Author Topic: Exclusivity - Has the crown lost its shine? (Read 27171 times)

cidepix · « **Reply #50 on:** October 26, 2009, 13:00 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 26, 2009, 12:53

You are not considering all the benefits of being an exclusive contributor, but it seems like you already have made up your mind on that. Good luck with your business.

I am, and I know there are many benefits. You can have a sounder mind when you are an exclusive but if being exclusive costs me a lot of money then what's the point. I would go exclusive in a heart beat if it was possible to earn as much as a non-exclusive.

Before I started taking full advantage of non-exclusivity there were questions in my mind. But now there is no comparison. At least for me.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #51 on:** October 26, 2009, 18:35 »

not sure how you'd ever know - especially if you haven't had your photos up for exclusivity. I haven't missed a beat from my exclusivity and whatever the costs were, they were minimal at most and very insignificant. I could go on, but I don't particularly care either way what others do, as long as they don't impact me in any significant way

ShadySue · « **Reply #52 on:** October 26, 2009, 18:56 »

Quote from: cidepix on October 26, 2009, 07:44

The most important downside of exclusivity is they won't let you sell from your own personal website if you are exclusive.

That's only partly true. What you should have said was that you can't sell RF from your own website. You're free to sell RM or prints from your own website.

erwinova · « **Reply #53 on:** October 26, 2009, 19:27 »

Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

ichiro17 · « **Reply #54 on:** October 27, 2009, 07:25 »

Quote from: erwinova on October 26, 2009, 19:27

Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

thats the worst argument to date

RT · « **Reply #55 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:31 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 07:25

Quote from: erwinova on October 26, 2009, 19:27
Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

thats the worst argument to date

But bonus points for originality.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #56 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:49 »

Quote from: RT on October 27, 2009, 12:31

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 07:25
Quote from: erwinova on October 26, 2009, 19:27
Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

thats the worst argument to date

if only I had that kind of originality in my photos (i think) ...

But bonus points for originality.

lisafx · « **Reply #57 on:** October 27, 2009, 13:30 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 07:25

Quote from: erwinova on October 26, 2009, 19:27
Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

thats the worst argument to date

I agree the earthquake argument is pretty farfetched.

But his first point about the volatility of the Best Match changes and their affects on people's earnings is a huge issue. That is a major reason I stopped considering exclusivity and one I have heard quoted by a lot of other independents too.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #58 on:** October 27, 2009, 14:44 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 27, 2009, 13:30

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 07:25
Quote from: erwinova on October 26, 2009, 19:27
Remember last best match search change on IS? some exclusive and nonexclusive photographer has lower sales than before, in this case nonexclusive photographer feel little save.
Beside that if there is earthquake or other disaster in their area, is IS server still life? what happen to exclusive photographer if this happen? are they make backup server in other country?

thats the worst argument to date

I agree the earthquake argument is pretty farfetched.

But his first point about the volatility of the Best Match changes and their affects on people's earnings is a huge issue. That is a major reason I stopped considering exclusivity and one I have heard quoted by a lot of other independents too.

Been stable for a while now....so its not like they are going aroudn changing every week

gostwyck · « **Reply #59 on:** October 27, 2009, 15:02 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 14:44

Been stable for a while now....so its not like they are going aroudn changing every week

That might be enough reassurance for you to base your income on but it's certainly not enough for me.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #60 on:** October 27, 2009, 15:20 »

Quote from: gostwyck on October 27, 2009, 15:02

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 14:44
Been stable for a while now....so its not like they are going aroudn changing every week

That might be enough reassurance for you to base your income on but it's certainly not enough for me.

Different people have different views. I may be wrong. Thats okay. So far I don't think I'm doing too badly.

I'm just going to go on with the assumption that its in the best interests of IS to get the right photos in front of their customers - no algorithm will be perfect - but I'm hoping that my photos are good enough to find their way there.

ShadySue · « **Reply #61 on:** October 27, 2009, 16:24 »

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 14:44

I agree the earthquake argument is pretty farfetched.

But his first point about the volatility of the Best Match changes and their affects on people's earnings is a huge issue. That is a major reason I stopped considering exclusivity and one I have heard quoted by a lot of other independents too.

