MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: fotorob on June 03, 2013, 03:40

Title: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: fotorob on June 03, 2013, 03:40
Hello,

I just saw that Josh Hodge (pixeldeluxe) only has 40 files left at iStockphoto:
http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=2881663 (http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=2881663)

Does anybody know more?
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 03, 2013, 03:48
Also the account of two danish contributors ( pixdeluxe and laflor ) yesterday was been merged into globalstock ...47000 images , 2300 agency files and almost 400 vetta(s) not bad
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: fotorob on June 03, 2013, 04:03
Ah, thanks.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: eclaire on June 03, 2013, 06:23
The question remains why these accounts got merged. Is this a part of the Yuri-deal and these accounts have been sub-accounts of Yuri or did these two contributors joined business together? It's pretty strange IMHO!
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: ShadySue on June 03, 2013, 07:18
Not speaking about these two in particular, you'd think merges might be more attractive with dls going down for most people (maybe not these two) and people wanting to retain their  %ages. You'd think iS would want to stop that precisely to prevent people hitting higher targets.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: fotoVoyager on June 03, 2013, 07:50
I'm pretty sure I remember Laflor insisting that he was independent of Yuri when similarities were pointed out between their work in the past.

This is all pretty disgusting corporate behaviour on iStock's part when it's coupled with the screwing of the general contributor. One of the redeeming features of Microstock was its sense of meritocracy that generated crowd sourcing enthusiasm and launched exciting new work. Now it's back to who you know and that didn't work out well for trad libraries before.

Exclusivity is rapidly becoming morally and financially unsustainable for anyone who makes a living at this unless you can make a deal.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: topol on June 03, 2013, 08:22
The question remains why these accounts got merged. Is this a part of the Yuri-deal and these accounts have been sub-accounts of Yuri or did these two contributors joined business together? It's pretty strange IMHO!

Maybe they got together to eek out a better deal with istock. It doesn't matter to the customers unless it results in some kind of a severe price hike.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: eclaire on June 03, 2013, 08:31
The question remains why these accounts got merged. Is this a part of the Yuri-deal and these accounts have been sub-accounts of Yuri or did these two contributors joined business together? It's pretty strange IMHO!

Maybe they got together to eek out a better deal with istock. It doesn't matter to the customers unless it results in some kind of a severe price hike.
Yes it would make it also possible to them to submit as an independent with their personal name to other sites while remaining exclusive with their business account, but the other question than is why would iStock allow that and why at the same timing with the Yuri-deal. I think there must be a connection between the Yuri-deal and these two accounts merging together.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: fotorob on June 03, 2013, 11:34
I know that both Daniel Laflor and Josh Hodge exist as real people, so these have certainly not been sub-accounts of yuri, though both did work for Yuri at some point, so there might be a connection to the recent Yuri-deal.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: cathyslife on June 03, 2013, 12:38
Laflor has been at istock almost since the beginning. Early on he created some photoshop actions that sized images to fit istocks sizes. I used those for a long time. He was there long before yuri came on the scene, as far as i know. So my guess would be merger. With who, i have no clue.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: kelby on June 15, 2013, 17:00
Also the account of two danish contributors ( pixdeluxe and laflor ) yesterday was been merged into globalstock ...47000 images , 2300 agency files and almost 400 vetta(s) not bad

just to clarify the account is the merge of pixdeluxe + laflor + shapecharge (3 danish istock contributors)
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: luissantos84 on June 15, 2013, 17:05
Also the account of two danish contributors ( pixdeluxe and laflor ) yesterday was been merged into globalstock ...47000 images , 2300 agency files and almost 400 vetta(s) not bad

just to clarify the account is the merge of pixdeluxe + laflor + shapecharge (3 danish istock contributors)

who wants to be danish? ;D
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: kelby on June 15, 2013, 17:15
Also the account of two danish contributors ( pixdeluxe and laflor ) yesterday was been merged into globalstock ...47000 images , 2300 agency files and almost 400 vetta(s) not bad

just to clarify the account is the merge of pixdeluxe + laflor + shapecharge (3 danish istock contributors)

who wants to be danish? ;D

sorry just another one :

gradyreese + laflor + pixdeluxe + shapecharge .....who's next?  8)
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: cobalt on June 15, 2013, 17:29
If their style is similar to yuris, I wouldn't be surprised if they were offered some kind of buy out deal by getty. And then getty merges the content in one large collection. Maybe a certain number of files was necessary to get the best deal.

just speculation of course, could be they are about to start their own version of blend and globalstock is the new name for their coop.

The more files you have, the more leverage in negotiations.

I wonder if the top istock exclusives will start to do deals like this soon. Or how they feel watching it happen.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: Digital66 on June 15, 2013, 18:30
Also the account of two danish contributors ( pixdeluxe and laflor ) yesterday was been merged into globalstock ...47000 images , 2300 agency files and almost 400 vetta(s) not bad

just to clarify the account is the merge of pixdeluxe + laflor + shapecharge (3 danish istock contributors)

who wants to be danish? ;D

sorry just another one :

gradyreese + laflor + pixdeluxe + shapecharge .....who's next?  8)

I guess... kupicoo, Squaredpixels, and steex (Like laflor, they are real people, but I'm sure they work for/with Yuri)
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on June 15, 2013, 21:04
These big 'companies'/accounts will push the RC curve to the left next year, causing many to drop a level.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: sharpshot on June 16, 2013, 03:57
Perhaps the idea is to get most non-exclusives at 15%?  The 999 upload limit should do that, there's going to be huge earnings dilution.  Still can't see how it helps buyers though?  They've given them lower price collections to look at but with very low QC standards, they'll not want to wade through them.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: cathyslife on June 16, 2013, 05:36
Perhaps the idea is to get most non-exclusives at 15%?  The 999 upload limit should do that, there's going to be huge earnings dilution.  Still can't see how it helps buyers though?  They're given then lower price collections to look at but with very low QC standards, they'll not want to wade through them.


Good, maybe even more buyers will jump to ss then.
Title: Re: Josh Hodge (pixdeluxe) gone from iStock too?
Post by: ShadySue on June 16, 2013, 06:37
Perhaps the idea is to get most non-exclusives at 15%?  The 999 upload limit should do that, there's going to be huge earnings dilution.  Still can't see how it helps buyers though?  They're given then lower price collections to look at but with very low QC standards, they'll not want to wade through them.


Good, maybe even more buyers will jump to ss then.

Are you thinking SS would raise their prices to a more realistic level if that happened?