Author Topic: iStockphoto and Google image search (Read 10700 times)

Perry · « **on:** June 18, 2008, 16:29 »

When I googled my name in google image search I got horrified when I noticed that my iStock images turned up. And I have no explanation why that is so, the source code of the pages doesn't even have my name on them, and they still turn up. Why is that?

I'm getting very frustrated with this, I'm even planning closing my account with 1000 images (what a pain it was to upload them!) if I can't get my images removed from the search results because selling my images for peanuts really hurts my other photo business

Have you noticed this? Is there something that can be done? Or is it adios, iStock?

thesentinel · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2008, 17:10 »

When my name comes up with a handful of my over 2000 images on google image search it's because they have been used and credited to me on a purchasers website.

lisafx · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2008, 17:24 »

I guess since microstock is the majority of my photo business I like that my images come up on istock in google searches. More business for me.

Have you had customers complain about finding your images on istock? Hopefully your microstock work is different enough from whatever else you do that it shouldn't be an issue...?

jsnover · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2008, 17:46 »

I don't mind at all that my images turn up, but is your name shown as the copyright holder for your iStock images? Some contributors have that information hidden, and it may be that is where the search picks it up. There's a profile setting somewhere that lets you hide your name if you want.

JC-SL · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2008, 17:48 »

I think I'm missing the point.. $:-\$ aren't you trying to sell images? if so... even if your name comes up.. what are you hiding from? as they say, any publicity is good publicity!

Just smile and wave boys!

PS. tried it for me and it doesn't work in the 1st 5 pages... ain't no one looking beyond that.

madelaide · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2008, 18:15 »

I never tried that, but if this is an issue for you, why are you in IS?

As for why images show despite your name isn't there, it probably is, maybe where you can not see (metadata, EXIF data)

Regards,
Adelaide

CofkoCof · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2008, 18:19 »

Open one of your images. Under copyright you can see your name. I think this is true for all of us, since we had to supply real information and submit our id which matched that information. I think that's why search finds your name.

yingyang0 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2008, 22:45 »

Quote from: CofkoCof on June 18, 2008, 18:19

Open one of your images. Under copyright you can see your name. I think this is true for all of us, since we had to supply real information and submit our id which matched that information. I think that's why search finds your name.

There is an option to hide your real name and it was created for exactly the reason Perry is upset about. Go to your control panel on iStock. Click Contributor and you'll see a drop down labeled "display copyright owner". Choose member name rather than real name.

You'll have to wait until google's bots cycle through iStock again before your images disappear from the google search engine, but they will eventually.

Perry · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2008, 02:04 »

Quote from: yingyang0 on June 18, 2008, 22:45

There is an option to hide your real name and it was created for exactly the reason Perry is upset about. Go to your control panel on iStock. Click Contributor and you'll see a drop down labeled "display copyright owner". Choose member name rather than real name.

That's exactly what I have done a long time ago (a couple of years ago when they introduces that feature), but still my images keep popping up, even all newer images.

Perry · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2008, 02:13 »

Quote from: lisafx on June 18, 2008, 17:24

Have you had customers complain about finding your images on istock? Hopefully your microstock work is different enough from whatever else you do that it shouldn't be an issue...?

No, they are not complaining. I think many of them would not complain, just move somewhere else. I don't know if this has happened or not, it's impossible to know.
Ans yes, different images on every price level and photography type. That's one of the problems. When I google hundreds of my mediocre microstock pictures pop up, I would really not want them to represent my work.

Every "real" macrostock agency I'm familiar with seem to respect their contributor's privacy, so that aliases can really be used. Most microstock agencies does this too, except iStock, crestock and featurepics (in their watermarks). The latter two could be fixed by using just my first name initial as my first name.