This all puts me in a really difficult position. Inclusion in ThinkStock is no longer optional. So my work has to be included, as do all non-exclusive artists' work, bolstering the TS collection and thus making TS a potentially stronger competitor to Shutterstock. Of course SS is my top earner, and so I'm not in the terrible position of having to decide if I want to possibly cannibalize sales at my top agency for the sake of my steadily decreasing istock sales, or pull the plug on istock for the sake of better supporting SS.

Not sure what to do with this news just yet...

Quote from: dirkr on August 29, 2011, 15:24

Glad that I removed my portfolio.

My last four are coming down. One I designated for Photos+ so I think that one is stuck.

You can still remove P+ files from the site.  You just can't leave them on the site and take them out of P+ before 6 months.

This was no surprise...they made it clear months ago that non-exclusives were nobodies, they are just following through with what a lot of us thought was going to happen. They made it clear I meant nothing to them, and I am happy to oblige getting out of the way of their big plans.

I have a feeling this isn't over...they just allowed non-exclusives to tag images for the Photos+ program, thereby making more commissions from those photos. So those are all now going to go to Thinkstock, where they can be purchased for pennies? Am I missing something?

As non-exclusives, we're being forced to sell our images through the PP-program.

So there are two options: either delete your port, or become exclusive.  

This all puts me in a really difficult position. Inclusion in ThinkStock is no longer optional. So my work has to be included, as do all non-exclusive artists' work, bolstering the TS collection and thus making TS a potentially stronger competitor to Shutterstock. Of course SS is my top earner, and so I'm not in the terrible position of having to decide if I want to possibly cannibalize sales at my top agency for the sake of my steadily decreasing istock sales, or pull the plug on istock for the sake of better supporting SS.

I really wouldn't worry too much about the 'threat' to SS any time soon. They seem to have coped admirably so far and if anything SS have been aided by the Getty sales rep's (with unintended collateral damage IS resulting). I suspect that the PP's biggest problem in the inadequacy of the search more than lack of content.

This all puts me in a really difficult position. Inclusion in ThinkStock is no longer optional. So my work has to be included, as do all non-exclusive artists' work, bolstering the TS collection and thus making TS a potentially stronger competitor to Shutterstock. Of course SS is my top earner, and so I'm not in the terrible position of having to decide if I want to possibly cannibalize sales at my top agency for the sake of my steadily decreasing istock sales, or pull the plug on istock for the sake of better supporting SS.

Not sure what to do with this news just yet...

This is why I may have to delete my better performing files and leave the dross okay it will hurt but long term not as much as doing nothing

as already said this smacks of desperation ..... and IS can HUFFF.... AND PUFF... all they like, all they are doing is Blowing their own House down as TS will never get anywhere close to competing with Shutterstock!

As non-exclusives, we're being forced to sell our images through the PP-program.

So there are two options: either delete your port, or become exclusive.  

I know which option I'm picking. 

Oh boy.  It's all that Kelly's parting message suggested it might be.  

I always feel that I have solid ground under my feet with Shutterstock.  With iStock, it's all shifting sands.  

In short, does that mean subscriptions in those sites? The traditional subs, not IS-style?

I think this new agreement is my last straw, I'm finally ready to unload my 200+ images from iStock, and my account from early 2003. Any suggestions where I can take them next�any miscrostock sites possessing an ounce of honesty or loyalty to contributors these days?

I can't work with this either. I'll be unloading too.

... if we not accept, our portfolio is automatically deleted from istock?
Where is the option to be agree or disagree?

Taking no action means you are in agreement with the new terms. To delete your portfolio, I think you'd need to contact them.

If you delete your portfolio and still have outstanding earnings, you lose that, right?  So I'm better off leaving it there until I earn my next payout and then deleting my portfolio, right?