Would consider joining.  Any success stories from current users? Any regrets?

I think the influx of marijuana photos have made everybody really hungry at SS H/O and they've left for lunch and dinner.

There are a lot of "If's", "what's" and "when's" being mentioned here and I'm a bystander with no stake.  It's difficult for me to watch this happen before our eyes and "I've been there" with a global conglomerate that owed billions.  When they filed for chapter 11, my company was very far down the list in a mountain of creditors.

I think it's essential that one of you who are owed money begin an action where the rest can join in like a class action or at least talk to the attorneys who are already mentioned above and have knowledge.  The sooner this gets going, the better for the lot.  If the business is for sale and many of you are creditors, then a strategy could be that the assets (or company) be turned over to a "coalition" of contributors who take over operations.  After all, the company seems to have had a substantial list of customers who were buying up until the last day (and a loyal group of contributors). 

Imagine the possibilities.

Why not send a notarized letter from your attorney requesting clarification with when payment can be expected? It wouldn't be very expensive and you may get results.

The price would vary and depend on a number of factors like:

volume - number of copies. more books = lower price.
paper - type of paper, coated uncoated?
size - overall journal size
binding - stitched, hardcover, softcover, wire or coil bound?
 
Do you have a photo example of what you're looking for? 

Some online print companies like Vistaprint, snapfish could do it.  They may even have some templates available where you simply drop in your photo and print X copies.

You could also try Fedex/Kinko's, Walmart, Staples.

It appears that the warning lights were not flashing at all to warn oncoming traffic.

Thanks for posting this.

Do you have a particular methodology to this?  For example, do you start with TinEye or Google Image search, step 2 - contact via email etc.? Are you considering doing this as a service?

I'm wondering if a petition of sorts would help to get our message across to DP as individuals are not getting responses or action. 

Here's a website with some interesting facts about Depositphoto.



http://www.crunchbase.com/company/depositphotos

Depositphoto launched Clashot some time ago.  Here's a link.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/depositphotos-launches-clashot---photo-mobile-application-and-social-platform-for-publishing-and-selling-images-228794811.html

I don't dispute photo crowdsourcing emerging as a new player in the photo market or crowd sourcing market in general. After all several newspapers are asking their readership to send in photos in lieu of staff photogs.  However, to suggest that photo crowdsourcing will replace stock photography is kind of bold and rather premature. Photos that require careful planning, skill and a professional approach is and will be in demand for the foreseeable future as we know it.   I understand you've made a large investment in a company with a new business model and now must extoll the virtues of your investment in your favour but I for one will continue building my own portfolio of increasingly unique photos.
 
I don't agree with everything you've mentioned but cannot disagree with an emerging platform as a new tier of photos.

One question.  Will your staff be carrying iphones instead of DSLR'S?

Here's another theory or possibly reality to some extent.

5000 contributors who earn $100 USD in PP earnings on a monthly basis. Money invested at 1% on a daily basis with 30 days per month using a few keystrokes

5000 x 100 = 500,000
500000 x 1% = 5000
5000  x 30 = 150,000

$150,000 USD  per month for doing nothing but not pay out to contributors.

When it comes to choosing a printing device or any machine for the photo/print trade you can spend a little or you can spend a lot.  I would start with identifying the largest size you wish to print and identify the kind of quality you would like for your end product, then buy the best machine within your budget.   Do you want inkjet or toner based product?  Who do you plan to sell to? What are the better known trade printers use for the local photo bugs?

At this stage of the game, I would stick with the more well known manufacturers for inkjet and toner such as HP, Epson, Canon, Xerox, Ricoh and Konica. Also do as someone suggested earlier and visit your local major supplier and bring a few files with you to print as test files. Remember, for the best results, convert your file to CMYK from RGB.  Sometime the printing will use its software to  interpolate your RGB saved file and convert it to CMYK. 

The best case scenario is if you have a graphics trade show coming up in your area, plan to attend with a few of your files as you'll have all the major manufacturers under one roof eager to print your files which will allow you to compare the results.  If you go to a graphics show, it's likely you'll even get a chance to visit with your favorite microstock companies (or not so favorite) who like to participate with their own booth.  Don't be afraid to ask for goodies such as t-shirts etc.

Good Luck!