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Messages - Uncle Pete
3726
« on: September 29, 2019, 23:21 »
Lot of rejections not only for similarity, but also for noise, artifacts, pixelation, banding all together  nice
And if a cloud or dust is part of the photo, for focus.  "Focus: The main subject of this image is not in focus." Maybe I need my eyes tested? 
3727
« on: September 26, 2019, 10:44 »
Surprised how the Golden Turd Combination of:
123RF, Bigstock, DepositPhotos, Dreamstime
should bring me a combined $90 in Sept (average of 5,000 images on each agency). Still adds up to just over $1k a year which is a nice fast lens.
I suppose there's some merit in uploading to the minnows for some chump change (as long as they don't partner up with Unsplash and co)
Good point and once more everyone is different. If I was still uploading to those same four, I'd maybe make enough for a nice night out, for two, at a decent authentic Mexican restaurant including the drinks and tip. Once a year. I could easily have 10,000 on SS (old rules) instead of just under 5,000. I doubt that I'd make more. What I mean is, your 5,000 is probably much better, more marketable and useful for buyers, than my 5,000 
3728
« on: September 26, 2019, 10:27 »
So, based on my experience, here are a few numbers and rankings in terms of performance:
...
I'm mainly in editorial (cca 2/3 of my portfolio).
To summarize, both in terms of revenue and RPI, SS and IS are leading, being slowly competed by Alamy, even though there's still some gap between them.
In terms of middle tier, AS is giving me some great hopes, BS is getting ok as a complement to the main platforms, while DT is kind of coming back.
Then, talking about race to the bottom, I hardly see any future for DP and 123RF.
So, in the end, even though I hate IS due to the disastrous treatment they reserve to contributors and their huge and unforgivable failures, I am forced to say they are still among the top platforms to contribute to, with absolute and relative numbers that are good in comparison to most of the platforms...
Biggest surprise for me, and thanks for your data, is how well BS places and how low AS is. But since you mentioned you are 2/3rds Editorial, and AS didn't take that until recently, maybe not a huge surprise. Given that you are on iStock it looks like you are already scraping the bottom of the barrel.
LOL but then there are people who still upload to DP, must be a different kind of stinkin' barrel? What is your average revenue per image at Alamy?
Personally if I gave you that number, and included everything for the last ten years, it would be misleading. Used to be $88 RPD, now they are more around $12. I haven't figured last year or this lately. Problem with RPD is Alamy is much higher, but my number of DLs is much lower. I just look at income, not numbers that are just personal measures. Income: SS, AS, AL, IS. The other problem is, I have different types and images, except for maybe 1,000 of them, at each site. SS I have 80% Editorial, AS 0% Editorial. I have lineart and vectors on AS, very little on SS. Much of Alamy is on neither of those two, older Editorial (no credentials for SS) travel and scenic and I confess I pretty much stopped uploading to IS. Everything always comes down to what kind and what materials someone uploads, and the agencies will vary from person to person, based on what sells best at each of them. I try to direct uploads based on what works best at each place.
3729
« on: September 24, 2019, 22:42 »
Now the pace is 1,413,091 new stock images added weekly? I thought the similar rejections would curb the flood.
3730
« on: September 24, 2019, 22:33 »
Shutterstock now has that rule, too? I know Dreamstime has something like that, didnt know SS did. But then I havent been keeping up. In any case, it wont be an issue. Not many sales there now anyway.
Not that I know of? But here's the insider scoop.
https://www.shutterstock.com/contributorsupport/articles/kbat02/000006645?l=en_US
If you are enjoying doing it yourself, I think there shouldn't be a problem, until the final "please close my account" part, which they need to do.
So far, I havent run into any issues deleting. I keep track of how many I delete, and the next morning, the proper number shows. I have turned off sales. I had just gotten a payout, then got sales of around $6.00, which I will leave to them. But no more. And yes, I am enjoying deleting. Lets just hope they are actually being deleted. 😡
They should still pay you the balance after all files are deactivated, the account is closed and it has been long enough for all sub contracts to stop producing returns. All about accounting and contracts with buyers. As I've tried to point out before, money owed is a liability to the income reports for stock holders, not a useful asset.
