Shutterstock reaches 3000 downloads:

As I often say in my monthly sales updates Shutterstock is an agency that just keeps selling. Today I had my first download for December -which turns out to be exactly my sale number 3000 there. A rather appropriate image of a wing walker giving a wave was the one that did it. Part of the Breitling Wing Walking Team, this one was from the Eastbourne International Airshow (Airbourne) last August.
When I joined Shutterstock back in June 2009 I already knew their reputation for selling good volumes of photographs but the sheer scale of those sales has exceeded my expectations. With a portfolio now of just over 1500 images my monthly sales are coming close to payout each month (and reaching it if I have an Enhanced Download) making it by far my most successful agent -both in volume and cash terms.
Critics of the Microstock model frequently point to the starting commission at Shutterstock ($0.25) as an example of how worthless the business is. The reality is that Shutterstock demonstrates very nicely the low price/high volume basis of the industry. And, of course, it is not all about those subscription sales - On Demand, Single sales and Enhanced Downloads all help to push up the income.
I'm looking forward to growing my portfolio and sales at Shutterstock throughout 2013. Regards, David.