How many sales had you made ..

before you discovered your FIRST shot in action?


 I have sold just over 600 to date and have no idea where they are being used. I thought Google was supposed to be my friend

I'm sure it's a couple hundred for a majority of istockers.  And keep in mind that google will only be useful if they're using your images for web pages.  I see you have a lot of great nature photos -- perhaps they're being used in print or catalogs or something where you wouldn't find it on a web search.  Hey, you've sold 600 photos which is absolutely amazing!


- Paul

I think I was at 1500 before my first. I can't really remember. I'm a little over 2600 now and have found (or others found for me) a total of 5 images in use.

Patience is a virtue... now if I could just hurry up and learn some.  

it certainly depends on the usage. My first I ever found publicly
used was delivered by google. The report it was in next to many other
istock photos showed copyright istock/and the name of each
photographer. I think not every user is doing it that way with proper
references.

On the other hand there are also very nice, perhaps
curious (?),  designers who contact you directly. So it was by a
person from Sweden, who asked me about the location of my suspension
bridge photograph. I told her and asked what she is going to use the
image for. The response was for a presentation, which won't go public
on the internet. So it won't be discovered, if she had not contacted me
directly.

Norbert 

I was lucky enough to discover my first one after only 8 sales, but
still have heard nothing about my most sold photos. I guess it's quite
random. but i was thinking, why wouldn't they make a rule for the
buyers to mark somewhere what they are buying the photo for, so we at
least get some more info. afterall, we're left to their mercy even
though we supply them with the goods. seems unfair anyway, good luck
with your finds!

Sometimes buyers purchase images because they might use them at a later time, or they buy several then use only one, and so on. I'm just pleased that people find my images useful enough to purchase them at all! If I find out where they're being used that's a bonus

How would google even help with finding your photos. I have a a pic of a plane, i wouldnt type in plane to find it would i?

Just type in your user name and istock or istockphoto and see what happens.

It took me over 2,500 before I found my first I think. Maybe 4,500. I don't recall but it took a long time.  

I've got you beat on that one Pimp, I was at just over 3,000!

I have sold 795 and have found 7 being used one of which was used in a design and I was informed by istock.I guess I have been really lucky to find that many !!

I sold many many images but I found about 3 being used in istock in action. And a few in designs from istock members. Other than that I don't where they are being used. If you do let me know.

Guess I've been lucky too - I found my first at about 500 downloads and have since discovered or been alerted to about eleven uses - incuding one magazine cover and one television commercial. every find is fun but there's nothing like the first!

The first I knew of was from a sitemail by the designer at about 700 dl. Now at just over 1200 I've founf 3 others on the web.

Also try your real name if you list it under copyright and website name if you have one on your profile page. I have found one of each that was credited that way.

it seems that we play a lottery here: some find their image used after a couple of thousands sold, others including myself already after just a couple of hundreds. Exclusivity is not a factor neither.

For finding your images you may consider to use other search engines like Yahoo besides Google, as well. Having followed the discussion here and looked at the various pages where istock photos  have been used, the indication of copyright and the keys used for search engines attached to the images vary a lot.

Therefore some put just "copyright istock" next to the image, some include the image ID resepectively the image name as used by istock (including small, XL, L, XS etc.), some put your full name as given on your pages under copyright owner, others use the title of your image. There are no common rules for it.

In order to find your work you may try different search criteria to find one of yours. A kind of a hunt and detective style of work thoug. Have fun and luck !

Norbert 

I found my name listed as a contributing photographer for a horse magazine.  It has only had 3 dl's.  About 6 months ago a lady emailed me to say a moon photo of mine was to be used on a UK child rearing website - dontdropthebaby.com.  I have yet to get a photo in something a bit more known.  Eventually your work and/or photo credit will show up on a google link.  BTW, 530 photos uploaded in a year is impressive. 

I was under 500 when I found my first (listed in Action) At 500 found my 2nd (commented by buyer and used in the cage) 3rd I found on my own searching. And found two others as well, so I notified them to pay it forward.

I´m under 150 sales and just found my first in use,i´m pretty lucky i guess

It was > 1,000 for my first I think, and I have still only found 3 so far with > 5,000 sold.

for statisttics: I found my first and so far only use when I had just under 300 downloads.

as said earlier one designer contacted me about location of my shoot and told me that she'll use is for a presentation. 

Very recently. Around 225-ish