3731
« on: September 24, 2019, 11:29 »
Shutterstock now has that rule, too? I know Dreamstime has something like that, didnt know SS did. But then I havent been keeping up. In any case, it wont be an issue. Not many sales there now anyway.
Not that I know of? But here's the insider scoop. https://www.shutterstock.com/contributorsupport/articles/kbat02/000006645?l=en_USIf you are enjoying doing it yourself, I think there shouldn't be a problem, until the final "please close my account" part, which they need to do.
3732
« on: September 24, 2019, 10:15 »
Search SS 'Relevant' Landscape and that brings up far better stuff than the garbage on 'Fresh Content'.
Mind you, go to Unsplash and search 'Landscape'...pretty good for free!
So the point is, recent uploads are not as good as relevant if I chose "relevant" as the search for the same subjects? Relevant displays better content? Yeah, free images everywhere and we wonder why sales are down? 
3733
« on: September 24, 2019, 10:09 »
always the same stuff always the same old files...nothing new sells....unbielevable.
Just to see, I looked at recent stuff for landscape : https://www.shutterstock.com/fr/search/landscape?sort=newest&image_type=photo
UNBELIEVABLE, I was not conscient about all the crap coming in. Nothing surprising that recent stuff, even if the best keeps unseen and unsold, buyers don't come through all these snapshots to find professionnal photo... How serious contributors can feel proud by participating on such a platform? personnaly, I feel ashamed to put my best pictures there.
But, I am sure that one day things will change, and they will have to clean up the base.
Perfect example of proof by using a terrible example. One word search for Landscape? Are you joking?
What buyer would do that? Landscape
always the same stuff always the same old files...nothing new sells....unbielevable.
You say you stopped uploading and when you did it was rejects. What did you expect?
my rejects is probably in the 5% for batch. I'm not uploading my best stuff or creative one, simply upload stuff i not consider my best work, that doesn't mean is bad work, probably much better than what you are uploading.
Probably You got that part right.
3734
« on: September 24, 2019, 09:48 »
Can someone give me some more info about this australian refund? Why is it?
Real short version, they billed at AUD Australian and paid us at USD dollars. It's not a refund and resale as many thought happened, it's a correction of an accounting error that runs back into 2018. Looks like this:  Instead of a $1 DL for 15 cents, I get a 50 sale for 8 cents. It's not a retroactive deal, it's an accounting correction. Of course, none of us like it, but that's what happened, nothing underhanded or back door dealing like some other places have done to us. But people still upload to those places? Anyone who goes exclusive after this and the last few years of disaster, deserves what they get. No crying when just about everyone has tried to warn them. I'd leave, but I don't upload and I just look once a month. After they screwed me and removed 3,657 of my images, I'm done with new, and back when we could I removed a slew of images. My collection there is 733 and if I feel like being stupid over the Winter I'll make it an even 1,000 and then, to quote the Raven, Nevermore... Updated a day later, I should add, that during one of the boycott and delete events, I deactivated a couple thousand of my own images. I left the Editorial because that's what sold best. Oh good a thread with the complete answer. I deleted my email right after I read it. https://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/this-is-all-we-got-a-sorry/
3735
« on: September 24, 2019, 09:30 »
*. If MS buy a stock house customers will run away the moment they will be asked to agree with the "usual" lots to infinite pages of EULAs!!!
I hope it's just continuing speculation, because if they do, there goes the Adobe people and the good attitude towards artists. In comes the bean counters, cuts, reductions and there goes a growing agency for us. I suppose if it did happen and MS integrated the images into one huge platform, we'd get more sales there and more of the parasite agencies would finally be removed. Here's another link, same question, dated 2013?  https://www.quora.com/Will-Microsoft-buy-Adobe
3736
« on: September 24, 2019, 09:21 »
I found this image on eyeem https://www.alamy.com/sam-jam-session-2017-image269818639.html and just found another one with some other photographers name under the listed name of photographer?
