Author Topic: Retouchers for Microstock - any experiences, please? (Read 12350 times)

stockforfood · « **on:** September 11, 2009, 06:17 »

Hello,

We are thinking of inviting photo retouchers/editors to help us prepare pictures from our quite big back-log for sending to microstocks. We end up having very little time recently to devote to those image adjustments, but we'd still like to get some use of our images, which keep growing in quantity much faster than we can handle them... So, we decided to outsource part of the process.

In short, we are going to provide pre-selected (only images we consider worth sending to microstocks) unedited RAW (Nikon NEF) files. We expect to get back our images decently adjusted to micro stock quality standards (levels, wb, color tweakings, some minor retouching like dust spots and logos, etc) with the Meta Data (name, description, keywords) filled in. We'd like to get back layered Psd files, so that we could perform some minor fine-tunings if we feel the need to. Conversion to Jpeg and sending to microstocks remains on our side.

I would like to get advice from those who has experience with such a practice on the following points:

- What's the decent price on per-image basis for such manipulations?
- Are there any tools (online or software) which may help simplify the process of sharing input files and results? Or just regular FTP is normally used?

We would be grateful for your feedback.

-----
Best Regards,
Vitaly and Maria
http://www.stockforfood.com [nofollow]

Moonb007 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2009, 15:37 »

Man, you guys are hiring out everything...hiring to write blog and edit your image. Sounds like you don't want to do any of the fun stuff...hahahaha

cascoly · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2009, 15:57 »

Quote from: stockforfood on September 11, 2009, 06:17

Hello,

We are thinking of inviting photo retouchers/editors ... So, we decided to outsource part of the process.

In short, we are going to provide pre-selected (only images we consider worth sending to microstocks) unedited RAW (Nikon NEF) files. We expect to get back our images decently adjusted to micro stock quality standards (levels, wb, color tweakings, some minor retouching like dust spots and logos, etc) with the Meta Data (name, description, keywords) filled in. We'd like to get back layered Psd files, so that we could perform some minor fine-tunings if we feel the need to. Conversion to Jpeg and sending to microstocks remains on our side.

when you solve this problem please come back and tell us, since many people here would like to do it that way! but when ms pays pennies per DL, it's hard to justify paying minimum wage to someone to do all that you require -- you're not asking for retouching as much as complete post prcessing, and workflow management. some agencies will now do keywording for you for a cost/ image

otoh, i have had good results in getting slides scanned thru scancafe.com - their pro scan is 4000 dpi, and includes manual adjustmet for colr, dust & scratch removal, etc - about $.60 per slide - they send slides to india for scanning & processing. good results means most images get accepted by ss and dt, but it usually still takes additional work on my part

steve

Jonathan Ross · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2009, 10:47 »

Hi Stockforfood,

I use retouchers who keyword and upload and track my sales at www.lookstat.com they are here in Seattle, Wa. There is also Janco Tech out of India that does similar work as well. These are the two best that I know of. I hope this helps.

Best,
Jonathan

stockforfood · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2009, 11:06 »

Quote from: Jonathan Ross on September 12, 2009, 10:47

Hi Stockforfood,

I use retouchers who keyword and upload and track my sales at www.lookstat.com [nofollow] they are here in Seattle, Wa. There is also Janco Tech out of India that does similar work as well. These are the two best that I know of. I hope this helps.

Best,
Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

I would really be helpful if you give an idea how much it could cost an image...

Thanks in advance!

------
Best Regards,
Vitaly and Maria
www.stockforfood.com [nofollow]

abimages · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2009, 14:42 »

For many years I made good money supplying product photography to Dr Martens shoes, here in the UK. Products were shot,retouched, cut-out inc clipping path, colour corrected and CMYK proofed.
These days all the cut-outs are sourced in India. I dont know specifics but the cost is mere pence per image on batches of approx 500 products a time.

Suljo · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2009, 17:21 »

Quote from: stockforfood on September 11, 2009, 06:17

Hello,

We are thinking of inviting photo retouchers/editors to help us prepare pictures from our quite big back-log for sending to microstocks. We end up having very little time recently to devote to those image adjustments, but we'd still like to get some use of our images, which keep growing in quantity much faster than we can handle them... So, we decided to outsource part of the process.

