Using my creative side, a different way...

I was trying my hand at micro-stock, which unless you're really serious about you make chump change. I didn't have many pictures up, mostly because a good handful of what I put up each time was declined. That never bothered me... or bothered me when I did sell a picture it was only worth $0.25 to me. Until two days ago. We were going out to look for a computer mouse for my husband and I saw a mouse-pad. This mouse-pad had a photo I saw from a ladies micro-stock page that she sold off. And it struck me... this gal probably made maybe $0.25 to $5.00 at max for a photo that some one else used for a mouse-pad that made $8.00 a pop. So it made me really wonder, is my photos worth only $0.25? Is my time worth that? Not really...

So I think I've come set on the fact all micro-stock sites I have joined will be deleted and closed down ASAP. Actually I don't think, I know that's what will happen. I'm thinking of trying to join up with Cafe press or Zazzle and use my creative juices there to use some of my photos and also different sayings that I've come up with on T-shirts and different items. I know they'll be making money off me, but at least it will be me using my photos instead of someone else. At least this way I can do things how I want to, when I want to, and not be so stressed about how my photography is critiqued (getting a tad sick of the "too light, too dark, has some noise, something isn't in focus" aspect of it all. I feel more positive this is the direction for me. Will I make enough to consider it a job? Highly doubtful... but I will settle for $100 extra a month to cover the costs of what I've bought with all my equipment. But more would never hurt. So let the creative juices flow!