I wanted to document a bit of how we prepare for a new stock shoot.? Unfortunately I’m not shooting hot models a la Chase Jarvis so I’m not going to be live demo’ing anytime soon!

Our thought process on a new photo shoot works something like this:

1. Overall concept/theme/ingredient
2. Specific recipe
3. Lighting/angles/technicals
4. Shop
5. Shoot Day

1. Overall concept/theme/ingredient

We shoot two days a week – Friday and Sunday. If we shoot more that’s fantastic.? If not, oh well.? We plan those two days to have one breakfast or lunch type shoot (Friday) and one dinner/dessert (Sunday).? It’s easier to spend a long time cooking/shooting on Sundays for us and dinner/dessert usually seems to take longer than breakfast/lunch.

I follow some really great foodies on Twitter/Facebook/blogs.? One thing I always look for is a recipe that a) will taste great and b) will LOOK great.? As a bonus I often look to see if I can find a healthy version so nobody gains 10 pounds per recipe I shoot.

2. Specific Recipe

So Friday we need to create a lunch. I bookmarked a delicious looking recipe two weeks ago and decided quickly I’d try that this week.? The recipe will be 3 Cheese Chicken Cacciatore Manicotti.? That was easy.? We also need to figure out dinner for Sunday.? I wanted to find something not as “fancy” as cacciatore manicotti so we looked at several recipe sites, some cookbooks and finally decided on something the Biggest Loser Cookbook called “Mom’s New Beef Stew.”? That fits my requirements: tastes great, looks super yummy and bonus: it’s fairly healthy at 275 cals per serving.

Some weeks I will decide on a recipe by ingredient.? Take Kahlua for instance.? We have leftover Kahlua from the chocolate mousse we made a week ago.? This Chocolate Truffle Pie also uses Kahlua.? If we don’t make that Sunday for dessert I’m certain we’ll make it next week.? Using ingredients you have on hand greatly reduces wastes and product going bad/old.

3. Lighting/angles/technicals

After printing the recipe and making a shopping list we write on the back of the recipe some ideas for the shoot.? Mostly this is just note-form.? Here are some examples from our banana split shoot:

• Yellow/orange
• high key
• OJ – don’t think milk will work
• Balance the color
• Angles: will be propped up?
• Spoonful

Generally meaningless until you get in the shoot.? We did end up using a yellow napkin and orange juice – it balanced the color very well.? We did some shots near the end of the shoot with a spoonful of split in front of the dish.? We tried but didn’t use milk because it did, in fact, look bad.? We ended up propping the bowl with a small bottle cap for a few shots.

4. Shop

Shopping day is Thursday.? That dictates our Friday shoot – if we need something super-fresh we may have to pick that up Friday morning before the shoot.? Sunday’s shopping is done except fresh on Thursday as well.? WE have a local Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings year-round so we do our fresh shopping for Sunday then.

With our recipe and our ideas already in place shopping day is generally pretty straightforward.? Pick the best items you can find.

5. Shoot Day

Well, shoots are shoots.? The only thing we try and do specifically at each shoot is pre-organize our ideas so we don’t cut up the food before we’re done with it.? The further into a shoot we get the more we “mess” the dish and the more we feel free to cut, chop, move, adjust, add to, take from, etc.? We want to get those setup shots first, the meat of the shoot, then start playing with the outer edge of the shoot – closeups, eating, some unusual stuff just to see how it works, etc.? Get the bulk of work done when the food is as fresh and perfect as possible.? Once you get that THEN experiment.

Wrap Up

So that’s the way a typical shoot has been going for us.? We are pro photographers but very amateur food photographers. The combination is sometimes an interesting one.? I can figure out how to light something I’ve never shot before but I may not know how to drizzle syrup “correctly” yet.? We continue to read foodie sites, blogs, watch food stylist tutorials on Youtube and read food photo books.? Many many ways to learn in 2010!

Hope you enjoyed the post!? It’s great to be back and thank you for all the comments and well-wishes recently.

Hi & welcome back! NiltoMil is officially off and running again – I’m keywording, submitting, pushing images and then working on shooting some new today.? I’m going to be pushing some older images even though I know they won’t sell as well as I’d like simply because I want the momentum to begin NOW not in a month when I get new stuff edited.

