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Author Topic: Getty e-mail about iStock "Contributor Facing Changes"  (Read 68996 times)

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« Reply #100 on: July 16, 2016, 01:36 »
+9
It has been hinted at in this thread but just to spell it out, this is blatantly because they are about to slice their already terrible commissions down to 10% come September right?

How is it they can't seem to learn from their mistakes. Here's what will happen. Some people will email them at that point asking for deactivations. The contributors will be told "No it's all or nothing, your with us or against us". Most people will not want to delete their whole portfolio so will opt for leaving their work up. Getty will think they have won. Contributors will stop uploading any new or decent content to the site. The decline of Getty's micro offering will continue. They will wonder what could have happened. They will react by cutting commissions again.

Getty is against the wall. Cornered by an unpayable debt they have no other way than reduce royalties to contributors.Your analisis is spot on. They are acting cowardly and with mischief.First they lock files and then here they come the bad news. In any case this is an act of desperation. Their creative business is doomed and they know it.

They lost nearly all the big guns they had at Getty already a long time ago. They still have some people from the Moment Flickr contributors that submit Mr Yuri and some people at Istock still holding a badge.Thats it In the low revenue sector Shutter has won many years ago and in the premium collection new actors are growing at their expense continously .

They will keep the news market and sport event for some time. Difficult times ahead for them and their contributors


« Reply #101 on: July 16, 2016, 02:46 »
0
I have old version of DeepMeta, because i don't upload already long time. Started it to see the balance. Modal popup on start:
"Attention. Please note that keywords cannot be edited once the file has been uploaded. Please donwload the latest version of DeepMeta, v2.0.23, which is conform to this change".
And current version of DeepMeta delets only local copy of file, not at IS.

« Reply #102 on: July 16, 2016, 03:03 »
0
Other than poor software that can't cope with it is there any rational explanation as to why keywords shouldn't be editable? I would have thought it should be encouraged if files were not being found or to take advantage of changing trends e.g Brexit?

« Reply #103 on: July 16, 2016, 03:20 »
+1
If in the same time the keywords editing will be not accessible for their employees, then it is a positive, but so poor solution or decision.

« Reply #104 on: July 16, 2016, 03:35 »
0
I saw in Twitter Getty Images News with photos. Are photographers paid if Getty uses their photos in its own channel?

dpimborough

« Reply #105 on: July 16, 2016, 06:52 »
+5
I saw in Twitter Getty Images News with photos. Are photographers paid if Getty uses their photos in its own channel?

Bet they don't

But seriously just stop uploading to iStock.  Their royalty rates are terrible their RC system makes it impossible to get up the ladder.

They roll out rubbish like this and treat contributors like crap.

It's an abusive relationship.

Write to them and post on their forum how you feel! 

Tweet the dairy king Jonathon Klein and stick it on their FB page too.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2016, 07:28 by Teddy the Cat »

« Reply #106 on: July 16, 2016, 07:00 »
+23
If it wasn't such an enormous effort to shift a few thousand images over to another agency plus making sure at least 80% of them get accepted, keywording them all, waiting for the number of sales to build up so you slip into a higher royalty class...

I have gone through such an infinte number of crappy changes with Istock that had always been promised as a general improvement with big talking of admins, but always turned out to decrease sales or site stability or both.
have swallowed every * technical site error that sent customers to competitors.
I have withstood inspectors telling me I am not able to light my images properly for years.
I was always thankful for Istock being my entrance in a world where I can make money from doing what I like.
I have never doubted to be exclusive with them and I have never felt like dropping them to move my stuff somewhere else, just because I could increase my income in any way.

But the times in which I have taken disadvantages from them and let them push and shove me around while enabeling Istock to earn more and more from my work are now officially over. We have holidays in Germany now and I'll finally pull my port and move on.

It' s not the loss of money. It's just that I feel stupid while taking all this crap from them and keeping calm and my family starts asking me, why I am still taking all this. And you know what? I don't have justifications towards them and not even towards myself anymore.

Let them earn 1.500 bucks a month from my files, now their income will decrease by that. I know noone will care, but maybe if 10 or even 50 contributors feel the same and leave, 10.000 bucks a month is an ammount someone will maybe take note of.

Thank you Istock for 4,5 great years, but the limit of what I can bare and stand has now been exceeded. You've been asking for this to happen, I hope a lot of contributors hear and follow your call and leave.



ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #107 on: July 16, 2016, 07:53 »
+1
Write to them and post on their forum how you feel! 
Tweet the dairy king Jonathon Klein and stick it on their FB page too.
Assuming you did all that, they've been removed, so this kind of protest is almost pointless, even if vaguely cathartic.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2016, 09:36 by ShadySue »

« Reply #108 on: July 16, 2016, 09:01 »
0
I stopped upload there long time ago, and after their demand of unsanely detailed title for medieval vitrage i didn't try anymore editorials with them. I have old images there and i think who worked intensively to build portfolio there can be very concerned.
Anyway i was surprised to see today on Twitter that Getty is using images for their news channel. I think contributor should be compensated, because this is the same usage like usage by their clients, no difference at all - @GettyImagesNews looks like usual newspaper channel.
About keywording - yes it was too visible that my images were edited and exactly essential keywords removed, i have posts here about this. Once spent time to correct and after some images had keywords changed again i stopped uploads.
ShadySue, you answered i think not to me, but to Teddy the Cat

dpimborough

« Reply #109 on: July 16, 2016, 09:08 »
+1
[quote author=skyfish link=topic=27996.msg459349#msg459349
Write to them and post on their forum how you feel! 
Tweet the dairy king Jonathon Klein and stick it on their FB page too.
Assuming you did all that, they've been removed, so this kind of protest is almost pointless, even if vaguely cathartic.