Been stable for a while now....so its not like they are going aroudn changing every week
[/quote]
Totally disagree. I've seen my test images going up and down like yoyos over the last six-eight weeks, as have others in my CN. In fact, I just noticed that one image (of mine) which has been in the top 25 on its main keyword for about a year is today down at 256. Might explain why in what is my BMY (which isn't saying that much compared to last year) I've only had 2 dls in over 24 hours.

lisafx · « **Reply #62 on:** October 27, 2009, 17:22 »

Quote from: ShadySue on October 27, 2009, 16:24

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 27, 2009, 14:44

Been stable for a while now....so its not like they are going aroudn changing every week
Totally disagree. I've seen my test images going up and down like yoyos over the last six-eight weeks, as have others in my CN. In fact, I just noticed that one image (of mine) which has been in the top 25 on its main keyword for about a year is today down at 256. Might explain why in what is my BMY (which isn't saying that much compared to last year) I've only had 2 dls in over 24 hours.

I have noticed the same as Sue. Lots of changes in the best match all the time, including lately.

For example today I noticed a lot of my new files with 0 downloads are in the front of my searches and lightboxes, far ahead of slightly older images with DL's. Clearly "new" just got a substantial boost.

gostwyck · « **Reply #63 on:** October 27, 2009, 18:19 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 27, 2009, 17:22

Lots of changes in the best match all the time, including lately.

For example today I noticed a lot of my new files with 0 downloads are in the front of my searches and lightboxes, far ahead of slightly older images with DL's. Clearly "new" just got a substantial boost.

Exclusive images now appear to be boosted roughly double over those from independents too __ I noticed that just in the last few days. Maybe it was Istock's reaction to FT's bribe?

Of course the best match is supposed to be about the relevancy of the image's keywords but that seems to have been dropped in importance (if not entirely) in favour of whatever whim they fancy at any given moment.

cathyslife · « **Reply #64 on:** October 27, 2009, 18:28 »

Quote

That's only partly true. What you should have said was that you can't sell RF from your own website. You're free to sell RM or prints from your own website.

But if you sell RF photos as an exclusive on IS, I'm pretty sure you can't sell that same photo anywhere else, RF or RM. That means you must have other images to sell RM and prints.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

ShadySue · « **Reply #65 on:** October 27, 2009, 18:49 »

Quote from: cclapper on October 27, 2009, 18:28

Quote
That's only partly true. What you should have said was that you can't sell RF from your own website. You're free to sell RM or prints from your own website.

But if you sell RF photos as an exclusive on IS, I'm pretty sure you can't sell that same photo anywhere else, RF or RM. That means you must have other images to sell RM and prints.

You're not wrong, but that would apply anywhere; you can't generally sell an image both RF and RM.

cidepix · « **Reply #66 on:** October 28, 2009, 07:11 »

Quote from: cclapper on October 27, 2009, 18:28

Quote
That's only partly true. What you should have said was that you can't sell RF from your own website. You're free to sell RM or prints from your own website.

But if you sell RF photos as an exclusive on IS, I'm pretty sure you can't sell that same photo anywhere else, RF or RM. That means you must have other images to sell RM and prints.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Like we are the image machines to produce enough for both.

I don't think any of us has that kind of time and luxury to waste images for one type of use. IS basically takes your rights completely and don't let you sell your RF images on your own.

One thing agencies don't want is people sell their images from their own websites. If only a few people do it, no problem. But if everyone starts doing it and it becomes a trend, then that's the beginning of the end for agencies.

ichiro17 · « **Reply #67 on:** October 28, 2009, 07:33 »

Quote from: cidepix on October 28, 2009, 07:11

Quote from: cclapper on October 27, 2009, 18:28
Quote
That's only partly true. What you should have said was that you can't sell RF from your own website. You're free to sell RM or prints from your own website.

But if you sell RF photos as an exclusive on IS, I'm pretty sure you can't sell that same photo anywhere else, RF or RM. That means you must have other images to sell RM and prints.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Like we are the image machines to produce enough for both. I don't think any of us has that kind of time and luxury to waste images for one type of use. IS basically takes your rights completely and don't let you sell your RF images on your own.

One thing agencies don't want is people sell their images from their own websites. If only a few people do it, no problem. But if everyone starts doing it and it becomes a trend, then that's the beginning of the end for agencies.

Newsflash: Companies that buy images dont' want to buy from your website. They don't want to spend the time to negotiate with you. They dont' care about your own personal website especially when you don't have a portfolio unique and commercial enough to replace an iStock collection of 6 million images. They want the protection and ease of a big stockhouse vs. having to find filter through 8000 websites to find the photo they want.

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Author Topic: Exclusivity - Has the crown lost its shine? (Read 27171 times)

cidepix

ichiro17

ShadySue

erwinova

ichiro17

RT

ichiro17

lisafx

ichiro17

gostwyck

ichiro17

ShadySue

lisafx

gostwyck

cathyslife

ShadySue

cidepix

ichiro17

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