Author Topic: Uploading to IS to get onto TS - Your opinion (Read 23579 times)

Ron · « **on:** October 19, 2013, 02:14 »

Ok, I have a 32 files on IS to see how they would fare, to see if IS really was this big earner. I also wanted access to the forum, but I got banned there LOL.

Anyhoo, I uploaded 11 files in January, deactivated them in February, so they never got a chance. But in order to see what the fuzz was all about, and to get first hand experience, I reactivated them in May and uploaded a few more in June. Sales on IS have been insignificant, a nice RPD but thats it. However TS has been surprisingly good with 33 files only on IS. It performed better then PD (500), DP (800), CanStockPhoto(900), GL (400)

Because of the constant contributor unfriendly changes at IS I havent uploaded my portfolio and I am going to close my account at 100 dollar. However, this month I have seen several comments of people wanting to start uploading to IS again to get files on TS.

So, I am on the fence now as the others. I want to make money, and if TS is delivering, should I (we) take that opportunity?

What are your thoughts? Please keep it on the subject and dont make it personal. I just want to start a healthy debate on the matter.

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2013, 02:18 »

Your call between making money or making a stand.

sharpshot · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2013, 02:32 »

I think earnings with TS are likely to get severely diluted when they move all the new content from istock over. The upload limits and high QC standards kept the size of the collection down but now it will get swamped. I really can't be bothered with the tedious istock upload. Why can't we upload only to TS with FTP?

Ron · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2013, 02:58 »

Quote from: sharpshot on October 19, 2013, 02:32

I think earnings with TS are likely to get severely diluted when they move all the new content from istock over. The upload limits and high QC standards kept the size of the collection down but now it will get swamped. I really can't be bothered with the tedious istock upload. Why can't we upload only to TS with FTP?

Good point about the tedious upload. I am on the fence about that as well, is it worth it.

I think if they opened up direct contribution to TS, no one would submit to IS anymore. LOL

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2013, 06:26 »

I think sharpshot is wrong about collection size. TS is not just fed from iS, it has piles of other Getty stuff in it too, it is already huge, but it still delivers results.

After this month's poor performance on SS I finally uploaded stuff to iS again yesterday, primarily to get it through to TS. Also, if SS is going to go down the tubes I may even have to consider exclusivity one day, in which case I wouldn't want to have a huge gap in uploads there.

Muskoka Imagery · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2013, 07:05 »

I'm new to this crazy Microstock game having become a contributor only earlier this year. I have no preformed opinion about any of the agencies, but do follow the boards here and elsewhere so am aware of the track record reputation of certain sites.

So far with iStock, I'm cautiously optimistic. Since changing their policies in the July time frame it has rapidly become my top earner, with the vast majority of it coming from PP sales. My portfolio on iStock is slightly larger than my portfolio on Shutterstock, but my TS representation is less than my SS port, so I think port size is largely a wash.

In September I had 50 downloads at IS with about 80% of them through PP. I had 49 downloads at SS in September, so in terms of DL, they were neck and neck. However, my IS revenue in September was double my SS revenue.

The other thing that I'm enjoying about iStock is the creative freedom. The below photo was my most downloaded photo in September but was rejected at all other agencies usually stating "White Balance" issues as the reason. This photo was taken with a 665nm Infrared converted camera so of course it has white balance "issues".

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-26753856-autumn-infrared-willow.php

My only real complaint is review times for non-exclusives (or me at least) are brutal - usually taking 2 weeks or more. I'm certain I missed a lot of content specific autumn/harvest related sales due to images just floating around in the queue.

grsphoto · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2013, 07:55 »

I have not tried uploading directly to IS, but use Deep Meta. I find this is usually painless.

As for if you should be uploading there... My goal is to make money. iStock and PP are my number 2 in sales.

mlwinphoto · « **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2013, 09:34 »

You can upload to iS but that's no guarantee the images will make it over to TS. Only a small percentage of my portfolio is showing up there and nothing has moved in several weeks. I opened a support ticket asking if there's a chance that more of my images will make the trip and no response.

So, if your only reason for uploading to iS is to get those images onto the PP, good luck.

MichaelJayFoto · « **Reply #8 on:** October 19, 2013, 09:48 »

I don't upload to IS because of TS - I upload because IS itself is making good money compared to all the low earners. TS comes on top of it, well actually making more money than IS itself these days. But the two are my #2 and #3 earners if you view at them seperately. Combined they come close to Shutterstock.

The backside of "uploading to IS to get onto TS" is the fact that the connector is still not working reliable. I got 300 files moved over in August and for some time almost all new images went to TS within days. However, from my latest batch of about 80 images, only 6 are visible on TS and that has been a few weeks with no progress since. So you can't rely on making money from TS because you just don't know when (or if) your files are going there.

heywoody · « **Reply #9 on:** October 19, 2013, 10:19 »

IS itself is gone down the toilet but the PP seems to be doing better than SS (per image) so I reckon I'll upload everything to IS to get the PP sales.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #10 on:** October 19, 2013, 10:48 »

I never thought I'd hear "getting onto TS" as a benefit of uploading to iStock.

