I remember reading an interesting magazine article about the decline of the big shopping malls.  All the big clothing retailers now carry mostly the same stuff.  Relentless quarter-by-quarter management and unattainable profit goals have made them afraid of stocking anything but the proven sellers.  The big department stores used to have creative buyers combing the market, but now they just mark off areas and turn then over to Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

Because there's little chance of discovering anything new as you go from store to store, shopping isn't fun anymore and the malls cease to be "destinations". 

I know what you are saying. The only thing you can do is to go to the different stock image sites and search for exclusive images or exclusive photographers. Too many sites have too many of the same images and after 5 or 6 pages I know what I'm going to see - same old, same old. I feel like I know some of those models by name. I'm not searching for the cheapest image, but the most unique and those are getting harder and harder to find.

On istock, you can go into advanced search and tick to search on exclusive only, then at least you won't see the same images elsewhere. For example, there are 196767 with the keyword 'business'.

Quote from: cuppacoffee on April 22, 2010, 10:14

I know what you are saying. The only thing you can do is to go to the different stock image sites and search for exclusive images or exclusive photographers. Too many sites have too many of the same images and after 5 or 6 pages I know what I'm going to see - same old, same old. I feel like I know some of those models by name. I'm not searching for the cheapest image, but the most unique and those are getting harder and harder to find.

On istock, you can go into advanced search and tick to search on exclusive only, then at least you won't see the same images elsewhere. For example, there are 196767 with the keyword 'business'.

And I have a hard time believing that going exclusive somewhere is the answer, because there are tons of exclusives competing with each other on this stuff, too. You just proved it above, saying there are 196767 images with the keyword business. Even if I shoot a fresh and new business image tomorrow and go exclusive, what are the odds I will be able to shoot something SO unique that it will shoot to the top of the line?

I wish I knew the answer, to me, everything seems like a catch-22.

And I have a hard time believing that going exclusive somewhere is the answer, because there are tons of exclusives competing with each other on this stuff, too. You just proved it above, saying there are 196767 images with the keyword business. Even if I shoot a fresh and new business image tomorrow and go exclusive, what are the odds I will be able to shoot something SO unique that it will shoot to the top of the line?

very true.

Just another example of why starting in microstock today is becoming hopeless.  You're forever entombed in a gigantic dusty pyramid of old stuff that buyers want to avoid.  The microstocks leave these millions of dessicated mummies in place, to push buyers to higher price tiers in search of something new.

I can't speak for any of the other micros, but buyers at iStock have the option of searching by age, should they want to avoid the older high sellers. However, there's little evidence that many buyers really care, strange as that may seem.

Last year we lost 2 big trees in our front yard and the dandelions took over.  Now it's a sea of yellow.  It's just not possible to remove them all one-by-one, or to use an herbicide while trying to get new grass started at the same time. 

All I can do is try to create conditions that cause the the grass to predominate, and the weeds to die out, over time.  I water a lot and I applied something that is supposed to prevent the existing weeds' seeds from germinating. 

Some people don't see dandelions as weeds but think of them as beautiful wildflowers.

Quote from: stockastic on April 22, 2010, 12:16

Last year we lost 2 big trees in our front yard and the dandelions took over.  Now it's a sea of yellow.  It's just not possible to remove them all one-by-one, or to use an herbicide while trying to get new grass started at the same time.  

All I can do is try to create conditions that cause the the grass to predominate, and the weeds to die out, over time.  I water a lot and I applied something that is supposed to prevent the existing weeds' seeds from germinating.  

Some people don't see dandelions as weeds but think of them as beautiful wildflowers.

Lol, there's the problem in a nutshell Thanks for all the replies, I would say, keep doing what you do, keep it real (so important, these shiny happy people are just not real enough to actually sell anything to ordinary people, specially in this recession), and maybe give exclusive images to some other sites besides istock if you want another site to succeed.. I think a lower volume of 'real', and unusual images will still trump a bigger amount of over-saturated, over-processed ones.. that's in my opinion anyway.. thanks guys

I don't agree

Quote from: hqimages on April 22, 2010, 16:19

I think a lower volume of 'real', and unusual images will still trump a bigger amount of over-saturated, over-processed ones..

Yeah.  Buyers talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.  Which isn't bad, I mean, but they say they want this or that, but they seem to be happy buying what is out there.  Although I do get the sense they are getting tired of a certain set of models, as mentioned in the OP.

Quote from: fotografer on April 22, 2010, 16:27

I don't agree

Quote from: hqimages on April 22, 2010, 16:19

I think a lower volume of 'real', and unusual images will still trump a bigger amount of over-saturated, over-processed ones..

Yeah.  Buyers talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.  Which isn't bad, I mean, but they say they want this or that, but they seem to be happy buying what is out there.  Although I do get the sense they are getting tired of a certain set of models, as mentioned in the OP.

Trust me, I have bought the typical stock shots for my company in the past, a few years ago, but never again, I've learned too much since then about the market, and seen too many of the images we bought absolutely everywhere (no exaggeration).. why would I lie anyway?

The images I now seek out are ones I haven't seen before, that use more obscure models, or even people that seem like they aren't models at all, someone's Mum, brother, husband whatever.. real images, that's the current way things are going..

What this site offers might be just a bit too diffrent from what you need, dont know, but take a look.

http://www.photocase.com/en/

Oooooooo.... interesting, thanks zenpix.. taking a look around but yes, this is the kind of thing I'm talking about!

Well if you couldn't find anything suitable out of Istocks 23,000 images corresponding to a search of 'business team' I think you might struggle at Photocase. You get choice of just 185 images, none of which appear to have anything to do with the search words. Very creative though __ in their use of keywords anyway.

Designers have never had such an extraordinary choice of images available to them, from a huge number of contributors drawn from all over the world and for very little money. Not only that but there's over 100K brand new images appearing every week. It is barely credible to me that you are whining about how little choice you have. You could always go and shoot stuff for yourself and show us all how creative you can be.

Quote from: zenpix on April 22, 2010, 17:33

What this site offers might be just a bit too diffrent from what you need, dont know, but take a look.

http://www.photocase.com/en/

Oooooooo.... interesting, thanks zenpix.. taking a look around but yes, this is the kind of thing I'm talking about!

The comments on their blog are valid: at micro prices, images (of the sort that need models paid/props bought etc) have to sell in bulk to make it worthwhile.