Author Topic: Contributor Africa Studio (Read 25031 times)

Cesar · « **on:** April 03, 2014, 04:04 »

I think, they produce about 8000 to 10000 images per week.

Im curious how many photographers,designers,uploaders are involved.

I see a lot eastern europe companys ( contributors ) who produce at least 100 images per day, you need at least 5-10 people to make such amount.

it is ok if you make 700 images /week, 10.000 is too much, they produce 5% of all images.

I think first 100 contributor made too much images, what do you think?

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2014, 04:54 »

They are in Ukraine.
I don't know in what town, but if they are not in Kiev where the average salary is around $300 now, they could pay salaries around $100 being in some little town where the life cost less a lot. So a staff of 40 or 50 people will not cost a lot compared to the production and the gains that they could have.
The question is: they produce a lot, but how much they sell?

MxR · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:04 »

A lot of similar images with correct technical quality.

The key is they are from Ukraine, cheap models and Cheap salaries.

Try Do it in France, Usa, Germany and sale from 0,38....

leaf · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:35 »

all I have to saw is wow 427,000 images

Dook · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:37 »

Quote from: MxR on April 03, 2014, 07:04

A lot of similar images with correct technical quality.

The key is they are from Ukraine, cheap models and Cheap salaries.

Try Do it in France, Usa, Germany and sale from 0,38....

Yuri Arcus tried and succeeded, so no excuse there.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #5 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:44 »

Quote from: Dook on April 03, 2014, 07:37

Quote from: MxR on April 03, 2014, 07:04
A lot of similar images with correct technical quality.

The key is they are from Ukraine, cheap models and Cheap salaries.

Try Do it in France, Usa, Germany and sale from 0,38....
Yuri Arcus tried and succeeded, so no excuse there.

Things are a bit tougher than they were when he started. And before he went "exclusive" he was complaining that the earnings from new shoots were not enough to cover his costs, so was he still successful in financial terms at that point?

Ron · « **Reply #6 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:44 »

Yuri was based in SA

Dook · « **Reply #7 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:47 »

Yuri was based in Denmark. He moved to SA just few years ago.

Ron · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:48 »

Yes, he is based in SA, but the cheaper cost didnt help him, he had to move to semi exclusive at IS to keep afloat. Thats my point.

Dook · « **Reply #9 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:51 »

Sadly, that's true. It looks like all this business model is going down.

Ron · « **Reply #10 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:56 »

Quote from: Dook on April 03, 2014, 07:51

Sadly, that's true. It looks like all his business model is going down.

I corrected it for you.

Dook · « **Reply #11 on:** April 03, 2014, 07:59 »

Thanks, but it's not what I meant.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2014, 08:04 »

223347 pictures in the last 12 months (FT numbers)
18612 per month
611 per day
25 per hour

1 picture every 144 seconds

luissantos84 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2014, 08:39 »

another case of exponential grow is Elnur but as a one man show

Feb 2013 - 64k pictures
April 2014 - 106k pictures (115 per day)

http://www.microstockdiaries.com/elnur-amikishiyev.html

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2014, 08:42 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 03, 2014, 08:39

another case of exponential grow is Elnur but as a one man show

Feb 2013 - 64k pictures
April 2014 - 106k pictures (115 per day)

http://www.microstockdiaries.com/elnur-amikishiyev.html

Except he isn't a one man show (per the article).

leaf · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2014, 08:46 »

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on April 03, 2014, 08:42

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 03, 2014, 08:39
another case of exponential grow is Elnur but as a one man show

Feb 2013 - 64k pictures
April 2014 - 106k pictures (115 per day)

http://www.microstockdiaries.com/elnur-amikishiyev.html

Except he isn't a one man show (per the article).

he spoke at the last Mexpo and he certainly isn't a one man show. His costs are well monitored (he is an accountant if I remember correctly in his 'full time regular day job').. but he has at least 1 shooter and several retouchers / uploaders.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2014, 08:46 »

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on April 03, 2014, 08:42

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 03, 2014, 08:39
another case of exponential grow is Elnur but as a one man show

Feb 2013 - 64k pictures
April 2014 - 106k pictures (115 per day)

http://www.microstockdiaries.com/elnur-amikishiyev.html

Except he isn't a one man show (per the article).

read it so long ago that I missed that, 2 photographers yep and other services to edit etc, my bad!

