Author Topic: how to be non-exclusive...for dummies (Read 20169 times)

Cooper · « **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2009, 07:56 »

Listen Mrs your not going to have your work on other sites.
The whole industry has expanded in the last couple of years and as a result the rewards are spread more.
Sure buyers of our work visit various micro sites but istock by far pays more to it's exclusives.
I would start being less productive and more selective on your work.Your current work will not attract sales IMO.
Have you ever applied to Getty.
[/quote]

Ah yes; I well remember now the type of crap that probably got you banned from the istock forums....

null · « **Reply #26 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:02 »

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 23, 2009, 01:41

does every site have its own model releases? or can I upload istock model releases to other sites?

No site will accept a form from another site, at least not with the site name on it. As a shortcut, you can just blank out the Istk name on your existing releases. For the future, it's better to use a generic form.

My generic MRF has been accepted at all known sites. It's a combination of the IStk and SS ones without mentioning an agency. Download the DOC format and prefill in your own info in OpenOffice or in MS-Word.

Download all-in-1 (minor,adult,property)
Download adult (more room to write)

Make sure names are filled in in PRINT letters or Dreamstime can object.

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 23, 2009, 01:41

which sites would you recommend I go to first?

I heard that the Shutterstock application process can take a while. Better start there with a fresh nickname. If all went well, you can cancel IStk exclusivity.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:07 »

Quote from: gostwyck on February 23, 2009, 06:49

Quote from: MichaelJay on February 23, 2009, 05:38
... and I have been reconsidering it every few months since then.

For me this is the crux of the matter. Exclusives always seem to have this 'buyer's remorse' gnawing away inside themselves on whether they have made the right decision or not. Independents on the other hand, at least all the ones I know (and that's quite a few), are happy and confident that they are much better off remaining so. We only have to visit the IS forums and read the shrieks of indignation everytime there's a best match-change to confirm our thoughts.

But it seems to me you're basing that conclusion on a self-selecting sample - exclusives who have made their decision and are happy with it aren't likely to keep posting about how they're content with their lot. And the complainers in the best match threads are frequently non-exclusives as well who feel that the exclusives might be receiving some unfair advantage.

From my point of view, I am exclusive, it suits me just now but if circumstances change in the future it may not and then I'll reconsider it, but I don't see that as "buyer's remorse".

I'm also thinking it's a lot easier to give up exclusivity after some time than it is to take it on. You don't have to wait 90 days, or six months in another case, to remove your portfolio on some other site, for one thing. And it's not like you can't go exclusive again later if it really doesn't work out - though in that case you do have to wait 90 days.

gostwyck · « **Reply #28 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:09 »

Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 23, 2009, 08:02

No site will accept a form from another site, at least not with the site name on it. As a shortcut, you can just blank out the Istk name on your existing releases.

That's simply not true. I always use the IS MR and it is accepted (unmodified in any way) by every other agency apart from DT.

DT used to accept the IS MR if you blanked out the IS name & logo but now will not unless you hapen to live in Canada (as the form mentions Canadian law and either the photographer or the agency in question needs to be based there for that to apply).

gostwyck · « **Reply #29 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:22 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on February 23, 2009, 08:07

I'm also thinking it's a lot easier to give up exclusivity after some time than it is to take it on. You don't have to wait 90 days, or six months in another case, to remove your portfolio on some other site, for one thing. And it's not like you can't go exclusive again later if it really doesn't work out - though in that case you do have to wait 90 days.

Really? Have you tried uploading several thousand images to several different agencies as quickly as possible? Pretty painful I would think.

Commission increases with ranking/sales at SS, DT and FT and images also have to 'earn' their search-order placement too __ and that would make a huge difference. I'm absolutely certain that if I were to go exclusive, change my mind a few months later, and then become independent again it would absolutely crucify my earnings for months, probably years, afterwards.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #30 on:** February 23, 2009, 09:24 »

Quote from: gostwyck on February 23, 2009, 08:22

Quote from: Gannet77 on February 23, 2009, 08:07
I'm also thinking it's a lot easier to give up exclusivity after some time than it is to take it on. You don't have to wait 90 days, or six months in another case, to remove your portfolio on some other site, for one thing. And it's not like you can't go exclusive again later if it really doesn't work out - though in that case you do have to wait 90 days.