In short, we are going to provide pre-selected (only images we consider worth sending to microstocks) unedited RAW (Nikon NEF) files. We expect to get back our images decently adjusted to micro stock quality standards (levels, wb, color tweakings, some minor retouching like dust spots and logos, etc) with the Meta Data (name, description, keywords) filled in. We'd like to get back layered Psd files, so that we could perform some minor fine-tunings if we feel the need to. Conversion to Jpeg and sending to microstocks remains on our side.

I would like to get advice from those who has experience with such a practice on the following points:

- What's the decent price on per-image basis for such manipulations?
- Are there any tools (online or software) which may help simplify the process of sharing input files and results? Or just regular FTP is normally used?

We would be grateful for your feedback.

-----
Best Regards,
Vitaly and Maria
http://www.stockforfood.com

Anyhow what do you know to do???
As I see NOTHING except that you have food web domain??
Why do you waste oxygen without any reason on this planet?

Dreamframer · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2009, 18:22 »

Suljo.... someone could maybe ask you the same, you know?

If people have no time to edit images, that maybe means they have thousands of unedited images, and they make new shots everyday, so they maybe have less and less time to do it. They want to hire someone to edit their images, and there is nothing bad in that. They obviously want to pay that person, so it may be good opportunity for people who want additional earnings. I lost my job and I would do it, but my upload speed is only 192Kbps...so I could never upload PSD files fas enough.

Suljo · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2009, 18:27 »

Quote from: Whitechild on September 13, 2009, 18:22

Suljo.... someone could maybe ask you the same, you know?
If people have no time to edit images, that maybe means they have thousands of unedited images, and they make new shots everyday, so they maybe have less and less time to do it. They want to hire someone to edit their images, and there is nothing bad in that. They obviously want to pay that person, so it may be good opportunity for people who want additional earnings. I lost my job and I would do it, but my upload speed is only 192Kbps...so I could never upload PSD files fas enough.

We will see what kind of "agency" or "opportunity" is...
Sorry for my too suspicious nose about this things...

I also have 40gigs of unedited raw photos but have no time to manage them to micros and Alamy and dont want to somebody make this for me especially thru net. As you see from they site they need all kind of every kind of knowlage. I really have doubt how they ware able to register they domain anyhow.

It is bad thing when you loose job but it will bee better opportunity to you (because you now have time to improve youre photo or illustration skils) than fake opportunity of creatures which is major achievement is to register food domain...

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2009, 20:28 »

Quote from: Whitechild on September 13, 2009, 18:22

If people have no time to edit images, that maybe means they have thousands of unedited images, and they make new shots everyday, so they maybe have less and less time to do it.

It does seem a bit weird. They have a blog, but don't want to write for it. They want to do micro, but they don't want to do the work. I don't know. I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to shop everything out.

leaf · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2009, 01:31 »

Quote from: Jonathan Ross on September 12, 2009, 10:47

Hi Stockforfood,

I use retouchers who keyword and upload and track my sales at www.lookstat.com they are here in Seattle, Wa. There is also Janco Tech out of India that does similar work as well. These are the two best that I know of. I hope this helps.

Best,
Jonathan

thanks for the info. I had wondered about this too and checked out a few editing companies but didn't find anything worth using. I still like holding onto the control of editing my own photos, but it is nice to know who does a decent job if I ever look into outsourcing my photo editing again.

stockforfood · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:41 »

Hey guys,

It's nice that this subject has raised so much discussion

In fact, please get us right - it is not that we don't want to do anything about our site or our images - yes, we are very passionate about doing the both things. And we do work by ourselves on the both.

However, so far it is not what we make our living with and I don't think it will be in near future. We have our other commitments, full-time office job being one and the main of them, which limits the time we can spend on our hobbies dramatically. We have only a few hours a week left 'for ourselves'. So outsourcing some stuff seems the only alternative to us to keep our 'hobby business' running at a pace a bit faster than 1 article + 10 images a week. What is bad in giving part of a job to a third-party? We are all in Micrstocks forum after all, which means, at least to some extent, we are all thinking of photography not only as pure arts, but as business as well...

Well, finally, we've written up our offer on image preparation, you may check it on our site: http://www.stockforfood.com/we-need-help/ [nofollow]

P.S. And please be sure that we do invest our mind and soul into these things. Everything what has been created so far is made 100% by ourselves, without hiring anyone to help us. But now we feel like the only way for us to grow (we are not ready to give up our jobs!) is to outsource some stuff. And we hope many people will find it usefull after all: both our offers, our site and our photography...

