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Messages - travelstock
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576
« on: February 03, 2010, 08:37 »
It would appear that the most expensive currency in which to buy images from Fotolia is in Euros. The smallest credit package there is for 21 credits at 24 which works out at 1.143 per credit. Converted into $US each credit costs about $1.60 at today's exchange rate.
If a European customer, using the above package, downloads an image from a base level (White) contributor who is paid in $US then that contributor will earn just 25c per credit expended. Instead of earning 25% of the sale that contributor will actually receive just 15.7% of the sale price. Shocking.
It doesn't get much better as you go up the rankings either. If you aspire to get to Yuri's level of Rubis you'll be expecting to earn 43% commission __ wrong. If you are paid in $US then, under the circumstances above, you'll be earning less than 27%.
You really need to get this translated into German - that's the market with most of FT's buyers and a fair chunk of sellers.
577
« on: February 03, 2010, 08:31 »
iSyndica do many less important things but don't do (maybe can not do) the most timetaking thing: keywording. without submission prosess, iSyndica means nothing. multiple uploading can be done with fxp methods with much more cheaper. "analysis your earning" is just a "financial masturbation". Lookstat says they do everything in their site but only with 2 sites. it is also another story..
Keywording is just the most tedious for me - as others have said if you keyword before uploading its much faster. Isyndica allows you to have a final check of keywords before submitting, and tends to be more accurate with getting metadata in the right places for each site than using FTP. In terms of overall time saved, its much better than any other option out there that I'm aware of. Is there any company can really do all the processing? I would like to give my photos and expect to see them online in every sites that I want. Whenever there is a ready company for that, I can pay for it. (even much more what iSyndica ask for now) Until that happens, Sorry but iSyndica is a waste of money.
Its only a waste if you don't have the need for it - managing a large number of files is very effective with this site - compared to what I'd pay in bandwidth or internet time its actually really quite cheap.
578
« on: February 02, 2010, 01:55 »
I got this from a friend at Facebook.
ATTENTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! do not join the group that runs currently on facebook with the title "becoming a father or mother was the greatest gift of my life" This is a group created by paedophiles whose aim is to access your photos!!!!!!!...!!!!! Please post this as ur status and tell ur complete list of friend Hoax or not, I think people need to be aware of the information that they are putting on Facebook and that its really not private, nor does the company have any interest in privacy. Their business model is to use contextual marketing to make money: "Reach your exact audience and connect real customers to your business." They know who the exact audience is for products because you give them all your personal information, know who all your friends are and where you're logging in from each time. Many probably wouldn't be aware that you'll get different advertising when you log in from a different location... yes facebook is watching you! Despite all their privacy settings, there are some things you can't make private: ie. - your real name - your friends lists - any fan pages you're a member of On the IP side, its probably worth noting the terms of the site: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook ("IP License").
579
« on: January 31, 2010, 11:43 »
Very cool - I bet that somewhere there's images that relate to the background and basketball too.
580
« on: January 29, 2010, 03:23 »
Shutterpoint unfortunately seems to attract a lot of buyers for nude, even porn in fact.
Unfortunately? Why? It's just another niche in the photography business. And... Porn? I've never seen porn in SS.
Because I don't like a site I am in to be a popular source for the porn buyers. Yes, they have a lot of porn that sells, even if porn is against the submission guidelines. They are very lenient to what is "acceptable". A closeup of genitals is not just "erotic".
so, you think SS will lose their integrity for a few porn bucks?
scary !!!
but aren't most micro sites all about profits with no regard for contributors?
if not, you won't be seeing pennies for your dls 
SS is not Shutterpoint. Shutterpoint is an entirely different site - the problem is there, not with Shutterstock. The images Madelaide is talking about wouldn't get accepted on the main microstock sites.
581
« on: January 28, 2010, 16:22 »
If more sites take the same approach as Alamy software like SpiderPic will not be an issue.
http://www.fastmediamagazine.com/?p=3705
That puts a much different light on the value or effectiveness of SpiderPic or any of the "find-it-cheaper" sites. It seems you get what you pay for.
That's true, but if you don't want or need the additional rights that Alamy offers in their license, you're much better off buying at a micro where you can unbundle the components and pay for those portions you actually can use.
Given the number of existing price comparison sites on the web for all sorts of products and services, I can't see why stock imagery should be a special case and publicizing prices be a no-no. I can't see Alamy having more than the proverbial snowball's chance in h#*l of succeeding with a lawsuit.
