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Messages - Uncle Pete
4051
« on: March 25, 2019, 11:41 »
Are they useful for something?
Personally I rather doubt buyers use categories to search by much....but its only my theory. Would be interesting to know from people who do actually buy?
I can't see much value for categories when you have such huge collections (SS especially, but also AS).
The sites must have some stats on whether anyone ever clicks on them as a way to browse. And if they did, I'd have to imagine that a quick translation into a few important keywords would allow on the fly category searches without any need for the contributor to do anything.
I was a graphic designer and frequently bought images (as well as being a contributor). I never used categories in a search.
In my personal workflow I spend no time at all selecting categories. Adobe Sensei does a good job picking the most appropriate category in almost all situations and as I understand it, there is little value in the category with regard to generating sales. My recommendation is to leave the category to Sensei and spend extra time on keywording as that is the most effective way to improve visibility of your content.
-Mat
Well that's either a full house or a straight flush?  I never cared much for the importance opinion that some place on categories. There could be too many or too few, it's just a general term. If you love CV you'll probably love more time wasted on categories, that and my opinion is, buyers don't use them very often. The agencies could drop categories and it wouldn't make a difference. Oh wait didn't one try that and people got all upset because we only had one choice to waste time filling in?  Read what Jo Ann wrote: The search covers the same keywords and more specific details. Plus the agency could do away with us entering them and have the software decide.
4052
« on: March 25, 2019, 11:19 »
Where you find "using SS's sales info" that show the keywords used for purchases
Well that was a short visit to the forum?  Just in case someone else is new or has the same question. Go to Top Performers: https://submit.shutterstock.com/earnings/top-performers?language=enOnly sold images appear, by earnings. Downloads per Keyword: elvis (46.7%), presley (30.5%), memphis (8.6%) click + and get more elvis 46.7% presley 30.5% memphis 8.6% tennessee 3.8% stamp 3.8% postage 1.9% music 1.9% 50s 1.9% famous 1% Some images have none, some have what we'd expect and I don't know how valuable the information might be. In my case, if I see downloads on SS for the top few words, I sometimes adjust those words to first on AS. Since all my images have virtually the identical keywords, everywhere, I'm pretty sure, on all sites the "good" words are already in there. Also for future images in my saved keywords, I include the most popular for sold, as the first, figuring it can't hurt to have them first everywhere, even though most sites, change the keyword order. Lastly I can look at sold images and make sure that older images, with similar content, have the best words that were used to find the sold files. Yes, there are many keyword AI tools already on many sites. Google says in the metadata, "looks like" and then what their AI thinks.
4053
« on: March 25, 2019, 11:07 »
4054
« on: March 25, 2019, 11:05 »
They would go into Chapter 11 and re-organize their debt - likely trade it for equity again. They still are the dominant market player and have a viable business without the debt load. Lenders don't want to kill the cow: They will find a creative way to keep it supplying them with milk. I worked for a company in a similar situation. Vulture funds usually find a way to keep the tap flowing -- albeit often at the cost of employees and suppliers.
If they sell milk for 6 cents, less photographers will decide to feed the cow. If photographers don't feed the cow it won't give any milk to produce the cheese. Lenders will not get the cheese and Getty will end up with a dead cow in the barns.
https://twitter.com/jonathandklein/status/690559911252471808?lang=en
The way I see this, Getty doesn't care about iStock photographers or Microstock. They make their money from the archives, entertainment and media licenses. Think of Getty in those terms, not about us. The business and the finances aren't about chiseling us down to lowest commissions or selling our work as a cheap commodity. That's just a sign of how little they care and how unimportant Microstock is to Getty. They aren't going to recover or go under, based on Microstock or iStock.
4055
« on: March 25, 2019, 10:56 »
Just emailed this to Pond5 support and cc'd CEO Jason Teichman at [email protected]
Pond5 decision-makers,
As a long-time contributor to Pond5, I am writing in anger that you are cutting our profit share of non-exclusive sales by a massive 20%. Pond5 attracted artists in large part because it offered a fair 50/50 split, and now youre lightly dropping that as not competitive. Let me ask, is management also taking a pay cut to stay competitive? Do you hire employees and tell them, Work hard, do great, and maybe in a few years well cut your pay by 20%? You chose to take a huge amount of earnings away from the content creators in an effort to squeeze them into working for you exclusively. That is an incredible betrayal. On a basic human level you should be ashamed of your actions and greed.