I’m ready for 2010!? January will be a very poor month since I’m starting so late but February should show some recovery.

In the last 6 months when I was mainly gone:

• Shot weddings – and we have 4 other photographers who shot during that time as well.
• Sold my house/bought a new house – a fixer-upper.? We’ve been working on it almost everyday since Nov 20th for 12+ hours per day.
• Delved into the food styling/preparing/photo world.? I’ve read almost every post on Still Life With, Matt Bites, and many other foodie blogs.? I’ve devoured four entire food photography books including Rinder/Smith’s new book and Lou Manna’s classic.
• Redesigned our business brand
• Traveled to Maine, twice.? Traveled to NYC.

Now that I’m back my goal is to create an income that will pay my mortgage first, other bills later.? Our mortgage is $680.? This is an achievable goal that I do have to reach for. I’ll do a more extensive goals post in the next week or so but that’s the start of it.

Current BME: $575.46, July 2008

During the last few months one of my major goals has been to shoot more food photography.? I am really interested in the subject, I enjoy all aspects of it, and I think I can do it well (eventually).

So my past few months have been focused on learning – studying food photos, “becoming” a foodie, learning styling techniques – I never wanted to jump straight into food but rather be a food person who knew how to photograph.? I’ve been studying food, food photos, collecting recipes, deciding on what I want to focus on. In learning to “be” a food stylist/chef? you learn about presentation.

Thus my thought for the moment – become involved in the shots you want to shoot.? You shoot sports?? Go PLAY sports more – referee for the kid leagues, shoot hoops more at the park and watch more games.? See how the pros present sports.? You want to shoot business people?? Get deeper into business – meet with SCORE, talk about business planning and attend a seminar so you can see how someone has designed their speech.? Desire to shoot more animals & nature?? Interact – get out there, follow wildlife, hunt (with or without the gun), track animals – learn their behaviors.

— Related tangent —

When I first started learning to be a wedding photographer I listened to everything wedding photographers said. Advertising, marketing, sales, websites, SEO, photography & lighting, everything!? Eventually it dawned on me that photographers were good at making images.? I should learn advertising from an advertising specialist.? I no longer pay much attention to wedding photographers when they speak on subjects other than booking or shooting weddings.? The thought is very similar to what I’m talking about above.? Learn to be great at your subject – not just aware of it.

Sometimes when I want to shoot something I just pull it up, shoot it, wonder why it doesn’t sell.? I think the main reason is because someone else understands the subject while I just wanted a good photo of it.? Can I take good photos?? Yes.? Absolutely!? I shot models for years – and then I realized that because I don’t enjoy it all that much, the images weren’t high-class.? I can shoot well enough but the connection wasn’t there.? The question is – how involved are you in the shoot?

It doesn’t make sense for a city-dweller to go shoot cows and barns.? It doesn’t make sense for a sporty jock to shoot ballet.? Who are YOU and what can you shoot better than everyone else?

Let me quote myself.

I am not going to stick around and pretend to be something I?m not.? Too many people set goals and fail to reach them, yet still continue the journey unfazed.? I often share my experiences and ideas in hopes of helping you.? If I can?t help myself first, I can?t help you.

If I fail to reach both goals (10k images, $25k for the year) by 12/31/09, NiltoMil.com will close for good whether I continue to shoot microstock or not.

At this point in the year it is obvious that I will not reach 10k approved images OR $25,000 this year.

I am modifying what I wrote above.? I am not going to destroy or delete Nil. I am going to stop posting earnings, stop posting ideas until they are working better.? I AM going to keep Nil up for the archives and the posts that often get referenced.? I AM going to continue to put up posts of interest to me – whether that’s of interest to anyone else or not.? My journey will continue.

I need to help myself first.? I need to figure out the steps I should be taking to reach my goal? and when I do, I’ll be back full force with the full effort I can give Nil.? Until then, expect sporadic updates on what I’m doing, how stock is going and what I am trying to do to improve.

I’d like to address something – the time I spend on microstock.? I think some people who read this blog are slightly confused about me slaving away and getting nowhere.

In July, I added 15 new images to my sites.? That means I worked on it for under 1 hour in July.? I made $500 in July.

