|
MicrostockGroup Sponsors
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - increasingdifficulty
Pages: 1 ... 13 14 15 16 17 [18] 19 20 21 22 23 ... 74
426
« on: May 16, 2018, 10:43 »
Only they don't... I have clips in roughly the same (page 1-2) positions for common search terms that have stayed like that for years. If they get sales, they stay.
Well, now you know what can be done at least. Best of luck!
427
« on: May 16, 2018, 10:40 »
I haven't the time to do this. Besides, all the relevant keywords are there. Trust me.
Yeah, it's not that simple. No time to do this? Then don't complain about sales. SEO is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING when selling anything online. You need to find out for each search engine: "industry secrets"And much more. I don't really care if you do this or not, it's just a bit tiring with the constant "everyone is against me" posts on each and every forum. Everyone is not against you. Only yourself by not doing 100% of what you can to maximize sales. Just take the time you spend here, on the Pond5 forum, the Envato forum etc. and apply it to something productive.
428
« on: May 16, 2018, 10:13 »
I have no idea what "SEO" means.
Why did you pick out the old bicycle shot when there are better examples of better stock images ?
SEO means Search Engine Optimization = the way you keyword, write descriptions and titles. That is the most important part, more important than quality, and should be a big part of the time spent on stock work. To optimize sales, you need to thoroughly test each search engine and apply metadata accordingly. It is NOT the same on the different sites.
429
« on: May 16, 2018, 08:56 »
There is nothing wrong with my work thank you very much. You also assume to know more about me than you think.
Everyone's work can ALWAYS be improved. That includes you, me, and everyone else who isn't the top stock producer in the world. And snapshots of broken bicycles will only get you so far... I know you don't want to be "mainstream" and create what sells, but here's a tip: what sells is what is needed.  And regarding SEO, that can definitely be much improved.
430
« on: May 16, 2018, 08:13 »
It's obvious here that there are many (who are probably doing well) looking at life through SS tinted glasses. Sales have stopped dead for no reason for a few days THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!!!!! THIS IS MANIPULATION OF THE ALGORITHMS.
Well, according to you every site is "manipulating" the algorithms and have personal vendettas against you (Envato, Pond5, Shutterstock etc.). The only thing that repeats each month is your posts at every forum around the web. I don't think anyone thinks that the algorithms don't change, of course they do! That is part of any site's operation - to maximize OVERALL sales, and to do that, they have to constantly tweak algorithms to see what works. That does not, however, mean that they are "manipulating" your sales. If you focused more on improving your work and SEO rather than trying to find reasons everyone is against you, I'm sure your sales would be better.
431
« on: May 16, 2018, 00:24 »
Though there's an additional issue. It looks like my GoPro has some dust on the sensor - sometimes it shows up as a dark spot in the footage, depending on the background colour. For some scenes, I could 'hide' that dark spot by importing the background colour from Photoshop and filling it in. Unfortunately, with some scenes with busy, constantly changing backgrounds, it would be impossible to fix.
Have you opened your GoPro (more than usual)? Replaced the lens or tinkered with it? It's unlikely that you would have a sensor spot on a GoPro, although of course it COULD happen if you open it. It's more likely that the spot is on the lens itself or on the case, which would mean it's easy to remove. Sure it's not on the lens? If it's a real sensor spot you would have to open up the GoPro and clean it. Since your GoPro has a fixed aperture, the spot would always be there, so do some tests and see if it randomly shows up or if it's always there. You're right that for typical GoPro footage with constant movement, sensor spots would be very hard (not impossible, but time consuming) to remove in a nice way.
432
« on: May 15, 2018, 12:39 »
If it looks good, it is good.  The newer GoPros record at 45 or 60 mbps, but of course it can be set to lower bitrates to save space, which is probably why you saw the 15 mbps clips. I wouldn't use that unless I had to though. 30 mbps 1920x1080 can work well, so just try it and see. The official maximum AVCHD bitrate seems to be 28, but maybe that's more of a guideline than an exact number.
433
« on: May 15, 2018, 11:46 »
Some beautiful footage there. I especially liked the lone tree immersed in the water.
Increasinglydifficult, would AVCHD clips be okay to colour grade without too much damage? I would only be doing minimal grading with mine.
