Author Topic: Alamy workflow (Read 4519 times)

Nikd90 · « **on:** May 08, 2013, 05:36 »

I started uploading images to Alamy. I have some images that are RF on SS but were rejected by some other agencies citing the reason that they see people in that image. Now if I have to submit these to Alamy, should I mark these as RM?

What is the workflow for you to upload images to Alamy because they reject all the images in the submission even if one doesn't pass QC

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2013, 05:47 »

Quote from: Nikd90 on May 08, 2013, 05:36

I started uploading images to Alamy. I have some images that are RF on SS but were rejected by some other agencies citing the reason that they see people in that image. Now if I have to submit these to Alamy, should I mark these as RM?

If you have even smuged pixels representing a person, and no MR, you must mark them as RM, release needed, no release available at Alamy.
Therefore if you have them as RF at SS, you can't submit them to Alamy. You can't have RM images on Alamy which are available RF elsewhere.

You must count how many people your smudged pixels represent and indicate that as 'number of people' in your image, even though I suspect that if a buyer specifically searches on '1 person', or 'more than 4 people', they expect to be able to see 1 or 4+ (or whatever) clear people.

Recently there was a bit of confusion where a few people, myself included, got a few file details changed by Alamy, and fewer people were indicated in the changes than we had indicated. (e.g. indistict people seen through bus windows) according to instructions. This was brought up on the forum, but I don't remember an explanation being given (but I'm not on their forum every day). It may have been a mistake. Certainly the submission details have not been changed. The time before that I got an indication that something was wrong with some of my files (some of which were not even my files!), and other people got the same, it turned out to have been a mistake, and an apology was issued.

Nikd90 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2013, 20:22 »

What about the workflow? I think probably the toughest. Any suggestions to make life easier?

ShadySue · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2013, 20:28 »

Do you mean managing the images? It's pretty much a nightmare, you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. You can copy and paste between images or use the batch images tool at the bottom of the manage images page, if relevant, but otherwise, you just have to put in the time. Save it for a rainy day, (or for when a model calls off) if you like.

Or did you mean prepping files? If you normally get into e.g. SS or iS, you should be OK at Alamy, with the advantage of them understanding natural light better (than iS, I have no experience of SS).
Just make sure you check all your files for silly flaws, and don't get too complacent. (Do as I say, not as I did.

)

Nikd90 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2013, 21:42 »

Quote from: ShadySue on May 08, 2013, 20:28

Do you mean managing the images? It's pretty much a nightmare, you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. You can copy and paste between images or use the batch images tool at the bottom of the manage images page, if relevant, but otherwise, you just have to put in the time. Save it for a rainy day, (or for when a model calls off) if you like.

Or did you mean prepping files? If you normally get into e.g. SS or iS, you should be OK at Alamy, with the advantage of them understanding natural light better (than iS, I have no experience of SS).
Just make sure you check all your files for silly flaws, and don't get too complacent. (Do as I say, not as I did. )

Haha thanks

Nikd90 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2013, 21:52 »

Ya. I was referring to managing and finally submitting the file. Too many fields to fill. In this business of micro stock where quantity matters, irrespective of what people say, the flow should be made simpler or else payout should be large and not 15c (fotolia)

Poncke v2 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2013, 02:44 »

I never got a 15 cent pay at fotolia. Their lowest is 21 cent

Nikd90 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2013, 03:27 »

Is it? I emailed them and their reply was to check the commission %. Infact I got it 3 times now

ShadySue · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2013, 05:07 »

Quote from: Nikd90 on May 08, 2013, 21:52

Ya. I was referring to managing and finally submitting the file. Too many fields to fill. In this business of micro stock where quantity matters, irrespective of what people say, the flow should be made simpler or else payout should be large and not 15c (fotolia)

Alamy didn't start out as micro prices, their prices have been forced down by competition from micros (and can still be above/well above micro as well as below). Therefore their system was in place when they were much more midstock, and they can't change now as their collection is far too big.
I still object very strongly to the way that random words can be taken out of any field and combined in a search result. Why annoy buyers?

Nevertheless, with very random inspection times, it is difficult to plan a workflow, when you might need to block out half an hour upwards for managing images if you upload even only 20 - 25 pics which can't be batched.

Something else to watch for if you upload news images: You need to supply a detailed caption according to their instructions. So you might have, for example, "Crowd waiting for Barack Obama to give a speech ..." with the Prez not in the photo. that would be a correct news caption.
But the caption is searchable, so your photo will show up in a search for Barack Obama, when really it is just a crowd scene.
So it's worth going into any news uploads a week (or so, depending on newsworthiness) later and moving that sort of information into the description, which isn't searchable.

Poncke v2 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2013, 05:32 »

Quote from: Nikd90 on May 09, 2013, 03:27

Is it? I emailed them and their reply was to check the commission %. Infact I got it 3 times now

My lowest was 21 cents http://us.fotolia.com/Info/Contributors/ImagesPricing

Maybe they lowered the price of credits in the mean time. Jeez, 15 cent.

Carl · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2013, 05:39 »

I use the batch processing function to assign information that's common to several files (assigning model release, shooting date & location, etc.), but then I have to edit each file individually because their system reads the caption and description data but puts it in the wrong fields. It doesn't read keywords at all. The system definitely needs some attention, but it's been this way since I've been a contributor, so I've learned to live with it.

Poncke v2 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2013, 06:08 »

It does read keywords, they are in the 3rd keyword box, or the 1st box on the bottom.

Dan · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2013, 07:52 »

i have recieved 15 cents a quite a few times. silly to sell them so low but the numbers add up.

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Author Topic: Alamy workflow (Read 4519 times)

Nikd90

ShadySue

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Poncke v2

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