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Author Topic: A new microstock agency - geostockphoto.com  (Read 37385 times)

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« Reply #75 on: April 15, 2013, 08:39 »
+1
We've learned a lot from this discussion and we are definitely going to change something on our model and website. We need some time to be able to discuss in depth with our team and then we would like to involve all of our users, and you again to decide how to change things.

We are not yet able to understand how the ftp is not working for some of you while other users are using it without any problem. We apologize for the inconvenience. We will continue to investigate.


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #76 on: April 15, 2013, 08:48 »
0
ShadySue, right now you can search by location and filter the result by photographer, category, rate, dimension and license. We are planning to add filters for price and keywords.
That's fair enough.
I just wondered what's the point of uploading a model photo where the location was effectively generic, to a site which focusses on location as being the most important factor. Also whether a buyer would be looking for that on a specific location search. When Alamy introduced their 'best of', the 'best of' Glasgow was totally dominated by a series of models shot in a white studio, presumably in Glasgow. The images I saw of the model on geostockphoto were only a bit more representative of the location (but even if the oof background tree could be recognised by a botanist, presumably it could be found in botanic gardens anywhere.)

« Reply #77 on: April 18, 2013, 03:30 »
0
FTP connection update: connection problems in active mode are often due to a firewall installed on your private network. We have updated our ftp server to allow both active and passive connections. Please try again using a passive connection and let us know if this solves the issue.

ShadySue, your observation is correct. We are trying to monitor this type of behavior: each photo on GeoStockPhoto must be contextualized in the place where it was taken. However, the evaluation is very subjective: some trees in the background can already be indicative of the fact that we are in the wood and not in the city, desert, glacier, etc.. Of course it could have been taken anywhere in the world where there are trees. The sales will tell us whether it is in the right place but we do try to limit this type of photographs.

Beppe Grillo

« Reply #78 on: April 18, 2013, 03:57 »
0
FTP connection update: connection problems in active mode are often due to a firewall installed on your private network. We have updated our ftp server to allow both active and passive connections. Please try again using a passive connection and let us know if this solves the issue.

So, with Transmit it still refuses to connect
With Cyberduck it connects without problem

« Reply #79 on: April 19, 2013, 08:08 »
0
OK, I've some images which can fill some areas still empty in your map. Let's try, and good luck, Marco!

« Reply #80 on: April 20, 2013, 07:34 »
0


Also, we are just starting a new market with still few photographers and we already have customers waiting for us, so all photos that we will sell may be yours :-)


Thanks!

QUESTION:  Any sales yet?

« Reply #81 on: April 20, 2013, 07:58 »
0
Our sale channels are not officially open yet but we are already moving to make ourselves known among buyers. To get the most of it we still need that many photographers believe in the project and upload their photos so we can show them to all buyers. We are also in contact with some partners which are interested in our service (we are working on our API for them).

Also, yesterday we have just received the notification that we have been selected for a 2 months acceleration program for startups launched by Microsoft and I3P. This will certainly help us.

« Reply #82 on: April 20, 2013, 14:23 »
0
.....

ShadySue, we know people may geotag photos in wrong position but we also know that a lot of photographers add wrong keywords just to be shown in more search results. Also, it is quite simple to check if a photo is in a wrong position by looking at the satellite view of the map or by looking at the nearest photos. In this case, if our users find one of them, we will provide an easy way to report a wrong position and suggest the correct one.

.....


this is a major problem an any site that uses geotagging -- many people are lazy and will not use the exact location, but instead just place the space needle  in 'seattle'  when looking at a map of the United states.   i've found this more than once when looking on travel sites for hotels where exact location should be mandatory

I created a scavenger hunt game http://cascoly.com/games/hunt/main.asp  but the biggest problem with accepting user submitted places was the inaccuracy of the geotagging

unless the image was tagged in camera, it's going to be a major problem.  as I user, if I were to find a site with many mistakes, i'd be more likely to just leave rather than taking the time to make corrections

« Reply #83 on: April 20, 2013, 23:21 »
0


In order to submit photos on GeoStockPhoto you have to insert:
1) Title
2) Category
3) Location (in the map)
All other fields (included keywords) are optional.
We are also working on an mobile app for tracking and geotagging your photos taken by any camera. You should register to GeoStockPhoto and we will let you know when it is ready the first release.


