Blogger.com ask me for a photo for template

arquiplay77

« on: August 25, 2009, 03:33 »

#link

Hello
Todey i recieve this email:

"Dear Pablo ...

Congrats! One of your designs has been selected by Google’s
Blogger.com to be used in one of their new blog templates. Please
read this entire email and send us back your approval if you want to
be included in this great opportunity for exposure on Blogger.com.

Here is the image Blogger.com selected to use for a template design:

....

Blogger.com may also want to include additional images as blog
templates or backgrounds. They want the rights to modify,
redistribute, and use your image in commercial blog templates. Please
let me know if there are any additional images you would be willing to
include in this program.

What’s in it for you? Blogger will provide your credit on all
templates containing your art. Also, every blog that uses a template
with your image will have a link back to your Shutterstock gallery
URL. The images on Blogger.com will be displayed at a size larger
than our current license allows of 800x600 pixels. Blogger.com may
display images as large as 1600x1200 pixels. In addition, Blogger.com
cannot guarantee that bloggers will not attempt to alter the template
HTML to remove the links to your gallery.

Blogger.com gets hundreds of millions of pageviews a day and has
millions of active users. We see this as a great opportunity to drive
traffic to your Shutterstock gallery.

Please write back to confirm your approval to be included in this
program along with the images you are approving.

Best regards,"

So... what do you think of this? I´m not shure wht are they asking me the permission, couldn´t they just purchase an EL and use it for that, or is there always a limitation on redistributing the image on blogs.
Or maybe they are just ting to get the image free, i don´t know if this is really a good oportunity or just a way to get your image copied millons of times with no payback.

Any thoughs or experiencies on this?

Cheers


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hqimages

« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2009, 04:12 »

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I read an article about this a while back and yeah, I can't believe someone with as deep pockets as google won't treat artists with the respect they deserve.. they are LOADED, and they can't afford an EL? Huh

I would say no and I would also send them a nice long rant about the difficulty of making a living as a photographer when BILLION dollar companies won't pay even $50 for an image to re-distribute etc.

That's just me though


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rene

« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2009, 04:25 »

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I would say NO. I don't accept any more working for free.


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sharpshot

« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2009, 04:31 »

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I would say no, unless it is an image that hasn't made any money and looks like it wont make any in the future. Giving away unlimited 1600x1200 downloads and they can and probably will remove the link to your portfolio doesn't seem like a good idea. I feel shutterstock should of negotiated a fee for this. If we give images away this time, are they ever going to pay in the future?


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Phil

« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2009, 04:50 »

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Quote from: hqimages on August 25, 2009, 04:12

me too


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sjlocke

« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2009, 05:58 »

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If it is an image on one of the sites, definitely tell them "no way" unless they go through the EL purchase process being sure to buy one for each of the allowed amounts of users using it. Google is not god.

If it isn't on the site, tell them to stick it anyways, on principal.

Here's your chance.


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Gizeh

« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2009, 05:59 »

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Could someone please clarify who the sender of this begging letter is?

Is it Google/blogger.com itself? Or an agency trying to make a buck at our expense?

Anyway, this stinks and it might be a good idea to contact Google directly and ask for an explanation.


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Freezingpictures

« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2009, 06:35 »

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I would do it if they link to my personal site. Is that not also a perfect way for improving your Search Engine Ranking through all the links from the different Blogs you get?
Anyway you can forward my website to them, if you do not want to do the deal. I am sure I have some nice images for them :-)


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arquiplay77

« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2009, 07:28 »

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yhea what most of you say is what i though when i saw the mail, is just that english is not my main lenguage and wasn´t very shure if i understood good (thay are basically asking for my image for free), i had a doubt about if they needed my explicit permission even buing an EL (or as much EL as copys they would redistribute).

I din´t realise when i open de thread, but now i see the mail is send by Shutterstock, Huh

now i´m confussed. So is this some kind of new way shuttersock uses to give our images for free or what?

i will write back asking some things i don´t understand on the mail.

Cheers


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Gizeh

« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2009, 07:48 »

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Quote from: arquiplay77 on August 25, 2009, 07:28

I din´t realise when i open de thread, but now i see the mail is send by Shutterstock, Huh

Wow, SS will have something to explain if that is true.

What a great marketing idea to give away 1600x1200px images in exchange for an HTML link that can (and will be) be removed within seconds.


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Gregor909

« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2009, 07:58 »

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I also received that email!
I'm not sure, exposure is good, but I agree with most of you, I don't want to work for free!
I allready find my work stolen on the net more and more lately, without me getting paid!

This is what concerns me;

Quote

Blogger.com may also want to include additional images as blog
templates or backgrounds. They want the rights to modify,
redistribute, and use your image in commercial blog templates. Please
let me know if there are any additional images you would be willing to
include in this program.

