I only uploaded 10 images to SV in the beginning, but since it took them months to come up with a decent watermark I deleted 7. The remaining 3 were easy to remove when I got the email that the my 3-image "portfolio" wasn't moved to Veer. So I have 0 pictures now on SV, that's the same as "account removed".

I don't think I will upload to Veer. Their requirements sound too special, like 250 as highest level, and models birthdays on releases. I heard the royalties are only 30%, in fact 20% since they are US based. I want to hear first from contributors here.

Veer will continue to include the requirement for the model's birth date on the Veer model release and we strongly prefer model releases to include the model's age, however, we will accept third party model releases (ones from other companies) that don't have the model's birth date or age provide that it states "Model represents that they are age 18 or older".

"Other companies", does that included our own generic releases?
To play it safe "they are age 18 or older" is not enough. Some countries have provisions that some 18 year olds can't legally sign releases. I have that clause in my personal generic release.

The Model is not a minor, and does have the legal age or status in his/her country to sign this Agreement and is 18 years of age or older on the Photographs session date(s).

No need for birthday then I guess.

We need to make sure that the model who signs the release was an adult at the time they signed, otherwise the guardian would need to be signing on behalf of the model.

Of course. All releases in microstock, generic or site-supplied take care of that. A minor has to sign a different releases co-signed by the parent/guardian. This has all been settled in microstock for years.

The birth date of the model has no meaning for a buyer if he doesn't know what date the picture was shot. He only needs the assurance that model was in a legal condition to sign himself (major), or he needed a permission at the time of the shoot (minor) from a guardian or parent.

And of course, providing accurate ages in your metadata is also much appreciated.

No way. An image is going to lead its own life with embedded metadata. I don't put name nor birth day in my metadata, just a code for the release form. I don't want my models to be subject to identity theft or harassment since it's easy to obtain a person's data with name and birth date. It's against the model's privacy.

I can't wait for Google's free stock image service. Am I kidding? Not really.

Watch out, Google is US-based. The IRS will ask you 30% of the income. Kidding? No. Some states of the European Union of Socialist Soviet Republics/Kingdoms devised a tax on income you "could have had" but avoid it by giving it away for free. Never underestimate the creativity of government to find new ways to tax you.

On topic: after finding out that my Net was choked by the 1h 20min long presentation (I'm on 150Kbps), and after watching the first totally boring guy for 2mins with his lame presentation jokes, I just killed it.

Quote from: epantha on May 28, 2009, 13:04

The CEO rant post has been removed.

That�s hilarious

Perhaps he was banned 

I-m really sorry to see that you were banned from SS forums.  You were giving Bichon a run for his money as being the funniest person on the forums. I hope they let you back soon as your posts will be missed by many. x

Ah, this sounds interesting. 
I have been banned on some forums too for my big mouth but not here yet. Yeah, Bitchon... I like him on SS. About India, well all I remember is rain.

I just started to sell at FP. I never stopped to submit there because of their easy upload system

Try Flickr then. Easy upload, no releases, and a lot of wows and badges.
Relying on the FP widget for the port on my site was a very big mistake. That will teach me a lesson. Only rely on yourself. Per month I make much more on DT than I ever made on FP in 3 years from when they started, although I always supported them. If they go through with the 0.35 plan for full size shots, I'm gone.
If you sell a lot, good for you. I don't any more. Guess I fell out of the grace of their search engine.

I currently have the d200 but have heard great things about the d90

The D90 is much more advanced than the D200 technically but its build is like a toy. Here in the tropics with very high air humidity and temperature, I had 3 "toy" cameras broken down. The ruggedized D200 still hold very well. Three days ago I fell from a rock with it and a corner hit the rock but everything still works fine. I had it dumped in a swimming pool for about  0.5 sec and nothing happened. If the environment where you want to use it is not hostile like a studio in a normal climate, go for the D90.

Come join me at the other sites I would love to stay in touch.

Stay here too please. Batman and Old Hippie are gone. I enjoyed every post here and with the featured thing on DT, we can finally link a port to the posts.

It's actually pretty simple here. Notary offices are everywhere and they do it for $10.

I just found out I will have to fly to an area North of Manila (Angeles) 950km North from here, and queue there for an appointment. Flight 150$, taxis, buses, hotels another 250$. Since official offices in the Phils are notorious for their many days off and long waiting queues (you can avoid those by 20$+ if you're lucky) under the table, and the Philippine mail is not an option (corrupt, fraud) that joke will cost me a week and let's say 500$. Just because that IRS is a bunch of red-taped dinosaurs that want snail mail and can't handle their business online, apparently, and that in a global business environment, with contributors from all over the world.

I can't also deduct my costs from that 30% tax, and my costs are a large part of my microstock income. The IRS treats it as pure profit. No taxation without representation, remember?
Shutterstock can try to strike a deal with the IRS where they obtain a global exemption of the snail mail red tape, or they can start an offshore operation e.g. in Ireland like Snapvillage did.

Whatever, but I'm not going to spit out 500$ and lose a week for SS's IRS. I'm not going to put extra time in special edits (less noise, popped up colors) for SS if a sale brings only 33cents - 11cents = 22cents. If SS wants to be an all-American operation, so be it. I don't pay taxes to a country that supported Bush and his neocon morons for 8 years and that brought us the credit crunch.

Where do I email to?

Scorn Judge Whatever on their forum, then scorn those idiots here on MSG. Then they will cancel your account. They never reply to email. The site is run by one monkey that has a finger on the reject button and the other one on "mail delete".

Are you asking me or lephotography?

You, since you seemed to imply that in order to stay creative, you'll have to pay (models?). Perhaps I misunderstood.

BTW, I told a model the other day that I am not able entertain the "percentage of sales" model, sorry if that means we can't work together.

The TFP model is still very workable for beginning or aspiring models.

I'm to the point of I don't care anymore with DT. Just waiting for August to remove everything.

Why? Just stop uploading so your AR is frozen, and cash in those 70$/month 840$/year. Forget them and take the cash. After all, it's business, not love. 

So, how do your sales turn out, not paying anyone and being creative?

What's your arrangement with models? Is there any fee beyond the usual in TFP (transport, food, drinks)? I know some people work with a percentage of sales only, to keep the model motivated.