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Messages - cathyslife

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6851
Thanks for your help, folks.

Not sure whether it all is going to do any good. I don't see that he is reselling the image. He is only offering it for download to other people. I'm going to do some more investigating.

edit: 2 of the 4 downloads are mine. I wanted to see what the size was (3x3" - 96ppi) and whether there were any tell-tale signs of the person using a thumbnail and PSing out the watermark. I don't see any, so it's possible they actually purchased the photo. I just don't believe they can offer it for download unless they bought the proper EL.

6852
Thanks for your help, folks.

Not sure whether it all is going to do any good. I don't see that he is reselling the image. He is only offering it for download to other people. I'm going to do some more investigating.

6853
Dreamstime.com / Re: Dreamstime uploads down?
« on: January 10, 2010, 12:30 »
Looks like it might be down. I used the FTP upload on their site. It connected ok, I chose my photo and hit upland and the status says connecting and then it just sits there.

6854
Veer / Re: What happens to Veer MP?
« on: January 10, 2010, 10:22 »
I am really looking forward to my payout...all $2.40 of it!

6855
Quote
Question is this...do any of you know what the costs would be to repair the camera as well as the lens?? Or would I be better to think about a new camera?

Interesting...you have a lot of confirmation that your issue is sand and dirt, donding, and that's what it sounds like to me. Are you still interested in repair costs (see post 4) or are you just going to buy a new camera?

6856
Off Topic / Re: First month after converting to Mac
« on: January 10, 2010, 10:00 »
Quote
but I realize this is probably my fault... overtaxing the computer's specs.  So I recently doubled the memory and it hasn't happened since,

I am surprised you would have that issue, too. I have not found that to be true. But your solution was a good one...PS is a memory hog and you really need tons of RAM for this kind of work. I think that would true of any computer, Mac or PC.

6857
Quote
How strangely conservative microstock buyers must be.

It's not that they are strangely conservative. Advertising has to be geared to every single person your product might possibly reach. A company can't afford to alienate what is likely the largest group of buyers (mainstream society). I think a better word would be safe or generic.

6858
I know this topic was just discussed within the last couple of months...I looked for the thread but just couldn't find it.

I found my best-selling image on DeviantArt, through Tineye search. You can see it here:

http://girafgiraf.deviantart.com/art/Personified-Corn-142763973

So they have taken my ear of corn image and put eyes and a mouth on it and now it is a derivative image. OK. If they bought the image with the correct license (I have my doubts about that), they can do what they have done with the proper license. If they did not purchase the image, of course they have not asked my permission to use it.

I believe, though, that they cannot offer this for download to other people whether they bought a license or not. Am I correct?

I also don't see how they can use my image and then post their copyright underneath the derivative. I emailed DeviantArt on this and they said that the copyright he posted under his derivative work only covers his changes (eyes and mouth). If that is true, that kind of sucks. At least I think he should be required to state that the ear of corn is my copyright.

I can see one more addition to my Advantages side of going exclusive. It's too difficult to track whether people have downloaded correct licenses when I am on so many sites.

Your help and opinions on this are much appreciated.

edit: I just found the other thread about this same topic here: http://www.microstockgroup.com/image-sleuth/my-image-on-deviantart-is-this-ok/

This person doesn't seem to be selling his masterpiece, just letting others use it. So has he violated any of my copyright rights? Just asking for opinions.

6859
I just sent my Canon Digital Rebel XT to Canon for inspection and cleaning in September. I also sent my 28-135 lens. It turned out the IS on the lens was not working properly. They inspected and cleaned the camera. The image stabilizer assembly on the lens was replaced and they inspected and cleaned the lens. It all cost me $211.00. Not under warranty. It took about 10 days to get it back. Hope this helps.

6860
General Stock Discussion / Re: Microstock Image Prices Now
« on: January 09, 2010, 09:33 »
I think that there are three types of buyers: 1. higher end agency-type businesses, large companies, etc. 2. small business and 3. individuals. I think that IS caters to 1. and some of 2. and therefore the price increase will not matter too much. I think that for part of groups 2. and 3., price matters. I think that some of the 2. and 3. group that currently buy at IS will migrate over to the other sites.

