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26
iStockPhoto.com / Re: What is really, going on?
« on: November 26, 2011, 15:05 »

This spring, Getty forced participation in subscription programs (Thinkstock and photos.com) on its contract holders. For the moment, iStock exclusives have the ability to opt out, but I can't imagine that's going to stay that way - it wasn't as if the Getty contributors liked the moved or asked for it. Not only are subscriptions likely to be in all exclusives' future (not just those who chose the PP voluntarily), but you get no RC for any sales at any other site, so to the extent sales migrate from iStock to Getty (upstream) or TS/photos.com (downstream), your ability to keep your higher royalty percentage at iStock is weakened.

The pre-September 2010 iStock was an alternative; since then, I don't think so.

True. I also concur that sooner or later exclusives might have to swallow that  bitter pill. I had to sign a few months back the new Gettyimages contract were new RF images can go also to Thinkstock or photos.com. So at some point they might need those "exclusive" images to compete successfully with the subscription market leader. I am not so sure that Vetta or Agency images will follow that path but who knows whats in Getty's executive heads. With the new RC system they aim to that 20% standard for RF they are used to, so yes the migration to those subscription site will erode the RC targets.

This is one reason that it is extremely important that Istock competition stays healthy and a viable option to any photographer so that they know that if they push the envelope too far they will get abandoned, a process that has started already, you are a strong proof of that. And loosing exclusive contributors like you is no doubt hurting them and this is a reason that they don't squeeze us even more. A balance between as many agencies as possible is the best for our interests. If any of them kills the others we will be all in deep trouble,  be it Istock or Shutterstock (read in the past they were interested to sell part of it in the stock market-any truth in that?).

In any case you have been on both fences now and know better than most us here what to expect from being exclusive or not. As I said before I am quite happy with my progression but as many exclusives at the same time very nervous to have all eggs in one basket. I hope and wish that I can keep in this environment for many years to follow but if the situation gets unsustainable the alternative to jump ship as you did is always there.

27
Computer Hardware / Re: Advice on monitors requested
« on: November 26, 2011, 12:11 »
I work on Eizo CG222 and think it's an amazing monitor. Not only because the accurate color and easy hardware calibration.  For me a major factor was brightness evenness across the whole screen and the low brightness value, that makes it very comfortable for your eyes if you work long hours in front of it. I think the Eizo CG223 can be found for 600 pounds +Vat nowadays. So it might be worth to stretch your budget if you are going to give it an intensive use.

28
iStockPhoto.com / Re: What is really, going on?
« on: November 26, 2011, 11:26 »
Im an IS Diamond, yet SS brings me in 10 times more, hows that for starters?

  Well obviously Istock is not playing well for you at the moment, or SS is just doing extraordinary well. When I went exclusive my earnings increased 8xtimes the next month. Remember that the income for exclusives is much higher because of royalty cut, prices and what is more important best match. it doesn't surprise me that with such low commissions and bad best match placement for non exclusives so many are reporting such dismal sales.

In relation to SS, there is a place for everyone , RM, macro RF-Vetta-Agency, micro pay-per-download and subscriptions. Nowadays Istock/Getty tries to be present at all those segments (for clients and image producers). SS is not there yet.

 Figures like the Microstock 2010 survey http://blog.microstockgroup.com/microstock-income-vs-portfolio-size/ point that exclusive Istock contributors are generally speaking doing better than non exclusives. This might of course change in a heartbeat. No empire lasts forever. And the monthly earning posts are without a doubt a sign to be concerned.

29
iStockPhoto.com / Re: What is really, going on?
« on: November 26, 2011, 09:04 »
I cannot complain. My sales at Istock keep growing. I am fairly new at the micro game. It worries me like other Istock contributors the download spiral that many are reporting. On the other hand coming from the macro side, I value that Istock introduced Vetta and Agency collections although I am not a Vetta/Agency shooter. I think Shutterstock is not a viable proposition for photographers who rely on a type of photography that doesn't fit into the "popular subject or style" and would never recoup the production costs associated on that type of images if a higher price would be charged for those images. This is a strong reason why many powerful very creative exclusives will stay in Istock. The 30c subscription option will never work for them.....

30
Just bought the unlimited version. It doesn't seem to work right. After it fetched all my data which took some time, when I closed the program and entered again it was all gone. Have to fetch everytime all data again. Also when I created Filesets if it was one it was ok. As soon as I created 3...when I moved through them everything was messy, some was not showing any file at all, another one showed files I didn't add. Hope you can help about that.

Thanks

Cristian

31
iStockPhoto.com / Re: ElenaVizerskaya
« on: June 18, 2011, 03:51 »
Amazing portfolio. Without doubt the most creative photographer of Istockphoto.

32
General Stock Discussion / Re: New Microstock Keyword Tool
« on: May 31, 2011, 13:38 »
Great tool. Thank you very much. A nice addition to the ones we know.

33
Given the overall lack of competence in iStock's IT crew, I don't think they could implement a contributor-specific targeting scheme even if they wanted to.

In spite of my negative opinion of iStock's recent behavior, I don't think they would try to retaliate against vocal critics. I do think the clubby atmosphere around Vetta (an "in" group that has way more Vetta images than seem warranted) has created an oligarchy that is why we don't see the ability to filter out Vetta and Agency, but that's not the same thing as shuffling problem contributors to the back.

I've seen lots and lots of best match shifts and it can be very tempting to read more into what's happening than is really there.

The big, big worry is that in their lust for soaking the customers they'll drive too many of them away. I don't think they're currently presenting a good mix of results, but I'm hoping they'll keep  "tweaking" some more and improve  it.

