Putting Canstock on hold for now...here's why : /

thesupe87 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-19-2008, 02:23 PM

Hell has officially frozen over. I just hit $50 on Canstock, after 9 months. How ridiculous is that? 1000 images approved and about 150 more pending, and it takes 9 months to make $50. Talk about a waste of time.

I'm leaving what I have up there, and letting it sit. I'll check back in a few times a month, but I won't be uploading anything new until I see a change. I don't understand what happened with that site. Back in the day, I was pulling in $50 payouts once every 3 or 4 months. Still nothing great, but much better than it is now.

There one less site off my ftp list. This will officially save me about 20 more minutes per day. I wonder which one will be next to drop?

talkmicro · #2 (**permalink**) 06-19-2008, 02:25 PM

no point in deleting them, $50 is $50, go buy yourself quarter of a tank of petrol

thesupe87 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-19-2008, 03:12 PM

Yeah, I hear you - but I don't want to waste any more time with Canstock just to make an average of $5 a month. Not worth the time. I've been uploading at least 20-25 new images each weekday, and that's a lot of ftp time and submitting.

Karimala · #4 (**permalink**) 06-19-2008, 05:24 PM

I just canceled my account on Monday at CSP after reaching only my second payout in two years (with 1500 images online). Featurepics was the first to go, Albumo and Crestock will be the next.

Priorities really shift when you start doing this for a living, and non-earning sites become fat that needs to be trimmed. Before I left Featurepics, I calculated exactly how much time I had spent processing 1000 photos after they were uploaded (not including the time spent post-processing or uploading), multiplied it by my bare minimum wage, and discovered that it would take me five more years at the current sales rate just to break even (on top of the two I had already spent). There are much better sources of revenue and ways I can be spending my time than supporting companies that aren't paying a return on the investment I've made in them.

Travis Manley · #5 (**permalink**) 06-19-2008, 11:45 PM

I hear you guys, sales have been pretty slow. Still havent hit one payout yet, I keep submitting though because I can submit like 25-50 photos in like 10 minutes max with that auto-category feature.

thesupe87 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 03:42 AM

Yeah, might as well keep submitting to encourage sales - that's what I did. Now that I cashed out I'm going to be letting them stew for a while. It's nothing personal, I just can't afford to keep spending my time where there's no profit.

ReeF · #7 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 06:28 AM

I've never tried CSP but I have dumped all except IS, SS and DT. I don't envy you doing this fulltime, Karen. Are you in a position to do freelance photography - its far more rewarding in more ways than one

Karimala · #8 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 01:50 PM

I only do stock, because I love the freedom it provides to choose my subjects and set my own schedule. Although...this weekend I shot my first event (a high school reunion) and had a blast, so I might try drumming up a bit more of that type of work.

e-person · #9 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karimala

I only do stock, because I love the freedom it provides to choose my subjects and set my own schedule. Although...this weekend I shot my first event (a high school reunion) and had a blast, so I might try drumming up a bit more of that type of work.

Shooting for real customers is better. First, you learn real world photography, second, they pay you better and quicker, third, you get more clients and more fun. It's not easy to please their ego, though.

Karimala · #10 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-person

Shooting for real customers is better. First, you learn real world photography, second, they pay you better and quicker, third, you get more clients and more fun. It's not easy to please their ego, though.

To each his own. What I'm doing is much better for me than dealing with clients, appointments, deadlines, etc.