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Topics - hatman12
51
« on: February 25, 2008, 16:04 »
Dear Submitters:
We wanted to let you know that we've been working hard on the details of your 2008 commission increase, and we think you'll be very pleased with the new terms. The final stage of this process is to test new price points for Shutterstock products, which we will do over the next two months. We will then evaluate the results of these price increases and finalize your raise. We expect to be able to announce the raise to you during the first two weeks of May. It will be effective immediately.
This year we will also be experimenting with some "starter" products that offer a less expensive entry point to account holders that have never purchased from us before. These new products will offer a brief trial of our user-friendly subscription model, so the account holder can experience first hand all of the benefits of being a paid Shutterstock customer. We're confident that by doing this we'll convert even more site users into happy -- and actively downloading -- customers.
We're proud that we have the best library in the industry and offer the best products, and we will continue to encourage you, our talented submitters, to submit your outstanding content. Thank you for letting us represent your work.
Best Regards,
Shutterstock
52
« on: February 22, 2008, 05:28 »
Looks like iStock has reduced prices for L, XL and XXL images. New prices are already on the site but no announcement yet.
Presumably the recession in the States has get something to do with this.
53
« on: February 12, 2008, 16:12 »
My original post modified on the basis of too much thinking too early in the morning......
54
« on: February 08, 2008, 18:23 »
How is everyone doing at StockXpert?
I was interested to see the comment by andresr that his sales are running at only 50% of November levels. My own sales are down 30%, but in money terms the drop is 40%.
The first week of February continues the 40% reduction in income.
I see an increase in subscription sales at the expense of L and XL sales, and this probably explains the drop. I have to say I'm not happy about this.
On present evidence I feel somewhat 'baited and switched'; a year spent uploading based on good sales and 50% commissions, only to find the agency then 'switches' at the expense of my own income.
I hope I am wrong and that this is just a dull period for StockXpert. But my gut feel is that for photographers the good times at StockXpert are over...
55
« on: February 04, 2008, 02:32 »
I have just written to Snapvillage to ask them to close my account and delete my images.
Why have I done this? Well, putting aside the slow web site, terrible upload procedure, inexperienced keywording department and the sheer lack of progress, every time I upload to Snapvillage or even visit their web site I think to myself "why am I doing this?"
I've had my doubts ever since they launched the thing as 'snap'. It just doesn't sound professional, and I think the microstock market has become professional. In coming years it will get more professional, and I simply cringe at the thought of an agency referring to my stuff as 'snaps'. I don't like it and it makes me feel uncomfortable.
So I'm outta there. Snapvillage is not my kinda town.
56
« on: January 31, 2008, 16:59 »
Interesting time ahead. With iStock's prices up 50%, Fotolia's new prices/sizes producing price rises of anywhere between 100% (small) to 25% (XL), BigStock having increased prices by 50/100% last November, it will be interesting to see what Shutterstock do in April.
My feeling on the matter is that the subscription sites have much less flexibility and are going to find it hard to implement price rises without losing customers. Dreamstime and StockXpert clearly introduced subscriptions to try to capture SS's market, and now they are all pricing at or around $199 waiting for someone to 'make the first move'. All eyes are clearly on SS.
So what will happen? Any guesses?
My own view is, firstly, that SS will try a price rise to either $229 or possibly $259. In doing so they will lose customers to ppd agencies, but the price rise might offset that loss.
If they can get a price rise I think the basic commission will stay at 25c. The higher level might rise to 35c, but my feeling is that they will introduce another trigger level, possibly at $1,000, giving a 25c, 30c, 35c ladder; in doing this they will reap more profit from the thousands of small contributors whilst rewarding the photographers who make most of the sales.
What I'd REALLY like to see is a two tiered system giving standard subs terms to images below 8mp and a 'double price' system for higher rez. But I don't think we'll see that this year, if at all.
57
« on: January 24, 2008, 18:31 »
With the announcements of 12mp and 14mp from Pentax, 14mp from Samsung, the new 12mp Canon etc etc it seems that 12mp will shortly be the starting point for DSLRs.
I have considered changing my D200 for a D300 or D2Xs, but at 12mp only, these cameras now look very expensive compared to the new competition.
No doubt Nikon and Sony will have their own announcements at PMA, and there are already rumours of a 14mp model from Nikon and possibly a high speed D3 to come before the Olympics.
So I'll stay with my D200 for a while and see what happens.
58
« on: January 18, 2008, 21:00 »
Steve has made an announcement on the StockXpert forum that the ratings system will soon be discontinued. This is a good thing IMHO.
59
« on: January 17, 2008, 14:16 »
"As time passes your investment dividends will keep multiplying. By the time you reach your 40's or 50's, you will be financially set for life.
Like I said I don't know what your future plans are, but I've started to invest early. It's amazing to see an initial $10,000 USD investment grow to over 60 million dollars over 70 years at places like Edward Jones and such."