-------
Best Regards,
Vitaly and Maria
www.stockforfood.com [nofollow]

Jonathan Ross · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2009, 15:12 »

Hi All,

Photographers make their income by taking photos. If Henry Ford decided to build each car himself he wouldn't have stayed in business. This is not for everyone but if it is slowing your production speed you might consider it. Micro managing ( no pun intended ) can stifle even the best companies.

Best,
Jonathan

MikLav · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2009, 10:39 »

I started using retouching company from India since couple of weeks and so far I am happy with the result. That releases a lot of my time and is allowing me to produce more photos per month.

I still need to see how will it work on a longer term, but I look at it positively.

So far my production was less than 100 photos per month, so my short-term target is to get it to 100-150 photos per month.

Elenathewise · « **Reply #14 on:** October 02, 2009, 13:21 »

Quote from: Jonathan Ross on September 12, 2009, 10:47

Hi Stockforfood,

I use retouchers who keyword and upload and track my sales at www.lookstat.com they are here in Seattle, Wa. There is also Janco Tech out of India that does similar work as well. These are the two best that I know of. I hope this helps.

Best,
Jonathan

Jonathan - you sure it's "Janco Tech"? I can't seem to find it. Do you have a link to their site?
Thanks,
Elena.

Graffoto · « **Reply #16 on:** October 02, 2009, 14:09 »

Try http://www.jaincotech.com/

goldenangel · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2009, 15:53 »

From their website:
Prices for Keywording Services:

Standard Base 25 words $0.88

In the same time, DT charges $0.40.

UncleGene · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2009, 17:00 »

Quote from: goldenangel on October 02, 2009, 15:53

Standard Base 25 words $0.88

In the same time, DT charges $0.40.

I do not know their keywording quality, but single try at DT was more than enough for me...

qwerty · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2009, 18:57 »

$2 per photo I don't know how many takers you'll get.

Seems like a pretty low hourly rate to me with no recurring income.

I'm not the fastest photoshopper in the world, maybe for some guru would think otherwise.

MikLav · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2009, 15:46 »

Quote from: Elenathewise on October 02, 2009, 13:21

Jonathan - you sure it's "Janco Tech"? I can't seem to find it. Do you have a link to their site?
Thanks,
Elena.

Sorry I hope you don't mind if I respond though I am not Jonathan

As it is already said it's jaincotech.com - I've been told that they only work with large volumes (like 200-400 photos a month or more) but I didn't try them myself.

Elenathewise · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2009, 16:27 »

Quote from: MikLav on October 03, 2009, 15:46

Quote from: Elenathewise on October 02, 2009, 13:21

Jonathan - you sure it's "Janco Tech"? I can't seem to find it. Do you have a link to their site?
Thanks,
Elena.
Sorry I hope you don't mind if I respond though I am not Jonathan
As it is already said it's jaincotech.com - I've been told that they only work with large volumes (like 200-400 photos a month or more) but I didn't try them myself.

Thanks - yup I looked at their site, the pricing seems reasonable... 200-400 a month I produce myself, doing all the processing and stuff, so I don't consider it especially large volume...

If I am free to just shoot, I'd think it would be more than 400 a month for sure... The only problem I am struggling with - I am a perfectionist, and if I find that after paying 5 bucks per image I end up doing more work on the image or completely redoing it (it happened with the first person I tried to hire), then it would be a complete waste of money, wouldn't it?.. sigh... I guess the only way to find out is to try some small batches with different companies and see whom I am happy with...

RT · « **Reply #22 on:** October 04, 2009, 04:41 »

I was contacted by two retouching companies in India including the one mentioned here, all sounded good until I checked out the quality of their work! Even the examples on their website are very poor.

MikLav · « **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2009, 03:46 »

At the moment I only use retouching service, not a complete processing, and I am satisfied with the quality.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2009, 08:03 »

stockforfood, I just read the site/blog/whatever. And the last entry was Sept. 4th where you were testing the earnings calculator.

Was it right? I'll assume the $0 would produce innacurate estimates, but how about IS, FT and SS, how well did it predict your monthly total, now that it's October?

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Author Topic: Retouchers for Microstock - any experiences, please? (Read 12350 times)

stockforfood

Moonb007

cascoly

Jonathan Ross

stockforfood

abimages

Suljo

Dreamframer

Suljo

Sean Locke Photography

leaf

stockforfood

Jonathan Ross

MikLav

Elenathewise

Rahul Pathak

Graffoto

goldenangel

UncleGene

qwerty

MikLav

Elenathewise

RT

MikLav

RacePhoto

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