So the answer is, this is EyeEm uploading with images credited to Adam Kuylenstierna and EyeEm. Thanks for the warning, if I'd ever be desperate enough to upload anything to EyeEm, now I won't be interested in competing with myself.  Or I suppose anyone who thinks about it, never upload anything to EyeEm that's on Alamy? 
3737
« on: September 24, 2019, 09:15 »
I didn't have much sales too but maybe because I didn't upload new content?
Enviado desde mi LYA-L29 mediante Tapatalk
Wait, I thought only old photos sold? Of course: Yes there is objective truth if you accept the paradigm of an objective environment that is being assessed by an organic machine made to integrate with it. The objective truth is the environment and the closest thing that the organism can get to assessment of this truth is the signals produced by its perceptual machinery.In a world of alternate, personal reality: blame the agency "they changed something". The slow down is not limited to Shutterstock, it's being felt in other agencies as well.
I think I agree, too much competition, slow down in world economy, excessive abundance of the product. Supply and demand works for my thoughts. Or an alternate theory, closer to home:  Maybe just: 
3738
« on: September 19, 2019, 15:10 »
Is that what these are? Kind of strange as I haven' seen this before. -0.07$ 2 iStockphoto PHOTO -0.07$ 2 iStockphoto PHOTO -0.25$ 2 iStockphoto PHOTO -0.60$ 12 iStockphoto PHOTO So I earned a minus .60 or there were 12 downloads, at .05 which were all returned? What I see is the refunds are more than the credits, which means I'm paying to let people use my images, which is worse than free! I guess for me, the point of, I'll let the uploads ride and take what I get, has become a liability and I should just close down. I won't miss the $70 a year, but honestly how bad can this get before I say, OK I've had enough abuse and leave a bad relationship. Something is terribly wrong!
3739
« on: September 18, 2019, 22:11 »
I have gone to my portfolio, I hover over the image to delete, select the pencil (edit), then click the trash can. The box where the image is goes white. But there is no other feedback as to if that image has been deleted.
Also, where can I see how many total images I have in my portfolio? Yeah, they have really effed their site up.
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: never mind figured out the deleting part. Had to log in under username instead of email. still don't know total in my port, will keep looking.
EDIT: never mind, found that too. In the catalog manager, left column.
And just so you don't think you are crazy, I did some in the past, and they would be gone and if I refreshed the page, come back. Go away and login a minute later, they were all gone. It's a matter of what server of many and where, that you are accessing. The site is not instant, everywhere, all at once. Can take 15 minutes to an hour, for everywhere in the world to be in sync.
I was deleting images that had the wrong keywords so I could upload them again, properly.
Thanks for confirming I am not crazy. 😄 Yes, they have a message that says they might not disappear immediately. I figured it would depend on server refresh. I just got a payout, but I already have some sales. Guess I will be leaving a little money on the table for them,
I didn't read that as leaving, just deleting files. If you wanted to close your account and get all the money, you have to ask them to close the account, after which you would get all the money. Then they would delete all the files for you, along with your account. Or maybe I didn't understand? By going that way, all you would have to do is ask them to close your account and then at the end of that month they would pay you anything left. Maybe you can still get the last bits.
3740
« on: September 18, 2019, 16:33 »
I have gone to my portfolio, I hover over the image to delete, select the pencil (edit), then click the trash can. The box where the image is goes white. But there is no other feedback as to if that image has been deleted.
Also, where can I see how many total images I have in my portfolio? Yeah, they have really effed their site up.
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: never mind figured out the deleting part. Had to log in under username instead of email. still don't know total in my port, will keep looking.
EDIT: never mind, found that too. In the catalog manager, left column.
And just so you don't think you are crazy, I did some in the past, and they would be gone and if I refreshed the page, come back. Go away and login a minute later, they were all gone. It's a matter of what server of many and where, that you are accessing. The site is not instant, everywhere, all at once. Can take 15 minutes to an hour, for everywhere in the world to be in sync. I was deleting images that had the wrong keywords so I could upload them again, properly.