Really? Have you tried uploading several thousand images to several different agencies as quickly as possible? Pretty painful I would think.

Fair point!!!

Gannet77 · « **Reply #31 on:** February 23, 2009, 09:46 »

Quote from: gostwyck on February 23, 2009, 08:22

Quote from: Gannet77 on February 23, 2009, 08:07
I'm also thinking it's a lot easier to give up exclusivity after some time than it is to take it on. You don't have to wait 90 days, or six months in another case, to remove your portfolio on some other site, for one thing. And it's not like you can't go exclusive again later if it really doesn't work out - though in that case you do have to wait 90 days.

Commission increases with ranking/sales at SS, DT and FT and images also have to 'earn' their search-order placement too __ and that would make a huge difference. I'm absolutely certain that if I were to go exclusive, change my mind a few months later, and then become independent again it would absolutely crucify my earnings for months, probably years, afterwards.

But that's exactly my point - coming FROM exclusivity is a lot easier than going TO exclusivity.

I'd have to work hard to upload my images to lots of sites, fair point, but I'd only be giving up a percentage of my existing income.

Though bouncing from one to another would indeed need a lot of justification...

tubed · « **Reply #32 on:** February 23, 2009, 10:54 »

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 23, 2009, 01:41

does every site have its own model releases? or can I upload istock model releases to other sites?

which sites would you recommend I go to first?

Just photoshop out the Istock logo and any references and it should be fine..

digiology · « **Reply #33 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:06 »

another place to check out with some handy comparison charts.

http://www.fintastique.com/guide.htm

doconnell · « **Reply #34 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:40 »

Quote from: gostwyck on February 23, 2009, 06:49

For me this is the crux of the matter. Exclusives always seem to have this 'buyer's remorse' gnawing away inside themselves on whether they have made the right decision or not. Independents on the other hand, at least all the ones I know (and that's quite a few), are happy and confident that they are much better off remaining so. We only have to visit the IS forums and read the shrieks of indignation everytime there's a best match-change to confirm our thoughts.

Yes, it is a little more work ... but then you also have more fun, make more money and have a much more stable income. It never fails to surprise me how if one agency has a bad month or two the slack is invariably picked up by a couple of others. We all like getting EL's too and you have many more chances with your images available to different buyers.

As has been said before IS's upload system takes about the same amount of time and trouble as uploading to the next biggest 4 or 5 agencies together. I don't see any truth in the suggestion that you need different keywords for each agency (other than IS with all those phrases, etc).

Signing up for exclusivity is like assuming that the future is already cast and the natural order of each agency's market share is permanently written. This of course is nonsense as stock photography (all of it, not just the 'micro' bit) continues to change and develop on a monthly basis. I have no idea which will be the biggest and best agencies in 5, 10 or more years from now (and that's the timescale I'm thinking in terms of) and neither does anyone else. It might even be an agency that has yet to be launched.

As an independent contributor I am delighted everytime someone signs up for exclusivity but I simply don't understand why they do so. Everytime that they upload a new 'exclusive' image it makes it more difficult for them to break the habit though. Good.

I am a former non exclusive turned exclusive who is very happy with the decision I made over a year ago. I wouldn't change it and here is why:

I uploaded to 5 maybe 6 ( I can't remember anymore) sites for over two years and after the initial and very welcomed success on most of them I started to feel I had no time for learning, getting better and shoot new things. I felt I was in a rat race doing the same things over and over again. I didn't like it. The only way I felt I can become a better photographer was go with one site which for me was the least about quantity and most about quality, offered the best inspecting system, gave the opportunity to meet up with others and learn from the best and was the most fun. For me it was Istock. I am sure it is different for everybody but I found what I was looking for in them and I am very grateful for it.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #35 on:** February 23, 2009, 12:00 »

Quote from: MichaelJay on February 23, 2009, 03:15

Stacey, at least you have the luxury of getting advice by the smartest person on the planet whose decades of microstock experience on virtually all sites of the planet he is willing to share with you.

