Microstock Group - A meeting place for microstock photographers

Hassy won't pay you back on microstock, my friend, and you know it.

Actually i believe best camera for micro is 5D. i've recently ordered myself 1DsMk3 and i know it won't really pay back on micro comparing with forthcoming 5DKm2. the only reason for me spending $10K now was intention to have my pictures as big resolution as i can allow myself to, not the idea i will sell them for much more when i'll switch from 5D to 1Ds. so it was more artistic than business decision for me.

upscaling a bit sales volumes and going to your case, 1DsMk3 is the best camera for you as a BUSINESS TOOL FOR MICRO and you know it.

still as much as i remember the day we had a dinner in Oslo you're the one who can be considered technocrate the best possible way. so i believe you really enjoy Hassy and your artistic side is more than satisfied with this great tool. i believe you made good artistic decision. just don't expect it to pay back as business decision on micros. it won't.

friend of mine owns online IT shop. and he enjoys to make a delivery by himself. rich businessman spends his time delivering $20 worthy item he sold online and made a penny of. the car he uses for that is his own brand new latest BMW M5, he paid over 100.000 Euro for. he knows spending his time and using his car for delivery is not about business, still he enjoys it. he's just "Taxi" movie type of guy. i don't want to say it's exactly the same situation you have on micro with Hassy, but it's not that far. i will never consider you or my friend making it wrong as long as i understand how much fun you have. still don't expect it will pay back as business. if we're talking about micro or cheap online shop delivery. ;]

actually i'm doing the same shooting 10000 pictures every month and having only 2000 pictures in my portfolio. i should stop shooting and finally postprocess all great stuff i have on 3Tb of my backup storage now. i believe i have at least 20000 of very good images i should postprocess and sell. still i continue shooting, spending time, buying cameras, accessories, papers and stuff. it's pointless but i just can't resist. ;]

so well, we are ARTISTS after all. we can shoot when we don't have to or use Hassyes on micro. that's what we do. even knowing it won't pay back there on micros. we a artists, as i said so we don't have to be business and logic ONLY.
 
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downsizing images for SS is a smart idea, i will maybe use it too.   

thanks for this thread, Yuri. it's been a long since we communicated last time so i'm really enjoying talking with you.

Yuri,

You probably missed my earlier reply in this thread but it seems that from reading dolgachov's post that there is disconnect on what is being done by him with a business justification and what is artistic or individualistic. I suspect it may be the same for you.

Unlike sjlocke I think that this forum has much to offer in terms of advice.

But I will start with a preamble

What is your plan to increase your revenue for 2008. Actual figures aren't required.

Say for example it is 20%

Then either you need to sell 20% more photos or sell the same number for 20% more.

If you can do both you will make 44% more.

Next is the bottom line.

Say you want to increase your profit 20% you can do either of the above and maintain the same margin, but if your costs are increasing faster than your revenue this will decrease your profits.

Reading your posts I get the impression your costs are increasing, all the IT investment to support the Hasselblad workflow.

Your costs, staff, rent, models, etc will go up with inflation

And it sounds like your revenue is stagnating.

Am I correct?

I opted out at SXP when they launched subscriptions. Minimum MP at SS is a good idea. DT is a headache though. They are selling well but don't have an opt out possibility for subs.

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx

I just opted out of subs at SXP though my port there is small. At SS, I already uploaded at 6MP instead of full size. DT is a real headache. I like it a lot, especially for the EL's. I still trust Serban's good judgment and I always will.

Opted out of sub at SXP:

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.

In my first writing of this reply, I said that I wasn't too concerned with subscription sales cutting into my SXP earnings. Since January 1, sub sales accounted for just 3 out of my 36 total sales.

But after rethinking that, I realized 2 things:

1.) While that only figures about 8% of my sales so far this month coming as subscription sales, if I imagined they were credit sales instead, at the end of the month 8% can be a big deal. Of course it's not like I'd get those sales back as credit sales if I opt out of subscriptions, since the subscription buyers will just go to another artist if they can't download my image. But the idea of missing 8% of my sales at the end of the month does mean something.

2.) SXP raised proces on vectors recently, and restructured the pricing tiers for vectors. I am not getting $5.00 commission per credit sale on my vectors. It definitely bugs me that I get just $0.30 cents on a subscription sale of a vector, when I should be getting $5.00.

Looking at it that way, I'd be crazy to keep doing subscription sales at SXP. I don't have much choice at SS, but at least at SXP I can do something about it.

Opted out.

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.
RTimages
Vonkara
helix7

Joined on the list.. Will send downsized images to SS (what is the best resolution to downsize to maximize sales (I'm using 5D at moment))?

br, Mikko P.

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Opted out.

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.
RTimages
Vonkara
helix7
Travelling-light
Mjp

Anyone catch this little note on SXabout subscriptions?

"Gain instant access to virtually every image on the site and save hundreds, even thousands, when you Subscribe to Stockxpert."

I wonder if they'll have to change that now. This list alone has to account for 20,000 images by now, and it'll only keep growing.

Both SXP and SS are going to think...."What happend"
Get more people in!

Opted out.

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.
RTimages
Vonkara
helix7
Travelling-light
Mjp
northflyboy
ason
sorsillo

Opted out.... Little ants can do amazing things.

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.
RTimages
Vonkara
helix7
Travelling-light
Mjp
northflyboy
ason
Alex

I am not yet in SXP. I will opt out, if admitted. But how to deal with DT or 123rf, these two
do not have the option to opt out.

vphoto

Also opted out..

Yuri Arcurs
Freezingpictures
GeoPappas
Smithore
rene
sharpshot
ldambies
epixx
latex
FlemishDreams.
RTimages
Vonkara
helix7
Travelling-light
Mjp
northflyboy
ason
sorsillo
boatman
Alex
Eco