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Author Topic: Anyone doubting the power of SS?  (Read 18792 times)

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lagereek

« Reply #25 on: December 02, 2011, 02:08 »
0
Terrific portfolio! wishing the best of luck here, its well deserved.


rubyroo

« Reply #26 on: December 02, 2011, 03:32 »
0
I agree.  What a terrific port you have, FotoVoyager.  I hope you do get to keep your name, as I'm sure many buyers will be trying to find you directly on other sites.

Good luck with your decision, I hope it works out really well for you.

CarlssonInc

« Reply #27 on: December 03, 2011, 02:06 »
0
Well dont!  today is a typical day for me. Dozens of subs, 12-SODs and yesterday even ELs and its only half day gone. This agency, let me tell you all, is like Tony-Stone and Image-Bank, were in the film days,  just delivering all the time, no nonsense, hassles or anything, just pure business knowledge and know-how, followed by a friendly atmosphere. :)

Wonder if you will feel the same when you have managed to entice more and more contributors to join you over there....

Youre wrong there, ( sincerely) I mean, not trying to recruit anybody or anything, not my religion actually. Its in my interest as a contributor that as few as possible joins up, competition you know. However, credit where credit is due, its a fantastic agency. Its a breath of fresh air to find that today.

PS. Im a bit surprised over your post. Not like you.

best.

Christian, you sound like I offended/insulted you in some way - not my intention at all, but if I did I apologize. My point was merely that recently I feel that you (and many others) have been quite, if not very active in criticising iStock and bigging up SS. That is absolutely fine, just pointing out potential hazards with being so vocal about it.

You should keep in mind that many newer contributors, contributors with fewer downloads etc. look for "guidance" and are probably quick to jump on the bandwagon i.e. heading for SS as you make it out to be the new gold-rush over there - more contributors will have to share the pie, less for everyone.

You said it yourself the other day that this is a tough cut-throat industry etc. I feel that perhaps some things are better left unsaid? Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings.

Anyway, the industry has been through many storms before, as has iStock (and the rest of the libraries) not the time to do anything rash. I don't believe iStock is crashing, going away or anything like that. Things go up and down, constant change is the norm.

Martin

lagereek

« Reply #28 on: December 03, 2011, 02:37 »
0
Well dont!  today is a typical day for me. Dozens of subs, 12-SODs and yesterday even ELs and its only half day gone. This agency, let me tell you all, is like Tony-Stone and Image-Bank, were in the film days,  just delivering all the time, no nonsense, hassles or anything, just pure business knowledge and know-how, followed by a friendly atmosphere. :)

Wonder if you will feel the same when you have managed to entice more and more contributors to join you over there....

Youre wrong there, ( sincerely) I mean, not trying to recruit anybody or anything, not my religion actually. Its in my interest as a contributor that as few as possible joins up, competition you know. However, credit where credit is due, its a fantastic agency. Its a breath of fresh air to find that today.

PS. Im a bit surprised over your post. Not like you.

best.

Christian, you sound like I offended/insulted you in some way - not my intention at all, but if I did I apologize. My point was merely that recently I feel that you (and many others) have been quite, if not very active in criticising iStock and bigging up SS. That is absolutely fine, just pointing out potential hazards with being so vocal about it.

You should keep in mind that many newer contributors, contributors with fewer downloads etc. look for "guidance" and are probably quick to jump on the bandwagon i.e. heading for SS as you make it out to be the new gold-rush over there - more contributors will have to share the pie, less for everyone.

You said it yourself the other day that this is a tough cut-throat industry etc. I feel that perhaps some things are better left unsaid? Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings.

Anyway, the industry has been through many storms before, as has iStock (and the rest of the libraries) not the time to do anything rash. I don't believe iStock is crashing, going away or anything like that. Things go up and down, constant change is the norm.

Martin

Hi Martin!

No, no offence at all, your post was OK and yes!  we certainly are a paranoid bunch, thats for sure ;D we tend to see enemies just about everywhere, dont we? Im very much aware of up and coming people are reading this, jumping on the band-wagon, etc and I always say, they will have to make their own choice, same as all the rest of us.

You have to admit though, under present circumbstances, all things considered, its pretty hard to recommend IS, as a photo-agency, I mean the chances are you would get flamed instead of thanked.
This time around, I cant figure Getty, can you?  I came from Stones in 93 and throughout the years I have seen them take-over just about everything, some things good others bad. This thing with IS though is an enigma because they are really in the process of slaughtering it?  just take "fotovoyager" as an example, thats the kind of heavy contributors that are bailing out. Scary stuff!