In June, I added 150 new images.? About 4 hours of work.? I also made $450.? I’ve now in 2 months made $950 on 5 hours of work.

In May, I added 160 new images.? About 4 more hours of work.? Made $400.

Grand total: $1400 while doing 9 hours of work.

What I need to do in order to increase my earnings is actually work on microstock.? I do need to continue improving – I’m just really starting my second year of being a stock photographer.? I need to upload with momentum – that’s proven very successful.? But I’m not sitting here day after day churning out work that isn’t selling.? I’m just simply not putting in the time.

Why?

Our studio has 4 photographers, we’re currently hiring 2 more and we’re going to do between 40 and 50 weddings this year combined.? We’ll likely do another 150 portraits and next year will come close to 70 weddings/250 portraits.? Our wedding and portrait business has brought in over $100k each year for the last 2 and will do so this year and next as well.? I am also in the midst of building a studio management software for photographers that will track clients, billing, orders, calendaring, expenses/taxes, and task management.? It’s a huge project but one I love doing.

All that to say, don’t cry for me, Argentina.? I’m here, I’m going to continue working on micro when I can.? Right now I’m being torn in 3 directions and this one is the least of my issues.

Just an update for some of you who have been waiting for information from me or Shutterstock.? I will continue to add to this at the bottom of this list so please check back.

* The email Shutterstock sent is *not* being received as “an official signed letter” and it is very likely at this point that Shutterstock will need to mail you one.? Please do not file your ITIN until this is resolved as you may waste time & money.

* We are still waiting on the answers to two important questions: 1) will US sales only be counted? and 2) what percent of sales are US based?? I will update those AS SOON as I get the information.

* You will receive a form 1042 at the end of the year to show your withheld earnings.?? This may be used to reduce taxes in your own country, depending on your tax laws.? It is proof of withholdings in the US.? http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1042.pdf

* Please see my previous post for a country-by-country list of threads on Shutterstock to help you deal with the situation.? I will keep it updated for as long as possible/reasonable.

* If you have a SSN or EIN you should contact support@shutterstock.com with that information.? It is possible you do not need an ITIN because all three are “id numbers” which is basically what you need.

* The best step-by-step tutorial on this so far is here.? Your specific country thread may provide more info.

* If your country is not on the treaty list in this thread, do not apply for an ITIN because it will not help you.? You are subject to 30% withholding from the US.? ? Sorry.

* For help in Russian, visit http://www.zastavkin.com/forum for German, see FotoTalk

Yikes!? Ok, full disclosure I am a photographer in the US so all of this new tax & Shutterstock doesn’t apply to me.? I would bet it applies to many of my friends and readers though so I want to cover this to the best of my ability so you guys get some clear, exact answers in one place.

If you post your questions here, I will do my best to get an answer and post it here as well.? I’ve read all 75 pages of the long thread as well as many of the other threads and have seen a lot of answers already.

Edit to add: Shutterstock just emailed me to let me know that whatever questions you post, we can try and get answers to.

What is the issue?

First, read the original post.

If you are not a US citizen or resident, and you do not obtain an ITIN and provide Shutterstock with a Form W-8BEN, US law requires them to withhold 30% from your earnings. If you are a member of one of our tax treaty countries you will have less withheld, sometimes 0% extra.? If your country is not on the list, you will have 30% withheld for income on Royalties.

Why?

US tax law imposes a 30% withholding tax on US source passive income, such as royalties, that are paid to persons who are not citizens or residents of the United States. US tax law requires the person paying the royalties to withhold the tax and pay it to the US Internal Revenue Service. If the person receiving the royalties is a resident of a country that has an income tax treaty with the United States, the withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated. However, to take advantage of the lower withholding tax US tax law requires that the person receiving the royalty payments provide a properly completed Form W-8BEN. US tax law also requires that the person who provides a Form W-8BEN for this purpose have an ITIN.

A lot of people are wondering “why do we pay this – what benefit do we get in the US?”? The answer, although you won’t like it, is that you get the benefit of selling your work in the US and under IRS tax law, you ARE doing business in the United States if you sell to US companies.