3741
« on: September 18, 2019, 16:28 »
I check that and my keyword are not is good order. Do you think this will change something ? order is important ?
Not on SS. I suggest you do something like jonbull, make your oldest files into a set in catalog manager, then find the next years, make a set, and the next. Up to 2019 and add all from 2019 until you start adding 2020 to a new one. You'll see if it's really old photos or just that it seems that way, because older images, gain money and show up higher. And of course, maybe they do gain traction eventually and get better sales. Seems odd, as climbing up is harder now than before and every year past that has been the case. It would seem that new files would neer, ever, make it. And considering competition, even less likely. But they do sometimes? I tracked my oldest 100 vs my newest 100, not a real good test I admit. Now if I add this years newest 100, that should be interesting. Thanks for the idea to see how each year does. And of course I uploaded different content and images, every year, new ideas, different concepts, so my answer would be, it's the images that matter, not the age. Older image just have been around longer, so they look better, as they have more sales.
3742
« on: September 18, 2019, 16:04 »
same problem here.
Yes, it is true that their checkboxes do not work and that you still cannot mark your work back to non-exclusive. "Making sense" or not doesn't matter, @Mantis, this is a violation of our creator rights, as your copyright provides you, the creator, the freedom to enter into licenses or not. Dreamstime or any other agency acting that way are extremely amateurish (and reckless, legally, read below).
It is also true that contacting support does not work. I have submitted (and documented by screenshot) a request many months ago, but nothing happens. They are "so superior", so arrogant, or so ignorant (most likely) that they believe they may simply ignore a legit request. They do not seem to know that an AGENCY, by definition, has obligations to both sides -- buyers and artists, that is. (And they purport to be "our agents" here, wholly ignoring our best interest and rights altogether, and it even works for them as long as we don't beat them to it). Which is what we can do...:
As a last resort -- and particularly if your image(s) have a copyright REGISTRATION (USPTO's Library of Congress branch or similar) because then you can recover more and more easily! -- you could sue Dreamstime for Copyright violation and might cash in BIG-TIME. That option might be fun, and the most profitable one on top. With a registered copyright and everything, you would also be covered for attorney fees & stuff.
And hey, everybody out there, please do your homework first (check w/ attorney, if that's what it takes) and do not even try and tell me that this was "nonsense" or "not doable" or something, for Dreamstime ARE INDEED violating our copyrights this way. Just depends on how pissed off you are and/or how important that matter is to you.
Interesting thoughts, I won't be suing, and I wonder how flipping an image listing, from exclusive to not, is a copyright violation? What am I missing.
3743
« on: September 18, 2019, 15:33 »
I posted this link before, newer new studio, he owns the building and it's larger. 2017 - https://www.mystockphoto.org/yuri-arcurs-new-studio/
Nice building, from the outside. Good for him. Jealous.
From this link, it reads like he is doing just fine.
http://arcurs.com/2017/03/were-back/
I was also looking at min wage in South Africa. It is something like $1.50USD per hour. Of cause models would earn much higher, I can hardly believe how cheap it can be in SA. Good for him to relocate to somewhere much cheaper. I personally wouldn't do it. I'm lucky enough to live in the first world, and that is where I'm staying.
Never been to Cape Town but I'd agree with you on what I imagine it's like. I also think climate, what's the weather like, a bit on the warm side for my taste. What's the political atmosphere? Not sure about 3rd world, as it's a tourist destination, big city, and should have many choices for different living and financial status. I wonder how many Danish models there are. Oh wait, I get it now, Yuri is doing so bad that he had to move to a third world country to stay in business. LOL Alas, poor Yuri! I knew him, Charged: a fellow of infinite white, of most excellent photo: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! Yeah it's a classic tragedy.
