Author Topic: iStock Vetta Collection (Read 30685 times)

Sean Locke Photography · « **on:** June 24, 2009, 07:43 »

In case you hadn't heard yet, iStock announced its (formerly known as "Premiere"

) Vetta collection this morning of 35,000 higher priced hot shot style images.

http://www.istockphoto.com/vetta.php

RT · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2009, 09:08 »

I think the idea is a great one, however from what I've seen so far the collection seems to be made up of some very creative images and a lot of standard run of the mill stuff that can be found on any microstock site, I cannot see the appeal to a buyer if the type of images in this collection don't excel that which is on offer at the regular price or on every other microstock site for less.

If I were exclusive and had images I felt were worthing of the Vetta collection I wouldn't be too pleased seeing them alongside a snapshot of a puppy dog in the garden and others like that!

Time will tell and like I said I think it's a good idea.

antoniodalbore · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2009, 09:10 »

...yes Sean!

And also added localized search results, new icon (shiny golden camera) for Vetta images and restyled the "My Upload" section of Contributor.

Hope to start soon to sell what I have on Vetta!

Wish a Great Day to Everybody!

gostwyck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2009, 10:06 »

I like the idea of recognising that some images have additional value too but the selection method and pricing does seem a bit arbitrary.

I think they could learn from DT's Level 1-5 system in which placement/price is earned either through sales on an increasing scale or through being an assignment acceptance.

It just seems a bit odd to escalate the price of one particular image with no sales to suddenly being 4x the worth of other images that have notched up 1000's of sales.

Istock (and the artists) would probably make far more money by increasing the price of proven exclusive best-sellers than arbitrarily-awarded 'nice' images. Ultimately this is all about stock usefulness and saleability, not art. If an image hardly sells then increasing it's price by 4x is probably not going to help it much.

madelaide · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2009, 10:17 »

Vetta means summit. Makes more sense than premiere.

lisafx · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2009, 10:28 »

Congrats to istock on implementing this. Hope it goes well for them and raises the price of premium imagery everywhere.

I am not delighted with the new Uploads page though. Lots of real estate given to Vetta, which for me, is totally wasted, and stats I actually use like total DL's, total Royalties, etc. crammed over on the right hand side. It's pretty hard to discipher. I'd have been happy to lose the massive "comments" column in the middle in order to make more room for relevant stats.

rene · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2009, 11:32 »

Quote from: gostwyck on June 24, 2009, 10:06

I think they could learn from DT's Level 1-5 system in which placement/price is earned either through sales on an increasing scale or through being an assignment acceptance.

and finally sell them for $0.35 ?

Graffoto · « **Reply #7 on:** June 24, 2009, 11:40 »

Thanks for heads-up, Sean!

I have to admit the shots on the front page flash slide show are freaking awesome!

However, when I clicked on the 'view Vetta' button there were only illustrations. After 60 plus pages of vector graphics, I stopped looking.

How does one search for Photographs only, in the Vetta collection?
Is there a way to do it in the advanced search page?

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2009, 12:44 »

That may be a bug in the search dropdown that selects Best Match, Age, Downloads, etc. for the sort. Vectors were the most recently added to the Vetta collection and the bug with the sort order not refreshing is being looked at according to an admin post.

PixelBytes · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2009, 13:00 »

Quote from: rene on June 24, 2009, 11:32

Quote from: gostwyck on June 24, 2009, 10:06
I think they could learn from DT's Level 1-5 system in which placement/price is earned either through sales on an increasing scale or through being an assignment acceptance.
and finally sell them for $0.35 ?

No, they would sell them for .25-.38 on Photos.com and JIU. Uncredited and no link to rest of portfolio.

alias · « **Reply #10 on:** June 24, 2009, 13:30 »

IStock are dead right to expand into different price points.

PixelBytes · « **Reply #11 on:** June 24, 2009, 13:38 »

Quote from: alias on June 24, 2009, 13:30

IStock are dead right to expand into different price points.

Absolutely. It seems to have worked out well for the other sites that have already been doing it such as DT, Fotolia, Etc.

Jury's still out on the long term effect on contributors though.

pieman · « **Reply #12 on:** June 24, 2009, 13:40 »

Quote from: jsnover on June 24, 2009, 12:44

That may be a bug in the search dropdown that selects Best Match, Age, Downloads, etc. for the sort. Vectors were the most recently added to the Vetta collection and the bug with the sort order not refreshing is being looked at according to an admin post.

Yep, we are on it.

