“What is your job?” “I am a freelancer” “No seriously, how do you earn money for a living?” 
There will be a few people who won’t understand what you do exactly, but being a microstock photographer or illustrator can become your full time job or it can even turn out to be an entrepreneurial initiative.
What you need to know?
1. Try to see trough the inspector’s eyes.
The online stock photos you upload to your account have to pass an inspector’s check. Reading the advices previously presented on Photaki’s blog will help you pre-inspect your own files! 
Here are the blog articles that will guide you to evaluate and select your works:
Photographs rejected for technical reasons: the definition
JPG format and image quality
The number of rejected files will lower, so your portfolio will grow more rapidly and that will reflect in sales numbers. Quantity is very important and, in microstock, it turns out to be the effect of quality.
2. Choose your subjects carefully
Some of the subjects sell better. It’s a fact. If you need some guidance on the stock most important directions you can look no further that Photaki’s front page and see the main collections of images: Architecture, Backgrounds and textures, Gastronomy, Historical Human Landscapes / Places Leisure, Objects, Plant and Animal, Sports and Transport
You can also read the article on how to find the right approach that will make your photos stand out from the rest:
Photaki dares you: shoot the concepts!
Also, your best sellers are an indicator of which subjects you can elaborate more.
3. Check out other portfolios
If you consider your microstock photographer experience not enough, you can check out other photographers’ accounts for inspiration.
For example, Photaki has a section dedicated to its photographers where you can find all the users in alphabetical order and also a very useful list of highlighted members:
Photographers
4. Follow up on the trends
A few years ago, technology looked very different. Gadget photography is almost “retro” if it’s taken a few years ago.
Also, backgrounds and designing elements have their own annual trends. How to keep up with all of this? Reading blogs, magazines and books on photography will keep you updated. Even just browsing around is very useful.
Keeping up with trends could also mean working on your equipment.
Acting upon a plan is essential. It’s a battle out there, between images and ideas, and a good strategy can make the difference!
