And the month isn't even over yet

Thanks to a $96US video sale, August has turned out to be the best month of 2018 yet.  Compared to 2017 or even 2016, this year sales are down at least 50%.  Shutterstock has probably doubled the amount of stock it has in the previous year so the sales cut is to be expected.  I have right now 12,372 photos and 1462 footage clips.  That's an increase of 50% of stock for me so I should be making the same if not more sales.  I've increased my portfolios on all three sites I deal with and sales are not increasing.

What I've noticed on Shutterstock especially is the low quality of photos available for sale.  When I signed up 4 years ago, it was tough to get onto Shutterstock.  I had to get 7 out of 10 photos accepted.  Now it's just 1 out of 10 photos.  It also seems like Shutterstock will accept anything and everything to its stock database.  When I first started I picked my best photography and footage to go up.  Now it seems like I can throw up anything and it'll be accepted.  Which is not good for the good photographers and videographers along with customers because they'll have to find the good photos and footage among the crap.

Of the 3 agencies I deal with Shutterstock seems to be the best with consistent and constant sales.  Image and footage acceptance is fast and easy.  Approval is quick, typically within 24-36 hours.  Pond5 is easy as well.  Acceptance for me now is with 48 to 72 hours for both photos and footage.  Pond5 seems to have hired staff to review photos and footage over the last several weeks or maybe people are not contributing as much during the summer time in the northern hemisphere.  Storyblocks takes it's time.  It can take up to 3 weeks and sometime 5 to get your photos and video either accepted or denied.  Sales on Pond5 are sporadic.  I can sell between 0 and 10 files a month.  With Storyblocks, I can go months without selling some footage.  I have not sold a photo on Storyblocks at all.  Come to think of it, I think I've sold 1 photo on Pond5 since I started.  I get the vast majority of my sales on Shutterstock followed by Pond5.  I'll break the $5000US barrier on Shutterstock either this month or next depending on how Shutterstock does in the next 8 days.  With Pond5 I might break $2000US by either the end of the year or mid next year.  Depends on sales as usual.