Ron · « **Reply #11 on:** October 19, 2013, 11:09 »

Interesting thoughts. Keep em coming.

Sean, its the world upside down

heywoody · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2013, 11:40 »

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on October 19, 2013, 10:48

I never thought I'd hear "getting onto TS" as a benefit of uploading to iStock.

"Strange days indeed" (Lennon)

Shelma1 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2013, 11:43 »

My earnings at SS were slammed by the site maintenace in July and have yet to fully recover. On the other hand, earnings for me at iS are growing through both iS and PP sales. Just when I get disgusted with one, the other picks up. Funny.

pancaketom · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2013, 12:00 »

At one point I would have said - sure if you want to support .28 per dl instead of .38 per dl, but since SS seems to want to do that themselves it might not really make of a difference if you are getting lowballed from SS/BS or IS/PP.

Of course you still have to deal with the IS submission process which is a PITA even with deepmeta - and who knows what new fiendish things Getty will come up with next.

I'll be staying out myself, but that is more for personal satisfaction than pure economic decisions. Curiously enough I do have some pride (although not much).

Red Dove · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2013, 12:57 »

Looking at it from a cold-blooded business point of view you would benefit by uploading your port to IS. Despite all the shenanigans of recent years they are still in the top 4 for a reason. Also, I have seen a steady revenue increase since July to very nearly 2011 levels. I personally didn't think that would happen and no doubt said as much - but I've eaten my fair share of humble pie in life and it no longer chokes.

I know many on this forum don't like them very much, I don't like them very much - but I have to do business with people I don't like every day or I'd be on a street corner with a harmonica and a tin cup.

Snufkin · « **Reply #16 on:** October 19, 2013, 13:01 »

Uploading there you sell Getty the rope with which they will hang you.
The more people upload, the sooner you will go out of business.

VKir · « **Reply #17 on:** October 19, 2013, 13:19 »

Hi everybody,
I have only 60% of my Istock portfolio on TS and Photos.com but I keep getting PP sales for files which I cannot find on TS and Photos.
One of the file has even earned me $24 recently (one sale). Do you have any idea where those are coming from?

Pilens · « **Reply #18 on:** October 19, 2013, 13:26 »

I stopped uploading to IS a while ago. I find my share of 16% too insulting and the uploading even using DeepMeta too time consuming to bother any longer. Since then my RPD dropped almost 60%. There is also some risk that Getty is deliberately sinking their IS ship. So why should I start uploading now?

ACS · « **Reply #19 on:** October 19, 2013, 13:59 »

Could somebody please tell me how will I find my portfolio in TS?

I have 500 on IS but I wonder how much of them are on IS. I found one of mine on TS but there was no info/link about the artist.

bunhill · « **Reply #20 on:** October 19, 2013, 14:34 »

Quote from: pancaketom on October 19, 2013, 12:00

At one point I would have said - sure if you want to support .28 per dl instead of .38 per dl, but since SS seems to want to do that themselves it might not really make of a difference if you are getting lowballed from SS/BS

There is also the fact that a growing number of contributors internationally would be taxed at a whopping 30% because they come from countries which do not have a tax treaty with the USA.

$0.38 - 30% = $0.266 ---- and even less at Bigstock

VKir · « **Reply #21 on:** October 19, 2013, 14:59 »

Quote from: ACS on October 19, 2013, 13:59

Could somebody please tell me how will I find my portfolio in TS?

I have 500 on IS but I wonder how much of them are on IS. I found one of mine on TS but there was no info/link about the artist.

Enter in search box ‘Your Name’.
Write ‘ ‘. Do not write “ “

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #22 on:** October 19, 2013, 15:07 »

Quote from: bhr on October 19, 2013, 14:34

Quote from: pancaketom on October 19, 2013, 12:00
At one point I would have said - sure if you want to support .28 per dl instead of .38 per dl, but since SS seems to want to do that themselves it might not really make of a difference if you are getting lowballed from SS/BS

There is also the fact that a growing number of contributors internationally would be taxed at a whopping 30% because they come from countries which do not have a tax treaty with the USA.

$0.38 - 30% = $0.266 ---- and even less at Bigstock

It's only charged on sales that are made to customers inside the US, so I actually get taxed on about 10% of sales.

heywoody · « **Reply #23 on:** October 19, 2013, 15:23 »

and not unique to IS - all sites levy tax on US sales (fortunately @ 0% here)

ShadySue · « **Reply #24 on:** October 19, 2013, 15:31 »

Quote from: heywoody on October 19, 2013, 15:23

and not unique to IS - all sites levy tax on US sales (fortunately @ 0% here)

I thought iS did not have that US tax thing because they are a Canadian company.

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Author Topic: Uploading to IS to get onto TS - Your opinion (Read 23579 times)

Ron

ShadySue

sharpshot

Ron

BaldricksTrousers

Muskoka Imagery

grsphoto

mlwinphoto

MichaelJayFoto

heywoody

Sean Locke Photography

Ron

heywoody

Shelma1

pancaketom

Red Dove

Snufkin

VKir

Pilens

ACS

bunhill

VKir

BaldricksTrousers

heywoody

ShadySue

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