Author Topic: dropping the crown at IS (Read 10865 times)

wut · « **Reply #25 on:** July 12, 2012, 12:28 »

Quote from: michaeldb on July 12, 2012, 12:20

Quote from: wut on July 12, 2012, 12:05
"I can't say I have any evidence one way or the other, but I would think most exclusives would have trouble because they are unprepared to deal with the rest of the market. It's very different. Your images don't get all the special favors and perks that exclusives used to get. Maybe, that is why Jo Ann did well with the transition. She knew exactly what to expect."

But she didn't :s

Only one month has surpassed exclusive earnings in over a year now...
She said it was the first month, not the only month.

No she didn't

Quote from: jsnover on July 12, 2012, 09:09

A few months ago I had a month that beat my prior year IS earnings for the first time.

heywoody · « **Reply #26 on:** July 12, 2012, 13:08 »

I see the word "first" I don't see "only" - whether there was a 2nd could be inferred either way..

cthoman · « **Reply #27 on:** July 12, 2012, 13:13 »

Quote from: wut on July 12, 2012, 12:05

But she didn't :s

Only one month has surpassed exclusive earnings in over a year now...

ETA: typo

Maybe, my bar is too low, but I would count that as a success. I would expect it to take time to completely reorganize your business, upload all your files elsewhere and let them gain traction in the searches. Not to mention trying to create new work at the same time. You just kind of expect that transition to result in a loss, so to get back to around where you were in a year seems like a good accomplishment.

wut · « **Reply #28 on:** July 12, 2012, 13:16 »

Quote from: heywoody on July 12, 2012, 13:08

I see the word "first" I don't see "only" - whether there was a 2nd could be inferred either way..

Well now I see it, I was a bit quick on the trigger, my bad, I was too definitive

wut · « **Reply #29 on:** July 12, 2012, 13:20 »

Quote from: cthoman on July 12, 2012, 13:13

Quote from: wut on July 12, 2012, 12:05
But she didn't :s

Only one month has surpassed exclusive earnings in over a year now...

ETA: typo

Maybe, my bar is too low, but I would count that as a success. I would expect it to take time to completely reorganize your business, upload all your files elsewhere and let them gain traction in the searches. Not to mention trying to create new work at the same time. You just kind of expect that transition to result in a loss, so to get back to around where you were in a year seems like a good accomplishment.

I wasn't talking about the time frame (although a year is a long time), but more about whether she accomplished that or not, it's not really clear, as heywoody pointed out. At first I thought, I understood, like she didn't, while she was the only one going indie and could be, that I know of.

Freedom · « **Reply #30 on:** July 12, 2012, 15:21 »

JoAnn may not be an appropriate example to measure before/after crown for two reasons.

First, she hardly nominated any E+ images when she was exclusive. Nowadays, E+ earnings make a huge difference for an exclusive. Taking myself as an example, thanks to E+, I have already made almost the same amount of RCs (earnings) as I did in 2011 for the entire year, so I expect to retain my current level for next year if IS does not make a drastic change.

Secondly, she left IS at a low point in IS history. She did not have the opportunity to benefit from the stable growth period. As I said, I had my best months ever from March to May in 2012. June was bad, July had a terrible start. But things will normally pick up in September. Plus E+ images is promised to be mirrored in Getty. I will wait and see.

Lagereek · « **Reply #31 on:** July 12, 2012, 15:26 »

Quote from: Freedom on July 12, 2012, 15:21

JoAnn may not be an appropriate example to measure before/after crown for two reasons.

First, she hardly nominated any E+ images when she was exclusive. Nowadays, E+ earnings make a huge difference for an exclusive. Taking myself as an example, thanks to E+, I have already made almost the same amount of RCs (earnings) as I did in 2011 for the entire year, so I expect to retain my current level for next year if IS does not make a drastic change.

Secondly, she left IS at a low point in IS history. She did not have the opportunity to benefit from the stable growth period. As I said, I had my best months ever from March to May in 2012. June was bad, July had a terrible start. But things will normally pick up in September. Plus E+ images is promised to be mirrored in Getty. I will wait and see.

How come you know all this about JoAnn? are you her hubby or something?

Freedom · « **Reply #32 on:** July 12, 2012, 16:29 »

Christian, I knew her because she was active on IS forum and disclosed these info. Is it similar that you frequently make comments on the pros and cons of dropping exclusive since you have never been an exclusive yourself?

