MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Uncle Pete on July 05, 2015, 23:00
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It's been good.
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Sorry to see this Pete. I had to Wiki "jump the shark" (= decline in quality). Certainly, since I joined around 2008 the tone here has become more antagonistic and a number of members just seem to come here to pursue agendas against particular agencies or attack others who have a different opinion. A far cry from the helpful and friendly forum I (think) I remember back then -or is that just an age thing ;) Certainly I rarely post these days - I can just do without the grief of being jumped on if I say something somebody doesn't like or support an agency that isn't the flavour of the month. I post more on my own blogs or Google + now.
That said, I still check this site several times a day for news and opinions and is the first place I head if there is a big microstock news story or change that might effect me because, if nothing else, the strength of MSG is that it is independent of any of the agencies and views can be stated free of any censorship by agency moderators.
And, there are still many friendly and helpful people here and long may that continue.
I've always enjoyed your interesting and thoughtful posts Pete and I hope you might reconsider your decision -and I am sure that I am not the only one. Kind regards, David.
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Actually 'jump the shark' means 'something ridiculous done in attempt to stay relevant'. Nothing like that here, that I've seen.
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Actually 'jump the shark' means 'something ridiculous done in attempt to stay relevant'. Nothing like that here, that I've seen.
it means a decline in quality
Jumping the shark is an idiom created by Jon Hein that was used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality, signaled by a particular scene, episode, or aspect of a show in which the writers use some type of gimmick in an attempt to keep viewers' interest, which is ...
jump the shark. a term to describe a moment when somethin that was once great has reached a point where it will now decline in quality and popularity
'Jumping the Shark' is a negative expression to say that something that was once good has now peaked, and has taken a severe downturn in quality or usefulness.
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Had lots of good chats with Uncle Pete. PM me if you see this message Uncle Pete.
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Fonzie 'jumped the shark' in a ridiculous attempt to keep the show popular/relevant. While it may also indicate 'a decline in quality' that is not necessarily what the term indicates.
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Well we are both correct in a way, but it is used to indicate a decline in quality
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark
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Shame, not sure what happened, he always got lots of replies to his posts and started a lot of interesting discussions.
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well, every possible topic about the stock industry has been discussed to death here and anywhere else.
hard to come up with something fresh or original, maybe Uncle Pete should give it a try ...
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Microstock sales are pretty much in the toilet, I am not surprised that comments about microstock run parallel. Pretty difficult to talk about something as a businessperson, when there is no business. Or not much, anyway.
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I don't think it jumped the shark until people started arguing about what jump the shark means.
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The shark was jumped when the + - hearts thing was put in, I think that really pushed this place into something else. It's not about stock or photography anymore it's about making comments that will get lots of likes. Something should be done to try to bring back the professionals but that ship may have sailed long ago.
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I don't think it jumped the shark until people started arguing about what jump the shark means.
Ha!
Why would I care about post likes? Do they bump me up in the SS sort or something?
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Here it is, in all its glory, from 1977:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ZGKI8vpcg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ZGKI8vpcg)
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I don't think it jumped the shark until people started arguing about what jump the shark means.
Ha!
Why would I care about post likes? Do they bump me up in the SS sort or something?
+100
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MSG has gone quiet because the business is stagnant. SS now controls the market - they don't get all the sales, but they're the ones controlling price. And they're systematically reducing opportunity for contributors instead of creating it. I think a bigger shakeout and consolidation is coming, following which royalties will decline even further (behind the usual cover of subscriptions, 'special deals' and 'partnerships'). Some of that decline will simply be from inflation, as the cost of living goes up - and actual prices to buyers increase - while royalties won't.
So it's a period of discouragement, and while a better platform for image sales will certainly appear some day, it isn't even on the horizon yet.
It's still possible to make money, of course, but nothing is changing, so there's less to discuss.
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I don't think it jumped the shark until people started arguing about what jump the shark means.
Ha!
Why would I care about post likes? Do they bump me up in the SS sort or something?
+100
And I'll rasie you +100 which proves the point. He can't say a polite goodbye with a reason that the forum has become irrelevant to him without the subject going off into personal attack and argument that's not about the subject. I feel the same way much of the time. The same people, writing the same complaints and not much about microstock. Maybe it is the times. One person does nothing but attack SS and anybnpdy who is happy making monety from the best paying agency.
Now that I think about that. I feel the same as Pete.
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The shark was jumped when the + - hearts thing was put in, I think that really pushed this place into something else. It's not about stock or photography anymore it's about making comments that will get lots of likes. Something should be done to try to bring back the professionals but that ship may have sailed long ago.
While I generally agree with you, some of those professionals who are no longer here or have new identities were real A-holes, condescending to anyone who disagreed with them, or they were just outright rude by nature. This is to say that it goes both ways.
Edit...i do prefer good dialogue, ideas and overall opinions. You bring some good balance to these forums and i personally like that even though i dont always agree.