Anyway Martin, have a nice weekend, speak to you soon.  Christian

CarlssonInc

« Reply #29 on: December 03, 2011, 03:05 »
0
Well dont!  today is a typical day for me. Dozens of subs, 12-SODs and yesterday even ELs and its only half day gone. This agency, let me tell you all, is like Tony-Stone and Image-Bank, were in the film days,  just delivering all the time, no nonsense, hassles or anything, just pure business knowledge and know-how, followed by a friendly atmosphere. :)

Wonder if you will feel the same when you have managed to entice more and more contributors to join you over there....

Youre wrong there, ( sincerely) I mean, not trying to recruit anybody or anything, not my religion actually. Its in my interest as a contributor that as few as possible joins up, competition you know. However, credit where credit is due, its a fantastic agency. Its a breath of fresh air to find that today.

PS. Im a bit surprised over your post. Not like you.

best.

Christian, you sound like I offended/insulted you in some way - not my intention at all, but if I did I apologize. My point was merely that recently I feel that you (and many others) have been quite, if not very active in criticising iStock and bigging up SS. That is absolutely fine, just pointing out potential hazards with being so vocal about it.

You should keep in mind that many newer contributors, contributors with fewer downloads etc. look for "guidance" and are probably quick to jump on the bandwagon i.e. heading for SS as you make it out to be the new gold-rush over there - more contributors will have to share the pie, less for everyone.

You said it yourself the other day that this is a tough cut-throat industry etc. I feel that perhaps some things are better left unsaid? Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings.

Anyway, the industry has been through many storms before, as has iStock (and the rest of the libraries) not the time to do anything rash. I don't believe iStock is crashing, going away or anything like that. Things go up and down, constant change is the norm.

Martin

Hi Martin!

No, no offence at all, your post was OK and yes!  we certainly are a paranoid bunch, thats for sure ;D we tend to see enemies just about everywhere, dont we? Im very much aware of up and coming people are reading this, jumping on the band-wagon, etc and I always say, they will have to make their own choice, same as all the rest of us.

You have to admit though, under present circumbstances, all things considered, its pretty hard to recommend IS, as a photo-agency, I mean the chances are you would get flamed instead of thanked.
This time around, I cant figure Getty, can you?  I came from Stones in 93 and throughout the years I have seen them take-over just about everything, some things good others bad. This thing with IS though is an enigma because they are really in the process of slaughtering it?  just take "fotovoyager" as an example, thats the kind of heavy contributors that are bailing out. Scary stuff!

Anyway Martin, have a nice weekend, speak to you soon.  Christian

Hi again Christian! Not easy to figuring out any agency at the moment. Can't really recommend anyone as you say...firstly cause I don't want to "entice" people to go where I am...secondly cause all the agencies bar Alamy are way too greedy. Only recommendation is to have many fingers in many pies...go with instinct and what feels right. I do like Getty though...at least for the fact that you don't have to worry about the keywording etc. send and forget, get on with new stuff. Also think it would be too late to become independent now, if you are not established in MS by now go elsewhere.

There is constant change and I wouldn't be surprised if it soon will be SS turn for some negative news/reporting/changes...

I don't think they are deliberating slaughtering iStock. I think Getty want to create a clear front with multiples entries into all the different price levels of imagery. Wouldn't be surprised if iStock became that portal....

iStock themselves are currently having too many issues on-going and by the look of it have not been taking them seriously enough. They will cop on and fix it, there will be losses, but things will go back to "normal" or at least better then currently. Never underestimate iStock.

Didn't like the best match search today though. Usually does my search for "high heels" photos only, creative only and usually I'm quite prolific in that search, but today 1 or 2 images on the first page...been replaced by CSAs glorious illustrations labelled as photos....

Yes, enjoy your weekend too. Soon off with the wife & kids to Liseberg...in the cold, in the wind...then back home for glgg and whiskey ;)

Martin
« Last Edit: December 03, 2011, 03:24 by CarlssonInc. Stock Imagery Production »

lagereek

« Reply #30 on: December 03, 2011, 06:00 »
0
Well dont!  today is a typical day for me. Dozens of subs, 12-SODs and yesterday even ELs and its only half day gone. This agency, let me tell you all, is like Tony-Stone and Image-Bank, were in the film days,  just delivering all the time, no nonsense, hassles or anything, just pure business knowledge and know-how, followed by a friendly atmosphere. :)

Wonder if you will feel the same when you have managed to entice more and more contributors to join you over there....