Lagereek · « **Reply #33 on:** July 13, 2012, 00:34 »

Quote from: Freedom on July 12, 2012, 16:29

Christian, I knew her because she was active on IS forum and disclosed these info. Is it similar that you frequently make comments on the pros and cons of dropping exclusive since you have never been an exclusive yourself?

Yeah, I was only joking, I know.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #34 on:** July 13, 2012, 03:45 »

It's all a gamble. Just as you never know whether or not any photo will take off, so you can never know what things would be like on the other side of the fence. I think the only certainty is that if you can't get accepted to SS, then you'll be worse off as an independent.

ShadySue · « **Reply #35 on:** July 13, 2012, 08:11 »

@OP: you've got a reasonable dl/ul ratio: did you consider uploading more to iStock to see what happens?
I realise your personal circumstances may make that more difficult than uploading your existing port elsewhere, but it's just a thought.

malamus · « **Reply #36 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:06 »

Well, thank you all for your comments. There is much I could comment on (old images not cutting the mustard, how embarrassing are they! but a good point).

I was contributing to the big 4 before going exclusive and at that time, like now, I asked lots of advice. Those who said you will never know until you try, of course, were right, just as that is true now. but a percentage was also mentioned quite a lot (I forget what that was now) and although I had a fair success on SS, FT was dire, the move to Istock, I believe, increased income slightly but saved a lot of time (and not forgetting, taught me a lot)

I'm looking to get info about going non exclusive as, since last year, my earnings have more than halved from $1000+ p/m to $100 p/w (I did also stop uploading). Now I have time to spend again, I am trying to work out how best to spend that time, shooting for istock to try and hold on to and increase income, (which is looking promising as new images are being purchased quickly) or keyword all images (that I feel are of quality) and upload them to the big 4 again.

Maybe it is to early to tell and I do wish all people ditching the crown in the pursuit of a more profitable portfolio the best of luck.

My conclusion. I get the impression people who have dropped the crown ARE clawing their earnings back, but due to a lot of hard work. As I still see this income as an enjoyable hobby with a £bonus rather than a choire, I will set myself a target to reach the income I once had, then review the situation again

Thank you for all your help

One question I would like to ask… If I did dropped the crown, and after 6 months returned to IS, is it simply a case of reactivating all images and more importantly could my portfolio become damaged, i.e. much less profitable due to any reasons that elude me.

ShadySue · « **Reply #37 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:40 »

Quote from: malamus on July 13, 2012, 10:06

One question I would like to ask… If I did dropped the crown, and after 6 months returned to IS, is it simply a case of reactivating all images and more importantly could my portfolio become damaged, i.e. much less profitable due to any reasons that elude me.

Were you thinking of removing your pics completely from iStock?
Otherwise why would they need to be reactivated?
While you were indie, they might lose any 'push' than exclusives might (or might not) get.
If you became exclusive again, they'd regain any putative 'push'.

malamus · « **Reply #38 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:50 »

No, I would keep all images with IS, I wouldn't think there 's any benifit to drop IS. I was simply trying to assertain any implications that may be imposed for leaving and returning, Surely it can't be as simple as checking a tick box to become exclusive again, can it?

ShadySue · « **Reply #39 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:52 »

Quote from: malamus on July 13, 2012, 10:50

No, I would keep all images with IS, I wouldn't think there 's any benifit to drop IS. I was simply trying to assertain any implications that may be imposed for leaving and returning, Surely it can't be as simple as checking a tick box to become exclusive again, can it?

As far as I know, it is.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #40 on:** July 13, 2012, 11:24 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 13, 2012, 10:52

Quote from: malamus on July 13, 2012, 10:50
No, I would keep all images with IS, I wouldn't think there 's any benifit to drop IS. I was simply trying to assertain any implications that may be imposed for leaving and returning, Surely it can't be as simple as checking a tick box to become exclusive again, can it?
As far as I know, it is.

Except that there is a six month lock-in at DT and I think some other sites may be hard to get off, so it could be messy trying to arrange that side of things.

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Author Topic: dropping the crown at IS (Read 10865 times)

wut

heywoody

cthoman

wut

wut

Freedom

Lagereek

Freedom

Lagereek

BaldricksTrousers

ShadySue

malamus

ShadySue

malamus

ShadySue

BaldricksTrousers

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