Hi all Microstock members.

Today i want to tell you a story about Shutterstock. If you think they support you and guard from problems.. No.

Few years ago we hired 4 African models and made few sessions with them. We payed them. They are circus dancers. And their boss from circus payed them additional money. In total every model got about 200-300USD for this work. Also we sent them all images we retouched. We gifted them almost all accessories, jewellery, clothes and underwear that was bought by us for these shootings. We spent about 3000-4000USD for these shootings.

Then we started to upload retouched images.

After some time one of the models started to write to Shutterstock that she didn't want to be a model on these images. Shutterstock wrote to me this"

Dear Milles,

We have received a complaint from a person claiming to be the model in the following images:

https://www.shutterstock.com/search?models=15679480&models=15683314&context_photo=250750666

Please provide us with the following information about this image:

1) when and where the images were taken;
2) who took the image;
3) the name of the individuals in the images; and
4) the circumstances under which the images were taken (e.g., photo shoot, etc.)

Please also send us a copy of the model releases on file for the images. We request that you respond to us within 3 days, or your Shutterstock account may be suspended. Thank you for your cooperation.

Regards,
Lauren

What i answered:

i made detailed description of where we found these people, how much we payed them, dates... everything. All information they asked and even more. Images from backstages where all these models are smiling together with us, photographing and so on.

in addition i provided this:

In addition to previous mail with all info i'm sending you extra information.

Here you are facebook links to people we worked with:

[model info removed]

you can ask them about our cooperation. I also know that they got payed from him additionally too for working with us. So every girl got money for photos we took. I don't see nothing criminal.

But i see that your contributors are totally unsafe and you can do what you want if someone from nowhere writes to you.

They did not answered anything.

But today i received this:

Dear Kedrinski Kirill,

Please know that the models continue to complain about these images. We we are obtaining further information but it may be in your interest to remove the content to avoid any issues with licensing this content.

Regards,
Lauren

So i can see, that Shutterstock don't care about its authors. If you have all docs ok, if you are working by law and everything is clear you can still be treated badly.

In fact every your model can just write to Shutterstock and you will be *removed coarse language* off. They will say that they will close your account even if you are right. even if you have all documents. They will be on the side of blackmailer who just want to earn more from nothing.

Who is this woman who writes to them? She is a fu**ing blackmailer.  She strikes her boss in circus that she will not work with him if he will not hire her husband. She wants more and more money and she will never stop. And Shutterstock supports it.

What everyone should learn from this?

1) [questionably racist comments removed]

2) You should never trust Shutterstock and maybe other agencies too. You should be very attentive. Because they care only about themselves. They don't care about authors. They think that +- one author never change the situation. And theyd don't care if you are full time photographer with team that wants their salaries. The will shutdown your account if someone will ask.

So keep in mind that working with Shutterstock is unpredictable and unsafe. Once you will make 30 000 beautiful images for them they will switch you off and even never regret.

That is one of the reasons i stopped submit to them and concentrated on Stocksy. At Stocksy you always in dialog with editors, staff, owners... But Shutterstock is just a money machine. If today a roulette have chosen you.. I'm sorry.

I wish you all the best and i hope you will never face such problems.

Good Luck!


admin edit: post edited for content (and noted)

Yeah. It seems to me that opposite to Shutterstock Stocksy are people. I really wish to all good authors to move to such agencies that treats their authors well.

It is a very awful that you work hard and then stuck in crap that easy.

What a nightmare for you! This makes me glad that I've only used family.

Did you have releases?  Did they remove the images in question?

The real face of SS. This is business guys.
You need a lawyer, NOW.

A model release of agency for example in Spain is nothing. Here it is illegal to assign any image rights in perpetuity. What can be done is to sign a contract of compensation to the photographer for his work in case he gives up the model that his image is used.
You're in Stocksy, you've won.

I'm afraid MillesTeam is right. I have heard so many similar stories its incredible! costly stories. Further more SS keeps contacting the RM-RF agencies telling them NOT to sell content that they represent in spite of being a micro agency that don't even want exclusivity according to Jon. Strange!

I suppose in such a cut throat business as micro-stock where every penny seems to count things like this is to be expected but yes like the Op says expect no help or protection from any agency.

Like Sean says! if the photographer has a signed, sealed and delivered Model-release there is just a big fat nothing the model can do about it!

Nah thats far fetched etc there are experts in handwriting and they are supplied to courts often by the police dept. It is extremely difficult to sneeze away a genuine signature and these guys are very, very good in reading signatures.

However this said is it worth it? its micro-stock etc resulting in a few dollars of revenue. The big question is if its worth it? personally I wouldnt even attempt doing it.

Like Sean says! if the photographer has a signed, sealed and delivered Model-release there is just a big fat nothing the model can do about it!

That's absolutely not always true (depending on location/legislation), though it seems to be the case in the US, at least in general microstockers' beliefs that I've read.

Quote from: derek on April 19, 2017, 03:20

Like Sean says! if the photographer has a signed, sealed and delivered Model-release there is just a big fat nothing the model can do about it!

Although the risk is they will take it to court and claim its not their signature they were misled etc etc. It can sometimes be costly even if you are in the right. It may not be ethically right but I suspect the best business decision is to delete the images and move on.

It's not a bad idea to record on film not only the signature of the MR but eventually a short explanation to the models about the character of the work. Also filming when handing them a copy of a buyers contract (or any other type of documentation) as an example of what type of image use will be allowed.

4000 dollar  for this kind of images? are you serious?

edit:ah ok i see it's more than one shooting and all expenses, i thought 4000 dollar for this model for one shooting. all in all even more