Pond5 has repeatedly spoken against a race to the bottom in pricing. But by cutting artist pay, youre pushing a race to the bottom in how much artists are compensated for their own work. Did you really think it would be more acceptable because you simultaneously launched the 60/40 exclusivity offer? We see the earnings cut for what it is - a profit-grab out of the pockets of artists and an attempt to push contributors into exclusivity by making non-exclusivity less profitable. But for most contributors exclusivity would not cover the loss from leaving other sites, and so your greed is just part of a slow, inevitable disincentive for artists to create good work. Why would I sign exclusively with a company that betrays its contributors on the very day it launches the exclusivity program? You've just proven that contributors can't trust you to maintain commissions.
And Pond5 says: Dear Artist,
Wed like to thank everyone who took the time to contact us and share their thoughts. We truly value your feedback and will continue to look to our artist community for input on how we can best accomplish our mission to help you earn more.
Weve had a lot of feedback over the last few days. Our goal with the Video Exclusivity Program is to accomplish one thing: maximizing the value of your work by making it harder for buyers to shop around to negotiate the lowest price.
Two clear themes have emerged from your feedback:
I agree the industry is heading for a race to the bottom, but some portion of my income comes from other sites and I dont want to lose it.
I'd be willing to go exclusive for my future video content if I could still list my older footage on competitive marketplaces.
We hear you loud and clear. While the best way for you to preserve the value of your work and receive the most benefit is to become a Pond5 Exclusive Video Artist, if you wish to have only selected content (especially new content) listed exclusively with Pond5, you can do so by creating a new, separate account.
The new Exclusive account will benefit from the higher royalty rate (starting April 8th), as well as the additional promotion, sales, and marketing associated with our Exclusivity Program. Please note that once you create your new account, you will need to enroll it in the Video Exclusivity Program by going to the Exclusive Program page.
In the meantime, please continue to reach out to us with any additional feedback or questions about this program at [email protected].
All the best,
The Pond5 TeamDoes this look like an answer? Second exclusive only account?
4056
« on: March 25, 2019, 10:50 »
On the flip side. Putting your work on all the sites makes it a commodity with royalties and pricing likely determined by the worst of the bunch. There is a race to the bottom. I know I buy things at the cheapest places, how many people buy video/photo gear from the local camera store (assuming any are still around) and how many buy it from BH or Amazon? I would rather risk it on a company paying 60%. What would happen to the sites paying less if everyone did the same?
I buy almost everything from B&H and if used, maybe eBay or FM forums/Fredmiranda. Local camera stores are Best Buy, Walmart, Costco and the likes. I used to buy things at Blacks AKA Wolf and many other names, just to help them. Paid more, but I could walk in, get what I wanted and walk out. Same goes for Radio Shack. I can get the same parts on eBay and wait 3-6 weeks, order from the US and get them in days But I can't drive to the local Radio Shack anymore and grab things off the shelf. I miss that. While I agree with most of what you have written on this thread, I will disagree about the buyer searching for the perfect image. They don't care if it's "The One" and only one, they want something to illustrate, as a side, as a background or something other than the main point of their use. What I mean is, those people who shop by price, will find something suitable and won't care if my work is only available on Pond5. Yes we are being sold as a commodity, things have been that way for seven years. Good that someone else has noticed and recognizes that, that's the business and Microstock. If P5 is trying to be stock and not cheap Micro, I'm thinking, not a bad plan. Since I haven't got video all over or thousands of ordinary Micro style video, I might consider going exclusive. I don't have as much at risk as other who might have 10,000 on multiple agencies. Like everything else, we all need to decide for our own material, work and value. I like the 60% idea and video is not first, or second or third actually, for me, so why not. But buyers don't shop for identical video by price, they shop by price, for what they need, just like consumers. And if they are looking for the subjects and the video that makes up most of Microstock, if they can't find it on one site, they will look on another. I don't think P5 is going to corner any market for Exclusive video, only available here, the only shot of something... that will benefit most artists. The plan would work for someone new maybe? If P5 wants to dig in and demand all or none, I'm guessing that's what they will get. If they took the agency exclusive, they might get some one of a kind shots that people want to gets the most for their work. Other side is, people will upload the best, for the most profit and then upload the rest, outtakes, extra trims, of the same, everywhere else. So P5 is getting quality but not originality or true exclusive. That's probably why they went for All or None?
