How to register with iStock and Getty Images – Peculiarities of the stock image sites

Experienced image creators generally agree that publishing their work on multiple sites is optimal. However, the number of such sites to collaborate with varies from person to person. Some prefer to save time and upload files to four main sources, while others strive to cover the entire market and work with all existing global sites, uploading 15 to 21 images per site. For many, a middle ground of 6 to 10 sites has proven to be acceptable. We'll provide a brief overview of the two stock image sites, their registration rules, and general information about working with them.

How to become a contributor on iStock / Getty Images

iStock and Getty Images are linked, but they are not the same site.

• Getty Images is a premium photo stock. It accepts contributors by invitation or upon application, has a stricter selection process, higher prices, and corporate licenses.
• iStock is a subsidiary site of Getty Images, focusing more on the mass market (lower prices, subscriptions, and credits).

For contributors, it works like this: previously, you could register separately on iStock and Getty Images. Now, new contributors are accepted only through iStock Contributor. After uploading your work, it can be sold on both iStock and Getty (if it's selected for the "Getty Images" collection). Separate registrations are no longer possible for both sites—they are integrated into a single system. In other words, you register once (through iStock Contributor), and then your work is automatically distributed: some will remain on iStock, and the best may also appear on Getty.

Link for registering as an iStock contributor - contributors register through the Getty Images Contributor by iStock https://contributor.gettyimages.com app. There you'll find a "Submit Application" button. Registration procedure: go to the website, create an account, and fill out the form. Next, upload a portfolio of 3 to 6 works for the exam and pass the document verification. The moderators will respond in about a couple of weeks. If everything is in order, you will be granted access to the ESP (Enterprise Submission Platform) - a system for contributors. There you can upload your work, enter keywords, and enter categories.

What about Getty Images? A separate application to Getty is currently unavailable. Getty and iStock share a single contributor platform (ESP). Once you become an iStock contributor, your best work can be automatically selected and placed in the Getty Images collection. You can't manually choose to "send to Getty." The decision is up to the editors. So, the process is as follows: you submit an application → become an iStock contributor → work through the ESP → some of your files may also be sent to Getty if they meet the required quality standards.