My opinion is that IS will likely lose some buyers, but their price increase will fill in the gap left by that loss. They will continue to make money. I think that the other sites will see some increase in business, but unless they advertise on the scale that istock has done in the past, they will remain where they are, behind IS. If one of those sites decided to wage war, I think they stand a good chance of giving IS a run for their money. I like to root for the underdogs.

After looking into my crystal ball, that's what I came up with. Just my opinion, though. I might need a new crystal ball. :)

6861
Thats great news, Rob. Thanks for extending the deadline and clearing up the confusion.

6862
Site Related / Re: No e-mail notifications....?
« on: January 08, 2010, 12:36 »
Sometimes I get emails, sometimes I don't. Seems intermittent.

6863
Quote
It's not as simple as an e-mail expressing intention to go exclusive.  You must send termination notice to all other agencies. 

Read the beginning of this topic and about halfway through...it shows you the content of the pdf that you must fill out with your request for exclusivity.

6864
Off Topic / Re: First month after converting to Mac
« on: January 07, 2010, 07:17 »
Quote
Now I know it hangs and crashes like Windows or Linux. Overall I am still positive. I am messing it up, installing hundreds of apps which I probably do not need.


I have been using Macs since the late 80s, and in my experience hangs and crashes are rare, NOTHING like Windows or a PC (I have worked on those, too). The key is exactly what you stated above. You need to limit the third party software you install. If you shut your computer off at night, it may not be running the maintenance scripts that it needs to. Download Cocktail or a similar program (there is even a free one) or leave your computer on all the time and it will do it automatically.

See this link:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/maintscripts.html

P.S. Welcome to the bright side!

6865
Dreamstime.com / Re: More than usual rejections from Dreamtime
« on: January 06, 2010, 13:56 »
Quote
Or to put it another way, if I always knew which image was the most marketable, I'd be a lot more sucessful at this.

Amen to that!

6866
Dreamstime.com / Re: More than usual rejections from Dreamtime
« on: January 06, 2010, 11:09 »
Quote
In my opinion the "too similar" rejection should go for photos that are mostly identical. Guy facing the camera with red cup in his hand and same guy facing the camera in identical position, with yellow cup in his hand. Those that differ only by irrelevant aspects. The shot examples given by NitorPhoto with the woman in the office are perfectly acceptable in my view.

Ditto this.

The photos I saw yesterday had MINOR changes, like four fingers were showing on a hand instead of three. It reminded me of that game where you get 2 photos and you have to pick out 10 differences between them. I had a hard time figuring out how one photo was different than another.

By the way, I was searching again this morning. I searched on DT for female AND wrist AND watch. I ran across another portfolio with a ton of similars. There were differences, but from a buyers perspective, the differences were not that great. I could easily pick out a better of the two or three similars.

I do agree that the reviewers do not always do the right thing. I also know that some contributors flood the system, in the hopes that quantity puts them farther up in the search results, percentage wise. Many good points on both sides of this discussion.

6867
After rereading traveler's email from IS support, it makes sense that some would receive that type of email and others the one I posted earlier. If someone is all ready to go exclusive (meaning they had already given DT their notice and are at the tail end of their term, etc) and can do so by Feb. 24, there isn't any need for them to get the long email...that email is only for people who have commitments they can't get out of by Feb.

Quote
But that's 100%, positively, WRONG, based on everything we've read in this thread.

No, that's also what the long email says too. One email is for those who have already fulfilled their other commitments (if they had any) and are all ready to go exclusive. The other long email with the pdf is for those who can't make it to exclusivity by Feb. 24, but want to be grandfathered in.

6868
Dreamstime.com / Re: More than usual rejections from Dreamtime
« on: January 06, 2010, 08:08 »
As a buyer, I was searching yesterday for an image to use in a project I am working on. I came across multiple downloads, and I mean about 20 photos, from one contributor. All the same subject, all practically identical. I was searching the DT site and one other, but I don't recall which site it was on. Whichever site it was, I was amazed that they all got through. There was no way a person would download more than one or two of this series, they were that close. The rest of the shots were just taking up reviewers time, space on the site, and my time sorting through them.

Not insinuating that yours are that way, sharpshot, just relating the frustration for buyers that comes when contributors are allowed to upload a ton of similar images.

