My first significant sale on Getty Images:
Looking down on the world... by
dcstep, on Flickr
I only get 20%, but Leo Burnett Worldwide (creators of Tony the Tiger and the Pillbury Dough Boy, etc.) paid $300 for non-exclusive use of this image. The Wall Street Journal also bought another image. The amount paid is based on the intended usage and file size, determined by a complex scale.
Some other guys on Flickr that are doing similar subjects to me, say it takes about 3 to 4 years to build a somewhat reliable cash flow from stock sales through Getty, but I know 2 or 3 that are now receiving in the range from $200 to $600 per month off of around 80 images. I've got 38 images listed so far. They say that the agency sales are the bread and butter of this business. I'm still allowed to sell "products", such as prints and books.
Anyway, it took me a year to get my first significant sale. Hopefully it won't be so long until the next and it'll keep building.
Dave