I'd agree that automatically hiding posts because they get voted down seems unnecessary... but perhaps some people prefer it that way, I don't know.

However, you can change that setting in your profile - it allows the options of "Hide", "Grey Out" and "Nothing", as I recall - so perhaps if Leaf would just change the default to "Nothing" rather than "Hide", then anyone who really feels they would prefer not to see negatived posts could choose for themselves.

If you use Google Calendar, you can add the entire years worth of request dates and corresponding payment received dates, allowing for Canadian holidays (when the dates usually change to Tuesday) and set reminders for yourself if you want.

See post: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=350427

All courtesy of kelvinjay I believe.

Lastpass, if you're signed up for it, has a test for sites in your vault and tells me:

FAA - Fixed, you can change your password now
Pond5 - Not yet updated, wait before changing password

Presumably then iStock, SS and Alamy are OK as I have them in my vault too and they weren't flagged.

Last year I had occasion to replace a laptop with a newer version.  Unfortunately it came pre-loaded with Windows 8.  I struggled with it for about a month and finally threw up my hands over the beyond useless OS.  I took it in to a friend of mine who runs a computer repair business.  Together we stripped out Windows 8 and replaced it with Windows 7, upgraded the appropriate utility drivers and all has worked fine ever since.  Makes you wonder when people are willing to get rid of the "latest and greatest" technology and spend money to go back to older versions that actually work and make sense.

I understand this is no longer an option for most computers as they have changed the utilities such that Windows 7 drivers no longer work with them, only Windows 8 drivers.

I'm no fan of Windows 8 either, but in fact Windows 8.1 can now be relatively easily configured to make it similar to Windows 7 in use - there are even add-ons to re-instate the Start button and menus, without which I found it just too painful to use.

It's also faster in my experience, and less hassle with new hardware additions...  worth another look anyway, though I haven't yet got around to transferring my main machine to it.

But then, I speak as someone who has PCs and laptops with Win 8.1, Win 7.1, Win XP and even Win 98SE installed, for various purposes...  I guess I'm not your typical user!

Is there anyway to track these? I have some showing up but it is hard to tell what or when they sold.

If you're using Chrome (or Firefox, where it works but is no longer supported) you can install a script which adds all kinds of useful support to the "My Uploads" pages and allows at least some sort of means of seeing what was downloaded when onto the PP pages, albeit still not ideal.

See http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=352385&page=1

Well, I don't go back quite that far, my first full year was 2007.

I can say that in 2007 I earned slightly less than 10% of what I earned in 2013, from about 20% of the number of images.

However, I wasn't Exclusive then - or at least, not the whole time, as I recall I think I went Exclusive towards the end of the year - nor did I submit to Alamy or do any footage (not that I make much with either), and I was still learning the ropes.

Looking at that, I seem to have done quite well really...  it just doesn't feel that way just now!

I tend to agree - I used to have an E-30, and liked it a lot - still have some lenses for it, so I bought an OM-D E-M5 just to try it, using the adaptor for the lenses.

It's a neat bit of kit, and the quality seems good enough for stock, but it can't match my 5D Mk 2 and I still prefer to use the Canon whenever I can.  The only thing the Olympus has over the Canon is of course that it's so much smaller and lighter, so much easier to travel with, and not so intimidating when out in public - it looks much like a point and shoot.

But I am interested to see how the Sony A7 develops.  With some decent lenses it might be a winner.  I'm considering selling on the Olympus and buying one of them instead.

IS Exclusive; total income +22.6% compared to January 2013.

Includes PP and GI from December, and RM/Video from other outlets.  Doesn't allow for incorrect royalty rate being used for most of January, so will actually be a little more when that is corrected.

As KB says, sales numbers are somewhat down, but as long as the $$s are up, I'm rather more sanguine about that.  I'll not worry about it until it affects the income!

Quote from: Gannet77 on January 21, 2014, 06:20

I seem to be broadly on a par with Jan 2013 myself - DLs a little down, but RPD is up (highest ever in fact) so it's balancing out so far, and that's at a lower royalty rate than I should be getting.

maybe it's due the fact there is no XS size on istock ? gone today to use my last credit on istock and the cheapest images is only for 2 credits

No.  The XS size was only removed in the last 24 hours, and I've sold a few which are included in my figures.

But we'll have to see how it pans out from now on...

iStock Photo Exclusive - royalties DOWN 22% compared to November 2013, because December is always poor, but UP 28% compared to December 2012, because that was exceptionally poor.

Total iStock earnings UP 5% over the year, including PP and GI; if I include RM and video sales on other sites, total income UP 9%.   That's OK, I haven't produced a great deal of new work this year.

I think I might try and do a bit more on those other sites (RM and video) in 2014...

Depends what you mean by "worth it" - I started doing simple video with my 5D II a couple of years ago, and submitting to a few agencies.

I don't have a large portfolio and it's mostly simple, static stuff, but I do enjoy trying it out and intend to keep going; it's fun.

As for demand, no, there's not a great deal of it, at least not for easy stuff;  I've made a grand total of about $900 or so all year, is all. 

The only sites where I have had any sales are SS, Pond5, iStock and ClipCanvas.

The waiting times for approval are very short on SS and Pond5 (a day or two at most), somewhat more on iStock, and I don't know what's happening at ClipCanvas - they used to be quick, but my last few submissions have waited months until I emailed them asking what was happening, at which they were instantly reviewed and accepted.  They seem to be having difficulties, which is a shame because I quite liked them.

It does take extra effort, but there are no instant returns in this game;  you have the equipment, why not make use of it?

I use Neat Image when really necessary, but as Travelling-light says, it's best to try and avoid noise reduction if at all possible.  Seems to work well, but I've no experience with anything else.

When I do use it though, I use it very sparingly and on a separate layer, with a mask so only the bits needing it are visible, like in the sky or whatever.