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Author Topic: How to LEAVE iStock???  (Read 26550 times)

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« Reply #25 on: January 17, 2012, 04:20 »
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Sound advice Les - I guess the only thing that could go wrong is if the image is deactivated for you - (like I think guitars/French castles were in the past?) - saying that, who knows what'll be removed in months/years to come for some potential copyright issue 


« Reply #26 on: January 17, 2012, 04:48 »
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Thanks everyone for all the advice- Yes, that's what I was looking for, some way to 'deactivate' all my files until the pennies stopped trickling in next month before asking for final payout...

So um, next question: For the life of me, I can't seem to navigate the IS site well enough to find out just how to deactivate my files... friendly hint please?

Thanks again, everyone.

« Reply #27 on: January 17, 2012, 04:55 »
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EDIT: Uh, ok... I see if I click on an individual filename, at the bottom is the possibility to deactivate... but do I really have to do this for every file individually? Is there no where to access a list of all filenames and just check the ones I want deactivated?

« Reply #28 on: January 17, 2012, 05:55 »
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A new quiz showed up on the Beeb last week. I noticed in the credits that the photos used were credited only to Getty and Thinkstock: no mention of iStock (or any other).

That's because the Beeb were persuaded to subscribe to TS about the time that the PP was launched, presumably by a Getty sales rep to keep them onboard. Of course the Beeb is a public service broadcaster, not a commercial enterprise, so any old (cheap) image to illustrate a story is likely to be considered 'good enough'.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #29 on: January 17, 2012, 06:10 »
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A new quiz showed up on the Beeb last week. I noticed in the credits that the photos used were credited only to Getty and Thinkstock: no mention of iStock (or any other).

That's not a good sign.

If I'd known in advance I'd have paid more attention, but in retrospect I thought that there may hgave been some people pics - maybe some famous chefs (?) from Getty (though I couldn't actually remember any!) and the other pics were all culinary-related, therefore easy to source from TS.

As an iStocker, I'm not pleased - I used to find iStock photos on their site quite often.
As a BBC licence payer, of course they should must source as cheaply as possible without losing quality, so if the same, or similar, photo is available on TS, they have to buy it there.
From Getty's pov, they didn't go to SS or elsewhere - and if they had, as an iStocker, I still wouldn't have been pleased!

« Reply #30 on: January 17, 2012, 08:18 »
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Here's a strategy to consider if you're planning to delete your portfolio on iStock. Pick one image that has very few views and has never sold. Delete all the most relevant keywords so it will never be found in a search and change the categories to something irrelevant. In other words, the objective is that the image will never sell because it will never be found in any meaningful search. Then leave that image up and delete all the rest. Time the mass deletion so that you have more than a $100 balance and can request a payout but don't request it until the files have been removed from Thinkstock & photos.com and they're included in your payout.

There are several advantages to doing that. You will maintain an active (but essentially dead) portfolio which you could begin using again at any time without having to reapply and re-upload when (or if) things change. You will get the money they owe you. And you will maintain your stats. You will also maintain your canister level which could be meaningful if you reactivated.

I deactivated all my pics but I still have an active account, can log in, can list my deactivated files and I still have a balance of around 5$. I am sure I could start uploading again (though I did not try).
I don't think you need to keep an active image.

« Reply #31 on: January 17, 2012, 08:28 »
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^ Just for information - you do still have a bunch of links to non-existent lightboxes in your "About me" profile...

« Reply #32 on: January 17, 2012, 09:13 »
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EDIT: Uh, ok... I see if I click on an individual filename, at the bottom is the possibility to deactivate... but do I really have to do this for every file individually? Is there no where to access a list of all filenames and just check the ones I want deactivated?

Yes, individually.

« Reply #33 on: January 17, 2012, 09:19 »
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EDIT: Uh, ok... I see if I click on an individual filename, at the bottom is the possibility to deactivate... but do I really have to do this for every file individually? Is there no where to access a list of all filenames and just check the ones I want deactivated?

Yes, individually.

Bummer, thanks...

« Reply #34 on: January 17, 2012, 12:36 »
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^ Just for information - you do still have a bunch of links to non-existent lightboxes in your "About me" profile...

Thanks, I didn't even think about those lightboxes anymore...
If (big if) ever something changes at Istock so that I feel like contributing again, I'll clean that up.
Until then I would bet nobody will really notice...

« Reply #35 on: January 17, 2012, 15:32 »
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Here's a strategy to consider if you're planning to delete your portfolio on iStock. Pick one image that has very few views and has never sold. Delete all the most relevant keywords so it will never be found in a search and change the categories to something irrelevant. In other words, the objective is that the image will never sell because it will never be found in any meaningful search. Then leave that image up and delete all the rest. Time the mass deletion so that you have more than a $100 balance and can request a payout but don't request it until the files have been removed from Thinkstock & photos.com and they're included in your payout.

There are several advantages to doing that. You will maintain an active (but essentially dead) portfolio which you could begin using again at any time without having to reapply and re-upload when (or if) things change. You will get the money they owe you. And you will maintain your stats. You will also maintain your canister level which could be meaningful if you reactivated.

I deactivated all my pics but I still have an active account, can log in, can list my deactivated files and I still have a balance of around 5$. I am sure I could start uploading again (though I did not try).
I don't think you need to keep an active image.