Well, I have never graded AVCHD clips myself for professional use. I worked with it 10 years ago but I didn't know much about grading back then. However, I see that the maximum bitrate is 28 mbit/sec and that 21 mbit/sec is the highest for Panasonic AVCHD. That is quite low for 1920x1080, about half of a GoPro, which can't handle too much tweaking. They both use the h.264 codec so it would be a good comparison I believe. But in the end, it all comes down to your eyes. You will see how quickly the footage falls apart. It just starts looking very ugly when you tweak too much. A RAW file from a professional camera can handle almost anything while a GoPro clip falls apart almost right away. Of course, how the shot is filmed also plays a big part. If you have exposed to the right with plenty of light it can handle a lot more post processing. If not much moves in the frame, you will have retained more quality compared to a shot where lots of things move around.
434
« on: May 15, 2018, 03:48 »
As usual, it's because of technology advancements.
Almost anyone can afford a drone capable of commercial quality today. 5-10 years ago you had to build your own quadcopter for $10k and send your DSLR up in the air. Bulky, clumsy, harder to fly, easier to crash, and expensive.
Times change.
435
« on: May 15, 2018, 01:32 »
Selling a digital creation as stock is different from simply selling copies of it. What you are selling is not the file, but specific usage rights to the file. You can't sell that if you don't own it. When you buy a file, you are buying the right to use it in stated ways, but not the right to sell it again.
There may be some exceptions to that, but they would be rare, and expensive.
Get better software, and make your own designs. You ARE an artist, aren't you?
Using a 2D photo as a backdrop for a 2D stock image is also very different from using a 3D asset in a 2D stock video. If you are in the 3D world, you will quickly learn that no one makes all the elements of a complete scene themselves. No one. No one owns the copyright to all the elements. Do you own the copyright to the standard shapes that come with the 3D software? Nope. Do you own the copyright to the sky elements in the software (sun, clouds, etc.)? Nope. Now, some marketplaces (like TurboSquid) specifically forbid use for resale in stock products, but other marketplaces absolutely allow it. You are not selling the 3D model as a 3D model. It is rendered and incorporated into a new 2D work. It all comes down to whether the new product would compete with the original model. Using a 2D photo as a backdrop and just adding something might compete directly with the original. Using a 3D model as an element in a 2D render does not necessarily compete with the original. You wouldn't think twice about using the materials that come with 3D software in a 2D stock render right? Or trees/leaves from a vegetation generator? Someone else made those leaves. --- Of course, some people take it too far and sell renders of complete 3D scenes that they bought, without really changing anything. That USED to be allowed, but the agencies are now not too happy about it, for obvious reasons (thousands of duplicates), even if it was allowed by the seller of the 3D scene. --- It's just like using virtual instruments in stock music (and all other music). Those instruments/libraries are made to be used in new musical works. You can of course not sell the individual sounds as stock sounds, but you can make something new with them, which is the entire purpose of their existence. I bet you can go through 10,000 stock music tracks and not find a single one where the seller owns the copyright to all the sounds.
436
« on: May 14, 2018, 07:05 »
Hello,
I use a blender for animation. I bought textures for animations and 3d models. Can I send a job to Shutterstock etc?
https://www.cyclesmaterialvault.com/
That depends ENTIRELY on where, and under what license, you bought those textures and 3D models. You need to spend some time reading licensing terms. By the way, wouldn't it be easier to use a computer for animation?
437
« on: May 14, 2018, 06:59 »
I have never known it so bad and yet March was my best month ever. 3 times my normal earnings. This is definitely engineered manipulation as it has been A B Y S M A L since that great month. I am sick and tired of uploading new work that sinks into a black hole of despair.
I assume you didn't write them and accuse them of manipulation when you had 3 times your normal earnings in March? Or complain here about it?
438
« on: May 14, 2018, 03:02 »
For my stock animations I use 3D models that I created myself . But I need more complex 3D objects.. I would like to buy some 3d objects/models, is this possible? Or I must created all by myself? Which license allows this? Is there some page that sells this?
Tnx
If you need to license an image or 3D object, then you don't own copyright to it.