Ok... lets say your "comparison site" earns commissions from some of the products it sells, then presents those products as being significantly cheaper than a competitor's product (which incidentally they don't earn a commission from) in a comparison that is potentially misleading, possibly deceptive and probably libelous. Add that fact that the comparison site is accessible and accessed world-wide and compares companies that are headquartered in several different jurisdictions, each of which have different trade practices, disclosure and libel laws. Notwithstanding the disclaimer, assuming Alamy is serious about pursuing something, I'd hate to be defending Spiderpic.
582
« on: January 28, 2010, 15:46 »
This is basically for the people who now use their laptops almost exclusively for working on the net, and probably do more reading than writing. If you're a traveler, its about the perfect size.
If you've ever tried leisurely reading something on a laptop, I think you'll agree that a flat device, about the size of a magazine is far better than any laptop. A good touch screen will make you far more connected with the material that you're looking at than any mouse, keyboard or a laptop touchpad. I'm waiting for the feature where you can turn the page of a newspaper or book with a quick swipe down the top right hand corner as if it was a real page.
As for multi-tasking, I think Apple is working towards the time when there will be only one app that is really needed on any computer - the internet browser, so as long as you can have more than one tab open, you'll be multi-tasking.
I hope those who are criticising the lack of a keyboard remember their words when they look back at today's keyboards in the way I look back at the tape drive on a commodore 64.
583
« on: January 27, 2010, 13:56 »
Was speaking to a designer recently who works in an office where they have both a SS subscription and can buy additional images on DT when they can't find what they're looking for on SS.
Basically if its on both it will be a subs download in SS, if not its a credit download on DT.
I suspect that designers may sign up to a small number of different options, but I doubt many would bother maintaining accounts at a whole array of sites. To keep track of this would just become a nightmare.
You have to remember that there is more to keep track of than just prices - each site has its own license conditions etc that need to be recorded.
584
« on: January 27, 2010, 13:41 »
1k is kind of low for an upper limit. You might want to add 5k and maybe even 10k as options 
No don't do that... its kinda nice being at the upper limit for a change! 
585
« on: January 18, 2010, 16:04 »
After watching the crisis in Haiti, it makes one wonder what you would do in a situation similiar to this. What decisions would you make if you were faced with life or death? One really wouldn't know unless they were in that situation and sometimes you would do things you would never think you would do. Personally I don't know what I'd do. I would truly hope I am never put into that situation, but something like this can happen anywhere at anytime.
My life is limited! Even if its not going to end tomorrow, I still want to be able to look back and feel that I've made the most of what time was given to me.
587
« on: January 07, 2010, 11:49 »
Sorry to revive this thread - couldn't get on the site while in Mozambique over Christmas, and MSG seems to be having problems on some ISPs in South Africa too...
Anyhow - read over the goals from last year, and this is how I went-
1. Upload in excess of 20 photos per week (was on track until I pretty much stopped all uploads in about August - more like 10/wk as a result)
2. Learn Spanish to a reasonable conversational level (sort of got there)
3. Travel from Guatemala where I am now, all the way to Tierra el Fuego in Argentina, without jumping on a plane for any part of the trip (got to Argentina, but ended up going to Brazil instead of all the way south... then jumped on a plane to Africa)
4. Do my scuba diving certificate (done)
5. Fund all of the above + my trip back home solely from microstock earnings...(still on target for this - but not home yet...)
So the goals for this year:
1. Double microstock income from last year
2. Set up a base to work from for at least 6 months this year... still deciding where!
3. To make it home to Australia for Christmas.
588
« on: January 07, 2010, 11:27 »
my biggest annoyance (I use a mac laptop, but have a PC desktop) is not being able to click a button to 'maximize window' I know there is the little + button but that doesn't always make it full screen. Am I missing something?
If you're missing something, I've also been missing it for years. The problem is when you aim for the edge of a window that is almost maximised and end up getting something underneath.
589
« on: January 07, 2010, 01:10 »
Even if I were in a position to go exclusive with IS, I don't think I would on the back of a move like this by them.
While I can see the benefits for contributors of higher royalties - the canister shifts are really nothing but a profit share grab by a company that is already the most profitable in the industry. Long term I think that this change, and Fotolia's changes are bad for all contributors.
590
« on: January 07, 2010, 00:22 »
None on the 4th, but I did get one on the 5th. Last month was a record EL month for me with 7 from SS, mostly in the first week and quite a few from other sites as well.
591
« on: December 15, 2009, 07:11 »
I think this is good news for independents. Its a shame they cut commissions before bringing this in, but overall I think its going to result in a fairly significant increase in earnings - the combination of the increased prices with the new image levels should be significant, particularly for contributors who have been there for a while.
The change in levels will more than triple the number of level 3 and above files that I have - so there will be a boost to subscription earnings as well as on demand earnings.