3744
« on: September 18, 2019, 13:08 »
I posted this link before, newer new studio, he owns the building and it's larger. 2017 - https://www.mystockphoto.org/yuri-arcurs-new-studio/
image #2, perhaps it is just stock or a screenshot from a seminar, workshop or something but it is a weird photo
Labeled
"Larger Team, Stronger Selection Parameters"
plus...
lots of kit lenses, hahahah....
Inappropriate use of a Stock Photo? You're right, lots of tiny entry level cameras and lenses, what no cell phone? The article was from 2017..A lot has happen in the stock business in the last two years.
Like what for example that applies to the topic of What's happening with Yuri Acrus? Keep in mind he owns a studio, and building, runs a school, has millions of dollars, owns an agency and is an IS/Getty exclusive, 115,611 Peopleimages stock pictures, 15,164 Yuri Arcurs stock pictures and images, 3,513 yuri_arcurs stock videos, 8,495 peopleimages stock videos Do you honestly think he's hurting or in trouble, like some have suggested? Yes we have been knocked down, in fact since 2012, doesn't seem to be slowing down Yuri at all?
3745
« on: September 18, 2019, 11:08 »
I did the same thing, and they did pay me the final payment. So hopefully they will send you yours.
Me too, the advise was claim money before closing account. No fee, I used PayPal, but that was a couple years ago. They paid 100% and then closed account. No problems.
3746
« on: September 18, 2019, 11:02 »
I guess no one bothered to look at Yuri's Instagram account. He was looking for "new faces" for his portfolio. The address listed for the casting call was in Cape Town.
I think early on someone mentioned that Yuri moved for tax reasons, I don't know if that's all, but yes, Cape Town. For those who want to read and discover: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHZF60RrXrwADTs4edcMWOQ his Youtube account lists Cape Town 2012 and new studio, 2011? I don't do Instagram either I would have missed anything there. But you are correct, this isn't news, he's been there for some time now. I posted this link before, newer new studio, he owns the building and it's larger. 2017 - https://www.mystockphoto.org/yuri-arcurs-new-studio/What the heck was his citizen journalist phone photo site anyway? I'm on the road, can't find the name, so I don't know if it's still active.
I admit sometimes I upload things that I just liked and I don't expect anyone to download them. Some are a surprise, most I'm right, no market, no interest.
But saddest of all is when you upload something you're not too keen on, and as you gradually grow to hate it more and more it becomes one of the best sellers in your portfolio. It's a cruel world!
I want one of those! Heck I upload thoughtful useful and what I think can be sold images, which languish and die. True I have uploaded some, "oh heck, I'll snap that thing" which actually have moderate downloads. And I admit, sometimes I'm bored and I make an idea into an image and upload that. I don't expect them to sell, just, I wanted to do it as a project. Has sold:  Early years I did upload something, as an aside, at an event, that had nothing to do with the whole weekend, and that sells, the subject and effort shots, not much. But I'd sure like an off the cuff shot to be a "best seller".
3747
« on: September 18, 2019, 09:28 »
The Library of Congress has published over 11,000 high-resolution shots of U.S. roadside attractions, and released the images (to which it had purchased the rights) into the public domain...
https://lifehacker.com/download-11-710-free-to-use-photos-of-roadside-american-1838050435
I was wondering how many of these photos will end up uploaded to microstock agencies...
None on Shutterstock if that's any help? Not acceptable. While someone might want to get a free download of something from LOC and they have a disclaimer, these may not be public domain, the next step is editing and adjusting. I'd think that anyone who downloads and wants to make a marketable image, would need to spend 20-30 minutes for each one. On the other hand, if someone just grabs something, converts it to a JPG and makes sure the size is right, that could take less time. A shabby upload of an old image, isn't going to sell very well, while a really cleaned and edited version might attract attention. That's my view of time vs return. I'm not sure that the result is worth the effort if done properly and the interest from buyers for rougher images, isn't going to make them attractive. So I'd say, instead of someone downloading hundreds of images or thousands and splashing them on the smaller sites, with lower standards and lower sales, one might consider being very selective about the choices and find a small number of "best" images, then try those. Others may be faster at editing than I am, or maybe not as cautious for artifacts. But I'm saying, before anyone says, I'll grab these and have 1,000 new images, they might consider time, effort and market demand. With that, a test set is probably the first step, to see if they make enough to warrent the downloading and editing. The sites that are likely to get downloads, SS doesn't take them, AS is very picky, (site says they don't take public domain images), IS I don't know everything changes too much, DT you are pretty much on your own guess, and Alamy will accept them if clean and sharp. The rest with weak reviews, might accept them, but where's the profit if there are no sales? Just some things to consider.
