Author Topic: This is BULL (Read 6626 times)

ichiro17 · « **on:** May 05, 2006, 17:58 »

I was just rejected from Shutterstock after I pulled my images from there. Someone really has a problem over there. I thought you have to submit 10 images before they look at you? What the %^$? I mean, I'm trying to do them a favour and save them time and I get the shaft. I would understand if I had submitted my images and they were bad, but I was taking them off ... and they don't even listen to that

SStevenson · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2006, 19:29 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on May 05, 2006, 17:58

I was just rejected from Shutterstock after I pulled my images from there. Someone really has a problem over there. I thought you have to submit 10 images before they look at you? What the %^$? I mean, I'm trying to do them a favour and save them time and I get the shaft. I would understand if I had submitted my images and they were bad, but I was taking them off ... and they don't even listen to that

I know what you mean. I was just rejected by them for the THIRD time, even though I have had my images accepted by ten other agencies, including istock and dreamstime. Everything I send them, they reject. And I just realized that if you don't send a model release with the initial submissions for review, they reject it for not having a model release. And I tried requesting a resubmission...they told me to wait three months. It's very frustrating.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2006, 23:28 »

Its the fact that they think they are superior I guess. Hopefully another agency comes along and knocks them on their a$$....but I just hope that those photographers that make money from them don't suffer as a result....

I think I might try exclusiveness at Dreamstime. They pay 20 cents for a photo if you are exclusive. Thats decent income to pay for my new stuff

leaf · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2006, 03:18 »

boy that sucks.

tell us if you hear back from them.

GeoPappas · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2006, 08:06 »

I feel for you. The microstock industry can be brutal at times.

I am on six sites at the moment, and about to submit to Shutterstock in the next week or so.

Weird thing is that I originally had wanted to apply to Shutterstock as my first stock agency, but when I found out they wanted 10 photos I decided to try a few others first. I had actually asked them if I could submit one photo at a time (instead of all 10 at once) so that I could learn from the process and they basically said that I had to submit all 10. So it is odd that they actually did your review before you had 10 up. You can read the thread here:

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/about7908.html&highlight=

CJPhoto · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2006, 05:33 »

It does seem harsh that they review your application before you even submit it.

Oh well, you are on DT which is better for me anyway

CJPhoto · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2006, 05:36 »

My "this is bull story" with SS is taht I refered someone. They apparently used my link but for some reason he isn't up on my referal list.

I sent an email to SS to say, can you please add member number XXXXX. He hadn't even been approved yet.

They say, it can only be done at time of submission, not at any other time.

I have written back to complain as it is clear that I referred him and that is the whole idea of the referal system.

(his cookies cant be working as the same happened at Fotolia but I am still waiting their reply - they approve photos a lot quicker than they answer emails

)

ichiro17 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2006, 09:52 »

Yup

I got a reply. They are really anal about everything. I don't understand why they are this way, especially if they are the market leader. They said that you can't touch your photos after you submit your ten, but it doesn't say that anywhere that I've seen. So it seems to me that they make up their rules as they go along. Now I have to wait.

Although I really hope I can get more into Dreamstime (I'm going at about 40% acceptance right now because I'm just submitting everything to see how they react to my stuff, so thats alright). I think I might want to be exclusive, I'll have to wait and see.

How well is Dreamstime doing for you CJPHoto?

Its too bad though.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2006, 09:52 »

And what type of photos do sell really well?

leaf · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2006, 09:57 »

people pics are always good sellers. Original images with a clear message are also good sellers. So, original people pics with a clear message will sell very well.

I would be sceptical to going exclusive. It does seem somewhat attractive, but sites swing up and down as far as sales go, and to lump all my images into one site would be rather risky. That, and only have in the income from one site would seem rather meager. True, I would be receiving more per image, but not enough to warrent ignoring 7 other good sites.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:18 »

I understand but Leaf, you are doing very well from the sounds of it and the extra amount wouldn't be worth it for you right now. For me, having made a grand total of $0.50 on Bigstock in a month, it looks a bit more attractive (and the Shutterstock rejection) because I would like to make some money to pay for some new equipment and make some money to pay back the equipment I already have.

leaf · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:25 »

but eventually I imagine (if you plan on continuing with microstock) you will have at least 100+ images. If you put those on only one site you will drasticlly decrease your earning potential.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:07 »

True, I guess

So you would recommend from your experiences that other sites will increase income more than the amount made from exclusivity from one? I have about 40 images right now, 35 of which have been accepted to Fotolia, 10 of which are on Dreamstime (I have background removal issues) and such and one copyright problem (although it was accepted at other places).

I have about 20 images needing to be processed. I have 512 MB of RAM coming to me this week or so which will increase my post-processing speed and hopefully I can get up to 200 images on most sites within a good time period.

Hopefully I can see steady downloads because I really want to generate some income to buy more lenses and a bigger card/pay for the camera.

Any other recommendations? Anyone see a pickup in any previously slower sites?

GeoPappas · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:17 »

ichiro17:

Most people don't go exclusive unless they have reached a certain level and it becomes financially sensible. Almost everyone loads their photos on multiple sites.

As far as site traffic, most people have been stating a slowdown across the board for microsites.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:34 »

Slowdown because of the large number of sites popping up? Or just because there's a lot of photographers popping up?

Or just a general slowdown for unknown reasons?

I think it wouldn't be wise for me to convert right now to exclusive because I haven't seen how well I sell yet mainly because I have few photos.

So I'm guessing you are right...and I haven't reached any level, not to mention a particular level

GeoPappas · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:43 »

Nobody knows why there is a slowdown, but there is lots of speculation. It could be spring break, a saturation of photographers/images, or the stars are in alignment...

Greg Boiarsky · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2006, 13:40 »

The reason for the slowdown is (1) more photographers, so downloads are spread around; (2) we may be getting to the point where the market is saturated, and customers have satisfied their needs--at least in the short run; (3) seasonal variation (no big holidays coming up, spring and summer brochures already out, etc.).

I think that I'm going to start preparing for autumn, even though it's not yet summer. I'll keep shooting what's around me, but I want to plan for the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays. I also plan on beefing up my autumn landscapes. My guess is that designers, etc., plan well in advance--and purchase in advance, as well.

leaf · « **Reply #17 on:** May 08, 2006, 13:43 »

I don't think the market is satuated even closly. The number of people who could make use of micro stock images is pretty incredibly large. Additionally those markets will always need new images / more images.

I do agree however that seasonal variations could have a bit to do with lower sales, however I am not sure there is a 'drastic reduction in sales' anywhere. April was lower yes, but that is expected. This month should be a fair bit better.

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Author Topic: This is BULL (Read 6626 times)

ichiro17

SStevenson

ichiro17

leaf

GeoPappas

CJPhoto

CJPhoto

ichiro17

ichiro17

leaf

ichiro17

leaf

ichiro17

GeoPappas

ichiro17

GeoPappas

Greg Boiarsky

leaf

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