More Details

If you are in a country with no tax treaty with the US, you seem to be stuck paying 30% no matter what.

The payouts going out for May will not be affected but June’s may be affected.

If you wish for your account to be removed, the SS CEO is offering to remove it for you.

Yes, US residents pay their tax – we pay it in April as income tax.? We know you pay yours in your home country too.

At the end of the year, you will get a Form 1042 from Shutterstock.? This can be found here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1042.pdf? You will know your tax liabilities in the US.

ITIN Info

• ITIN FAQ’s in English
• ITIN FAQ’s in Spanish
• Obtaining an ITIN from Abroad
• Publication 1915, Understanding Your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (PDF)

So what can we do?

Step By Step Tutorial

Armenia

Australia

Canada

Czechs

Croatia

France

Germany post

Greece

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Malta

Malaysia

Mexico

Netherlands

Poland

Russia

Romania

Serbia

Sweden

UK

How to Notarize a passport (copy) info (multiple countries)

A bit of info in Spanish

All questions for Shutterstock about taxes can be directed to their new forum on tax questions.

Again, if you post your questions here, I will do my best to get an answer and post it here as well.? I’ve read all 50 pages of the long thread as well as many of the other threads and have seen a lot of answers already.

Speed Editing, Intro

We have examined our workflow many times over the last year in an attempt to gain speed without sacrificing a bit of quality.? The first step in that process is always difficult and time consuming but ultimately necessary and extremely beneficial.

Our first step is to create an awareness of our current situation and workflow.

What steps do you take in order to go from image in camera to image on site?

I would suggest that while there are other steps to many photographer’s workflows, the following covers all of the bases and is a starting point to use.

1. Download the cards to your computer.
2. Backup the original files.
3. Choose the images to edit.
4. Edit the keeper images.
5. Keyword the keeper images and add title/description IPTC data.
6. Upload the images.
7. Backup the edited images.
   
8. Push the images on each site to completion.

Downloading Cards

Normally the download of cards happens while you do something else, such as drink coffee, watch tv, reply to email.? So most people are not concerned with download speed.? If you are trying to absolutely maximize your potential you will care but normally it will not matter much.? Start with a Sandisk ImageMate card reader or a firewire reader.? These are the two fastest options and will pull images from your cards very quickly.

Backup Originals

We prefer to backup our files to two external 1 TB harddrives.? As professional photographers both in microstock and wedding/portrait fields, we know that it is of ULTIMATE importance that we have these originals.? DVD backups fail? more often, period.? However you backup, however, just make sure you do it.? Some photographers never backup or only do it “every so often.”? Bad habits breed problems.? Backup the same day you download, every single time.

Choose the Keepers

I prefer Adobe Lightroom for this step.? If you have it, use it here.? If you do not, you have to look at your current time and make a decision about the speed you are getting.? Four clear choices exist for culling images from the rest.? Adobe Lightroom, ACDSee, Aperture and PhotoMechanic.?? Whichever you are using, sorting the wheat from the chaff is going to be one of the most time consuming steps so measure your time here carefully.

Edit the Keepers

Photoshop, Gimp, PSP – these are your main editing tools for this, of course.? Use what is familiar.? Do not try to use Lightroom for the bulk of stock editing.? The detail required in noise removal, sharpening and simple spot editing requires Photoshop to be open.? Even though I am a Lightroom LOVER, it’s going to slow you down in the editing stage.? Stick to single image editing programs.

Add Keyword/IPTC data

I prefer to use CushyStock as my keywording/IPTC editor.? It is simple, fast and helps me do bulk images very quickly.? I’ll be exploring this more in detail soon.? Whether you use Lightroom, ACDSee, CushyStock or ProStockMaster, you should have a bulk IPTC tool for simple series labeling.? Photoshop is *not* the right tool for this job.? It does the job, but it’s not the right tool.? You can use a rock to pound nails in too, but a hammer is more efficient.

Upload the images

Again, because I use CushyStock, I’m sticking in it for this step as well.? Once the images are keyworded, set them to upload and you’re done for now.? This part of the process on 50 images does take some time but a bulk upload tool or FTP program will help you immensely not to have to monitor it for each agency.