4057
« on: March 19, 2019, 09:12 »
Getty is a very large company and has amazing archive stock collection and also exclusive contracts with major sporting
and red carpet events. That will be the saving vest for this company.
Now in the creative section of the business (images,videos,illustrations,......) they lost the battle long ago and I don't think they will recover. The best contributors specially of Getty Creative are gone and in the micro side of the business Istock cannot compete anymore in quality and quantity for similar reasons. Many top exclusives don't supply anymore and without those the archive is just more limited than the competition.
They forgot to treat well their contributors and it has bitten them hard to a turning point that they are not able to redirect. Maybe a lesson for all other agencies. Mistreat your suppliers and the road to perdition is 1 mile ahead.
They may have some exclusive deals, but mostly they have access everywhere, without questions, and Getty has hired shooters working those events. That's why they removed our Editorial content from IS, to reduce competition. I'd like to see a couple of examples of major sporting events that they have exclusive? If the contracts are the same as last one I saw, Getty pays the photographers and owns all rights to the work. Nice investment in agency owned content. Before Getty bought back the controlling interest and during the rape of the company by investment firms, there was also a large dividend paid out to those investors. More bleeding...
4058
« on: March 19, 2019, 08:59 »
I don't see any content in the OP's post, also February's downloads aren't currently online for me, nor is my Profile page frozen while the update process takes place, nor is there any mention of them being available in their forum, nor in two independent forums I'm on.
Tomorrow is 20.
Just looked, still showing January for me, no data to download.
4059
« on: March 19, 2019, 08:42 »
I'm not even getting any "zooms" since the glitch....I'm not sure its an error or bad run.
What glitch? Why would that stop zooms? ctr = 0, Zooms = 0, Views = 0, sales = 2
4060
« on: March 19, 2019, 08:28 »
It's popular to make successful companies look like they are in debt, because it can then be used as a tax writeoff.
If indeed this is true (haven't read the article or investigated it) - then I'd say there is some creative accounting going on. Legitimate - but creative - to make it look like a liability when in fact it is profitable.
2018 article, Getty Images got gutted by the partner deals, the debt ratio was way out of line, to the point where they owed more for interest, than the company earned. It's not all creative accounting. I'd still think the agency has solid backing from involved parties, and there's a good potential for the future. Many exclusive and historic images that they own the rights to.
4061
« on: March 19, 2019, 08:24 »
I love their lights but I will not be a beta tester on any camera body that fits my glass no matter the price or the specs!
(said the guy that still shoots HD with a t3i and a 7D hahahahahahahah!!!!!  )
Jokes aside, too much technology (SIM, front camera, 4K/30p) in a small body (for me).
But 4 hrs of uninterrupted usage with one battery, is something that I really envy (if truth).
No kidding, four hours? Why do I doubt that will be true. Better have interchangeable batteries or some way to continue shooting? A mirrorless, 4/3 sensor camera, built on Android technology, wifi, GPS. Interesting concept for people who want their instant photos to go out on the web. Uses easy to find EF lenses. Boy there are thousands of decent kit lenses out on the market, I have a half dozen on the bookshelf. (because I don't use them, they came with cameras) Yongnuo makes EF mount lenses 50mm for $50 Wait, small, hand held, 4K video? So my next question will be price for a pocket camera, that I'd have to carry a pocket lens. Although some of the Canon pancake lenses could be entertaining. Anyway, I'm not waiting to own one, just amused by reading about them. Rumored to hit the Japanese market in April for around $500 US. I sure hope the reports that it runs on Android 7.1 are old news. This is one of the great, wait and see, kind of cameras. I think for $500 I could like many other, less tricked up, devices. Something like an EOS-M5 or a 7D or...
4062
« on: March 19, 2019, 07:52 »
Mark Getty: Mark was born in 1960, and is the founder of Getty Images, (along with Jonathan Klein) a global photo agency. Net worth 325 million GBP (2018)
I doubt that this prize project is likely to go under, without some personal investment in keeping it around. This is an inspired effort to buy the assets of closed newspapers and agencies, digitize them and save for the future. Of course, yes it's a business as well.
Getty Images, Inc. is a visual media company, with headquarters in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is a supplier of stock images, editorial photography, video and music for business and consumers with an archive of over 200 million assets. It targets three marketscreative professionals, the media, and corporate.
iStock is not the major footing for this agency and I often think that Getty bought IS for the archives, and entry into more well known stock for a larger audience. I doubt that they primarily bought IS for the Microstock stock site. However, by owning IS, Getty now has a well known and established marketing site.
