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Messages - louoates
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176
« on: March 13, 2011, 22:18 »
Warning--Opinion ahead based on just my personal biases:
The rejections I get for lighting and white balance for outdoor shots in many of my submissions are completely bogus. I shoot in many low light sunrise/sunset situations and in desert locations with strong directional lighting and nearly always get rejected. It seems to me that many reviewers believe in the flood lighting 100% rule where natural shadows (despite time of day) must be avoided and any deviations from noontime color temperatures will not be acceptable. I don't even bother submitting most of my landscape work to microstock because of my experiences.
177
« on: March 10, 2011, 11:51 »
When shooting from a moving helicopter with no door do not stick the camera out into the wind stream when you have the lens hood on. It makes a very efficient wind sail.
178
« on: March 04, 2011, 16:27 »
The only way to waste any more time on this incompetent is to continue this thread. Someone should pull the plug.
179
« on: March 03, 2011, 19:03 »
What a dismal effort. A new low. Not even a "we really like your work..." 
180
« on: March 02, 2011, 18:49 »
Looks like one person's work. Another obvious start-up with little to recommend it apart from the standard pitch, "we like your work..." Good luck to anybody trying to break into this business but how is this one different from all the rest of the wrecks along the road? Until it earns its way to the middle tier I'll pass.
181
« on: February 28, 2011, 21:30 »
Race,
Like anything else you've got to spend money and time to drive folks to your own site. I sell only occasionally from my site because I devote little resources to promote it. I get maybe one inquiry a month regarding a specific image and one sale every two or three inquiries. It's all Google-search-engine-driven searches, not like they're looking specifically for me. As humbling as that is. I sell a CD on my site of 200+ antique frame images in medium res jpgs for $39. That sells maybe 2-3 per year as a result of a Google search on "antique frames" or some such key word. Other than that it is pretty much the odd image sale here and there with one or two scam buyer attempts thrown in.
182
« on: February 28, 2011, 19:28 »
A simple way to find out roughly how much you made with IS is on the site itself with IS's Earnings/Payout Report. Just add up the payouts for the year.
183
« on: February 28, 2011, 17:47 »
I don't worry much about 1099s not being super accurate. I declare all my photography income even from gallery sales, on-line sales, street fair sales, personal sales, etc. Most of those sales are never reflected by 1099s so the amount of taxes I pay is always based in considerable excess of the 1099 income totals. Since I use my bank deposit records to track and record those sales I can never be cited and penalized for trying to cover anything up.
I've been audited by various IRS and state tax examiners many times and I can attest that the first records they want to see is your bank and checking deposit records. If you itemize sales from, say, a small gallery from whom they have no 1099s, they will often send an agent to that business to audit them as well. These days you can bet they will want to see all your PayPal and Ebay records as well.
184
« on: February 28, 2011, 11:11 »
With all the negative comments about dealing with micro sites lately it was heartening to receive this email from Jan at Yay. It was in response to my email canceling my account there due to disappointing nearly non-existing sales from my portfolio. I also requested I be paid for the accrued commissions dating from the site's beginning. Within days my account was closed and my commission amount was in my PayPal account. Thought I'd pass along this happy feedback to start the week.
Hi Lou,
I'm sorry to hear that you want to delete your account. Before I can delete your account, however, I need a confirmation from you. That is just for security reasons. Please just answer this email.
Usually we don't do payouts lower that €30, but since you've been a positive contributor to us since the very beginning - I'll personally make sure you receive your earnings.
Have a nice day!
Best regards,
Jan
185
« on: February 27, 2011, 18:58 »
You didn't say just stock images so went with
something else:
Art fairs
Galleries
Gift stores
Friends and relatives
Classic car shows
Golf courses
186
« on: February 24, 2011, 12:00 »
I'm surprised at such concerns about low earner sites. If they can't sell images very well doesn't it follow that they can't review very well?
187
« on: February 22, 2011, 21:14 »
I'll be out of there too once my last payout reaches PayPal. Anyone know of a quick way to delete images? I seem to have found out just one way...item by item. I'd rather not have them on there after payout and I'd rather not have to wait for them to remove them.
188
« on: February 22, 2011, 21:10 »
I discovered the way to eliminate all problems with Yay. I just emailed a request to cancel my account and remove my images from the search engine. I also asked them to send me any accrued commissions. What do you think the chances of that happening?
189
« on: February 22, 2011, 20:40 »
No brand name on the pen and LOL on the Mao comment...
Thanks.
Tom
I think what lou meant was that the design of the pen might be distinctive (Cross pen? etc.) and therefore not usable. Like the Apple earbuds, even though no name appears on them.
The distinctive design might be it too. The other small detail is what's on the pocket clip. Most of us would know that it's the reflection of the newsprint under it but a reviewer might think it's a brand name printed on the clip.
190
« on: February 22, 2011, 17:43 »
Just a guess but if that's a distinctive band design around the middle of the pen it might have been the reason for rejection. Or maybe the reviewer is just afraid of Mao.
191
« on: February 22, 2011, 17:37 »
Yuri,
Thanks for the behind the scenes look.
Others,
Fine example of someone at the top of his field sharing knowledge. Successful people like Yuri do this. Almost without fail. Less successful folks will guard their expertise and will look for ulterior motives of those who share theirs. My forecast is that half the replies here will be negative, human nature being what it is.
192
« on: February 21, 2011, 20:03 »
I'm really angry that nobody is sticking up for us wet plate photographers.
193
« on: February 20, 2011, 18:32 »
Why the surprise? IS has done about everything possible to make uploading onerous. Even after other sites, years ago, have shown how easy it could be.
194
« on: February 19, 2011, 11:28 »
I would classify Yay sales as somewhat slower than continental drift. I average a whole two sales per year there. Needless to say review times are meaningless.
195
« on: February 18, 2011, 23:19 »
Those $30+ sales are called intermittent rewards. Much like Pavlov's dogs salivating at the sound of a bell. I confess my heart goes pitter-patter when one of those pops up. But it's usually just a couple of minor sales per month there for my portfolio. Overall action there is still disappointing for me. Still a very minor player.
196
« on: February 16, 2011, 17:38 »
Of course this is aimed at the tax evaders. Ebay/PayPal has to be the largest engine driving the black market in tax-free income. The IRS is probably doing a good thing in trying to collect in this manner, despite the bookkeeping problems for law-abiders like us folks. If the IRS could also monitor income flowing through flea markets, garage sales, and Craigslist they would do so. My pessimistic outlook foresees an Orwellian cash-less society (plastic only) where ALL transactions are tracked.
197
« on: February 16, 2011, 11:28 »
I don't see what the big fuss is here. We are selling nothing to PayPal. It's a simple transfer of funds, much like a bank transfer. I guess we just hope that the IRS will not "double bill" us.
Disclaimer: I am not a CPA but I often play one for microstock shoots.
198
« on: February 14, 2011, 12:54 »
I have absolutely no idea what you are asking for.
199
« on: February 08, 2011, 14:09 »
Then I'm also qualified to be a highly paid comedian.
200
« on: February 08, 2011, 13:43 »
yes, I have a pencil.
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