Quote from: Seren on April 03, 2008, 21:27

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 21:24
well i think that was Lee's point.  These events are attended by non avereage stock shooters.  They are not made to appeal to the average stock shooter.   If it was it probably wouldn't be for a week.  The only ones who can take a week off are the ones who are self employed stock shooters.

Not sure which country you live in, but in the UK most employees of private companies get 21+ days off of holiday per year.  That's four weeks if you play your cards right.  It's not unfeasible to take a week off to go on a photographic hobby!

yeah, holidays are the same here in Norway, but lots of people have a 'mandatory' holiday schedule, with a certain three weeks in the summer they have to take off.  If you used saved up time though, most people could swing getting a week off.

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 21:24
well i think that was Lee's point.  These events are  attended by non avereage stock shooters.  They are not made to appeal to the average stock shooter.   If it was it probably wouldn't be for a week.  The only ones who can take a week off are the ones who are self employed stock shooters.

I am a self employed photog... and guess.. i can not afford such social trips.

Patrick...

ps : i live in belgium, the second highest tax country in europe next to denmark... from every dollar i earn i consider myself lucky to keep 50, maybe 55 cents... not even taken into account what i loose on conversion rates etc.... not even taken into account the cost of living, not even taken into account the cost of models, props, studio, appartment etc.... but hey... i love doing it so i keep at it.
I think this should make perfectly clear that i can not afford social trips whenever i like....
In fact, I plan to have a vacation for the first time in 10 years this year to Turkey... to visit a (successful) fellow photog, but i need to save for that, it just doesn't come falling from the sky.

I booked and paid for the cheap hotel on offer and including airport transfers each way it came to €245 for 7 nights.
And the event ticket cost €256.
And Ryanair (that august irish institution) fly there from Dublin, Ireland and Luton, UK

As an aside I live in Ireland the legal holidays are 21 days + 9 public holidays for a total of 6 weeks.

I would expect that living it up in Malta will cost less than staying in Ireland ....

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 21:26

Quote from: Lee Torrens on April 03, 2008, 17:02


I attended the last iStockalypse as a guest

like a guest who was paid to come, or had a free pass?  how did you wrangle that?

as Press

Quote from: patrick1958 on April 03, 2008, 21:55

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 21:24
well i think that was Lee's point.  These events are  attended by non avereage stock shooters.  They are not made to appeal to the average stock shooter.   If it was it probably wouldn't be for a week.  The only ones who can take a week off are the ones who are self employed stock shooters.

I am a self employed photog... and guess.. i can not afford such social trips.

Patrick...

ps : i live in belgium, the second highest tax country in europe next to denmark... from every dollar i earn i consider myself lucky to keep 50, maybe 55 cents... not even taken into account what i loose on conversion rates etc.... not even taken into account the cost of living, not even taken into account the cost of models, props, studio, appartment etc.... but hey... i love doing it so i keep at it.
I think this should make perfectly clear that i can not afford social trips whenever i like....
In fact, I plan to have a vacation for the first time in 10 years this year to Turkey... to visit a (successful) fellow photog, but i need to save for that, it just doesn't come falling from the sky.

Then it's tax deductible for you. If your rate is 45 cents in the euro, you'll only need to have earned a little over €1,100 in the tax year to make the trip completely free from a net-tax point of view (using michaelo's actual costs). I think you can easily afford it.

hmm.. well pondering long and hard on this.  it is looking very tempting.

Quote from: fotografer on April 03, 2008, 16:29

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 15:25
more info

a question for those who have gone to these things.  Can you use the pictures you take in the shoots for stock?

You can but only at istock, you can't upload anything taken at these events to other sites.

Have you found an istock thread or something that talks about this?  And where do they draw the line.  If i take off on my own and take some pictures at the beach then I should be able to upload those to any site I want right?  If i take pictures at their photo shoot, then I can see that they should be istock exclusive.

I am thinking this could be a great event, just not sure how many sales I am going to end up getting from the images.  I seem to have hard time getting good sales at istock.

ok.. i asked the question on the istock forum... i am waiting to be boo-ed out.

edit: got an answer... just as fotografer said...
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=67469&page=7

which brings to the point.  Someone should really organize a get together, shoot weekend or something for members of all the sites.. i guess it might be expensive if one site isn't 'supporting' it but still, it could be a good time.  Dpchallenge members have managed to organize a few.

I suspect (though I have nothing concrete to back this up) that this event is meant to convince one to become exclusive.

They give you a cheap holiday, setup shoots, introduce you to the istock head honchos and some high earning exclusives.

Will softly selling the guiles of exclusivity

I can understand why iStockphoto wants the images to be sold exclusively on their site, I think they deserve it if they organize the shooting.
It would be great if a shooting would be organized by others too, like microstockgroup :-). But probably not enough people form here are going there. Just checked, I can fly with the miles & more programm for 91 Euro to Malta. Hmm tempting...

If the images are exclusive to Istock, they should give us 40% commission! 

Quote from: kosmikkreeper on April 10, 2008, 12:25
If the images are exclusive to Istock, they should give us 40% commission! 

yeah, that is true!! ... to bad they don't have an individual image exclusive deal like dreamstime or some of the other sites.

to agree with freezing, I understand too, that they should get exclusive rights on the image if they set it up.  It would be foolish to help create great images for all the other stock sites.... but still disappointing.

Well if you come Freezing, that would make three of us   (if i decide to come... i think i will make the final decision today or tomorrow)

ok...
the flight, hotel and admission fee are paid   see you there!

Cool!

Looking forward to meeting up ...

Freezingpics you in?

any other takers?  Only two more weeks left to register!

Looks like they are starting to update their site as well with the list of attendees
http://www.istockalypse.com/Ref5esh/attendees.html

I'd come, but its an expensive trip from Australia.

By the end of the year I'll be living in France.

No sorry, it does not look likely that I go. It sounds really good and I wish I could come.

Quote from: leaf on April 03, 2008, 21:24
well i think that was Lee's point.  These events are  attended by non avereage stock shooters.  They are not made to appeal to the average stock shooter.   If it was it probably wouldn't be for a week.  The only ones who can take a week off are the ones who are self employed stock shooters.

So it's about time to break the rules and add an average stock shooter - me.

Just completed all bookings.

Hey, Malta was on my "to visit" list anyway, the weather in June should be fine and istock really made great deals for accommodation (I'm in the "cheap" hotel - and I checked: if you book this via regular channels you nearly pay twice the price).

So I consider this as a great and relatively inexpensive "couple of days off" + having fun with shooting + learning from the "big guys" + having fun with stock-addicted people.

So I'm looking forward to see you there!

Manfred (istock account-> manwolste)

great.. thanks makes 3 of us from here!

Quote from: leaf on April 24, 2008, 14:39
great.. thanks makes 3 of us from here!

So we will be seated at the "non-exclusive-and-non-diamond-pariah" dinner-table....

Just kidding, it sure will be fun there.

one week to go

I am surprised at how many Canadians there are coming!

I will also plan on writing a little day by day blog update here, or somewhere, so hopefully next time others can have an easier decision on whether to come or not.

Woohoo one to go, and I am going to track all the images I shoot there to see whether events like this make economic sense.

Quote from: michealo on June 06, 2008, 11:10
Woohoo one to go, and I am going to track all the images I shoot there to see whether events like this make economic sense.

exactly !

If we'd known about this with time to book it, we 'd have gone.  When the next one comes, unless it's in Seattle or something "boring" to me, I'll be there.  Malta?  DAYUM I missed the good one. lol

Will be interesting how brainwashed you will return

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