Think outside Microstock and beyond.
4063
« on: March 16, 2019, 16:18 »
Yes my bad, nevermind this thread. It's just that the last time that I only had 1 sale when I woke up in the morning was in... 2010 when I just started microstock and only have 100 images online. It was surprising not to see any sales in 5h00, but I just had another one so it must not be a bug... just a surprising slow Saturday ;p
I'm surprised too, for you, since I know your collection has a nice broad market.
4064
« on: March 16, 2019, 16:14 »
https://www.stockperformer.com/pricing
Aha! So that's where the little birdies are!
I think we've been through this before. I wonder how stockperformer knows the downloads and incomes, without passwords. That would be some pretty valuable information for the agencies to know about each other. I really couldn't see much more than their promotional claims, and I'd really wonder what some subscribers say from their actual experience? I also don't know why the link was to the pricing page instead of the features? https://www.stockperformer.com/features Anyone have more details about this place?
4065
« on: March 16, 2019, 15:57 »
Does anyone notice if a download comes from Megapixl.com instead of Dreamstime? I was reading the court case and saw the part where DT said they opened a new agency to direct more traffic to their site.
Just wondering if we see any difference or if it's just the same either place.
I did search for one of my new uploads by date on Megapixl.com and there I was, first on the first page.
4066
« on: March 16, 2019, 10:06 »
It seems they have reset the passwords of some contributors because "suspicious" activity (me included). I reset and created a new password and rolling again.........
Maybe everyone?
4067
« on: March 16, 2019, 09:56 »
It makes sense not to upload them all at once, if they are similar, a buyer(s) might need one of them at a given time, say they see it in the fresh section, but they don't need all of them, so the rest will probably be buried cause of no immediate downloads. If you upload them with some time apart every photo will have a equal chance to be the one that sells and rises in the search. In theory.
I personally think the maybe someone will see something new theory is just wishful thinking. But I still add "copy space" in the keywords, even though evidence says, the buyers don't search that. There are so many superstitions and theories or maybe tricks how do get more sales. 50 keywords, double keywords, spammed keywords? Add files on Saturday so they are new on Monday or Tuesday. Do bigger images really get more sales? Some still think that 1,000 images will make more than 100 selected best images, because more images = more money. I think that if I upload while standing on one leg, sipping my diet Coke, I'll get better sales. This is an actual point, prove I'm wrong? We don't really know if rolling uploads, over say weeks or months, makes any difference to future downloads. So do what you like, but don't expect magic or tricks to actually make a difference. Most tricks and superstistions are irrelevant because buyers find what they need and search for more than anything else, and don't just discover things because they are new. That used to be true, but now new is 1 million images a week. How much can the new placement do and how long does it last? Minutes? Does anyone ever think, maybe I didn't upload the photo that some would have needed, so they couldn't see it and I missed a sale? No one gets many downloads of images that are still on your hard drive. None that I know of? I would say the main advantage to stretching the set to over a period of time would be, not getting rejections for similar images. So have at it, the choice is yours.
4068
« on: March 15, 2019, 09:41 »
I'm not sure telling people there is a big announcement in a week is the best way to avoid panic!
On the other hand, how happy would everyone be with, "Oh by the way, new unannounced change." We've had our share of those as well. I think P5 is up front and tries to communicate with us in the open. Come on folks, announcing a video conference is now starting a panic? LOL Are we that suspicious and that distrustful of agencies? Hmm, that might be a yes?
4069
« on: March 15, 2019, 09:15 »
Sales dead though since 21st Feb though 
Are your images exclusive or non exclusive?
Yes mine are some of both? My book covers at Arcangel are and should be RM for obvious reasons, including exclusivity. Imagine the same book cover image on multiple books...disaster.
It happens:
http://www.indiebooklauncher.com/resources-diy/the-dangers-of-stock-photos-on-book-covers.php
and I've seen others in the past.
Interesting but slightly biased and negative. Tell me though, EL on SS is $200 and we get $28? Or did the author pick a worst case.
Not sure why you think that $10 is a "minimum on Alamy". I've had distributor RM sales as low as 66c net, meaning they paid $2.20 for the image.
The wording wasn't the greatest - 10 USD was merely an example. My own experience is that sales on Alamy are rarely under that. I am not on Novel Use though, years back it used to generate 1.00 sales so wasn't too happy.
