Author Topic: So when were the good old days and what changed?! (Read 2238 times)

joingated · « **on:** April 07, 2010, 10:13 »

I often see mention here of 'the good old days', as a relative newbie (15 months in) I'd like to know when was that? What was it like? And what changed?!

Brandon Seidel · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2010, 10:43 »

Never. The differance is now the market is a few years older, so the older folks sit around and talk about the good old days. Like in the 90's the 60's were the good old days; in the 60's it was the 40's, ....

yuliang11 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:11 »

the good old days is when everything sells at SS, the thing that changed is my income is getting less and lesser

cthoman · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:25 »

Quote from: joingate on April 07, 2010, 10:13

I often see mention here of 'the good old days', as a relative newbie (15 months in) I'd like to know when was that? What was it like? And what changed?!

I don't know if I was around for all the good old days, but there is definitely more competition. It was definitely easier to sell all your images a few years ago, but I make more now. So, I can't say I want to go back.

ap · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:30 »

i only started testing the waters with a few images last august. but i feel the returns growth is commensurate, if not exceeding, portfolio growth all along. ie a 10% increase in upload can result in 50% revenue growth. so, i feel the good old times is now. i'd imagine for the real old timers, they were probably experiencing 100% growth on a monthly basis. ah.....

PowerDroid · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:42 »

The good old days = the date the complainer started in microstock, through the date that the individual's growth trend hit its peak.

The bad new days = the date the individual's growth trend hit its peak, through today, due to:
a) the buyers' appetites for "business handshakes" and "everything isolated on white" finally being satiated
b) all those criminal microstock sites sticking it to them! (we knew when we signed those agreements that changes might be made that could adversely affect us, but we didn't think you'd do it!)
c) you signing up

microstockphoto.co.uk · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:58 »

every mythology has its own golden age - so I believe the good old days never existed actually

Zeus · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:04 »

Do you mean in microstock or stock in general?

RT · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:07 »

If you hear 'traditional' stock shooters referring to the good old days they mean anytime prior to 7th April 2000

jsnover · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:08 »

I wouldn't dream of characterizing things as better or worse, but when I started in late 2004 microstock had

- much lower prices
- higher download numbers (relative to portfolio size)
- much less stringent inspection standards
- fewer/no upload limits
- fewer sites

sharply_done · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:10 »

The good old days, to me, are right now!

fotografer · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:18 »

Ditto

Quote from: sharply_done on April 07, 2010, 13:10

The good old days, to me, are right now!

Jack Schiffer · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:44 »

Quote from: fotografer on April 07, 2010, 13:18

Ditto
Quote from: sharply_done on April 07, 2010, 13:10
The good old days, to me, are right now!

I remember the days of 10 cents image
Yes right now is the time to make some money
my 2cents

microstockphoto.co.uk · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2010, 14:29 »

^{(error post - deleted by myself, sorry)}

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2010, 15:37 »

Quote from: joingate on April 07, 2010, 10:13

I often see mention here of 'the good old days', as a relative newbie (15 months in) I'd like to know when was that? What was it like? And what changed?!

Two things for me:

1) I got older, everything is the good old days.

2) We used to get paid for licensing images. With the current trend, dropping commissions, subscription sites Etc. we will be paying to have people use our photos, because the competition for free photos and exposure is getting so cut-throat.

For the rest of the world, there was less competition, less photos in the collections, more exposure, buyers didn't have the advantage of price wars and new sites giving away the products to get business. My opinion would be, easier to make sales and higher returns per sale, for people starting out years ago. Old timers with good portfolios have a definite advantage now, so that would be the Good New Days for them?

gostwyck · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:27 »

Quote from: jsnover on April 07, 2010, 13:08

I wouldn't dream of characterizing things as better or worse, but when I started in late 2004 microstock had

- much lower prices
- higher download numbers (relative to portfolio size)
- much less stringent inspection standards
- fewer/no upload limits
- fewer sites

One major difference 'back in the good old days' was that we as contributors were being actively courted and fawned over by the emerging agencies. They couldn't do enough for you if you actually had some half-decent images. Some of them, like FT, even paid us good money to take the trouble to upload our portfolios. They almost fought amongst each other to offer us a 'fairer deal' than anyone else and royalties were up to 80%. (takes out onion) Of course the market was small, the agencies were small ... and so were our earnings.

lisafx · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:36 »

Quote from: PowerDroid on April 07, 2010, 12:42

The good old days = the date the complainer started in microstock, through the date that the individual's growth trend hit its peak.

The bad new days = the date the individual's growth trend hit its peak, through today, due to:
a) the buyers' appetites for "business handshakes" and "everything isolated on white" finally being satiated
b) all those criminal microstock sites sticking it to them! (we knew when we signed those agreements that changes might be made that could adversely affect us, but we didn't think you'd do it!)
c) you signing up

LOL!! That sums it up perfectly!!

According to your formula my good old days were 2006-2007.

But to be fair, I have made more in 2008-2009. Just didn't have as much fun doing it...

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #17 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:39 »

Quote from: sharply_done on April 07, 2010, 13:10

The good old days, to me, are right now!

Amen, bro. The late Frank Zappa once said, "the only reason we should call them the 'good old days' is because we know they will never come back again".

I think he had a pretty valid point. LOL

I concur with Sharply_Done.

=tom

FD · « **Reply #18 on:** April 07, 2010, 17:07 »

The good old days were around till you signed up and 500,000 others.

Smiling Jack · « **Reply #19 on:** April 07, 2010, 22:15 »

I agree with Sharply_Done. The good old days are now. Somebody once said"yesterday is a cancelled check:tomorrow is a promissory note:but today is cash"
Smiling jack