Well, you don't own the copyright to the "Advanced Lightning" plug-in in After Effects, but I'm sure no one would say you can't use that in stock footage. It is used in thousands of clips, and in many bestsellers. 3D models from TurboSquid - a big NO! They are very clear about it in their licensing terms. 3D models from NASA - yes. They are clear about it, and so are the stock agencies. But you must say "elements provided by NASA" or something similar.
439
« on: May 13, 2018, 11:29 »
Just get the trial and try it out. You pay monthly and it's not too bad. In my opinion, a compositing program like After Effects is a must for stock footage. Not necessarily AE, but something that allows you to track, stabilize and animate blur masks. It's really not much different from perfecting images in Photoshop. Sky replacements, or at least darkening of the sky, is often necessary to make a video really stand out for example. I think you'd be surprised how many bestselling clips are actually composites or retouched to some degree. If you do it well, you can't tell. You just think it looks "wow".
440
« on: May 13, 2018, 11:14 »
Sorry to hijack - new to video, but curious how your first video was accepted? Doesn't it have logo prominently displayed on that paddle? I thought just like photos, videos couldn't contain any logos/trademarks/copyrighted content?
You are correct, but it is marked as "Editorial" which makes it all OK. Clips like that are a pain to make commercial but it can be worth it. After Effects is your friend. That being said, I think that particular clip would have a 50/50 chance of being accepted as commercial by a few agencies. It's hard to tell what brand it is unless you pause the video. Spend the extra time in After Effects and you wouldn't have to worry. It can be done in 10 minutes once you've got the hang of it.
441
« on: May 13, 2018, 10:13 »
Of course it COULD happen, but reasonable people don't risk their multi-million-dollar business doing this. Yes, there are plenty of unreasonable people in the business world, but it's just as likely that someone charges a cent extra for your gas, puts two chocolates on the receipt when you only bought one, puts an extra minute on your phone bill etc. etc. Time is usually better spent making new stock items. That being said, I have never missed a purchase that I know happened.
442
« on: May 13, 2018, 02:19 »
Here's an example of mostly drone footage... and then there is a mix of drone+gopro footage in my other videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VHY9H3OAFg
Hi! There is some great footage in there that would absolutely sell. I would not agree with "most people upload RAW". At least not most people who SELL a lot. I would say 99% of all bestsellers have been edited/post-processed quite a bit. There are definitely very few RAW shots to be seen. Of course, be careful of over-editing, but buyers seem to prefer a finished look - ready-to-go levels of contrast, saturation etc. That being said, horrible shots with white balance from Mars also sell if the subject matter is right. But the goal is to create bestsellers, right? The type of clip also matters. An editorial shot of a riot should probably look as natural as possible. A slow motion clip of a mountain climber can be heavily graded and have a cinematic look. It also depends on what camera the footage comes from of course. Usually, I wouldn't edit GoPro footage too much, because it can't handle it, and you would usually film with a finished look anyway. If you have model releases for your skydiving shots they would be great stock clips. The POV kayaking clips too. As for drone shots, I usually pull down the contrast a bit so that highlights don't get blown out and I color grade a bit. I don't personally think that the 4k footage from Mavics/Phantoms (before the 4 Pro at least) is OK to sell as 4k, because compared to a real 4k camera, it's just not there... I know people do, but... Also watch out for the typical "drone camera moves" = robotic pans and tilts. In my opinion, that instantly ruins a clip. If you are a perfectionist, you will find that editing and post-processing is very time consuming. For drone shots from the cheaper drones flicker reduction and noise reduction is usually required to get a clip I would feel comfortable charging money for. --- Some people upload directly from their memory cards, but after what I've seen from forums, their huge portfolios of 10,000+ clips don't really get many sales. In my opinion, I think it's a giant waste of time. Get the clips as perfect as you can and you will find that one really good clip will outsell 100-1,000 mediocre clips that are just mass uploaded. Not too different from stock photography. You just might want to leave a LITTLE more room for the buyer to color grade since stock footage usually needs to fit with other clips.
443
« on: May 12, 2018, 10:22 »
Exactly.
If the all-you-can-eat buffet across the street suddenly offers the same quality and variety as the expensive la carte, it makes the choice easy.
Especially if you can feed yourself every day for a year at the buffet place for the price of two meals at the la carte place...