Thanks!
This is a fantastic idea! All my photos are geotagged since many years (except studioshots) but I will never have the time to keyword them all. I will certainly register and upload.
Don't mind the comments about your English I think it's great and well understood, I love the Italian language  and would love to speak it better.
Mille grazie.

« Reply #84 on: April 20, 2013, 23:48 »
0


In order to submit photos on GeoStockPhoto you have to insert:
1) Title
2) Category
3) Location (in the map)
All other fields (included keywords) are optional.
We are also working on an mobile app for tracking and geotagging your photos taken by any camera. You should register to GeoStockPhoto and we will let you know when it is ready the first release.


Thanks!
This is a fantastic idea! All my photos are geotagged since many years (except studioshots) but I will never have the time to keyword them all. I will certainly register and upload.
Don't mind the comments about your English I think it's great and well understood, I love the Italian language  and would love to speak it better.
Mille grazie.
ouch I hope I didn't read it wrong my photos have the exact geotags embedded I hope your system can read it automatically also get rid of the categories they are a PITA and nobody needs them.
Geotagging is an automated process just make sure the time is right on your camera and it's easy to synchronize with your gpx-track.

Pinocchio

« Reply #85 on: April 21, 2013, 11:01 »
0
Marco, I am also interested to know if your system can read embedded GPS tags.  Perhaps your system could indicate when images have embedded GPS data, on the theory embedded data should be consistently more accurate than manual positioning?  I know this information can be manipulated, but it's much harder to manipulate embedded GPS data than it is to spam the keywords.

I also believe you'll find any photographers who would prefer to keep the GPS data for a given image invisible even though your system contains and uses that information.

Do you have an update on your image review and acceptance process?  Like some who have commented already, my preference is professional unbiased inspectors, and I would be willing to accept a lower royalty rate to pay for this approach.

Regards

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #86 on: April 21, 2013, 22:26 »
-1
isn't this site a bit niche? Yet all those categories suggest you aren't just after location images? I'm a bit confused.

The ratings are confusing me:
 0-100 have no rating, then 101-999 are "newbies", followed by "pro" at 1000 images. Won't there be some temptation to upload as much as possible to reach those ratings? peer review probably won't pick up on similars.

How does one become a pro in the first place if you have to have 1000 images peer approved, by a Pro? seems like you'll have to start with some self-appointed pros.


« Last Edit: April 22, 2013, 03:04 by gillian »

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #87 on: April 22, 2013, 03:09 »
-1
With regard to rating images I think you're also missing :

dust/sensor spots
CA/fringing
overfiltered/overprocessed

« Reply #88 on: April 22, 2013, 03:44 »
0

...........................................
Do you have an update on your image review and acceptance process?  Like some who have commented already, my preference is professional unbiased inspectors, and I would be willing to accept a lower royalty rate to pay for this approach.

Regards

The acceptance process is, I believe, the most interesting part of the game.
I guess that the staff has made some game theory analysis about that, and that the "peer review" process seems sustainable.
Up to now, I have some images approved, and I can fully agree with the valutations (the number of stars). On the other side, when I review photos of other people, I have no way to be biased against someone. Not more than a trained inspector, anyway.
The average contributor (and inspector) to Geostock is not a professional inspector but have a training derived from the experience in other microstock agencies, and is free from the pressure of the overwork. There are some weird rejection from trained inspectors very often, certainly due to haste and overwork.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #89 on: April 22, 2013, 08:20 »
-1
well sure, but on the other hand, there is a lot of rubbish there.

landscapes shot at ISO 400 1/2000 f 4.5  i pretty much feel the need to reject that based on those numbers, esp the ones shot in Yosemite (ansel adams and all that)

it does give you a feel for the stuff inspectors have to wade through. if you were to compare the stuff to the best that iS or SS has to offer, you'd have to reject 90% of it so far. that feels kind of mean, but so far i've seen mostly p&s camera stuff.

« Reply #90 on: April 22, 2013, 13:57 »
0
I agree, there's a lot of rubbish other than mine :)

And yes, at least "dust/sensor spots" and "overfiltered/overprocessed" can be added.

« Reply #91 on: April 22, 2013, 15:16 »
0
I will try to answer all your questions...