I got a rejection one time for a photo being similar to something else in my portfolio. I accidentally named it exactly the same as one already in there. The shot was the same subject as some already uploaded, but the angle, etc. was way different than others. As soon as I renamed it and resubmitted, it was accepted.

6869
Shutterstock.com / Re: Shutterstock Survey
« on: January 05, 2010, 16:35 »
I got the survey and took it. Mine had a couple of video questions, but like mentioned earlier, seemed to be looking for other services they might provide to increase revenue.

6870
Dreamstime.com / Re: DT in trouble?
« on: January 05, 2010, 16:30 »
Quote
@CC,
I know you're contemplating exclusivity with IS right now. Smiley
It is probably the right thing to do and I genuinely wish you all the luck with completing the necessary steps in a satisfactory manner.

Just to be clear...
I have been considering it, but I have not made a definite decision either way. I am not convinced (yet) that it is the right thing to do. We shall see what transpires over the next couple of months.

6871
Dreamstime.com / Re: DT in trouble?
« on: January 05, 2010, 12:56 »
Quote
(some) artists who want to go exclusive with IS are annoyed at DT's 6 months lock-in. The bashing starts and suddenly nothing about DT is worthy anymore.

Speaking for myself, I was always annoyed at DT's 6 month lock-in. It has become even more annoying, not because I may be contemplating exclusivity with IS, but because of all of the microstock company's performances over the past 4 years. Way too volatile to be locked in for that long of a period on microstock. And that's about the only thing I can say negative about DT.

Keep in mind that people that are bashing DT now tend to lean towards bashing anyone and anything. And there is a distinct difference between bashing and discussing. I see a lot of discussion going on, I see a lot of speculation, I'm not seeing too much bashing. Maybe I just ignore it now. :)

6872
But that's 100%, positively, WRONG, based on everything we've read in this thread.

Please realize I don't know any more than anyone else here and this is strictly my opinion, but maybe that grandfathering offer is different for different people? Maybe it depends on the size of your port, subject matter, number of downloads, etc.? That's one reason I can see for different people getting different answers.

IS has never been transparent. They lock threads and/or delete them when you ask too many questions, they have in the past insisted that exclusives don't get special treatment other than what they make public, but we all know how the best match changes, etc. They keep their business pretty close to their chest. We know what they want us to know. If I were going to be silly, I would even say that when a person becomes exclusive, they must sign a code of honor that forbids them from speaking and revealing all of Getty's internal secrets or a curse will be cast upon them. (I am kidding here, people)

I can't say that I find one person's answer to the inquiry different than someone else's all that surprising. And to be fair to IS, if I were requesting that canister grandfathering, I would hope that my past performance, portfolio, etc. would be evaluated differently than, say, a person with 20 images in their port and no downloads. There is a caste system at IS and it is just the way the game is played. You're either on board with the games, or you're not. They are looking for the best contributors. Like it or not, some folks are going to be disqualified and sent to the bench.

Heck I don't even know if I were to apply for exclusivity, I would get it. It's not like I'm an sjlocke or anything. :)

6873
Shutterstock.com / Re: Any SS EL's today?
« on: January 04, 2010, 17:10 »
Yes, nice work SS!

6874
Shutterstock.com / Re: Any SS EL's today?
« on: January 04, 2010, 12:40 »
Oh my gosh, my balance was around 2.00 when I went to lunch. Just checked now after seeing this thread and I have $113.00! Wow, Santa was here! This is awesome, considering I didn't even make payout for Dec.

6875
Me neither.

Giving IS intent on becoming exclusive by Jan. 11, and upholding obligations re: notice to other sites and pulling down images and complying with IS's exclusivity agreement by Aug., grandfathering of the canister would be expected. If obligations were not upheld per their exclusivity terms and one decided NOT to go exclusive, then things would remain as they are for the contributor at IS in Aug., with the new canister levels in effect.

I just don't think it wise to have to notify all the other sites by Jan. 11. It is unnecessary. If one's longest contract is up in, say March, then that site shouldn't need to be notified until then. As long as intent is sent to IS by Jan. 11, and all images are pulled from other sites by Aug., then canister grandfathering should be allowed.

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