You wouldn't have that on the iStock Forums because he's not allowed to post his crap over there.

lol, no kidding. shank thinks my images suck.....I'd better rethink my entire career choice

michealo · « **Reply #36 on:** February 23, 2009, 12:07 »

A stopped clock is right twice a day though ...

massman · « **Reply #37 on:** February 23, 2009, 12:11 »

It may also be worth considering how much money the images that IS 'rejected', could be earning you from other agencies.

I have loads of images that IS snubbed selling at other agencies that earn me good money, one or two are my top overall earners.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #38 on:** February 23, 2009, 12:23 »

Hi everyone - wow, a wealth of REALLY appreciated information that I have woken up to this morning. seriously, thank you so much.

lisafx · « **Reply #39 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:03 »

Stacey, I can see you are putting a lot of thought into this and I don't blame you. It's a big decision, but after actually having an admin SUGGEST you go non-exclusive I can see how you would be considering it seriously.

Istock varies between 33% to 43% of my income. It takes uploading to 6 other sites to make up the rest. I seriously considered istock exclusivity at one time, but for me it is worth being spread around for exactly the reasons you are considering it. I just don't feel that the istock income is reliable enough. Constant upheaval in the search functionality and site stability kept me from going exclusive. At least when you are on several sites you are spreading the risk.

That said, many of the other sites have their issues too that cause a lot of aggravation. A number of them have introduced subscriptions and on some sites those have seriously eaten into profits of contributors.

One site has just made it much harder to achieve higher levels and shortly after that lowered commissions. They also have a recurring problem with very slow payouts.

Another has had numerous problems with reporting (and crediting!) sales from their affiliate sites, and also payout issues.

IMO the sites that are the most consistent and trouble free are Dreamstime, Shutterstock, and Big Stock. Of those, Dreamstime and Big Stock have 6 month and 3 month holds on images respectively, so uploading to them means a big commitment to independent status. Shutterstock doesn't have a hold on your images, but they do have a strict process of approval for new contributors. Yet without Dreamstime and Shutterstock it would be tough make enough $ to compensate for giving up istock exclusivity.

So what I am saying is, you might be a perfect candidate for independence. You certainly have an independent streak

But the grass on this side of the fence has some dry patches too.

Best of luck whatever you decide. Personally, if the best match is your biggest concern at IS, it might be worth waiting for BM2 and seeing how that shakes out so you can make an educated choice.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #40 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:35 »

thanks Lisa - you have given me so much information about exclusivity in the past. I definitely value this advice. I know grass isn't necessarily greener.

Freedom · « **Reply #41 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:50 »

Knowing you are overwhelmed with advices, I just want to offer a simple suggestion.

Have you looked at the portfolios of some non-exclusive contributors who joined the Istock at about the same time as you joined? How have they performed in comparison to yours? Once if you did that, you can logically assess whether or not going independent will bring you more income.

Personally I also considered going exclusive, but it is just too much work to delete files from various agencies. Istock is not performing well at this moment, but it is one of the better ones.

There are various emotions in any forums. We cannot control the acts of others, we can only remind ourselves to be the kinder ones.

shank_ali · « **Reply #42 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:52 »

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 23, 2009, 13:35

thanks Lisa - you have given me so much information about exclusivity in the past. I definitely value this advice. I know grass isn't necessarily greener. but to me, action always seems the better choice than non-action or remaining passive. there are two main concerns fueling consideration of my exclusivity status:

1) sales obviously. I'm down by so much even though my portfolio is so much better. I can't get my head around that. I'm very worried that BM2.0 will be a huge disappointment after all the hype.

2) I'll preface this with taking responsibility for being a nervous ninny in the istock forums and for being incorrigible. I'm NOT suggesting they should allow anyone to foam at the mouth in their forums. absolutely.

but I will also say that my concerns (and the concerns of so many others) have been either ignored or ridiculed. as one contributor for whom I have the deepest respect said to me, to be suddenly treated as though you don't matter, when you were lured, branded and wooed into believing you were important and that your exclusivity is a priority for them too, is like a knife in the heart. dramatic, but also bang on.

the emotions aside......four months ago I was shining on iStock, and now I am definitely on a black list. this leaves me feeling very uneasy, because I don't feel I have done anything to deserve that type of reaction. I'm sure I am annoying to say the least, but I've been treated like a delinquent when all I have done is repeatedly ask questions about iStock's future. I took so much garbage in the forums but I still feel I did not dump on people, nor would I. I kept my annoying comments to the issues. I was persistent and irritating yes, but what other people get away with in there is appalling. including some people wearing admin hats. no wonder things escalate. I feel really bad about my relationship with istock. I don't want all my eggs in a basket that could be overturned based on someone's personality preferences.

my work ethic and commitment to istock has never faltered. but I feel like my standing there is shaky at best and that leaves me feeling very worried.