Apples to Apples,, if someone wants one image or a two pack, $29 using SS for the example, they aren't going to be paying a sub price, and if someone has a subscription, they aren't likely to be buying much from Alamy for RM or the list prices there. Personally, nearly everything on Alamy is exclusive, and I don't know, but there's a tiny portion that are on Micro and Alamy as the same. I used to argue the same as you, how would a buyer feel if they just paid $200 for an image and then saw it on Shutterstock. I like to be honest but if they do that, it's not my problem. I'm positive I've seen files viewed on Alamy and later purchased on SS or AS. So with that, no I don't choose to have many files on both Microstock and Alamy, but if someone else thinks that's a good plan, that's their business. On a somewhat related side note, I have uploaded the identical image to Alamy full size, lets say 50MB or larger stitched panorama, and uploaded a 8MP version to Microstock. I felt if someone paid more they should get more. The rest of the split images mostly have the same going on. Alamy, full size, Microstock downsized versions.
4070
« on: March 15, 2019, 07:38 »
It is going to a fixed price model or something along those lines. It is a revenue grab. It ties right into the RESEARCH they just conducted on the optimal video pricing. Why on earth would they do research on video pricing when it is a contributor sets the price model? They wouldnt. So expect this to be bad news spun as good news that ends up being bad news. Volume will go up...bla bla.
I think you have a good idea of what they will be announcing. "After the test, we found by lowering prices, there will be more sales volume. But your income won't suffer" Ha Ha, how many times have we heard that before.
4071
« on: March 14, 2019, 08:26 »
More like "Beautiful, free photos. Gifted by the worlds most naive community of photographers."
That's what the owners of the site are saying while they make money from free exposure uploads. Hey someone help me, I don't want to be the devil sign + guy Heart Collection:
+666Thanks, I've been saved. 
4072
« on: March 14, 2019, 08:24 »
I use to paste words from a text file after deleting and deactivating automatic generated keywords.
I'm using Linux (Ubuntu) and LibreOffice Writer, an .odt text file.
Chrome Browser.
Everything uses to work fine.
Well, gonna return to my private party.
LOL well someone using Linux might have the same issues and that will help you narrow it down. No I don't paste from text I have all my words, title, description and data ,in the photos, before I upload. Good Luck finding what's going on. At least you have narrowed it down a little so someone can match and see if they can help you.
4073
« on: March 14, 2019, 08:20 »
Ok, i was somewhat wrong. If i bookmark the page when it shows recent activity actually the bookmark remembers and shows recent activity again, even though the selection box on the top left corner goes back to "top sellers". That made me confused, but it actually works, so thanks for making me see that page more times.
Still, i would prefer getting the activity updates in emails as it is way faster to go through emails than opening a web browser and loading web pages. For emails i don't even need to touch the mouse to go through tens of them in a few seconds.
Same here, it is confusing, at least it shows what I wanted. Yes, many have suggested the same, if we get a once a day, why not include all the days activity, that would be a better way to handle it. One nice neat, daily sales report. I'm not really that much of a fan of getting ten emails a day, one by one, when I could get a daily digest of sales. Also agree, why make us click and look when it's all easier in the one email? I'm looking forward to more adjustment and positive changes, I hope that Adobe keeps adding features and useful data for us.
4074
« on: March 14, 2019, 08:11 »
Just found another free place that I never heard of before. I was reading an article, Blog, and saw the credits. All but one Unsplash
The site landing page says, Beautiful, free photos. Gifted by the worlds most generous community of photographers.
License
All photos published on Unsplash can be used for free. You can use them for commercial and noncommercial purposes. You do not need to ask permission from or provide credit to the photographer or Unsplash, although it is appreciated when possible.
More precisely, Unsplash grants you an irrevocable, nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash. This license does not include the right to compile photos from Unsplash to replicate a similar or competing service.
Pretty much you can do anything, except copy to another free service? Very sad.
I was going to join and upload some Crapstock there, just for fun. Even that I'm against giving away for free.
4075
« on: March 14, 2019, 08:01 »
You can see US sales vs other sales on SS by going to the payment history page :
https://submit.shutterstock.com/payments?language=en
Last month about 55% non US for me (I'm US based and have mostly US content)
the month before about 47% non US.
Just eyeballing down the list I'd say it usually runs from about 55-70% non US for me.
Oh yeah, that, and now that I look, it varies from month to month as much as 3x Non-US one month, 50-50 the next and 4x more US than Non-US. I can't really see any trend worth mentioning. I thought I might.
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