JPSDK · « **Reply #17 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:40 »

Those were the guys that istock was after when the opened the floodgates.

Imagine the were ready to throw their concept overboard, just to get these image machines.
That thells me they are market domineering.

Ron · « **Reply #18 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:47 »

Quote from: Dook on April 03, 2014, 07:59

Thanks, but it's not what I meant.

I know, but my business model is working, Yuri's isnt. I dont have his overhead. I make a small profit. I am sure he makes a profit too, but his overhead is millions so he needs millions. So his business model isnt working for microstock. Thats what I mean.

The microstock model is also working if you adapt to it. You cant start with 5000 dollar shoots and sell them for 25 cents. But if you start with no cost, just shoot landscapes and use family as models, as I did, then it does work.

tickstock · « **Reply #19 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:50 »

Ron · « **Reply #20 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:53 »

Quote from: tickstock on April 03, 2014, 09:50

Quote from: Ron on April 03, 2014, 09:47
I know, but my business model is working, Yuri's isnt. I dont have his overhead. I make a small profit. I am sure he makes a profit too, but his overhead is millions so he needs millions. So his business model isnt working for microstock. Thats what I mean.

The microstock model is also working if you adapt to it. You cant start with 5000 dollar shoots and sell them for 25 cents. But if you start with no cost, just shoot landscapes and use family as models, as I did, then it does work.
Pure unfettered ridiculousness.

LOL, Yuri came here and literally said that microstock was no longer working for his business model. But I see I touched a nerve, you must be on his payroll as well. You seem to get defensive whenever one of your employers is being criticized.

tickstock · « **Reply #21 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:55 »

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #22 on:** April 03, 2014, 09:59 »

Quote from: tickstock on April 03, 2014, 09:50

Quote from: Ron on April 03, 2014, 09:47
I know, but my business model is working, Yuri's isnt. I dont have his overhead. I make a small profit. I am sure he makes a profit too, but his overhead is millions so he needs millions. So his business model isnt working for microstock. Thats what I mean.

The microstock model is also working if you adapt to it. You cant start with 5000 dollar shoots and sell them for 25 cents. But if you start with no cost, just shoot landscapes and use family as models, as I did, then it does work.
Pure unfettered ridiculousness.

Why? Costs are minimal, responsibility to employees is zero. Overhead is minimal. Creating a factory doesn't seem to be a smart way to work it.

Ron · « **Reply #23 on:** April 03, 2014, 10:01 »

Quote from: tickstock on April 03, 2014, 09:55

If you think your business model is working better than Yuri's you are way more delusional than I ever thought before.

Thats not what I said, I said particularly for microstock. Yuri's model wasnt working for micrstock, my model is. I am not claiming anything you suggest.

http://arcurs.com/2013/07/microstock-sees-its-first-major-setback-in-6-years-and-here-is-why/

Quote

For a maturing photographer microstock is a great learning platform, but if you mistake “school” for “workplace”, you are in trouble. I did so for years.

I would estimate that for the last three years I tried very hard to convince myself that microstock was in fact the right place for the professional photographer. After all, my photography carrier was born here. Perhaps exactly because of that, I tried so hard to disregard a growing mismatch between microstock and myself, in product refinement, sophistication and budget. As we grew in skills, as our company grew, our distribution partners in microstock did not. Some agencies where ok, but in total, as a mass and as a workplace, the picture was not nice. Sometimes it felt like having a michelin restaurant inside a burger joint and at the same time having to match the prices. At some point the professional gets tired of selling 12 course testing menues at 0300AM at burger prices.

I tried everything I could for three years to inspire our microstock partners to close the gab. I submitted plans, did projection forecasts, showcased examples that worked, presented solutions and had literally hundreds of meetings. I tried every kind of approach I could think of to get the micro agencies to raise prices just a bit and leave place for the kind of photographer both photographers and customers love. I spent literally months in airplanes. No Luck.

http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/yuri-arcurs-first-public-statement/

tickstock · « **Reply #24 on:** April 03, 2014, 10:01 »

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Author Topic: Contributor Africa Studio (Read 25031 times)

Cesar

Beppe Grillo

MxR

leaf

Dook

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Ron

Dook

Ron

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Ron

Dook

luissantos84

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Sean Locke Photography

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JPSDK

Ron

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