I don't use twitter it's an abomination :D

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #110 on: July 16, 2016, 09:10 »
0
Anyway i was surprised to see today on Twitter that Getty is using images for their news channel. I think contributor should be compensated, because this is the same usage like usage by their clients, no difference at all - @GettyImagesNews looks like usual newspaper channel.
I can't speak for the Getty contract, but a few years back iStock's contract was changed to include this specific clause, so all we would do was close our port totally if we didn't agree:
"In addition to the foregoing grant iStock and its Distribution Partners may post, reproduce, modify, display, make derivative works or otherwise use any Accepted Content for their own business purposes relating to the promotion of the Site, the Content and their distribution programs, and promote the licensing of Accepted Content (including, without limitation, the use of the Accepted Content and the Suppliers registered and unregistered trademarks for marketing, sales and promotional efforts whether on the Site or through third parties). No compensation shall be due to the Supplier for use of Accepted Content for such business purposes. " Of course, it's ridiculous that they don't even pay us the insulting subs fee for these uses, but they have debts to pay, and they don't claim to be a Fair Trade company.

Quote
ShadySue, you answered i think not to me, but to Teddy the Cat
Indeed. I even quoted Teddy's post I was replying to.

« Reply #111 on: July 16, 2016, 09:25 »
0
This was confusing:  [quote author=skyfish link=topic=27996.msg459349#msg459349

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #112 on: July 16, 2016, 09:40 »
0
This was confusing: 
Quote from: skyfish link=topic=27996.msg459349#msg459349
[/quote
Fairy Nuff.
Deleted in the interests of clarity.

« Reply #113 on: July 16, 2016, 15:17 »
+10
So these are the wonderful advancements that Yuri eluded to 1-2 years ago?

H2O

    This user is banned.
« Reply #114 on: July 16, 2016, 16:02 »
+2
Does it matter Getty are going down we all know this, ride the end of the revenue and move on.

B8

« Reply #115 on: July 16, 2016, 23:36 »
0
Is August 20th conclusively the date after which you wont be able to self deactivate files anymore or is this just an estimated date based upon the announcement?

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #116 on: July 17, 2016, 00:46 »
+2
The announcement says "on August 20th or shortly there after" I think that means it should be August 20th but they could miss it depending on IT competence

« Reply #117 on: July 17, 2016, 05:59 »
+4
After the "threatening" iStock announcement and a month of June, where partner sales have only been one fifth compared to month of May, i finally decided to delete one third of my uploaded pictures at once. I hate to do it - but i think it is a MUST concerning the changes to come. In the last 10 years i have seen earnings fall and fall on IS whereas other agencies have been profitable. Although the sum of sales on IS (including partner site sales) were somewhat acceptable - the trend showed and shows a regular decrease. So maybe the time has come ...

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #118 on: July 17, 2016, 06:25 »
+2
Is August 20th conclusively the date after which you wont be able to self deactivate files anymore or is this just an estimated date based upon the announcement?
Who knows? They said in the email Aug 20th 'or shortly thereafter' for deactivation removal and changing keywords, but it seems that in fact, keyword changing was stopped as of the time of the email, so who knows when self-deactivation will happen.
Historically, bad announcements tend to actuate on time or even before; good promises seldom arrive, far less arrive on time.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2016, 07:09 by ShadySue »

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #119 on: July 17, 2016, 07:00 »
+3
I said a while back they would remove the ability to deactivate/delete. After all of the coordinated contributor deactivation days I'm surprised it took this long to happen.

« Reply #120 on: July 17, 2016, 07:12 »
0
have 45k photos but on istock only 15k that i uploaded in last 3 months and the revenues aren't bad but won't be able to delete my files? what?? i don't know if i should let the files on or to disable them. uploading new files clearly isn't going to happen any more

« Reply #121 on: July 17, 2016, 08:26 »
+5
So these are the wonderful advancements that Yuri eluded to 1-2 years ago?
Maybe Yuri will remove his port before August 20th and will go exclusive with another agency.

« Reply #122 on: July 17, 2016, 08:39 »
+8
The ability to edit my portfolio is important to me and should be to all artists.  Moving forward I will invest my time and uploads elsewhere.  I plan to remove about 20% of my portfolio before the deadline.  Hopefully they will reconsider this misguided policy. 

stockVid

« Reply #123 on: July 17, 2016, 08:41 »
+3
What happens after the 20th if they say: "Yes, you can close your account. It will take us 12-18 months to remove your files".

Files should be deactivated or accounts closed as quickly as possible. While you still have control over your own content.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #124 on: July 17, 2016, 08:50 »
+3
What happens after the 20th if they say: "Yes, you can close your account. It will take us 12-18 months to remove your files".
They would be in breach of their own contract.

Of course, they may impose that or any other obnoxious condition they wish, by giving us 30 days notice of their intention to do so.


 

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