Youre wrong there, ( sincerely) I mean, not trying to recruit anybody or anything, not my religion actually. Its in my interest as a contributor that as few as possible joins up, competition you know. However, credit where credit is due, its a fantastic agency. Its a breath of fresh air to find that today.

PS. Im a bit surprised over your post. Not like you.

best.

Christian, you sound like I offended/insulted you in some way - not my intention at all, but if I did I apologize. My point was merely that recently I feel that you (and many others) have been quite, if not very active in criticising iStock and bigging up SS. That is absolutely fine, just pointing out potential hazards with being so vocal about it.

You should keep in mind that many newer contributors, contributors with fewer downloads etc. look for "guidance" and are probably quick to jump on the bandwagon i.e. heading for SS as you make it out to be the new gold-rush over there - more contributors will have to share the pie, less for everyone.

You said it yourself the other day that this is a tough cut-throat industry etc. I feel that perhaps some things are better left unsaid? Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings.

Anyway, the industry has been through many storms before, as has iStock (and the rest of the libraries) not the time to do anything rash. I don't believe iStock is crashing, going away or anything like that. Things go up and down, constant change is the norm.

Martin

Hi Martin!

No, no offence at all, your post was OK and yes!  we certainly are a paranoid bunch, thats for sure ;D we tend to see enemies just about everywhere, dont we? Im very much aware of up and coming people are reading this, jumping on the band-wagon, etc and I always say, they will have to make their own choice, same as all the rest of us.

You have to admit though, under present circumbstances, all things considered, its pretty hard to recommend IS, as a photo-agency, I mean the chances are you would get flamed instead of thanked.
This time around, I cant figure Getty, can you?  I came from Stones in 93 and throughout the years I have seen them take-over just about everything, some things good others bad. This thing with IS though is an enigma because they are really in the process of slaughtering it?  just take "fotovoyager" as an example, thats the kind of heavy contributors that are bailing out. Scary stuff!

Anyway Martin, have a nice weekend, speak to you soon.  Christian

Hi again Christian! Not easy to figuring out any agency at the moment. Can't really recommend anyone as you say...firstly cause I don't want to "entice" people to go where I am...secondly cause all the agencies bar Alamy are way too greedy. Only recommendation is to have many fingers in many pies...go with instinct and what feels right. I do like Getty though...at least for the fact that you don't have to worry about the keywording etc. send and forget, get on with new stuff. Also think it would be too late to become independent now, if you are not established in MS by now go elsewhere.

There is constant change and I wouldn't be surprised if it soon will be SS turn for some negative news/reporting/changes...

I don't think they are deliberating slaughtering iStock. I think Getty want to create a clear front with multiples entries into all the different price levels of imagery. Wouldn't be surprised if iStock became that portal....

iStock themselves are currently having too many issues on-going and by the look of it have not been taking them seriously enough. They will cop on and fix it, there will be losses, but things will go back to "normal" or at least better then currently. Never underestimate iStock.

Didn't like the best match search today though. Usually does my search for "high heels" photos only, creative only and usually I'm quite prolific in that search, but today 1 or 2 images on the first page...been replaced by CSAs glorious illustrations labelled as photos....

Yes, enjoy your weekend too. Soon off with the wife & kids to Liseberg...in the cold, in the wind...then back home for glgg and whiskey ;)

Martin

Hi!

Liseberg, Glgg and Whiskey!  sounds the right stuff indeed. Look!  We sold out in Stockholm 4 years back and invested in a horse-farm ( hst grd) up towards Jnkping, Smlndska hglandet and I take it your down in Gothenburg.
When we have our ways past or whatever, we can sit down and polish off a bottle of Lagavulin or something.

have a good day and enjoy Liseberg,  great place.  Chris.

« Reply #31 on: December 09, 2011, 07:34 »
0

Also, they don't accept "non-newsworthy" editorial photos anymore. IMHO their editorial program is seriously flawed, they want only the type of images that have a very short life cycle which doesn't justify the low prices. You have very good editorial images, but you will have difficulties getting that accepted on SS.