Spot on........................I don't think we will see in the near future the actual best match favouring V&A so strong like it is now. They are at a testing and experimenting phase to see how they can optimize to the max revenues. But short-term profits is usually not a synonym of long-term-profits....I also think the Vetta "oligarchy" might be an important pushing force that explains were we are now. But at the end of the day even that "club" has no power if some at H&F/Getty decides the contrary to what is happening now. The only thing I am sure is that we are all in a spinning wheel that never stops.

34
I think search results with the slider all the way to the right are returning not very logical results at the moment. Similar files of mine get ranked in a way that less downloaded files with same keywords and same upload date get a better position that files with 10x more downloads. If the slide is at the middle or to the left the results have much more sense.

For me as a new contributor, the best match shake, if it is staying like now, might be detrimental to my portfolio as I think it favours older files with a good sales record (you see many more blue flames in the search results). To reach the top will be harder now, but who knows if this behaviour will change tomorrow. Everything is very unpredictable and fast changing in the microstock world. So for good or bad we will have to swallow it,ride the wave and keep producing great images till next change......

35
"All of that is straight greed from Getty"

Mr Locke is right on this one. This is not news. In some way many Istock contributors not directly involved with Getty had never seen the sharp teeth of this wolve before, and are now schocked to see this happening by their beloved idistributor. Whatever Mr. Kelly Thompson says, he is under the orders (directly or not) of Mr  Jonathan Klein who at the same time responds to investors at Hellman & Friedman.

Mr Thompson statement "But money isn’t going to be what makes you all happy" cracks me up. He should tell that to H&F and would not endure one single second in front of his responsabilities at Istock. I wonder how he could let that go off in front of thousands of his suppliers......All his 3 pronouncement to date were... to say at least innacurate in many ways, and in some way reminded me to some old teacher attitude clapping my shoulder saying "I know better you will understand when you grow older".

Fact is: Istock is now a huge business that at this grow rate will take over Getty in a few years. 40% is an enormous rate by macro RF standarts. 20% max for contributors sometimes less for some of their Partner collection. That difference is what will be equalized more sooner than later.....and no I don't think the macro RF cut is going up.

Can they do it even with a lot of creators resistance. Yes I think so, they did it before. When royalties at Getty where cutted many years before, also a lot of photographer quitted or searched alternatives but in the end they were filled up by other ones. There is just too much content and creators nowadays, we are not a scarce resource by any means, at least not yet, if the screws get being tighten this may happen but not in the foreseable future and seriously,.... they know that they need fresh material all the time. It's just that they will go as far as very optimized contributors are able to produce be it 15%,10%, or 8% , simple market economics.

On the other hand they have been and I think will be succesful for many contributors. They know how to actively sell our work and will push harder and harder. So Mr Thompson might have a serious point that absolut revenues for many photographers might grow. I don't know, could be small talk or not. My data shows that my Getty revenues have declined the last months but this again is another different animal and another topic of discussion. They can afford the luxury to filter out some contributors but the line is thin where you gain inmediat profit against making your competitors stronger if too many excellent contributors leave alltogether or drop exclusivity. I think they know their line very well. But the detailed picture will come clearer next year.

Cristian

36
iStockPhoto.com / Re: iStock changing royalty structure
« on: September 08, 2010, 06:28 »
Let's hope those other sites don't get the same greed rush as Istock is experiencing. Whatever happens, I have to agree that having spread out the risk in as many outlets as possible is the wisest move now.

Cristian


"This isn't what I am experiencing.  Some of the other sites are getting stronger, istock has fallen back.  They have sent some of their buyers to the other sites by raising prices too high and now they will lose a lot of their contributors by cutting commissions.  There is a real opportunity now for a rival site to become the No.1 and I hope one of them take it."

37
iStockPhoto.com / Re: iStock changing royalty structure
« on: September 08, 2010, 05:55 »
Hello:

This is my first post at this forum. I have been following with interested some posts here for the last months and with the turmoil created by the latest Istock move though was a good moment to introduce myself and write my first post.

I have been a stock contributor for the last few years. Mainly in Macro agencies but 1 year ago I tried Istock to test the waters of micro distributors. I have to say that I was already used to micro pricing as many of my sales at Getty fall into the category of "Premium Access" where you get a few dollars a sale. The first months as a non exclusive contributor were quite dissapointing since I was used to much bigger revenues at Getty. With all the incentives to exclusivity I bit the bullet to push the envelope and see how far I could get my rpi there to see the potential of micro. I have to say that I was surprised at how much better my revenue improved after this move. I guess the push by Best Match and some increase in the upload quota and % share helped too.

The last move anounced yesterday has worried me in many ways. Obviously the move is very bad to 99% of all istock contributors. If the 80% non exclusives and 75-60% Exclusives share that the Getty Corporation seems is not enough for them.....will any number be ever enough. I don't think so. The Getty sale to a private equity firm meant the business is no longer for a long and sustainable run but for a short term profit.

Getty is used to the 20% for RF and paying a 40% when their business in the royalty free arena is moving so fast to Istock is not being seen with good eyes. The Thinkstock creation was a first and strong advice of what was coming, the next step has happened much quicker than I thought. The lowering of commissions and the introduction of images from outside sources ( I bet than wholly owned content with a good Best Match position is not far away ) are a nail in the coffin on any reasonable mid-term planning a contributor can do.

Non exclusives are much more affected than they might think at first. It is not only the lowering commission. The dominance of the Getty conglomerate is taking over and as time passes, the alternative sites where to place images with reasonable return are diminishing. On the other side why should the competitor sites follow another strategy that the company that has showed the most success.

The only hope is that in our connected world things change so quickly that a much better alternative for photographers might arise at any given point. The middle man is taking now the largest straw......but for how long ?

Cristian

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