Yuri is a smart guy but his model is flawed. DNY59 at iS has it right.

helix and pan...

thanks for your quick replies. That is kinda what I thought after seeing others post about the DL/$ curve at SS flattening or descending. Oh well... it is what it is. It is still fun.

Do you think this trend is that same at ALL the microstock sites?

off to the studio...

ox

Check out Floortje at IS. The shooter is the king of iso. His styling is amazing.

As an art director, I love isolation with clipping paths. There are so many options. I love shooting for Isolations too... and just send the best shots to India for clipping paths for 99 cents in about 6 hours. Then I work the shadows and UL with clipping paths. I rarely get rejects doing that.

Anyone know where to purchase these miniature figurines?

Been searching for hours with no luck.

Thanks
OX

Yuri says he uses a monopod when shooting models because he can't guarantee to get the focus spot on if he hand holds the camera.

the correct answer.

the requirement for exclusivity is now 500 downloads, not 250. the general trend is actually to drop exclusivity at is rather than reach it. did you arrive here in a time capsule, by the way? 

How do I become an Exclusive contributor?
If you have 250 downloads, a minimum 50% approval rating, and have no royalty-free stock images, vector illustrations, video footage, audio clips or Flash files available at other agencies, you can join our Exclusive team. Video contributors only need 1 upload to be approved as an Exclusive contributor while sound artists only need 10 downloads.

note to self: AP=troll

Just found this... never mind..

Are there other restrictions?

    * Images, video or audio files may not be sold on the artist's own site (including collections, CD-ROMs, etc).
    * Artist may not give away files for free, from their own or any other site.
    * Rejected files may not be sold elsewhere

Have you ever heard of anyone buying their own images (or having a friend) in order to reach, more quickly, the 250 downloads required to become exclusive? Let's say you are 60 or so DLs away from 250 and want to get the benefits of iStock exclusive and not want to wait the few months it might take to reach that magic number.

Would IS frown on this? Is it not allowed. Would they find out if you have a friend do it?

Your thoughts.

I see the industry adjust in the future due to the avalanche of ULed images with minimal commercial value. From my "art buyer" chair, it is a 20 page search in many cases to find the good stuff. I think SS is already doing  that more than IS. I sense the goal for the major microstock sites is less images of weak subject matter and poor execution equating to better relevant keyword searches. Ultimately, it is about ART. 

The business model to accept their deluge of non-selling images will just bog down the system -- if it hasn't already. Getty isn't a fool. I suspect they are filling the corrals before they thin the herd.

WOW did I call this right. I posted this the other day and IS did just what I suspected.

Quote from: oxman on September 07, 2010, 11:39

I see the industry adjust in the future due to the avalanche of ULed images with minimal commercial value. From my "art buyer" chair, it is a 20 page search in many cases to find the good stuff. I think SS is already doing  that more than IS. I sense the goal for the major microstock sites is less images of weak subject matter and poor execution equating to better relevant keyword searches. Ultimately, it is about ART.    The business model to accept their deluge of non-selling images will just bog down the system -- if it hasn't already. Getty isn't a fool. I suspect they are filling the corrals before they thin the herd. OX...future gazer

So how would you define "good stuff" and also stuff with minimal commercial value? What's the difference?

And do you feel the majority of buyers using micro feel the same way as you?

Good question. It is purely subjective but there are a number of artistic elements that are desirable and timeless in a photo. Most of the time, when presenting designs to clients, I know which one they will pick. I think if an image has not sold in a number of years then it should be deleted.

Minimal commercial value: images poorly executed in an overly saturated category, or in a very obscure category

Dunno what the majority thinks. I see alot of schlock purchased by buyers and that always throws me off but I believe good work rises to the top in the end.

These are just my opinion and I have no hard evidence... just observations from experience.

OX
...thinking

Is there much data available regarding new contributors to microstock? I've wondered if there is  a constant or increasing flow of new shooters actively submitting work. In other words, is the competition increasing, stagnant or becoming less.

I became a contributor at IS about three months ago and found the experience VERY frustrating. As a creative director for 30-years I felt I knew what would sell. Plus, I  was a fairly good photographer ( I thought ) with semi - pro level equipment and had art directed hundreds of photo shoots from table top to all kinds of models. Then came the iStock Inspector Beat Down. I had a 40% acceptance for the first few months. I was ready to quit but sucked it up and kept shooting (now at 65%). My sales are marginal but show signs of optimism... so I persevere.

It made me realize that it is HARD to shoot acceptable stock that sells. One has to invest in a quality camera, lenses, strobes, soft boxes, props, lights, stands, quality laptop (if tethered), and Photoshop. Then you need to learn all the techniques for using your camera and software. And then you need to upload alot and that means spending alot of time shooting, editing, retouching, keywording, submitting... and then you marvel at the 25 cents you earned today. THAT IS if your stuff gets past the inspectors. ARRGG!

So i imagine that only the most determined photo-hobbyist survive and a large number of contributors try it out and give up. I read on a blog that only a small percent of contributors make up about 80% of the uploads.

So do you think the pool of new contributors growing or slowing?

OX
...still trying to figure this stuff out

I should study those top images more carefully and try to reproduce their magic formula (if any).  It would save a lot of effort to quit wasting upload quotas, processing time, etc. on the approximately 2/3 of my portfolio that have zero downloads.

I tried that with my "rain maker"... so far it has only been a nice idea that hasn't worked.

OX
...trying to beat the system

just put it in my amazon shopping cart yesterday. i viewed her interview online. seems like it might have some gems of information.