Backup the edited images

Do this step here, now.? Once the images are headed online, back them up.? If you do it before adding keyword data you can obviously understand what a mess that would be if you lost the images and had to re-keyword them.? Do it after upload because once an FTP has started they can safely be backed up.? If you backup and then start uploading you can cause conflicts which cause either the backup or the upload to fail.? Doing it in this order is computer-preferable.? Again, we obviously recommend double harddrives.

Push the images on each site

I’m not sure what most people call this step.? Completing?? We call it “pushing” because you’re giving the images one final PUSH toward review.? You need to do whatever it is each site requires to complete the process of uploading once the images have been FTP’d.

Some photographers would add things to their workflow such as tracking accepted images, etc. but realistically these are not part of the workflow that gets your images on a site.? Stick to the basics for now.? Download, backup, cull, edit, keyword, upload, push.? That’s it, that’s all stock is at its basics.

That leads us to stage 2 of improving our workflow for speed.

How long does your current workflow take?

In measuring the time it takes to do your workflow we must have a basis for comparison.? I would suggest that a batch of 50 images is a good standard.? Why 50?? Shutterstock’s full page is 50.? Dreamstime upload limits for anyone under 80% is usually 50 and StockXpert used to be 50 and is now 25, or 2 days of transfer.? It’s a nice round number for figuring out percents as well, as half of 100.

Do this: time every step for your next 50 images.? Separate 50 images you want to do the process to and mark it.? Here’s a guide from my last 50.

1. 3 minutes (2.5 gb, 481 originals) to download.
   
2. 1 minute (2.5 gb to 2 external HDs) to backup drives
   
3. 28 minutes to sort 112 keepers from 481 originals.
   
4. 63 minutes to edit 50 of the keeper images.
   
5. 37 minutes to keyword and IPTC 50 images.
   
6. 1 minute setup (50 images to 14 sites).
   
7. 1 minute setup (50 images) to backup drives.
   
8. 9 sites pushed in 35 minutes, 3 sites remain undone (FT, DT and BSP).

My total from the last 50 edited images, 169 minutes.? Of this, the 28 minutes to sort really gave me 112 not 50 usable images so it counts for about 12 of the 28 minutes for just this batch.? It will take me slightly longer than 1 hour to finish FT, DT and BSP? pushes.? So in roughly 4 hours of work I uploaded 50 new images start to finish.

So get an idea where you are – that’s all for now and I’ll come back later with tips on speeding up, where I save time, where I lose time, and what programs we can use for everything we do.

Most bloggers in microstock are very polite, respectful and friendly to everyone.?? I try to be the same but there are some times and some issues that push my buttons and I think it’s appropriate to respond to issues that come up.? I would like to say that I will talk to, help and work with any agency that wants to listen.? On the other hand, I don’t feel bad for the agencies that get upset by criticism and don’t change.

(Short version: I’m going to bust some chops.? Don’t like it, fix it.)

• Categories – I would love to know the stats on images bought through categories vs. keywords.? Are these seriously necessary?
• Shutterstock refusing to update the photographer side of the site (views, easy image management, etc).
• Banning & removing contributors for having differing opinions on how things should work.
• Fotolia flat out changing the rules mid-stream without telling anyone ALL THE TIME.
• Flat sales in a down economy – this is when we should be picking up new business partners for life.
• 123RF‘s negative review wording “bad this” “poor that” “Snapshot” – ack!
• Editorial captioning rules that are ridiculous – and this includes almost every site that allows editorial images.
• Some sites show off work on their main page that has blown highlights, poor lighting, and looks awful.? It wouldn’t be accepted if you submitted it today – don’t show it off!
• Submission processes that take too long: IStock, Fotolia and several smaller sites – I’m talking to you.? This is a time-oriented business.? Make it FAST for us.
• Small sites that promise to do things different and get no sales.? Ever.? That’s not different.? That’s the same if you’re a small site.? Here’s a hint: photographers + images + sales = more of all of the above.? Thousands of images with no buyers, thousands of buyers with few images – neither works.? Stop trying to do it overnight and BUILD your site.
• Inconsistency.? I subbed 50 to a site and 45 were rejected.? I resubmitted in anger the same exact 45 with *no* changes and 43 were accepted.? Please. Fix. This.
• Make things easy – how many times do I have to repeat this on the list for stock sites to get it?? Not just submissions – make getting our money easy, make resubbing for missing model releases easy, make updating an image data easy. (thank you Bigstock for nailing this!)
• If I submitted an image 3 years ago and I have better PS skills now, allow me to replace the image with a better upload without losing all my stats, views, etc.
• Sites without FTP annoy me.
• Great looking/usable sites without views/sales/revenue – what IS that?? You have the site right.? Just sell.? If you can’t sell, close the business.? This business is ALL sales.
• Get rid of images 4+ years old with no sales.

