MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Poll

Do You Offer Images on Microstock and Macrostock?

Yes, I Offer The Same Images on Both
12 (28.6%)
Yes, But I Offer Different Images on Both
13 (31%)
No, I Only Offer Images on Microstock
17 (40.5%)
No, I Only Offer Images on Macrostock
0 (0%)
No, I Believe That It Is Immoral to Offer Images on Both
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 41

Author Topic: Do You Offer Images on Microstock and Macrostock?  (Read 6112 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« on: September 29, 2007, 10:58 »
0
Some artists offer their images on microstocks (IS, SS, etc).

Some artists offer their images on macrostocks (Alamy, MyLoupe, Photographers Direct, etc).

Some artists offer their images on both.

Some artists think it is immoral to offer images on both (because of the large price difference).

Where do you offer your images?
« Last Edit: September 29, 2007, 11:01 by StockManiac »


« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 11:00 »
0
and some artists offer different images on both - you forgot that option :)

« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2007, 11:02 »
0
and some artists offer different images on both - you forgot that option :)

Thanks leaf, I changed the poll to reflect your recommendation.

« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2007, 16:25 »
0
I offer different images in micro and macrostock.  But I also find it "immoral" (maybe it's a bit too strong wording though) to offer the same image in both.

Regards,
Adelaide

« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2007, 02:02 »
0
I upload different images to each.  I don't find it "immoral" to upload the same images to both sites but I do wonder if it will damage the reputation of alamy.  I would also be concerned that if people check the micro sites before or after paying a large amount for an image on alamy, I could lose the money and probably future sales from that client.

« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2007, 04:21 »
0
Offering the same images on both is no more 'immoral' than one petrol station selling petrol at 2.00 per litre and another, round the corner offering it at 1.75 (or whatever).

If the buyer is prepared to pay the price then that's okay.

What is immoral (and illegal in many places) is if all the petrol station owners get together and say "all of us will stick together and sell petrol at 2.50" so the consumer has no choice. (not that this is relevant to the question  ;)  )

There's also the fact that, on Alamy (for example) you can get much much bigger sizes than on the micros.


« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2007, 06:53 »
0
good topic thank you for that.
I haven't voted  as I am not with macros yet but I am just about apply to some.So I asked the same queston should I have my work on macros that are already  on  micros?perhaps not
but come to think of it  , now can we say we can offer our work at a same  prices on micros ,obviously no as all sites offer different prices I guess this is kind of normal but comparing micro and macro  prices difference between the two  will be a lot more than the one among micros. having said that I am not sure if we can call it immoral to have same photos at differnet prices on different venues.I assume buyers must have different reasons when deciding to buy from micros or macros other than price.
but I  agree there should  be a way to balance this like offering larger size images on macros.
one other think ,which I think leads us Th's type of discussion is like we all notice standards are getting higher in micro sites and the work offered  there is actually as quality as the ones macros offer. ???oh well seems like I haven't reached a conclusion yet
so I am looking forward to results and hearing what others are thinking on the matter

hank you
« Last Edit: September 30, 2007, 06:57 by stokfoto »

« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2007, 08:01 »
0
I offer the same images on both as RF, but if it sells on macro it is then removed from the micros and is then only available on the macros. (so far only sales on macros haven't big sellers on micros but it will be a real test when a big seller goes on macro  :)

« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2007, 08:04 »
0
But is not the Alamy Royalty-Free license more something like an extended license on microstock?
 As I just read: "Alamy grants to you a non-exclusive and non-assignable right to Reproduce the Image(s) on a worldwide and perpetual basis solely as part of the following (or as otherwise agreed in writing by Alamy):"....."any products (including for-sale products) or publications (electronic or print), subject to clause 3.8; and/or http://www.alamy.com/terms/stock-photography-rf-contract.asp"

So you can do anyway more with this image then what you can do when buying it for a Dollar on microstock. Does this not justify the price increase?
However I think partly the price is still higher on Alamy then Extended licenses on the micros (but not so much anymore), then you have other benefits, as mentioned bigger sizes (There are no 3MP images on Alamy as far as I know) and probably also a better customer service (my guess).

I still have to figure out, what I will do. I now have just 6 images for sale at Alamy..
If prices will decrease at Alamy, I will most likely post my micro images at Alamy, if not sooner.. Of course RM Images never will be on microstock. Except if Microstock starts with RM..

« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2007, 12:22 »
0
Freeze,

Your argument is more or less what I see also in Shutterpoint (and probably all RF licenses in macro), in which the license is much more liberal than in microstock, it's more like a microstock EL license. 

I agree with that argument, except from one thing: we don't really have any guarantee that an image sold in microstock will not be used outside its license terms.  I am a Brazilian selling through American, Canadian and European agencies to anyone in the world.  So if someone buys one of my images for US$3 and uses it to make postcards or publish in a magazine, chances are I would never know.  After 18 months in these agencies, I only managed to track the use of 12 of my images, most of them because users gently gave credit to me.

Suppose for instance that I put my recent Lithuania-Latvia-Estonia travel images, which I currently have only in macrostock agencies, in microstock.  If someone from these countries use these images for whatever unauthorized use, I'd probably never know.  I would cash my cents, maybe dollars, and that's it.  And even if I found out, would I be able to sue them?  Would it be worth the expenses?

I have a few images that I sell in micro also in SP - which is not actually a macrostock agency, as we set our own prices - in this philosphy of selling them for an equivalent EL license.  But in real macrostock agencies, such as TSS/MyLoupe (I am not in Alamny yet), I don't do this overlapping.  And I don't put in microstock anything that I don't want to risk being misused.  I may be losing money (as I may be losing money by not being in SS), but there are some things I don't accept doing with my photos. 

I don't find it "immoral" to sell my images cheap while someone else sells similar images for a few hundred dollars, or vice-versa. There are many Lithuanian-Latvian-Estonian images in microstock, so if someones buys those and not mine who are in macro, ok. This is different people valuing their product in a different manner. What I find "immoral" (though again I think this is a very strong word) is the same person selling the same images in both types of sites.  It's all about how you want to see your name in the market, the respect you want from clients and agencies.  You won't find an Armani store in an outlet mall (ok, maybe it's a bit exagerate, my images are not the Armani of photography...). 

Regards,
Adelaide

« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2007, 11:33 »
0
ok.. just a little mroe fodder for the canons :)

I just took a look at an alamy poll from 77 alamy contributers and the average take home they received from a single RF sale was from under $33 up to $143 - for what would be the equivalent to an extended license on the micros (for comparison)

Extended licenses on the micros range from $20-$250... so not really much different if you ask me.

« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2007, 15:58 »
0
I have just been accepted at Alamy and intend to offer them different images to those I have on the microstock sites. Most of them will be UK travel related so they will probably be sold with a RM license.

Reading posts on the various forums there seems to be some animosity towards the microstock photographer.  Although more recently there seems to be a coming together with more and more photographers posting their work to both.

With this in mind do those of you who contribute to both use a different name or pseudonym - one for micro and one for macro?


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
8 Replies
5793 Views
Last post August 30, 2007, 03:02
by leaf
16 Replies
12035 Views
Last post November 23, 2009, 19:47
by Jonathan Ross
7 Replies
4931 Views
Last post February 27, 2011, 05:48
by Maui
3 Replies
7041 Views
Last post September 11, 2012, 16:55
by lisafx
24 Replies
11160 Views
Last post April 07, 2017, 03:13
by dragonblade

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors