Matt & Sarah Antonino have been shooting photography professionally for 4-5 years. They started in weddings helping friends and it progressed very rapidly. They have been full time wedding, portrait and commercial photographers for the last 3 years. They started NiltoMil.com around March when they rejoined the stock photography world. They have been shooting microstock for 4 years and were some of the first registrants at a lot of the major sites but did not pursue it in the beginning.
MB: Your wedding photography website looks very impressive, have you always worked as photographers and how did you get into photography?
M&S: Thanks! It’s actually recently updated and hopefully looks even better! We have been shooting weddings basically since we met each other. Sarah and I were working another job and found each other, started the business and it grew from there. I always tell people “we had three dates and then I moved in.” Which would be funny but it’s true! Since we met we’ve shot just over 100 weddings, and so many models I stopped trying to count. We actually found microstock photography through www.dpchallenge.com, a site we used to participate on. A LOT of amateurs (including us at the time) thought it would be a great way to buy a new lens or two. We never in a million years expected it to be the way our life may progress full time.
MB: When did you get start shooting for stock and what inspired you to submit to microstock libraries?
M&S: Well, this is really a two part answer that I’ve sort of given away already. We started shooting microstock 4 years ago. But between then and March 2008 we had added about 200 images per site. Very low, very slacker oriented. Unfortunately we just never took it seriously enough to put effort in and it was difficult before IPTC data, programs like Cushystock, etc. that help us manage our images and keep track of 50-500 models much easier.
MB: How many microstock shoots do you do a month and do you reserve whole days for shoots or do you fit them in around your schedules?
M&S: We try and schedule 10 models a month, not including photo tours. We usually submit 40-60 images per model over 3-4 different “looks” and sets. So on average we are trying to submit 500 or so modelling images as well as some non-model location images and graphics per month. We do fit them in around our schedule and occasionally try to shoot a full day. We have had times when we shot 11 models in 7 days as well as times we barely do any while we catch up on work.
MB: You are very honest about your earnings on the Nil to Mil website, what inspired you to write the blog and what has the reaction been?
M&S: I like sharing information. In the wedding industry, people are very open about what they are doing, why and how it’s working. That openness has propelled us further in a few short years than any amount of “trying” to learn could have. We approach microstock with the same mentality – help and you’ll be helped. So far it’s working really well. The reaction to NiltoMil has been mixed. Some microstock photographers think it’s “tacky” to post earnings. I think it’s useful information however. Others think our goal is wayyyyy too lofty; they think it’s almost impossible. I love a challenge and I can’t wait to hear those same people when we start to make more solid progress. I know it’s going to be worth the wait for me. A lot of people are really supportive and help me! I love the interaction with our readers.
MB: It seems that the microstock community is really supportive of each other which is great. Have you made friends with people through your blog or on microstock websites?
M&S: Oh definitely! One of the main things we enjoy about microstock is the solitude of not having a lot of “clients” and the time I get to talk with other photographers about the industry. We’ve learned a LOT from my microstock friends and other blogs such as Todd http://www.freewebs.com/micropaymentphotography/ and Lee from www.MicrostockDiaries.com Their help and writing has pushed us to learn new things as well.
MB: Travel photoblogs are my favourite, there’s nothing more exciting than seeing how somebody’s trip is progressing and looking at their photos. Your new website “wewillexplore.com” currently details your endeavours to plan a huge trip in the US which allows you to take travel photos along the way. It seems like a mammoth task! How is the planning going and what have been your biggest obstacles?
M&S: Oh yes it’s mammoth! We are 8 days from leaving and we have 110 models and a few makeup artists scheduled. We are currently shooting in 16 different locations over 19 days. It’s a lot of work and a ton of travel and shooting. The organization hasn’t been as overwhelming as we expected. What is hard is keeping the models straight. Who did I tell what to? Where is that person from again? When are we where?? We shot two weddings this weekend and came home to 91 emails on Monday morning. YIKES!!! One thing that’s made our trip much easier has been planning gear and packing. We do have two sponsors for this trip and I’d like to publicly thank them again. We are getting our gear from www.ProPhotoRental.com and our bags to hold it all from www.ThinkTankPhoto.com Soon we’ll have reviews and remarks about all this cool new stuff!
MB: What is your goal for the amount of stock photos you will create on the trip?
M&S: We have a goal of creating 5000 new submittable stock images. If our current rate of accepted continues (around 85-90%), we will have just over 5000 total images for this winter – a great total for under a year and on some sites, one of the highest portfolio totals. We have another trip planned for late April/early May and if all goes well we’ll be aimed at another 3-5000 images. I edit very quickly and hopefully can get through all those images before the second trip!
MB: Can you tell us who/what is the biggest inspiration in your photography careers?
M&S: We’re going to leave out too many people but we are really inspired by the photographers who do something new – not those who copy the work of others and try to cover their own mistakes and flaws. Some of our inspirations are Julia Bailey, Jeff & Julia Woods, Gino Lucadamo, Jesh De Rox, Chris + Lynn, Gary Ventura and Joey Lawrence, even though the guy isn’t even 20 yet. In microstock we really look up to those who DO rather than SAY. Yuri Arcurs, Andres, Sean Nel, IOFoto and Bobby Deal/Vegas Visions Studio are some that come to mind. These are PROS and there are few super-pros in the micro world but those are inspire us to greater heights. (sidenote: When we get 5000 new images online, we will NOT be ahead of any of the people on that list. They are true superstars!)
MB: Thanks Matt and Sarah - Best of luck with the trip! I’m excited to see the photos and will be following your adventures.
M&S: Thanks! We are soooooo excited to get on the road! We’ll be posting from just about everywhere we have internet access. Thanks!!Matt & Sarah
www.Wewillexplore.com
www.niltomil.com
www.pictureinfinity.com