Gregor909 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 24, 2009, 15:56 »

For exclusives only? That's lame!
Come on non-exclusives, let's start a vendetta-collection!

madelaide · « **Reply #14 on:** June 24, 2009, 16:23 »

Quote from: RT on June 24, 2009, 09:08

I think the idea is a great one, however from what I've seen so far the collection seems to be made up of some very creative images and a lot of standard run of the mill stuff that can be found on any microstock site, I cannot see the appeal to a buyer if the type of images in this collection don't excel that which is on offer at the regular price or on every other microstock site for less.

I agree. Many creative and even a bit artsy images, and some very ordinary ones (good nevertheless).

Quote from: Gregor909 on June 24, 2009, 15:56

Come on non-exclusives, let's start a vendetta-collection!

Good idea!

microstockinsider · « **Reply #15 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:13 »

hmm, the new search results are 'very brave'

Just searched for our favourite stock cliche 'apple' and of the results in best match, only at image 51 did I get to an isolated picture of an apple, ALL of the previous images were vetta images, including "Man spraying insecticide in apple orchard", "Fruity Girl with an apple in a hat" and "Inteligent - a photo of a bulldog wearing spectacles?". A search for apple used to reveal a whole page of every different sort of isolated apple photo you could imagine.

perhaps that's just a glitch in the search results, clearly they want to promote their more expensive images, but sacrificing search quality? yes they are all nice photos now instead of boring apples on white backdrops but will those results not scare away a lot of the $1-$5 customers? from the first page results you could be forgiven for thinking that every photo on the site costed 20-40 credits. Of course you can click on advanced and turn them off but only if you know to.

Freedom · « **Reply #16 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:22 »

It's terrible! The only search you can conduct is the default Best Match. As non-exclusive, we are going to be non searchable except for those who are willing to search the bottom!

Gregor909 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:38 »

Quote from: Freedom on June 24, 2009, 20:22

As non-exclusive, we are going to be non searchable except for those who are willing to search the bottom!

As non-exclusive, we are going to be non searchable because we aren't in it.
Besides, the search result of that collection isn't working decent yet, because they added all the images in one day, and the last they added will end up higher at first.

gostwyck · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:38 »

You're right! I think the first 80 or so images were all 'Vetta' when you search apple.

That's not going to please their customers __ looks like another own-goal by IS.

Gregor909 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:48 »

Oh wait, you guys mean the search engine overall, not only within that Vetta collection!
Yeah now I see, the search result are pretty messed up by all those Vetta images.
Now I understand why all those Vetta- exclusives have so many sales allready.

Freedom · « **Reply #20 on:** June 24, 2009, 20:51 »

Gregor, you got it right this time. I didn't mean Vetta, I meant you couldn't search anything except Best Match.

I hope it's a glitch.

Quote from: Gregor909 on June 24, 2009, 20:48

Oh wait, you guys mean the search engine overall, not only within that Vetta collection!
Yeah now I see, the search result are pretty messed up by all those Vetta images.
Now I understand why all those Vetta- exclusives have so many sales allready.

bad to the bone · « **Reply #21 on:** June 24, 2009, 22:36 »

…well good idea, and why should i give a "best" image not to an macro agency? They pay more?
Just an idear... of a rookie.

Ups...and not to forget: just as an idea of an humbleness rookie who never ever would like to lift his head over anyone like lisa or puravida, who are the rulers here.

bittersweet · « **Reply #22 on:** June 24, 2009, 22:54 »

Quote from: werkmann on June 24, 2009, 22:36

…well good idea, and why should i give a "best" image not to an macro agency? They pay more?
Just an idear... of a rookie.

Ups...and not to forget: just as an idea of an humbleness rookie who never ever would like to lift his head over anyone like lisa or puravida, who are the rulers here.

If you have an outlet to sell your images to a macro, sure that's a great idea. I think this thread was just announcing the opening of the new iStock collection, which only contains images from some of their exclusive contributors. So if you aren't exclusive there, nobody is asking you to send your best images anywhere you don't want to.

fotografer · « **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2009, 02:37 »

Having so many Vetta images at the front of the search is going to put new customers off. If they are browsing and look at the prices of the first few images they will be put off and assume that all images are that price. I think it really isn't a good idea.

iclick · « **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2009, 03:16 »

^ yes that has already been confirmed by buyers over in the IS forum^

As you say it could put many Customers off and to be franc seems to create a division within the Exclusive content rather than the bump all Crowns received in a previous best match shake up

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: iStock Vetta Collection (Read 30685 times)

Sean Locke Photography

RT

antoniodalbore

gostwyck

madelaide

lisafx

rene

Graffoto

Jo Ann Snover

PixelBytes

alias

PixelBytes

pieman

Gregor909

madelaide

microstockinsider

Freedom

Gregor909

gostwyck

Gregor909

Freedom

bad to the bone

bittersweet

fotografer

iclick

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors