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Author Topic: Google giving photos away free for commercial use and iStock agrees  (Read 256419 times)

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Poncke

« Reply #475 on: January 13, 2013, 14:24 »
0
Quote
Unfortunately people prefer to complain about istock and do little or nothing about it.  I hope this time its different but I don't understand the point in taking expensive drawn out time consuming legal action that might fail when we could sink istock in a month by leaving and promoting a much better site.

Do you honestly think you could sink iStock in a month by leaving? Of course not, because 99% of people would not follow you, and that includes me. Fine words about withdrawing work and fine if you earn a coupe of hundred a month there, if you make a few thousand a month and support your family, realistically, do you think people in that position are going to pull their work? You may not like them or how they do business, but they have a lot of people by the balls.
They have got no one by the balls. Everyone can change employers. Dont say it isnt true, because it is. If you hate your day job you get out and find a better one. Same goes for photographers. Dont think for one minute IS is your only chance in life to sell photos. Not saying its easy, but IS is holding no one against their will.


Reef

  • website ready 2026 :)
« Reply #476 on: January 13, 2013, 14:25 »
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ETA: I should clarify that I would deactivate my entire portfolio as part of a group initiative.


Lets hope the top artists can work something out. A strong worded letter would be a good start. Deactivation is an option. Sean has modified his script to make it easier to do I believe. http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=350491&messageid=6818805

« Reply #477 on: January 13, 2013, 14:26 »
0
This doesn't solve the root of the trouble but wouldn't it be possible to use way described in this thread as well?
http://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/everyone-with-a-complaint-about-istock-this-worked/

« Reply #478 on: January 13, 2013, 14:26 »
+2
Why do you guys keep talking about lawsuits, as if all you wanted is to have your day in court?

The objective is to remove your files from this deal. All it takes is one person succeeding, and the whole thing will most likely collapse. Start small, get a lawyer to send a take-down demand, and you may be pleasantly surprised (see my previous post).

And those of you who do have files in this, be careful. Timing matters. You need to act soon because the longer you delay the more likely will your inaction be used against you.

« Reply #479 on: January 13, 2013, 14:28 »
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Snufkin, with an approval rating around 10%, plus Congress cannot get anything done as it is, I would have more faith in asking Getty directly. IMO.

Cmannphoto, I didn't mean the whole Congress, I thought maybe there is a congressman or a few particularly interested in IP laws. I suppose such a congressman would have at least the resources to check if this deal was legal at all.
The contributors would not have to pay for the legal expenses. Also the contributors would not have to sue Getty directly, so Getty could not retaliate.

Poncke

« Reply #480 on: January 13, 2013, 14:37 »
0
This is also something that does not only affect the iStock contributor, but the whole microstock industry. Every logical image buyer without a contract with an agency will obviously look out now for free (high quality professionally approved) content, before they go to their favorite stock site (SS, FT, DT or whoever) to buy an image.
Welcome back Charl !!!!  :D

« Reply #481 on: January 13, 2013, 14:52 »
0
Ooops - I just found out that there are also 20 images from Zoonar. I wonder if Zoonar.com has been informed about this deal.

« Reply #482 on: January 13, 2013, 15:34 »
0
Ooops - I just found out that there are also 20 images from Zoonar. I wonder if Zoonar.com has been informed about this deal.

--------------------------------------------
which images?  How do you know they came from Zoonar?

« Reply #483 on: January 13, 2013, 15:35 »
+1
I've set Groundog Day (Feb 2) as my personal iQuit date.  2 weeks is more than enough time for IS to back off from this insanity.   Like I said, I'm peanuts in this game.   But this deal is so bad that I feel I have nothing to lose - if IS continues down this road, stock is ending anyway.   

« Reply #484 on: January 13, 2013, 15:37 »
0
I've set Groundog Day (Feb 2) as my personal iQuit date. 

Is that so you can keep reliving it over and over again? Might be kind of fun.

« Reply #485 on: January 13, 2013, 15:41 »
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Ooops - I just found out that there are also 20 images from Zoonar. I wonder if Zoonar.com has been informed about this deal.


--------------------------------------------
which images?  How do you know they came from Zoonar?


From Sean's list   http://seanlockephotography.com/googleImages/
Find their numbers in TS - they are from Zoonar collection.
126410102
126498001
126808112
126860118
126891940
126897562
126915928
126929991
126939031
126940621
126952939
126970160
127003653
127008971
127030183
127035462
127041189
127049718
127057325

« Reply #486 on: January 13, 2013, 15:41 »
+1
What is really sad is that people are discussing which files to deactivate on the istock forums and no admin gets in there to just say "please wait everyone, we have another update coming on Monday(Tuesday)".

 :(

vlad_the_imp

« Reply #487 on: January 13, 2013, 15:45 »
+2
Quote
Dont think for one minute IS is your only chance in life to sell photos. Not saying its easy, but IS is holding no one against their will.

Nobody is saying or thinking that, everyone I know has exit plans in place. You, I believe, have been in the business for a few months and probably earn comparatively little. You don't support a family, pay a large mortgage, put your kids through university, all from your iStock earnings, so with all respect, it's pretty easy to suggest to people they leave exclusivity, take big drops in income, even bigger than they have had already, without really considering or understanding what that means in real terms.

« Reply #488 on: January 13, 2013, 15:50 »
0
What is really sad is that people are discussing which files to deactivate on the istock forums and no admin gets in there to just say "please wait everyone, we have another update coming on Monday(Tuesday)".

 :(

At most, there will be a carefully weasel-worded statement that translates as "take it or leave it" plus the usual drivel about better communication in the future.   The boys in the expensive suits inked a deal with Google, and what we see so far is very possibly just the first phase.  They're not going to revisit this decision unless there's a massive exit of major contributors.  And maybe not even then.

« Reply #489 on: January 13, 2013, 15:54 »
+1
Quote
Dont think for one minute IS is your only chance in life to sell photos. Not saying its easy, but IS is holding no one against their will.

Nobody is saying or thinking that, everyone I know has exit plans in place. You, I believe, have been in the business for a few months and probably earn comparatively little. You don't support a family, pay a large mortgage, put your kids through university, all from your iStock earnings, so with all respect, it's pretty easy to suggest to people they leave exclusivity, take big drops in income, even bigger than they have had already, without really considering or understanding what that means in real terms.

Who are you quoting? Without the name of the OP included, and therefore the context, your post doesn't make sense.

vlad_the_imp

« Reply #490 on: January 13, 2013, 15:56 »
0
poncke, top of the page

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #491 on: January 13, 2013, 15:58 »
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Looking at the images that were selected, they all look extremely commercial to me. E.g. I'd only have been able to use a very few of these as a teacher, where I had an insatiable need for images. They are far too stocky for educational use.

« Reply #492 on: January 13, 2013, 16:11 »
+5
What is really sad is that people are discussing which files to deactivate on the istock forums and no admin gets in there to just say "please wait everyone, we have another update coming on Monday(Tuesday)".

 :(

At most, there will be a carefully weasel-worded statement that translates as "take it or leave it" plus the usual drivel about better communication in the future.   The boys in the expensive suits inked a deal with Google, and what we see so far is very possibly just the first phase.  They're not going to revisit this decision unless there's a massive exit of major contributors.  And maybe not even then.

I highly doubt it will be "take or leave it"... that would be business suicide for them, now when this is getting all the publicity - and publicity is a very powerful tool, don't under-estimate it. I never really considered leaving Istock before, but this time it's real. I'll cost me 1/4 of my income, but I refuse just sitting and watching my images being given away.
They have a few choices on the matter:
1) Buy out the rights for these images for reasonable amount
2) Try to modify the deal with Google somehow
3) Ask Google nicely to implement some restrictions on image use, like disabling right-click save or reducing the images sizes

Option #1 is the only reasonable one, so I doubt they'd go for it: even though it would save the situation it'd cost them a lot of money and they are too greedy for that. #2 is probably not a viable option since Google's lawyers have every right to say - how it is our business that you misrepresented your contributors? Most likely they'd try #3 or something along those lines.
Let see what happens.... Feb 2 sounds dandy for me for sending the request to take images down - give them just enough time to get their s**t together. And, by  the way, I won't be just leaving Istock - I will be taking down my images from Getty's PC collection and the ones that are there through other distributors.

Poncke

« Reply #493 on: January 13, 2013, 16:16 »
+1
Quote
Dont think for one minute IS is your only chance in life to sell photos. Not saying its easy, but IS is holding no one against their will.