Not true in my experience. All of my editorial images are illustrative rather than newsworthy. I do pay special attention to the caption though...

Back on topic... SS rocks and ELs and ODs are coming thick and fast

lthn

    This user is banned.
« Reply #32 on: December 10, 2011, 05:27 »
0

 ...Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings...


Nice blanket statement... directly after saying some things should be left unsaid. : )

I'm not having serial nervous breakdowns from being involved in photography. Maybe I'm not doing it right : )

CarlssonInc

« Reply #33 on: December 10, 2011, 06:14 »
0

 ...Photographers are notoriously neurotic, paranoid and prone to mass hysteria...dangerous to feed those feelings...


Nice blanket statement... directly after saying some things should be left unsaid. : )

I'm not having serial nervous breakdowns from being involved in photography. Maybe I'm not doing it right : )

Irony is humor for the intelligent, something many fail to appreciate ;)

lthn

    This user is banned.
« Reply #34 on: December 10, 2011, 07:06 »
0
lol @ backpedal :)

« Reply #35 on: December 10, 2011, 17:31 »
0
Hmmpfh. Went to sign up with Shutterstock only to find someone else has already grabbed my brand identity of 'fotoVoyager'.

I'm rather surprised that you decided to drop the crown since you have quite many succesful Vettas.
Bear in mind, Shutterstock doesn't accept modern architecture anymore (you have a very nice series from Valencia).
Also, they don't accept "non-newsworthy" editorial photos anymore. IMHO their editorial program is seriously flawed, they want only the type of images that have a very short life cycle which doesn't justify the low prices. You have very good editorial images, but you will have difficulties getting that accepted on SS. DT does accept modern architecture and "non-newsworthy" editorials but they don't sell so much.
wow !! what a pity !...in the medium term is impossible for to recover in SS or FT or DT what you can earn only in IS...what can i say ? it's an hard choice...Good luck !
iStock's not leaving me much choice in the medium term. I used to sell 150+ images a day, now I'm lucky to sell a third of that. It's a real pity because I like the people at iStock but either the library has become so diluted that it's not possible to be seen in my subject area or they really are losing customers. Either way I have to consider my business first.

« Reply #36 on: December 10, 2011, 18:16 »
0
This agency, let me tell you all, is like Tony-Stone and Image-Bank, were in the film days, 

Apart from the commission!

LOL, exactly.

SK

« Reply #37 on: December 10, 2011, 19:00 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.

« Reply #38 on: December 10, 2011, 19:37 »
0
This is why I keep wondering how much earning power SS truly has. If their management published that they were paying out 2 Mio USD or more per week to their contributors, it would be a different story.

I am sure SS has growth and they know how to sell. But my guess is it will take them at least another 2-3 years to catch up with istock/getty in earnings power. And who knows what will happen in the meantime? There are so many agencies in the market and getty has enough money to buy a few more agencies if they want to.

I am concerned about istock, no question, but with what I am learning from my peers is that SS is no instant goldmine either.

« Reply #39 on: December 10, 2011, 20:31 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.
Were you exclusive?

wut

« Reply #40 on: December 11, 2011, 09:54 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.
Were you exclusive?

Of course he is, how would he be able to average over 7$/DL otherwise? That's a lot, if you take into account the prices in the pre 2007/2008 era (non-exclusives were averaging 20-30c/DL in 2005/06 - so I've heard, haven't been around back then)

lagereek

« Reply #41 on: December 11, 2011, 10:33 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.

I find that pretty weird actually, with your history, surely you have got used to acceptance and rejections, its kind of something we all have to live with, isnt it?  I have close to 50,000 downloads at IS, non-exclusive,  yet at this moment I earn 4 times more at SS. Having said that, I have deleted lots of top-commercial files at IS, since all these troubles started, found new grounds for them.
So,  I suggest you try again. No harm in it, is it? I mean by the look of things, nobody knows what is happening to IS.
I


wut

« Reply #42 on: December 11, 2011, 10:51 »
0
Lagereek, it looks like you want to bury IS and piss on their grave ;D (not saying it's a bad thing or something a lot of ppl doesn't want;)

« Reply #43 on: December 11, 2011, 10:59 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.
Were you exclusive?