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I think you've proven his point about arguing over the meaning of the shark idiom. Can't you boys see you are both right? too funny. I agree, I rarely post and only pop in once a week (maximum) to check on latest industry news and reactions. I'm glad for the advice and help I received when I joined, although even then it was like a shark tank in here.
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The shark was jumped when the + - hearts thing was put in, I think that really pushed this place into something else. It's not about stock or photography anymore it's about making comments that will get lots of likes. Something should be done to try to bring back the professionals but that ship may have sailed long ago.
While I generally agree with you, some of those professionals who are no longer here or have new identities were real A-holes, condescending to anyone who disagreed with them, or they were just outright rude by nature. This is to say that it goes both ways.
Edit...i do prefer good dialogue, ideas and overall opinions. You bring some good balance to these forums and i personally like that even though i dont always agree.
I'm not talking about those guys you're referring to. There were lots of other guys that used to be on here who were helpful and very well informed that haven't been around in ages.
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People's portfolios have been deleted for speaking out here.
This has driven a lot of people to various smaller closed circle Facebook groups, where people can say what they want, without having to watch over their shoulder.
Some agencies also have huge online groups,istock fb has over 1500 people and it is often easier and faster to get a reply there then on their forums.
Some artists also "live" most of their online life on their favorite agency forum, part of the higher specialisation where many are moving from generalist "shoot everything and send everywhere" to specialist content where they prefer to be among their peers in a chosen niche.
And the next generation of stock artists are coming in via smartphone apps. they tend to stick to that apps community (instagram, eyeem...) Maybe in time some will discover the wider stock industry and also come here, but that might take a while.
Of course with the overall decline in income because of oversupply and slowing growth, for many stock is becoming a hobby again, not a vital part of their family income, so as they spend less time producing, they also spend less time on the forums.
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People's portfolios have been deleted for speaking out here.
This has driven a lot of people to various smaller closed circle Facebook groups, where people can say what they want, without having to watch over their shoulder.
Some agencies also have huge online groups,istock fb has over 1500 people and it is often easier and faster to get a reply there then on their forums.
Some artists also "live" most of their online life on their favorite agency forum, part of the higher specialisation where many are moving from generalist "shoot everything and send everywhere" to specialist content where they prefer to be among their peers in a chosen niche.
And the next generation of stock artists are coming in via smartphone apps. they tend to stick to that apps community (instagram, eyeem...) Maybe in time some will discover the wider stock industry and also come here, but that might take a while.
Of course with the overall decline in income because of oversupply and slowing growth, for many stock is becoming a hobby again, not a vital part of their family income, so as they spend less time producing, they also spend less time on the forums.
I am one of those. Thanks to Mat making an effort to find out exactly who I am and making every effort to close my account.
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I think you've proven his point about arguing over the meaning of the shark idiom. Can't you boys see you are both right? too funny.
Is this addressed at Sean and me?
In case, Sean and I each made 2 comments, there was no arguing going on, and I literally said we were both right. Did you even to bother to read the comments? Or did you jump the gun (which is not the same as jumping the shark)? Too funny indeed.
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MSG has gone quiet because the business is stagnant. SS now controls the market - they don't get all the sales, but they're the ones controlling price. And they're systematically reducing opportunity for contributors instead of creating it. I think a bigger shakeout and consolidation is coming, following which royalties will decline even further (behind the usual cover of subscriptions, 'special deals' and 'partnerships'). Some of that decline will simply be from inflation, as the cost of living goes up - and actual prices to buyers increase - while royalties won't.
So it's a period of discouragement, and while a better platform for image sales will certainly appear some day, it isn't even on the horizon yet.
It's still possible to make money, of course, but nothing is changing, so there's less to discuss.
Good post, I agree.
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I like Uncle Pete and found his contributions always interesting tho I disagree with some and agree with others. Sorry to see him go.
I would like to hear what specific complaint that makes him think the group has jumped the shark. I have a few ideas what it could be, but would be nice to get an idea why exactly he left now.
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The shark was jumped when the + - hearts thing was put in, I think that really pushed this place into something else. It's not about stock or photography anymore it's about making comments that will get lots of likes. Something should be done to try to bring back the professionals but that ship may have sailed long ago.
That and some Protrolls who will intimidate and silence anybody who doesn't feel their pain and misery and complain about how we are poor helpless victims of the machine. Nobody is forcing any of us to work Microstock for a living. We can leave any time. We are not indentured slaves. If you aren't happy, go do something else. If you stay and work for agencies, then it's your own choice. Unhappy anonymous people forcing their views on everybody here.
Allowing anonymous Protrolls and fake professionals who won't stand back of what they write, is what ruined the forums of MSG.
I find the tone and content here to have lost it's original meaning. It's not about the work, art or sharing. It's just about getting +, ego feeding bragging, disagreeing and spreading fear and loathing or the agencies or competition. It'
s gone from a friendly forum to a hate forum. Protrolls you have won.