I should have mentioned that I haven't tested this or any other strategy. I plan to leave at least my minilypse images active just to try to recoup some of the cost. However, that's not looking very promising at this time. They haven't moved any of mine over to the PP that I can find.

« Reply #36 on: January 17, 2012, 16:35 »
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Is there an easy way to find ones images on the Partner Sites? I have searched for my name at ThinkStock, but don't find anything. I have found a few via other keywords, but they don't even seem to have photographer credits associated with the images. ???

How can I be sure they are all gone if I don't even know which ones are out there?

« Reply #37 on: January 17, 2012, 16:54 »
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My best selling photo, that reached 100 downloads in a month once, has only 1 download so far in January.  There's no point wasting time deactivating, istock have done it for me :)

Exactly! Me to!!

« Reply #38 on: January 17, 2012, 17:19 »
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Is there an easy way to find ones images on the Partner Sites? I have searched for my name at ThinkStock, but don't find anything. I have found a few via other keywords, but they don't even seem to have photographer credits associated with the images. ???

How can I be sure they are all gone if I don't even know which ones are out there?

Search for the name you use for copyright purposes on IS, and put quotes around it.

« Reply #39 on: January 18, 2012, 07:38 »
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Is there an easy way to find ones images on the Partner Sites? I have searched for my name at ThinkStock, but don't find anything. I have found a few via other keywords, but they don't even seem to have photographer credits associated with the images. ???

How can I be sure they are all gone if I don't even know which ones are out there?

Search for the name you use for copyright purposes on IS, and put quotes around it.
I tried that, and found only 34 files... Problem is, there are many more files I can find by keyword, but not associated with my account as far as I can tell? I have no way to tell just how many are on the partner sites or not, and I guess I will never know when they are all gone...

Also, I can't seem to figure out hoe to deactivate the files on Istock- I have tried clicking the deactivate button at the bottom if the image page, but it just refreshes with no confirmation and there doesn't seem to be any change in the list of uploads... Will this take a while to take effect, or do I really have to give a reason in the box for every file?? This is certainly frustrating...

« Reply #40 on: January 18, 2012, 11:13 »
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..., or do I really have to give a reason in the box for every file?? This is certainly frustrating...

You really do have to give a reason - you can paste something into each one to save time.

It is frustrating, but several other sites are similarly painful if you want to deactivate images vs. close an account completely. I guess no site wants to optimize the experience for users removing content en masse :)

« Reply #41 on: January 18, 2012, 11:27 »
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..., or do I really have to give a reason in the box for every file?? This is certainly frustrating...

You really do have to give a reason - you can paste something into each one to save time.

It is frustrating, but several other sites are similarly painful if you want to deactivate images vs. close an account completely. I guess no site wants to optimize the experience for users removing content en masse :)

It takes time, but if you set up a decent system, it goes quick. Here's how I did mine.

I opened up the My Upload page. Sorted by downloads and went to the last page. Right clicked on all 20 files on the page. Then went through those 20 tabs I opened and deactivated the files. I pasted the same reason in every file. Then, went to the next page when the only tab I had left open was the My Upload page.

« Reply #42 on: January 18, 2012, 12:50 »
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If you are going to keep any images up, I suggest you make them photo + before you start deactivating.

For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.

It is quite painful though. I opened them all in new tabs and then deactivated one tab at a time pasting in the reason.

« Reply #43 on: January 18, 2012, 14:46 »
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For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.
;D

Here's my reason...didn't feel like explaining myself.

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. -- Albert Einstein

« Reply #44 on: January 18, 2012, 16:09 »
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For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.

I wrote "because I love you". It probably never got read anyway. 

« Reply #45 on: January 18, 2012, 16:57 »
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If you are going to keep any images up, I suggest you make them photo + before you start deactivating.

For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.

It is quite painful though. I opened them all in new tabs and then deactivated one tab at a time pasting in the reason.

good point, since the number of photo+ images you can have is based on a percentage of your portfolio.

« Reply #46 on: January 18, 2012, 17:48 »
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For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.

I wrote "Receiving less than 20% commission is making selling images through Istockphoto unsustainable."

« Reply #47 on: January 18, 2012, 17:53 »
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For the reason I suggest something like "the new PP program", or possibly "because IS now takes up to 85% of a sale so buy my images elsewhere for less and I'll still get paid more" I also typed "lobo" as the reason for some.

I wrote "Receiving less than 20% commission is making selling images through Istockphoto unsustainable."

Lol!!  ;D

« Reply #48 on: January 19, 2012, 04:21 »
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OK, thanks again for all the help everyone... All files on iStock deactivated (left one)... Just put a big 'X' in every box.... I have plenty of reasons, and don't have to tell iStock one way or another. They didn't care to ask me when they cut commissions, when they changed best match, etc. etc., so I have my personal reasons for leaving, and I dont feel like I have to show them any courtesy.

Now waiting for the files to come off the partner sites... was finally able to locate at least 90% of them of TS, spread out over four differant pseudos... hoping that's all there is, and I don't have a hell of a time to get them removed...

Thanks again for the advice.

« Reply #49 on: February 05, 2012, 03:21 »
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You're making a right decision to not go exclusive, istockphoto is not what it used to be!


 

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