Alamy have just announced a new license that will compete with microstock sites.

See the contributor blog for details.

This no doubt is going to cause high blood presure for some there!

One would assume that they'll have an opt-out though, as many Alamy contributors are probably old-school anti-micro folks...

Interesting statement about the state of the industry though....

You have to opt in to the novel use scheme for this.  The prices look too low and I would have thought this would only be for RF images.

They will have novel use subscriptions next

Quote from: sharpshot on June 09, 2008, 12:01
They will have novel use subscriptions next

Don't even think it

wow.. yeah that IS news.

very interesting turn to things though.  I think it is great news and is exactly what i was trying to say a few days ago in this post

But no doubt the old timers are going to be heatin up and angry.  I guess they can still opt out, but i think they will have a bit of a grudge against alamy after this.  but REALLY.. if johney school boy wants to post a 400x400 pixel image in his blog post how much is it REALLY worth... I think the micro prices will be a good thing for them.... if they can get enough buyers to make it result in a decent income.

If they only sell a few licenses a month people will just get annoyed.  if they sell 1000's of license for poplular photographers, i think people might feel it is more 'worth it'

Very interesting development. Just shows you that the difference between Micro- and Macrostock is decreasing all the time. Microstock prices are increasing (if we exclude the recent irrational move of FT) and Macrostock prices are declining.

Just wondering how this will influence my future upload strategy? Recently I have been working hard to create two seperate portfolios - one for RF Microstock and one for Alamy RM. Does this development imply that it will now be acceptable to upload my Microstock images to Alamy?

and how about all those sites that say you can't upload here if the images are sold for less elsewhere.  Alamy has high prices but they also have low prices too... so are they sold for more or less than site X

I honestly don't see how they can include the RM files - some with restrictions - in this scheme. Obviously I don't have a problem with micro prices, but you need volume. For me (with admittedly a very small portfolio) Alamy would need to have some more volume to make the 60p for an XS seem interesting.

The responses to the blog are uniformly furious, particularly because the novel use was said to be nothing like micropayment when they signed up and now they're locked in...

Quote from: leaf on June 09, 2008, 12:48
wow.. yeah that IS news.

very interesting turn to things though.  I think it is great news and is exactly what i was trying to say a few days ago in this post

Note to Leaf...the link doesn't work.   

Quote from: Karimala on June 09, 2008, 15:06

Quote from: leaf on June 09, 2008, 12:48
wow.. yeah that IS news.

very interesting turn to things though.  I think it is great news and is exactly what i was trying to say a few days ago in this post

Note to Leaf...the link doesn't work.   

fixed

Quote from: jsnover on June 09, 2008, 14:59
I honestly don't see how they can include the RM files - some with restrictions - in this scheme. Obviously I don't have a problem with micro prices, but you need volume. For me (with admittedly a very small portfolio) Alamy would need to have some more volume to make the 60p for an XS seem interesting.

The responses to the blog are uniformly furious, particularly because the novel use was said to be nothing like micropayment when they signed up and now they're locked in...

If you look when you sign up to novel use, RM photos with restrictions are not included.  I still wish it was all RM images though.

I just signed up at Alamy so was pretty interested to see what this was about.  I'm quite surprised they are doing this without giving contributors the option to opt out until April.  Seems to me they are changing the terms of the original novel use scheme quite a bit.  Pretty sleazy of them, especially after specifically saying novel use "shouldn't be confused with Micropayment" back in Sept when they announced it.

Quote from: sharpshot on June 09, 2008, 12:01
They will have novel use subscriptions next

"Alamy is willing to negotiate subscription arrangement for high volume users"

Alamy Novel Use Scheme Expands Customer Reach, Jim Pickerell

Hi Lee, do you have a different link that doesn't require a paid subscription to read it? (or am I doing something wrong?)

Quote from: pixelbrat on June 09, 2008, 19:22
Hi Lee, do you have a different link that doesn't require a paid subscription to read it? (or am I doing something wrong?)

No, without subscription you only get the intro, sorry.

The article reads more like a press release than one of Jim's usual heavily-analytical articles, but it has a lot of details (like that one) that I haven't seen anywhere else. Jim is very well connected!

i find it interesting how the alamy members response to the alamy microstock offerings sounds very very similer to the thread about fotolia subscriptions.... ie the world is coming to an end, i am removing my portfolio, this isn't fair etc. etc.

Agreed, though the drop in price is a lot less at Fotolia and this is a completely new type of license for Alamy.

But yes, I doubt many contributors will follow through on their threats to remove their portfolios. The options are very limited at that end of the market. PhotoShelter Collection is the only real comparative option, but they don't have any sales yet (using "any" in a relative context).

I prefer the way the Photoshelter are distancing themselves from microstock though.  Alamy should open their own microstock site if they want to compete in the low cost market.

Quote from: leaf on June 09, 2008, 12:48
I think it is great news and is exactly what i was trying to say a few days ago in this post

I fail to see how this is "great news". 

Regards,
Adelaide

When I joined Alamy, I don't think I ever made an opt in/out choice. My novel use link is still showing "Yes please" and "No thanks". Does that mean I'm automatically opted in or out at the moment?

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on June 10, 2008, 02:35
When I joined Alamy, I don't think I ever made an opt in/out choice. My novel use link is still showing "Yes please" and "No thanks". Does that mean I'm automatically opted in or out at the moment?

I'm neither opted in nor have I declined. Just like you, we are neither until we answer. Nothing is automatic.

We are not locked in, until April of next year, but we haven't declined not to enroll in the program either.

What makes you think that the agency can add us to something, without permission?

Quote from: madelaide on June 10, 2008, 01:15

Quote from: leaf on June 09, 2008, 12:48
I think it is great news and is exactly what i was trying to say a few days ago in this post

I fail to see how this is "great news". 

Regards,
Adelaide

because bloggers and teachers need and want to buy images.  Why not offer images to companies and people profiting from them for high prices, while the bloggers and teachers can buy them at cheaper prices.  Both customers have a price point which suites their needs and pocket book.

on the other hand however - just a thought that came to mind.
Will businesses REALLY want to license an image for an add (for several hundred $$)  that they know 1000+ bloggers and others have allready used that image elsewhere?

Quote from: leaf on June 10, 2008, 07:52
on the other hand however - just a thought that came to mind.
Will businesses REALLY want to license an image for an add (for several hundred $$)  that they know 1000+ bloggers and others have allready used that image elsewhere?

That is why I don't think this is a good idea.  They should just open a microstock site and keep the RM images separate.

The micro prices are only for very limited usage actually it is the direction i thought microstock always should had been. Including RM is problematic. Will there be enough volume?

Quote from: RacePhoto on June 10, 2008, 07:45
What makes you think that the agency can add us to something, without permission?

If you choose not to decide on something companies will usually have wording in their agreement that gives you a certain amount of time to decide and afterwards they will automatically decide for you. The auto-decision is almost always in their favor. Was just curious if this was one of those types of arrangements.

And to answer "what makes me think...". The same thought process that's telling me I'm not overly comfortable with the way they handled this whole situation. Seems very shady.