EDITED FOR BREVITY
 it takes tWo to fight and I was just as responsible if not more so for the disagreements that took place

you got that right too Jon.    but it also take a bigger man to admit he flipped his lid .

take care old fella 

Hi Randy,

 I have my last producer who pulled down 150K this year from one major client because they found her in stock. The work she is doing for them is so boring ( her own words ) and simplistic but yet they flew her to Vegas 5 times this year, they like her as much as her work. This is not uncommon, art directors find peoples work they like and they like to work with, the human element is of importance in business.

Out of curiosity, Jonathan, did they find your producer through work she has in microstock, or traditional stock?  

I can very easily see how clients who are used to paying high prices at the traditional agencies would not balk at paying thousands for a custom shoot.  

However every single approach I have had from a microstock customer has vanished in thin air as soon as I mentioned price (and less than Xposurepro charged).  

Maybe I have just been unlucky or perhaps could use lessons in how to better price a job.   I have nothing but respect for people who can manage to successfully pull in and complete custom work based on their stock portfolio.  Your friend sounds like a very impressive example. 

Even so, I stand by my assertion that most micro customers are out for a bargain.

Quote from: lisafx on January 19, 2010, 18:09

Even so, I stand by my assertion that most micro customers are out for a bargain.

Yep.  Every quote I've ever given to someone makes them disappear, not to be heard from again.

Actually, that is a big relief for me to read Sean. 

If micro customers aren't willing to pay custom prices for work of your caliber then it probably isn't something I'm doing wrong after all.

Thanks for confirming my impression

One more interesting happening on focalpop about assignment called 'girl shopping' is to be mentioned here as brilliant example.

I will only give you the link and would like you to read what was the problem. But, you can't read initial seekers request because it was changed after we started to criticize it.
It was $75 offered for 6 teenager models shooting setup. No way somewhere on stock finding similar image to requested. After our critics request has changed but also not many of us (photogs) submitted our photos because even that was misery payment! Still, besides that there was submissions seeker didn't selected any of images uploaded!

Here is link:

http://www.focalpop.com/request/view/teen-girls-shopping#toption-tabs-details

... I'm actually thinking about starting up a new educational microstock website that focuses on learning the acceptance/rejection side of micro. Everybody is always talking about not understanding the rejection process on the forums .. since I'm a 5 year reviewer it kinda makes sense for me to start a blog or something on it. (I always need to stay busy LOL)

I disagree with the comments on this. I think this is quite a good idea, I would be happy to read such a blog. This is a path I never walked on so I am sure it would be interesting and educational to read.

Yep.  Every quote I've ever given to someone makes them disappear, not to be heard from again.

I've always experienced the same. I guess because I sell a set of vector icons for $10 in mocrostock, they think I'll make a custom set for the same price.

I want to attack this question from a different angle.

Does microstock encourage or discourage lower design standards among contributors?

And how will this trend impact the quality of available artwork in the long run?

I believe that every image uploaded falls into one of two categories, which I'll call "commodity" images (those which offer nothing truly unique and are similar in subject and style to countless thousands of other images) and "unique" images.  And based on which type of image you primarily upload, you're either a "commodity" or "unique" contributor.

Microstock punishes the commodity contributor and rewards the unique contributor.  In theory, this encourages photographers and illustrators to think outside the box, knowing that if they simply upload more of the same, their work will be commoditized, and the only way it will sell is if it catches a buyer's eye at the top of the "most recently uploaded" search results.

Long story short, microstock encourages creativity among its contributors and could in the long run be ushering in a new era of outside the box thinking. 

Call me Mr. Glass Half-Full