Now... what's SS up to???
592
« on: December 15, 2009, 06:22 »
I'd be pretty certain that the model release policy on Dreamstime loses them sales, buyers are too savvy these days and they're concerned of any possible legal implications, if you were a buyer who wanted a shot that contained a body part would you buy it from the site that says it has a model released attached or the one that says it hasn't?
On the other hand - what possible cause of action does a model who has an unrecognisable body part used commercially have against an image user? The ridiculous thing about microstock is that there is a requirement for all sorts of releases that just aren't necessary.
593
« on: December 11, 2009, 07:38 »
I haven't noticed a drop in downloads in IS in the last few days - the last 2 weeks were down, but this week they're back up again.
I don't think the results of one or 2 independents are enough to draw any conclusions about whether there have been changes to the formula based on this vs exclusivity at the moment. We really need a much larger sample to draw data from.
594
« on: December 10, 2009, 18:34 »
I don't think this is really about exclusives vs non- exclusives. The more I look about it, the more I think its about increasing Istock (Getty's) margins in time for a sale.
Basically the increase in price of exclusives' images is to offset the cut in canister levels and try to keep them happy, while hiding the fact that they've actually increased prices massively for buyers. IS will be winning through higher file prices, and from lower royalty payments - exactly the way FT did.
Overall I think the move is bad for buyers and bad for contributors - exclusive and non-exclusive alike.
595
« on: December 10, 2009, 15:53 »
Not sure if people saw this:
I've edited the "Quick Facts" post to remove the part about filtering the different collections. I also added this:
Q: Will people be able to filter out normal Exclusive images or illustrations from searches?
No. The standard Exclusive content will show up in all searches.
So basically even less joy for non-exclusives.
596
« on: December 09, 2009, 01:57 »
Hi All,
Boy does this bring back memories, just my opinion after working with this company for 12 years but it has always rang true. This does not surprise me in the least. I was waiting for this and what else will be to follow. The idea is to bring in exclusives and stack the deck with their work. They want a corral of shooters that can only shoot for them but not for the quality of their work it is easy to get an exclusive with Istock. Far more about the control it will give them as they move forward with this corral.
At first they can take that work, load it to the front of the searches and everyone is happy. The new guys make more money they get tons of new shooters and they send their other work off to another of their Micro sites that sells for a smaller price range. Then after a while they can start changing up the contract even more. But just a little at a time so you don't really feel it is enough to leave them.
Will they remove the wall and let their Macro RF people have a chance to become exclusive. What comes next.... Stay tuned. Just my buck and a half.
Best,
Jonathan
Yep I can't understand all the excitement about this news. The shift in canister levels betrays what this move is all about - increasing profit margins at IS at the expense of contributors and buyers. While exclusive contributors will benefit in the short term, this signals that conditions in the contributors' contact are up for grabs if Getty wants to increase its profit margins in the future. Another factor driving the move is the pending sale of Getty - good time to make the growth part of the business look better than it is by pumping up short term profits.
597
« on: December 08, 2009, 16:58 »
So basically no good news for non-exclusives. Seems IS is keen to make the gap between exclusives and non-exclusives bigger. Its becoming pretty clear that the direction is to treat non-exclusives as cannon fodder.
The canister changes are bad for non-exclusives because they make it harder to reach higher upload limits.
598
« on: December 08, 2009, 11:28 »
Question to iSyndica users: what do you see as benefits of the site over PicNiche or StockMon + FileZilla?
Well its web-based, so I can upload images once using my bandwidth, then manage my collection from just about anywhere. Maybe not as important for those who have fast connections, but it saves me a lot of time and $$
599
« on: December 04, 2009, 16:25 »
None of the sites had BME's for me, but overall the earnings were the highest ever, despite not uploading any new content on any of the sites. My last uploads were a small batch in mid-October, so have uploaded only 20 files in 3 months, but despite this, I've had 3 overall BMEs in succession.
IS: 33%
SS: 30%
DT: 12.6%
FT: 8.4%
Alamy: 4%
BS: 3.8%
StockXpert: 2.9%
123: 1.8%
Can: 0.2%
Cres: 0.1%
600
« on: December 01, 2009, 19:13 »
They're saying that if you write a review or an opinion, and the reason you're writing it is because you get a benefit either through referral programs or free products or because someone advertises on your site, you should disclose the benefit you get and not mislead people about the product.
My aim with the article was to try to clarify what the guidelines mean in something less than the 12 pages of guidelines.
If all you're doing is putting up banner ads with with referral links then you probably don't need to disclose anything. If you start writing product reviews to get more clicks then it gets a bit hazy. If you start telling lies, then you might get in trouble.
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