So if I give permission, they can use all my work all the time?!


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ThomasAmby

« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2009, 08:54 »

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I hope everyone who receives this message tells them no way. Their "offer" seems incredibly offensive!

They are basically telling you that your business isn't that serious anyway. In order to use your images, they will have to buy the appropriate licenses - just like everyone else.


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lisafx

Premium Member

« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2009, 09:08 »

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I haven't received this letter, but I don't see any reason to say "yes". As others have already pointed out, they could easily use the images by simply buying an EL.


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dirkr

« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2009, 09:08 »

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I haven't received the e-mail, but from what I read here I can't see anywhere that they really want the images for free.

They mention that they want them for a specific usage not covered by their (i.e. Shutterstock's) current licence.
So why not just treat that e-mail as a request for your approval of that usage (including you providing a price tag for that)?
Why not just write back that you are happy to be chosen for such a great opportunity and that you would happily grant them the right to use your pictures in the intended way if, and only if they buy an (or maybe two or three because of the extended usage terms) extended licences.
And that, with the same conditions, you would happily include all other files within your portfolio for such usage?

Their reply to such a response would be really interesting...


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dirkr

« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2009, 09:12 »

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Quote from: lisafx on August 25, 2009, 09:08

I haven't received this letter, but I don't see any reason to say "yes". As others have already pointed out, they could easily use the images by simply buying an EL.

Can they? Afaik the maximum size for web usage according to the Shutterstock licence is 800 X 600 pixels - same for ELs. So an EL still would not allow this usage.


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Microbius

Premium Member

« Reply #15 on: August 25, 2009, 09:44 »

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100% no way. Google treat artists like Sh*t. They'll avoid paying for any creative work they can. And don't get me started on the way theives like Hero Turko use Google Ads to make money from our stolen images and Google refuse to do anything about it.
Can't believe they've got the balls to say that "don't be evil" is their motto!

No, No, No!


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arquiplay77

« Reply #16 on: August 25, 2009, 09:55 »

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Quote from: dirkr on August 25, 2009, 09:08

Hey dirkr: what you say is exactly the doubt i had when i started the thread, i don´t relly understand if they are asking me the image for free, or if the current EL license is not enough for the usage they want and so they are asking permission to the owner individually.

I will write back with some questions and let you all know what they say to me.

cheers.


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gostwyck

« Reply #17 on: August 25, 2009, 10:13 »

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^^^ Shouldn't this be worth posting on the SS forums? I'd like to hear from SS admin what is being proposed and by who.


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Gregor909

« Reply #18 on: August 25, 2009, 10:18 »

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Quote from: gostwyck on August 25, 2009, 10:13

^^^ Shouldn't this be worth posting on the SS forums? I'd like to hear from SS admin what is being proposed and by who.

Exactly,
I just send a mail to Shutterstock if they could give me some more information. I can't find anything about this on their website.
Shouldn't there be at least some sort of article or something?


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Gizeh

« Reply #19 on: August 25, 2009, 11:02 »

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One wonders if this is the first time that SS closed such a fishy deal.

It could easily be that this is a common practice that only comes to the surface because this time it is above 800x600px.


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Pixart

« Reply #20 on: August 25, 2009, 11:08 »

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This is steering away from templates and microstock, but Mark Stout just blogged about the value of a photo and giving it away. Good read.

http://markstoutphotography.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/a-dangerous-new-marketing-paradigm-blogs-magazines-fashion-designers-agencies-and-fools/


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Gregor909

« Reply #21 on: August 29, 2009, 10:54 »

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@arquiplay77; did you hear anything yet?
I replied by asking a few questions, 4 days ago, no answer yet!

@Pixart; great article


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HermanM

« Reply #22 on: August 29, 2009, 13:40 »

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The answer should be thanks, but no thanks... All the previous reasons are on target... Tell them NO!


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madelaide

Premium Member

« Reply #23 on: August 29, 2009, 14:13 »

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I might consider give one image free for something that I would consider positive for myself. I can't imagine an image in a blog template would give me much return.

But maybe this is just because I am not a fan of blogs. Cheesy


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Jonathan Ross

« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2009, 19:09 »

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Hi All,

Gotta jump on the nothing is free band wagon. I spend money making my images and the price that is being asked for is so small to begin with. When Google starts asking for free images it is a sign that we will see some work out there for free. I highly suggest fighting the desire as long as you can. The less people that give their work away the stronger our chances are to increase sales over the long run. I might be wrong but I have turned down several companies now that have offered me greater exposure for giving up some of my images for free. Anyone see the advantage in the long run for our industry from this free image idea. If so please help me in seeing the up side. I am just not sold yet.

Best,
Jonathan


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