Our system can automatically read embedded GPS tags (we can also report this information but we are not sure if it's worth it). We cannot get rid of categories since a lot of people need them.

About the acceptance process, we need some time to evaluate it since this would affect our business model, terms and conditions, communication strategy and so on. We know that this system can be difficult to get accepted but we would like to ask people who are actually using it (if they are fine with the evaluation of their photos). Let's consider it as a test: if it does not work we always have time to change it.
We are aware that some rubbish may be approved at this point since there are still few pros on GSP. Anyway, we are fine with them since they usually do not get high rates (maybe 1 or 2 stars) so they do not easily show up on results (unless there is not anything else there).
Thanks Gillian, we will add your suggestions (dust, overprocessed...) to our evaluation process.

About the rating of photographers: you need 100 photos with 3 stars to become a newbie, 1000 photos with 4 stars to become a pros and 10000 with 5 stars to become a power. If you are a power, we trust you and all your photos do not go to the evaluation process anymore but they are automatically accepted with 5 stars.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #92 on: April 22, 2013, 15:39 »
-1
so my question remains, how do you become a pro in the first place?
your terms state that every image must be rated by at least one pro, so you must have a few that have entered straight at that level?

personally I think it could take a long time to even get to 100, as we're relying on others to spend time reviewing our work.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #93 on: April 22, 2013, 15:47 »
0
If you are a power, we trust you and all your photos do not go to the evaluation process anymore but they are automatically accepted with 5 stars.
Take care with this. There was an iStock admin who was (presumably) on a non-inspection privilege - his photos were fine, but his keywording was spammy beyond belief for a long time.

« Reply #94 on: April 22, 2013, 16:11 »
0
Sorry Gillian, I missed that question. Of course there are already some users who can rate as a pro (someone had to start the process). They do not have that title on GSP (so their earning rate is not as a pros) but we know them and we trust them just for the evaluation. They all sell photos on other microstock websites with good earnings and we believe they will become pros on GSP. Also, remember that one vote is never enough to get a photo accepted.

I'm not sure if I've already written here that we have been selected for Biz&Dev Camp which is a 2 months acceleration program for startup organized by our incubator and the Microsoft Innovation Center. They will help us review our business model and so our evaluation process. Tomorrow we are going to start.

I'll keep you updated.

ShadySue, we will trust power users but we will keep them under control (maybe just reviewing some of their pictures every now and then).

« Reply #95 on: April 22, 2013, 16:29 »
0
Marco, when will GSP start selling images?

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #96 on: April 22, 2013, 19:01 »
-1
If you are a power, we trust you and all your photos do not go to the evaluation process anymore but they are automatically accepted with 5 stars.
Take care with this. There was an iStock admin who was (presumably) on a non-inspection privilege - his photos were fine, but his keywording was spammy beyond belief for a long time.
what keywords? there aren't any being used, are there?  There are also plenty of files with not description.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #97 on: April 22, 2013, 19:10 »
0
If you are a power, we trust you and all your photos do not go to the evaluation process anymore but they are automatically accepted with 5 stars.
Take care with this. There was an iStock admin who was (presumably) on a non-inspection privilege - his photos were fine, but his keywording was spammy beyond belief for a long time.
what keywords? there aren't any being used, are there?  There are also plenty of files with not description.
on iStock - yes, there are keywords.
on geostock: I was only warning about non-inspection privileges being abused.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #98 on: April 22, 2013, 19:33 »
-1
actually I found that they do have KW, there's an edit button that is located on the right hand side of the submit button. max of 10 keywords *sigh* so they'll all have to be manually adjusted.




edit: sp
« Last Edit: April 23, 2013, 15:36 by gillian »

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #99 on: April 23, 2013, 07:06 »
-1
Thank you all for your comments!

We are an Italian startup so... yes, we're translating into english. Anyway, the "gratification" to the photographers is given by our high revenue (from 50% to 85%). Does it make sense?


what you may not understand is that "gratification" tends to go well with the words "self" or "sexual", as well as "instant" or "delayed". It's too, um, ... emotional.


ROFLMAO!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
why thanks for that. but no one commented on this one
Quote
(esp if you read the "you do nothing, we do everything" .... um, can you come visit me sometime?  )
I was quite serious :D ;D


 

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