Nobody is saying or thinking that, everyone I know has exit plans in place. You, I believe, have been in the business for a few months and probably earn comparatively little. You don't support a family, pay a large mortgage, put your kids through university, all from your iStock earnings, so with all respect, it's pretty easy to suggest to people they leave exclusivity, take big drops in income, even bigger than they have had already, without really considering or understanding what that means in real terms.
Its got nothing to do with microstock experience. Its about running a business or having a job and getting paid. I have been working for 22 years so Im as experienced in life as you. I am going to be devils advocate here but are you saying that its not hard for a single person with a leased house? Are those people free of bills and taxes and dont they need a home and eat? And that I dont understand how hard it is? Life is more than microstock. And secondly, didnt I say it wasnt easy? I am not saying you need to cancel your port today and have no income tomorrow. I am only saying no one is having you by the balls. How can you even think that. Man, go out and find other work, you know how to take good photos, so find something else to do with your camera. Execute your exit plan. And if IS was going to fall over in 2013, which is a reality, you have no choice anyway. Better start working on a way out instead of telling me I dont know what I am talking about  ;)

« Reply #494 on: January 13, 2013, 16:24 »
+2
iStock decided on a magical $12 for this deal, but where did that come from.  Couldn't it have been $5 or $1

According to this deal and what they say they have the right to do, nothing is stopping them from them giving our ENTIRE portfolio to google for $1.00/image (even at the already precedented $12 it is horrifying) and letting google give away all those images for free.  What if they decided to do that with all independent images.  According to them, they have the right to do so... and if the recent past is any indication they aren't above doing so. :( :( :(

We could then remove all images from iStock in retaliation, but the license would have already been sold to Google.  Google would still have the 'right' to give away those images.... according to iStock.

I feel this clip applies
"I was saying Boo-urns"

« Reply #495 on: January 13, 2013, 16:34 »
0
Let see what the Google+ community has to say about this. I made a Google+ post about this here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/109513121513434251684/posts/QT6hhvUcxxY [nofollow]

« Reply #496 on: January 13, 2013, 16:35 »
0
That's why I think, if I had any images on Google drive, I'd be taking my stuff down TOUT SUITE to minimize damage. Otherwise, the rest of your ports are going to end up somewhere for free, then for sure you will be scr3wed!

And this means if I find any of my images from SS or BigStock on a place like this, giving them away for free, they are coming down. I sincerely hope the other sites don't think this is the route to go.

« Reply #497 on: January 13, 2013, 16:53 »
0

With all respect I do not think that anything will change in IS unless some solid action on black diamond level happens. I am meaning people like Sean Locke, Don Bayley, Andresr, LisaFX, DKY59, mammamaart, etc. Furthermore, heavy uploaders from Denmark (not necessarily Arcurs) who contribute almost only lifestyle and business are another important group. So, let's say, if these people decide to negotiate together with another agency/agencies and pull their portfolios from IS things can change.


I was thinking something similar.  If a group of diamond and black diamond contributors, even just the non-exclusive ones, made a plan to pull out all together I would participate.  Perhaps we could agree in advance to begin deactivating images en mass on a certain day.

I think the usual arguments of "big sellers have the most to lose by pulling out" don't apply here.  If enough of us do it then we have the most to gain by protecting our livelihoods.

I'm small potatoes, but I would be up for an agreed upon deactivation for maximum impact. I'll be deactivating anyway, so might as well add some punch.

« Reply #498 on: January 13, 2013, 16:54 »
0
I just wrote to VStock about 44 images of theirs that are listed in the Google/Getty giveaway. The file numbers are the Getty image numbers. I'm hoping that they won't be happy and will complain to Getty - the more unhappy entities the better as far as I can see.

102491432, 102491433, 102491439, 102756630, 103924141, 103924150, 103924196, 116363798, 116363800, 116363980, 116363981, 129309148, 129309150, 129309151, 129309153, 129309155, 129309157, 129309180, 129309181, 129309182, 129309184, 129309186, 129309188, 129309189, 129309191, 129309234, 129309238, 129309310, 129309317, 136597459, 136597461, 136597465, 140196828, 144564151, 144564255, 144564307, 144564310, 149264332, 149264366, 149264388, 95468599, 95468665, 95468672, 95468717

You can plug these in at Getty to see the images or in the Google Drive dialog to see them there

« Reply #499 on: January 13, 2013, 17:04 »
0
Has something happened on the Google Drive announcement page, I see it has 138 comments but I cannot see any of them.


 

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