Items created by Library of Congress employees in the scope of their employment are U.S. Government works not subject to copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105). Unless otherwise indicated on this site, the Library of Congress has no objection to the international use and reuse of Library U.S. Government works on loc.gov. These works are also available for worldwide use and reuse under CC0 1.0 Universal.Plus anyone who wants the images, can find them free on the LOC site, if they want to spend the time editing. Just like NASA and some other US Government images that are available. Before someone else brings it up, I have nothing against someone finding a PD image, out of copyright, enhancing, adjusting, editing, and modifying, and then offering it up for sale or license.
3748
« on: September 16, 2019, 12:55 »
People who claim to be big trad photographers and big business, but they cry over Microstock sales lost, reviews, losing hundreds of dollars.
i wonder who you are referring to, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm wink wink
Pick a number, it grows every month. LOL Then the people with fine arts or photo degrees who can't stand being rejected by a stupid agency reviewer and also know how the buyers are fools for not downloading the best work out there. Heck I upload things, usually I think they are interesting enough and might sell, yes I'm disappointed when they don't, but the idea is still to make a product that buyers want, not art. Also the days of shooting what you see on a walk about, are so long gone, they are ancient history. I admit sometimes I upload things that I just liked and I don't expect anyone to download them. Some are a surprise, most I'm right, no market, no interest. Anyway I don't understand the obsession with what's Yuri doing, only to be followed by so many people who know better and are trying to put him down? He's himself, if you were like him, would you come to some forum to be ridiculed , insulted, and attacked. Or just take the millions, stop giving advice to people who won't listen. http://arcurs.com/who/Yuri Arcurs is rated as one of the highest earning photographers in the world, it's still making him millions a year. Who else here has endorsement deals with Hasselblad? Or any other camera Mfg.?
3749
« on: September 13, 2019, 21:38 »
I miss the days when Yuri would pop in and cause a stir.
And now, not popping in, is causing a stir? Not you: Poor Yuri only making 5 million a year instead of 10 million a year, and people talking about him, like they are so much smarter. People who claim to be big trad photographers and big business, but they cry over Microstock sales lost, reviews, losing hundreds of dollars. Then try to run down Yuri? Of course he doesn't blog or come here to be insulted.
3750
« on: September 11, 2019, 16:59 »
But you'll admit the new images do get a big position boost right?
I see the opposite of that. Although i dont subscribe to the "images need to age" theory but i get far more selling and starting to be consistent months after upload rather than days or weeks.
Previously (ie 5+ years ago) new images got a short term massive boost but if they failed to sell in that short, few day period they rapidly lost position and disappeared. That isn't the case now (at least not what i see).
Yes and no. Yes you are right the boost isn't as long, but I don't think anything changed, it's just that we are up against 1 million new images uploaded when five years ago (just to pick one point) it was thousands of images. What I mean is, we just get buried faster, but the initial boost is the same as it was. You are correct in the effect and results of course. I'll make a suggestion, which isn't new and I've pretty much repeated this for years. See if you can find something that's needed and not well covered, and upload that kind of material. You'll have less competition and more of a chance to be "discovered". Yes the subjects that aren't well covered, aren't the most popular, but when there's a need and a demand, the sales will make up for the not as popular and less competition. I don't mean find something so specialized that hardly anyone can use it, try for something in the middle, but not what everyone else is uploading. It's a good game trying to find things and make them.
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