Of course he is, how would he be able to average over 7$/DL otherwise? That's a lot, if you take into account the prices in the pre 2007/2008 era (non-exclusives were averaging 20-30c/DL in 2005/06 - so I've heard, haven't been around back then)

That's mildly depressing, given that I've averaged about 90c for my 50,000+ dls there. Maybe being exclusive was by far the best option at one time.

.... Oh, wait a minute, does "generate revenue" mean that he is including iStock's cut in the total? If so, then I'm around the $250,000 mark, too, though 200,000+ of it hasn't done me any good.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2011, 11:03 by BaldricksTrousers »

« Reply #44 on: December 11, 2011, 11:30 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.

Are you serious? That's an average sale of $7.14. I know a Diamond exclusive who has sold over 75K images and also has a huge number of Vetta files. Fairly recently she told me her average sale price was about $3.50 without Vetta and $4 with Vetta included. She gets the 40% commission rate too. I suppose your rate might be possible for a successful vector artist but if that were the case why on earth would you even be contemplating giving up exclusivity? SS are a very successful business, obviously know the commercial worth of stock imagery and I would assume that new applicants are reviewed by the most experienced staff. I have never heard of a highly successful stock contributor who has failed to be accepted into SS let alone with all 10 initial submissions rejected. Your story doesn't add up for me.

lagereek

« Reply #45 on: December 11, 2011, 11:42 »
0
Yep, I doubt SS! I have 35,000+ downloads on iStock and have generated more than $250,000 in revenue. Thought I would try SS in January so I submitted 10 accepted and very sell-able images from my iStock portfolio. They were all rejected. I have no further interest in SS. To be successful with a new agency you need to upload 1,000+ images as fast as possible. SS has become so selective that it doesn't seem like an achievable goal therefore I give up.

Are you serious? That's an average sale of $7.14. I know a Diamond exclusive who has sold over 75K images and also has a huge number of Vetta files. Fairly recently she told me her average sale price was about $3.50 without Vetta and $4 with Vetta included. She gets the 40% commission rate too. I suppose your rate might be possible for a successful vector artist but if that were the case why on earth would you even be contemplating giving up exclusivity? SS are a very successful business, obviously know the commercial worth of stock imagery and I would assume that new applicants are reviewed by the most experienced staff. I have never heard of a highly successful stock contributor who has failed to be accepted into SS let alone with all 10 initial submissions rejected. Your story doesn't add up for me.

I tend to agree with you, never heard myself of a successful contributor thats been rejected. Doesnt add up somehow. :-\

« Reply #46 on: December 11, 2011, 11:46 »
0
sodafish is a vector artist, they earn a lot more. My own average is around 3-4 dollars.

SK

« Reply #47 on: December 11, 2011, 16:51 »
0
Yes, I am including iStock's portion of the revenue in my $250,000. My share is $86,000+ and iStock's is about $170,000. These numbers are as an exclusive. I am not a big fan of iStock but I think they will figure things out in time and get back on track. Their overall stats are sinking and they can't afford to leave things as there currently exist. 2012 should be an interesting year.

« Reply #48 on: December 11, 2011, 17:25 »
0
I am not a big fan of iStock but I think they will figure things out in time and get back on track. Their overall stats are sinking and they can't afford to leave things as there currently exist. 2012 should be an interesting year.

Not a chance. If Istock knew what to do and, more importantly, had both the will and the authority to do it then ... they'd already be doing it. My honest expectation is that the situation will continue to slowly deteriorate. Start planning your escape route as you may need it sooner than you think.

What do you think has caused the problems and therefore what would you do about it if you were in charge? Why are SS doing so well having stuck fairly firmly to the original microstock business model (almost uniquely nowadays with all images priced the same)?

The answer my friend is not blowing in the wind but has much more to do with Istock's pricing architecture, insultingly low commissions, ridiculous clumsy search facility and a website with an ever-growing number of bugs. If Istock want to reverse the trend then they'll need to start reversing the steps that have got them where they are. Can you see them reducing prices and increasing commissions anytime soon? Nor can I but that's what it will take to dig their way out of the hole they have dug for themselves.

« Reply #49 on: December 11, 2011, 17:27 »
0
Now I am a little surprised, I always thought Vector artists had much better returns than photographers which is why they have to meet higher RC levels than us. 5-8 Dollars is what Ive been told as an average return for exclusives and obviously more for Vetta. I suppose Illustrations were far too cheap in the past.

But yes, lets see what the next year brings.


 

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