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Author Topic: Out of Curiousity ...  (Read 2718 times)

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« on: September 17, 2009, 12:52 »
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Do you think iStockphoto will ever make it so that individual files can be exclusive? I think the reason they don't do it right now is because it's too difficult to track our images; however, with websites such as Tineye making this easier to do, maybe they will change their minds in the future? Just wanted some feedback on that. Thanks.


« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2009, 13:14 »
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Tineye cannot track images that are being used in print ads or billboards.

No, I don't think that IS will be offering just image exclusivity.
Not certain that they would even want to.
As it stands now, one must prove a certain amount of ability to sell in order to become exclusive.

This has not been the case at other sites which do allow exclusivity on a per image basis.

lisafx

« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2009, 17:02 »
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Do you think iStockphoto will ever make it so that individual files can be exclusive?

No, I don't think so.  For the reasons Nosaya mentioned like tracking and similars, but also for another reason.

Istock has a huge investment in its exclusive artists.  If they were to allow non-exclusive artists to submit exclusive images, the exclusive artists might decide to go independent and start uploading images to other sites, while leaving some images exclusive to Istock. 

A mass exodus of exclusives from "artist exclusivity" to "image exclusivity" would be a disaster for the perceived prestige of the exclusive collection which istock has been marketing heavily for years.

« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2009, 18:40 »
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Not a chance __ for all the reasons stated above plus the difficulty of policing 'sister images' etc.

If they did though they would get quite a few of mine. The best possible thing to happen to an image is if it takes off on IS __ when that occurs just sit back and enjoy.

« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2009, 02:24 »
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Other sites allow exclusive images, so I don't believe the policing problems.  Most people are honest and the few that cheat could be banned.  There are so many people looking at portfolios on various sites and I don't think people get away with putting exclusive images on several sites for long.  It is a big risk if it leads to being banned.

They probably will never have exclusive images but there is a possibility, if one of the other sites became so big that a lot of istock exclusives decided to go non-exclusive.  I also wonder how istock will manage if a lot of the old pros try microstock.  They wont go exclusive because they already have RF portfolios on the traditional sites.  istock will end up with a small portion of their portfolios, thanks to the small upload limits.  The other sites will get all their portfolios.  This is already happening but if more of the old pros try microstock, istock might have to change their strategy.

« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2009, 07:44 »
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At least the trend in the industry seems to go in the other direction.
Both FT and DT have recently lowered their commissions for exclusive images - maybe to make the "exclusive artist" model more attractive.

alias

« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2009, 07:59 »
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I also wonder how istock will manage if a lot of the old pros try microstock.  They wont go exclusive because they already have RF portfolios on the traditional sites.  istock will end up with a small portion of their portfolios, thanks to the small upload limits.  The other sites will get all their portfolios.  This is already happening but if more of the old pros try microstock, istock might have to change their strategy.

I spend quite a bit of time with some of those old pros. To be perfectly honest the industry is mostly leaving them behind. Many of them just cannot get their head around computers and digital processing in particular.

In most cases their old film scans are generating very little income and are unlikely to be part of any significant equations with respect to the future direction of the RF stock industry. Old RF stock mostly has very little value.

Some older editorial stock is still generating significant income - but that is almost invariably not RF and therefore not a factor in this discussion.

^ IMO :)

« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2009, 08:14 »
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I also wonder how istock will manage if a lot of the old pros try microstock.  They wont go exclusive because they already have RF portfolios on the traditional sites.  istock will end up with a small portion of their portfolios, thanks to the small upload limits.  The other sites will get all their portfolios.  This is already happening but if more of the old pros try microstock, istock might have to change their strategy.

I think there's enough content on all the sites that "old pros" can join in or not, and wouldn't be noticed.


 

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