you on stocks to see your portfolio)))
This is me on Pond5: www.pond5.com/artist/costmo, and the software is a FCPX plugin called frame.io/
This is great advice. I was considering doing stock photos.
hey man, Im with pond 5 already, but this video helped alot. Using your tool, and that app to download, whats the fastest way to get signed up with the other stock platforms? Thats my question and also does your tool cost monthly?
Great video! Some advice please. I need to upgrade to a new camera on a budget. I write articles so need a good camera to sell good accompanying photos, but I am also interested in uploading stock video as I travel. I am thinking the Sony A7 iv, but this camera has a 1.5 crop when you shoot in 4k @ 60 fps. Is that a problem do you think? Thank you!
Hey Steven, a 1.5x crop is "fine". Like if you really love the A7 iv and all it's features, and that was the only drawback, it's probably worth working around it. You can buy a shorter lens-a 16mm with a 1.5x crop will be almost the same as a 24mm without the crop. That said, there are bad things about to doing it this way. For example, a 16mm will have slightly more of a fisheye look, and if you use really fast lenses like I do (f/1.2 or f/1.4), a 16mm will be more expensive and/or harder to come by. So all in all, you can certainly "get by" and produce sellable stock video, but it's not without drawbacks.
That said, before you commented, I didn't actually know that the A7 iv has a 1.5x crop at 4k 60fps. I've always thought of it as a similarly specced Sony camera to the EOS R5. I've only used one briefly, so never looked too far into it, but it's definitely a very expensive/top tier camera. Usually when justifying a crop factor, we're talking ASP-C cameras-like the EOS M6 or Sony A6000 or maybe much cheaper full frame cameras-like the EOS R. Personally, I wouldn't be dropping that kind of money on a camera with that limitation. An EOS R5 is only a little bit more money..and forget the crop factor, the 4k 120FPS alone is worth the price difference.
@@callmelil Hmmm! Thank you very much for the advice Christian. I'm not stuck on the Sony A7 iv, but I was trying to find something in that price range. I have an old Canon 7D and love it! But, well overdue to move on. What's the Canon EOS R5 like for taking normal photos? Thanks for such detailed info by the way.
Wonderful! Very eye-opening! Thank you!
thanks for this video ,, which mic you are using ?
I have a Rode Wireless Go ii
@@callmelil thanks for your reply ,
it has background noise is there any advice how to remove it ?
Final Cut Pro and other editing software can do some to improve it, but ultimately, when you’re filming in public, it’s very hard to get perfect audio. Film indoors with something like a Rode podmic, and you’ll be miles ahead of this.
Hi, I try to start this business, is gopro black good option for start?
Start with whatever camera you have. If that's a GoPro Black, then great. What you will find as you get more experienced with the GoPro is that anything in less-than-perfect light will probably get rejected. Likewise, anything with really fast movements will probably get rejected. So, if you can stick to slow-moving, well-lit scenes, that don't require depth (background blur), the GoPro will be just fine. I have more than a few GoPro clips for sale on stock sites-they aren't my bestsellers, but they do sell. Once you start generating revenue, upgrade to something like an EOS M6-that would be the most logical (cheaper) step IMO.
@@callmelil that you very much 🙏
Awesome brother 👍
How do you deal with. model releases? Seemed like you were getting quite a few shots with people in them... your table of friends, the large group of Jewish folks, etc. I can't imagine you can go around and get signed model releases for every person that appears in those shots. So how do you deal with images like that?
I don't get model releases, they're not worth the time. I have model releases on record for my family and myself, and I do my best to avoid "recognizable" people otherwise. Most of my footage of the Jewish people will probably not make it, but I have one great shot where you just see the back of the guy's head/hat and everything else is very blurry-similar to 3:38, but a bit closer (so bg is blurrier) and he doesn't turn his head. No release required for that shot.
Every once in a while, Shutterstock disagrees with me on whether I need a release or not. I just move on when I get that kind of rejection.
@@callmelil That makes sense. Thanks for the response!
so many good tips!!
Thank you!
I've really enjoyed the format of this video. Big up👏
Thank you! Appreciate the love :)
which camera you used?"
Now, Im' using the EOS R5, but I started with a Canon 6D Mark i. You can pick one in good condition up for
Do you recommend an alternative to Final Cut Pro if I don’t have $300 to drop on it?
Literally any editor can edit stock videos. It’s just about the simplest editing I do. If you have a mac, iMovie works. Otherwise, really anything.
The reason I use FCPX is because I’ve figured out this batch editing with frame.io. It’s the most efficient way to edit tons of stock footage at the same time, and I don’t know of any other software that allows you to do it (and I’ve looked). Frame.io has davinci and premiere plugins too, but I’ve not been able to get them to work in the same way. You may want to experiment with Davinci as it’s free.
How do how do sign up to your website?
I have suspended new users as we're at capacity, but we are currently rebuilding the platform to be more robust! Please do get in touch hello@picurphoto.com to be put on the waitlist.