444
« on: May 12, 2018, 09:56 »
I enjoyed doing the photography/videos anyways, but obviously would like to see sales too
That's the important part, and it's also the only way to get better. To put in the hours. It's so much easier to finish and sell clips now for me, than it was a couple of years ago. That's because I've made so many mistakes that I now have learned from. Everything from the optimal camera settings for each camera, to choosing angles, subjects and being out at the right time. I can't tell you how many times I've gone through older clips and wished I had exposed them to the right... A small thing like that just makes a world of difference. It's so much easier to process and keyword a clip that is not only filmed well technically, but is very clear on what it is, especially if it's an abstract concept. I think the most valuable lesson, however, is what clips not to waste any time on. That knowledge can of course only be acquired after a few years...
445
« on: May 12, 2018, 08:25 »
If you can find your own clips using 1-4 of the most important keywords, the buyers will find them and buy them when they need them. If you can't find your own clips using 1-4 of the most relevant keywords for each clip, neither will the customers, unless they need something VERY specific and narrow down the search even more. It's good that you have unique clips, but of course they need to be unique + needed to sell. --- Let's say you have a very nice clip of a specific beach in Sri Lanka called Unawatuna. If a buyer just needs a clip of a beach they will likely never find your clip, because they will search for "beach", "paradise", "perfect", "tropical" or something like that. Thousands and thousands of clips match that search and yours is not likely to be found since older clips have more sales. Only if they want a clip of Unawatuna, and no other beach, they are likely to find YOUR clip. After a few years, maybe Unawatuna becomes a more popular destination, and your clip gets a few sales. It now also climbs the rankings for the more general terms and you MIGHT see even more sales. It's a long journey.
446
« on: May 12, 2018, 06:39 »
Hi everyone, new here.
I've been selling 99% Video over the last three years and have kept records over the time of the sales and have noticed a trend with Adobe which has got me worried that they're penalising me for withdrawing funds.
When Adobe is doing well for me, I'll see on average between 2-7 video sales per week and it's can be one of my better performing agencies, but I've noticed that after withdrawing funds the following 3-5 weeks have little to no sales. My biggest withdrawal from Adobe was at the beginning of April and since then I've had a whopping 1.20 in sales (a couple of photos).
Does anyone else keep track of when they withdraw and notice any decline in sales? When this has happened in the past, the charts do show that the sales pick back up, but it feels like something is happening to my footage rankings.
This is just another case of our human brains trying to find connections and patterns between anything and everything. I usually withdraw when I reach a certain amount. Sometimes it goes right back up within days. Sometimes it takes much longer. It's just the natural ebb and flow of sales. It makes absolutely no sense to secretely penalize withdrawals... You need to ask yourself WHY they would do that? So that 0.1% of contributors might get suspicious and not withdraw as often?
447
« on: May 12, 2018, 06:35 »
... just check if you are not trying to login as a buyer... it`s kind a confusing, have that problem few times... try this link:
https://contribute.storyblocks.com/login
Yup, that's the solution. Been there too.  Extremely annoying.
448
« on: May 12, 2018, 03:42 »
Sure, and even with something in the foreground it can give an interesting rack focus-like effect, drawing your eye into the distance as the aperture opens up (could look choppy if the steps are too big however, best with a manual aperture lens and a rack focus motor). Useful when you want to maintain long shutter speeds.
449
« on: May 12, 2018, 01:38 »
Well, not that this is a semantics forum, but OK.
Your statements:
"Shutterstock has miserable pricing"
"Shutterstock caused an avalanche of pricing cuts" = other sites follow, suggests they also go to miserable pricing
"At least 123rf give us an opt out" - strongly suggests their change is negative
"I deleted my last 5 editorials" - strongly suggests you are not happy with them
That's why it seemed like you were unhappy with the change, and that it was part of the avalanche that Shutterstock started.
I do agree with you though after your clarification, it's a good change even though I used to price higher.
450
« on: May 12, 2018, 01:30 »
I think Fotolia is quite Eurocentric lots of countries with May holiday and hot weather. My sales were very poor everywhere 
Yup. In Europe when the temperature goes over 22 degrees it's an automatic bank holiday. All video editors just leave their computers and stare at the sun. That being said, my sales are still normal.
Pages: 1 ... 13 14 15 16 17 [18] 19 20 21 22 23 ... 74
|
Sponsors
Microstock Poll Results
Sponsors
|
Show Posts