This is very unlikely. VERY unlikely. The US stock market is approaching a peak in a long bull market that started way back in 1906. All the impressive numbers put out by marketing people are based on a bull market that will NOT be sustained. The cracks are already showing by the sub prime problems, which are only the tip of the iceberg.
In a long bull market spanning generations, people forget the true realties and live life with their heads buried in sand.
Haven't you noticed the Japanese market? Peaked in 1990 at 39,000 and now, nearly twenty years later, it is still down at 14,000. It is not likely to regain that 39,000 peak for at least another twenty years, perhaps longer.
Financial markets can have very long periods of zero or negative returns, and people have forgotten that. There is a rude awakening coming, and has already started.
Historically, periods of fifty or sixty years of zero returns in stock markets are not uncommon.
60
« on: January 02, 2008, 03:24 »
Well, here we are in January 2008. Having launched their Beta in August last year, I have yet to see any evidence from Snapvillage that it is a serious entry into the microstock market.
First they launched without IPTC and didn't appear to understand the need for it. They provided a keyword and category facility, but that department appears to be staffed by people with no previous experience or knowledge of keywording or the microstock industry.
There have been no further developments to the web site apart from modification of the watermark.
If it was anyone else I could understand, but this is Corbis who claim to be the second largest global distributor of images. they certainly have customers, but appear to be unable or unwilling to capitalise on that.
I hope I will be pleasantly surprised, but on the evidence so far I'd have to describe Snapvillage as the biggest damp squib I've yet seen in microstock.
61
« on: December 14, 2007, 00:20 »
A poor week for me at Fotolia. Sales down about 40%.
The week started off with FT's servers down, which didn't bode well.
Then, I had two or three days where the sales and credit counters didn't match (so presumably ongoing IT problems).
Today I can hardly access the site at all - tried to keyword several images and just gave up.
Fotolia seem to get more than their fair share of problems. MORE than their fair share.....
62
« on: December 05, 2007, 16:08 »
Porsche Inter Auto Signs on as Fotolias 500,000th Member Leading source for legal, low-cost imagery welcomes luxury car dealerships as milestone member NEW YORK, NY December 4, 2007 Today, Fotolia ( http://www.fotolia.com) the worlds leading source for legal, low-cost imagery welcomes its 500,000th member: Nicole Schlotterer, Head of New Media, for Porsche Inter Auto GmbH & Co KG in Salzburg, Austria. Porsche Inter Auto GmbH is responsible for 122 car dealerships throughout Europe representing Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti, explains Sclotterer. The key to our success are strong partnerships. In Fotolia we have found the perfect partner in the image sector. Fotolia gives us access 24 hours a day, 365 days per year to a broad selection of professional high quality material and this is what is important to us. We are looking forward to this partnership! Schlotterer manages graphic design and all electronic media for Porche Inter Auto GmbH & Co. Through this work, she is responsible for the purchase of all stock images to be used for the dealerships promotional materials. "We are thrilled to announce Nicole and Porsche Inter Auto as our 500,000th member, says co-founder and president Oleg Tscheltzoff. Fotolia has, since our launch, prided ourselves in bringing together top photographers and illustrators with a wide variety of buyers. Our initial goal was to find a solution for small business owners to obtain legal, low-cost imagery, but since our initial launch, weve been fortunate enough to attract some of the worlds biggest and best brands, and they are a perfect example of the calibre of our buyers. Since its launch in November, 2005, Fotolia has grown to offer the worlds largest library of legal, micro-priced images on the Web, offering professional and amateur photographers the ability to connect with more than 400,000 media buyers worldwide from small businesses and design firms to some of the worlds most recognizable brands. About Fotolia Fotolia is an inclusive, global community in which photographers and designers come together to form a marketplace free from traditional royalties and rights management. Launched in early November 2005, Fotolias digital image marketplace has acquired over 2,700,000 images in its database and 500,000 international members. For more information about the company or to access the Fotolia web site, visit www.fotolia.com. Press Contact: Julie Wohlberg Director of Communications Fotolia, LLC
63
« on: November 30, 2007, 22:32 »
Here's the Getty share price chart. Tells its own story.  It's quite clear that the 'old model' of stock photography has been destroyed by microstock. Getty is trying valiantly to repair the damage, with 'new products' such as the $49 web special. But all they seem to do is drive more and more customers to iStock. According to Compete.com, visitors to istock's site are growing at a huge rate. The big question for Getty shreholders is: how are they going to replace the 'lost profits'. Yes, Getty are trying to diversify into other areas such as music. But it seems to me that they have to work out a way of replacing lost photo income by increasing profits from iStock. And that must mean much higher prices in due course. Istock increased prices twice this year. Next year I expect a further 20% rise (perhaps not all at once) and a more significant rise for the smaller images. We'll see what happens.
