I am sure this was asked and answered before or more reasonable people can figure it out themself but I simply don't know how to attach pictures to my post. 
Please help!

Thanks so much,

Tina

yeah, your right, we are suppliers - tellingly there is no "supplier service" department.  I guess you might argue that support fills that function but my point was: support I am not getting but attitude I am getting a lot.  Well, that's what's happening in an industry where supplier power is very limited   .

Now you got me started....
I am so annoyed with those guys I have pretty much stopped uploading.  They are extremely inconsistent which is extremly annoying.  I got pictures rejected for model release issues that used the same model release as many others which are uploaded and selling.  One picture gets rejected another in the same batch of the same model (mostly my kid) get's accepted.
 
Replies by support are slow and inconsistent as well.  One example: one person in support told me to upload a reworked model release under a new but similar name and they would switch it out another person told me to email them the new and improved model releases and they would switch it out.  Now what am I suppposed to do?   I suspect that whatever I do the job won't get done.

Also I am kind of sick of their customer service in general. The prevailing notion seems to be: "we are working sooo terribly hard and we won't take any crap (or suggestions) from you pesky photographers."  Well, hello, I am working hard too and don't want to apologize every time I ask a question or point out a possible improvement.  When I posted something along to this effect on the Forum recently the post was removed within hours for some bogus reason. 

Okay, done venting now - its still bugs me, though.

Thanks for listening 

Tina

for me BigStock sucks.  I have 75 pics or so uploaded and I see the occassional sale.  I am at a whooping $21.50 ever since I started back in July or so.  Haven't uploaded anyhting in a while.  If it picks up I might upload some more stuff but right now my time is better spend on other sites.

Tina

I am not a great fan of San Jose either but it was rated the safest city with 500,000+ people in the nation in 2006 (http://www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm#500,000+) so you needn't be too concerend about getting kidnapped :-)
I currently work in downtown San Jose and like to shoot the tall buildings and especially the reflections - makes for cool abstracts - certainly nothing, though, that screams "San Jose" to the viewer of your pics.
I second the Lick Observatory recommendation - its a bit of a drive but well worth it.

If you want to venture further:  Santa Cruz, especially the Boardwalk if you are interested in shooting people having fun, then take a drive up 101 to Pescadero - very scenic drive along the famous California coast line and cute little town.  Cross back to 280 on either 84 or 92 (84 looks like a short cut but really isn't, its a long drive on windy roads).  If you make it to Half Moon Bay and there are strong winds make sure to check out the surfers at Maverick.
 Finally 280 will take you back down to San Jose - that's a days worth of photo shooting.
One work of caution about Berkeley - I love the place but have never encountered such hostility towards photographers before.  Just raising your camera to your eyes may be enough for people to start chewing you out and demanding that you stop (I am risking being politically incorrect but I have to say the political correctness has gone to far in Berkeley).  Oakland was quite the opposite, people were totally accomodating and had no problem with me taking pics of their kids (I asked and I am a woman which helps with taking pics of kids).

Anyway, hope that helps and have fun.

Tina