I posted this on our blog but wanted to bring it up here.
http://blog.cutcaster.com/2010/09/09/photographers-frustration-and-a-path-for-change/It feels like dj vu all over again, doesnt it?
Fall seems to be the season for falling commissions. Weve seen it in the past with the big boys and now even the smaller players as they drop the commission they pay to photographers without any worries. Who knows if the reasoning this time is the need to raise prices while decreasing payouts just to survive, the continuing indifference to their contributor base who grew the companies, so much supply that it doesnt matter if the companies piss off a few people because the majority will go along, venture capitalists swoop in to squeeze money out of their investment in a business at the contributors expense, a flat economy, or just plain corporate greed?
What can a photographer or photo buyer do you might be asking? Should a photographers union be organized to fight on behalf of buyers and sellers? We have those already and we still get these drops. Should you delete or stop uploading your portfolio? You might feel like you are one of a million and it would have no effect except on your income stream. Should they just shut up out of fear that Big Brother is watching and might shut down their account? I guess, I should get ready for my accounts to be shutdown at a few places after this post.
I am frustrated and mad. First, as a friend to a lot of the people who sell photos who get affected by changes like this and second as a business owner who is trying to compete in an industry where it feels like agencies do things behind a cloak of secrecy and then photographers go along with changes that suck for them and do nothing about it. Commissions are falling, agencies are lowering prices to compete, the industry has become stagnant with no real competition outside of a few companies that monopolize, there is a glut of supply and most photographers are mixed and feel disorganized on what course of action to take.
One thing is clear. We need to act now and we need change.
1. Remove any links you have to sites that lower payouts without giving you notice or keep the details hidden in confusing press releases. Dont market sites that dont care about YOUR bottom line.
2. Do link to sites from your blog, website or portfolio site that pay you higher commissions even if they have less sales for you. You need to turn the tide in favor of you and help the sites with less money that you trust get links. Dont stand idle while the established players lock you into this future.
3. Stop referring and directing buyers to your lower paying commission sites and start sending them to sites that pay you more commissions. Only you have the power to change this by sending buyers to your higher paying sites instead of going along with the status quo.
4. Start an upload embargo for 6 months to a year and dont upload new or exclusive content to sites that lower payouts without notice and discussions.
5. Upload to sites that have lower payout thresholds and commit to keep those limits low.
6. Dont go exclusive with one agency. Only go exclusive with certain new uploads that you know sell better at certain sites, which pay you a high commission rate
7. Delete your portfolio from sites that are non-transparent with commissions and pricing strategies
8. Tell a buyer how these royalty drops hurt your individual business and how they can get the same image for the same price at another site but that you get paid a higher commission if they buy from the newer, higher paying site. Photo buyers care so you need to let them know you are getting unfairly screwed and they can help change that without spending more time or money.
9. Commit to a new agency that you trust on a non-exclusive basis and support them with your uploads and, if you choose, a small amount of exclusive content so they have something unique to market. Write a blog article or post in a forum about the agency and why you chose it.
10. Convince one fellow photographer to act with you and take concrete steps TODAY towards changing your situation for the better.
Photographers and photo buyers have strength in numbers. It takes one person to start this and a community of people to cooperate in order to change and finish this. If you feel these commission drops are unfair and non-transparent then dont complain but ACT. Your actions will speak louder than any complaint.
Learn more:
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