Okay I’m done for now.? Please feel free to comment, wish me luck in my next career…(laughing), etc.? Someone has to say it.

The most time consuming part of the uploading/pushing in microstock is categorizing images on certain microstock websites.? The worst offenders are Dreamstime, Bigstock, Fotolia, and Shutterstock.? Categorizing takes time and the more time you spend, the less you are earning per hour.

I use two methods to ensure I spend as little time on categories as possible.? The first is to know the categories on each site.? The second is to “type” categories rather than mouse to them.

Know Categories

The first thing you need is a list of categories on each site.? I’ve saved you a LOT of time and put together a canononical list of categories on these four sites.

Download the list here

It’s a printable word document (four pages) that lists every category and subcategory on each site.

Type Categories

Bigstock

Click the first category and close it.? Type the first letter of the main category until you reach the one you want.? Tab, then type the first letter of the sub category.? For instance, Objects > Over White = O Tab O.? People > Men = P Tab M.? When you’ve finished the first category press tab again to go to the second and repeat through all three categories.? When you get quick at this you should be able to do all three categories much faster than clicking directly on them.

Dreamstime

Dreamstime gives us a bit of a headache for a couple of reasons.? First, many categories start with the same letter.? Industry, IT&C, Illustrations…? So what we do to save time is click to open the first category, click the first letter of the main category then simply scroll and click the right subcategory.? Not as time-saving as the rest but effective nonetheless.? Unfortunately because the categories are “all in one” on Dreamstime, there’s no simpler way.

Fotolia

Simply put there is no fast way to categorize at Fotolia.? I *ABHOR* categorizing here.? I put it off for so long.? If you have been watching my charts you know that I made a real “job” of Fotolia last month and added over 1000 new images!? I simply had that many stored up from not doing them.? THE most important part of categorizing at Fotolia is knowing the categories.? Please refer to the chart often and make it as fast as possible.

Shutterstock

The terms of service at Shutterstock include categories and descriptions so I’ve included them on the list above.? They are the best to type other than Bigstock.? I do end up tabbing a LOT though – but for me it’s faster.? To type categories, open & close the first one as you did with Bigstock.? Now type the first letter until you get the category you want.?? (ie. A = Abstract, AA = Animals/Wildlife, T=Technology, TH or TT = The Arts, TR or TTT = Transportation)? Note – Shutterstock includes “VECTORS” as a category on their list but this category doesn’t actually exist.? I included it because they did.

After the first category, press tab.? Now type the second category.? Press tab (space if you need to check the first box), tab (space if you need to check the second box), tab (type “I” for “I will include it now” for a model release, “E” for Editorial, no release needed) and then tab all the way to the next category on the next image.? Basically you can tab all the way through Shutterstock’s submission process and you should.? It takes you through the keywords of the second image, etc. but you will get back to categories and once you know how many tabs between each field you can easily just type your way through the form without ever once touching the mouse after the first two clicks to open and close the first category.? I can submit a batch of 50 Shutterstock in about 5 minutes or less.? I will time it soon.

Batch and Groups

I was reminded by Adelaide that one other speed tip on categories is to do bulk/recent whenever possible.? Bigstock lets you select “Import from previous image” so series’ are great there.? Dreamstime, Fotolia and IStock also allow you to do batch/bulk categories.?? Using these tools will also speed up your categorization.? Thanks for the reminder!

Ok?? Conclusions?

So that’s it.? I type my way through almost every set of categories I possibly can.? I have a cheat sheet to know what those categories are and I spend as little time doing the boring humdrum work of stock as possible.

Hope the sheet and the tips help!