64
« on: November 30, 2007, 21:04 »
I must say that I am impressed with the progress being made over at 123RF.
I think their web site is fantastic - great design and seems to work fast. The 'see similar' button is amazing (I wonder why other agencies can't get this right).
I'm pleased to see an agency investing and growing.
Fingers crossed for the future.
65
« on: November 30, 2007, 21:00 »
I've stopped uploading to SV, and in fact I don'y even bother to look there any more.
Last blog news seems to have been weeks ago.
Has it died? Or am I overlooking something?
66
« on: November 29, 2007, 18:33 »
Well I'm surprised that Fotolia are attracting customers in China. As far as I am aware, this is my first sale to a Chinese organisation. Rather surprising that the Chinese are buying a White Wedding Ribbon...... .... but then I suppose nothing in life should surprise me any more...... 
67
« on: November 23, 2007, 14:34 »
It appears that from now on, no contributor can have more than two results in the first 100 search results.
68
« on: November 06, 2007, 15:44 »
Does anyone know of agencies that are foreign language only and specific to individual countries?
I know Freezing contributes to a German only agency.
I am interested in translating my stuff into French and possibly Japanese on the basis that there are likely to be large successful agencies in those countries servicing only the local market.
Google search for stock photos in French hasn't helped much.
69
« on: November 06, 2007, 04:53 »
I see that while I was away on holiday last week Lisegagne passed the 600,000 DL mark.
Looks like she's selling 100,000 every six months at the moment.
An incredible performance. Congrats to her and long may it continue.
70
« on: November 05, 2007, 22:48 »
Anyone else getting this error message on upload..?
71
« on: November 05, 2007, 15:57 »
First subscription sales at StockXpert today. Appears to have been one customer who downloaded four files from the same series.
All XL (of course).
It's not so bad if customers use their subscription to buy a variety of images from the same photographer in a batch. Yes, those sales would have made me $10 on normal credits, but no guarantee that the customer would have been a buyer on those terms.
I hope the batch sales become the norm for subscriptions at StockXpert.
72
« on: October 23, 2007, 17:38 »
Based in South Africa and appears to be owned by Forgiss (or at least he has a significant interest). Andresr is also a founder member. Appears to be a well designed site. Brand new. Haven't had time to do any further research. http://www.picolib.com/
73
« on: October 16, 2007, 13:58 »
Got my first sale at SV.
I've priced all my images at $10, so 30% commission on this sale is $3.
SV are a very late entrant to the market and I don't think it makes sense for artists to undercut the existing agencies who have worked hard to develop a customer base. As my D200 generates 'large' at IS and XL at FT, StockXpert etc, a $10 price tag is above the prices at these existing agencies. So I'm happy to upload to SV on the basis that my sales elsewhere will not be impacted in any way.
BTW, the 'snappyness' thing doesn't work; it is meant to be a 'sophisticated algorithm' based on views, comments and sales. I wrote to them to explain that it doesn't appear to work and they replied to say that at the moment the snappyness thing is based on umm.....'editors choice'........
Everyone expected Corbis to enter the market with a bang, but the evidence so far is more like a whimper; there is certainly nothing yet to suggest they are prepared to invest decent money to get this thing established.
Still, a $10 sale is good news. More please......
74
« on: October 12, 2007, 03:10 »
Posted by SnapVillage Team in General, snapvillage.
add a comment
SnapVillage and Webshots introduced an opportunity for their Pro Shots photographers to upload and license their photos on SnapVillage.com today. With 7.2 million monthly visitors and more than 400 million photos to explore, Webshots is one of the largest photo- and video-sharing services on the web. The participating photographers have been invited from the Pro Shots section of Webshots, which features a variety of professional photographs available for download for screensaver and desktop use, as well as prints and gifts.
Webshots already provides an attractive channel for professional photographers to gain exposure and worldwide attention. By partnering with SnapVillage, Webshots now makes it easy for Pro Shots photographers to license their images in an online, royalty-free marketplace that is simple, intuitive and interactive. To see how Webshots is promoting the partnership with us, check out the informational landing page.
This partnership is just one of the many ways that SnapVillage is working to grow our image library, build brand awareness, and spread the word about our services. Were optimistic that this partnershipand others like itwill be fruitful in bringing more visitors to SnapVillage in the months to come. We welcome Webshots photographers to SnapVillage!
For more information about becoming a Webshots Pro Shots photographer, please visit the Pro Shots Program.
See you around SnapVillage!
75
« on: October 11, 2007, 13:13 »
I saw this link to the diamond list. Although the date is a year ago, I believe the list shows the current numbers (updated in real time): http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=91126Interesting list. What surprises me is how quickly the numbers fall away towards 25,000. As I keep trying to tell everyone - good stock photographers are in short supply.
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