You will be a gold in a couple of months so more money per sale.
JJR has a dream and your part of it..... Think back to the puctum photo contest and the winning image.Can you replicate that? I think perhaps that is what the premier collection will be asking of us.
Anyhow need to edit my weekend photos .More crap later !

lisafx · « **Reply #43 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:53 »

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 23, 2009, 13:35

but I will also say that my concerns (and the concerns of so many others) have been either ignored or ridiculed. as one contributor for whom I have the deepest respect said to me, to be suddenly treated as though you don't matter, when you were lured, branded and wooed into believing you were important and that your exclusivity is a priority for them too, is like a knife in the heart. dramatic, but also bang on.

IMHO this is a very insightful point. Exclusivity has definitely been touted by appealing to people's emotions, loyalty, and need to belong to a club where they are given preferential treatment. It has never been portrayed by IS as being simply a business decision (although to me that is what it is).

When you appeal to people's emotions you should not be surprised if they then have emotional reactions to site changes and company policies.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #44 on:** February 23, 2009, 14:03 »

Lisa - exactly. and even when something is a business decision, emotion cannot be wholly eliminated as a factor either. especially when fear is involved. losing income is scary. losing income when you are doing everything you promised to do really well is even scarier, because you realize that you have zero control over IS decisions.

Freedom - yes, I have been looking at portfolios of non-exclusives. though I think we often have to be very careful comparing ourselves to other contributors. there are so many factors that a simple timeline does not apply to. there are contributors who started when I did with far more dls....and many contributors who started when I did who have far less dls compared to me. not to mention talent, ability blah blah.

I know myself, I know how hard I work. my hubbie is fabulously supportive. he's a math geek and he works out all the losses and risks etc., for me in going exclusive versus non-exclusive. at this point I'm no doubt overthinking it. it will have to be a leap of faith.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #45 on:** February 24, 2009, 11:52 »

ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION PLEASE...

if I remove my exclusivity from iStock, how long must I wait before setting myself up on other sites? I know the contract says 30 days. but does that include set up of accounts etc.. or is it 30 days until I put my first image up elsewhere?

michealo · « **Reply #46 on:** February 24, 2009, 12:13 »

Quote from: yecatsdoherty on February 24, 2009, 11:52

ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION PLEASE...

if I remove my exclusivity from iStock, how long must I wait before setting myself up on other sites? I know the contract says 30 days. but does that include set up of accounts etc.. or is it 30 days until I put my first image up elsewhere?

I think having accounts is fine, having images on them is another matter

CofkoCof · « **Reply #47 on:** February 24, 2009, 12:24 »

On SS and StockXpert you have to pass the initial test. Don't remember exactly how long it takes before they examine your files. If you fail the test you have to wait for a month I think.

yecatsdoherty · « **Reply #48 on:** February 24, 2009, 12:30 »

okay, thanks....I know not to put any images up until after 30 days. I would never go against my iStock contract. I just wanted to be sure it is okay to set up accounts etc.

Magnum · « **Reply #49 on:** February 24, 2009, 17:41 »

It´s always greener on the other side... If you don´t do it, you will always wonder... as long as your happy...etc etc

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: how to be non-exclusive...for dummies (Read 20169 times)

Cooper

null

Gannet77

gostwyck

gostwyck

Gannet77

Gannet77

tubed

digiology

doconnell

yecatsdoherty

michealo

massman

yecatsdoherty

lisafx

yecatsdoherty

Freedom

shank_ali

lisafx

yecatsdoherty

yecatsdoherty

michealo

CofkoCof

yecatsdoherty

Magnum

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors