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Messages - michaeldb
Pages: 1 ... 24 25 26 27 28 [29] 30 31 32 33 34 ... 37
701
« on: June 09, 2010, 11:17 »
Once again, the boundary between reality and un-reality gets blurred. The 'photos' look a little like VRay renders. Maybe with a Poser model imported into Maya. And maybe the head Photoshopped on in postwork.
702
« on: May 27, 2010, 19:52 »
Congrats on the successful image!
There is definitely a bit of inconsistency across the sites as to what they accept.
What happens with photos is apparently the mirror opposite of what happens with vectors. If IS rejects a vector, that is a sure sign that the vector is going to sell great everywhere else. When it comes to illustrations, IS doesn't care about the money, but rather is under the impression that it is running some kind of art-gallery-slash-fraternal-sisterhood, where what is 'art' is determined by a set of rules, Rule #1 being 'be an exclusive', and the rest of the rules are a secret.
703
« on: May 27, 2010, 19:42 »
I think it would be a terrific idea for a site to acquire images from those who wish to sell their images outright...
that's exactly the model agencies want to avoid -- they'd be paying best guess projected price for all images -- there's liitle to gain - not all images will meet expected returns, and many will only show a small % profit. why tie up all that cash when they can leverage their investment 100-fold by selling other people's images on consignment? it's the photographer who takes the risks now -- spending to create a portfolio with hope that there will be an adequate return.
If an agency such as DT or SS were to acquire stock images to sell, the agency would be in a position of competing with its clients (i.e. us). While some businesses do compete with their clients, it is often a bad idea. I wonder sometimes if Adobe got out of the stock image selling business partly for that reason.
704
« on: May 18, 2010, 17:32 »
Not exactly. The difference is that in the past the photos could be found in search results after 1-3 days since approval. But right now everything approved goes into search engine instantly.
This is great! I hadn't realized that changed. 
Shutterstock is really on the ball if they can manage to get new images in the search so fast. Smart move to help them have the freshest content.
I started noticing this change 2 wks ago. Then a couple days ago I got a download on an image before I even got the email saying that it had been accepted. 
705
« on: May 11, 2010, 20:48 »
...In this case I don't feel anything was 'going wrong' with my work - I think they just didn't like it, but couldn't articulate why....
Yes. 'couldn't articulate why' or wouldn't articulate why. If you were an exclusive would the image have been rejected? We can only guess. Some people are intent on defending IS's every action, no matter how absurd or unfair. If you say that your image was rejected for a 'reason' which was patently incorrect, why should anyone doubt you?
706
« on: May 03, 2010, 19:21 »
Well yes, I am fully aware that the best match changes several times a year. I also know that my sales usually tank when the best match changes. The best match changes are always in one direction: From Bad to Worse. I don't know how IS manages this, but they do. Of course, I am non-exclusive so what happens to me doesn't matter.
707
« on: May 01, 2010, 11:13 »
...the totals are down -12% from last month (not a surprise) and down -7% from last April, (which is a surprise).
My experience is the same. Site-to-site, not much difference. But my totals are down -16% from last month and down -8% from last April. A very unpleasant surprise, indeed. Since I started doing microstock in 2005, this is the first time that my year-over-year revenues for a month are down (and I have been submitting new images at about the same rate as always). 
708
« on: April 20, 2010, 20:59 »
Great thread  This is the kind of thing I love to come to MSG for.
709
« on: April 17, 2010, 12:50 »
March earnings have were posted today
thanks for the heads-up
ditto
710
« on: April 12, 2010, 22:19 »
If my stats are any indication, DT got most of the StockXpert customers.
711
« on: April 12, 2010, 22:17 »
(We can probably agree that the age effect likely has less impact on illustrations, where you don't have to worry about things like a model's clothes or computer equipment looking dated.) Actually, I would disagree with that. Trendy illustration styles go out of fad. I've often wondered about this with the people with small illustration portfolios filled with a trendy style. Will their sales start to vanish as people transition to the next hip style?
Both of these are intelligent insights. How an illustration ages will depend partly on the style and content. As far as style goes, if somebody doing wavy abstracts or grunge designs or shiny icons expects their images to sell in 3 years, they will probably be disappointed. Those images will have to wait 20 years to sell again when they are 'retro'. Content matters partly because of how images are found by keywords. If your images can be found by people using niche keywords, as opposed to 'abstract, business, people', your images will turn up high in searches for years to come.
712
« on: March 29, 2010, 13:30 »
I still don't see the point in all the "details"  We get paid like authors; if Tom Clancy gets paid $million from writing a book, does he care how much came from the sales of hardbacks and how much from paperbacks? As long as my sales at DT continue to rise as they have since subs changes, I think I would be foolish to worry about exactly how each sales was made. I would be better off spending my time trying to make better images
713
« on: March 27, 2010, 20:43 »
The subs on DT don't bother me so much, especially since they implemented the graduated scale for subs of different levels. I have had sub sales as high as $1.25 there. I wish all the sites would do something similar rather than the all-you-can eat buffet.
Yes. Subs or non-subs, it doesn't bother me at all. My RPD has been going up but if it were not I would not care, as long as my monthly revenues increase. That's what matters to me. And I think it is good of Achilles to periodically explain his position on and strategy for subs. So far, I think, he has been correct in his predictions.
714
« on: March 15, 2010, 18:20 »
very cool, thanks for all the hard work!
Very, very cool!
715
« on: February 27, 2010, 21:18 »
Save your favorite Sunset and use it over and over. Airplane climbing into the clouds is another. The clouds and sunsets you see may already not be from photos or real at all, but instead generated by programs like Vue and other CG software.
716
« on: February 27, 2010, 19:59 »
I got an EL today at DT "50 credits (2010) $16.75 ".
Of course, I would have preferred $25. And now, of course, I cannot request payment, no matter how much I have over $100,
"You cannot request a payment for this amount. Your account records show at least one EL license sold in the last 7 days. These funds are pending at this stage. Please come back after 7 days from your last EL sale or adjust your payment request. "
DT is my favorite site, but adding insult to injury?
Michael, you can request payment of all of your earnings except the ELs that are under 7 days old. So if you have 116.75 in your account, for example, you can request the $100, just not the $16.75 for the EL.
Thanks, I did not know that
717
« on: February 27, 2010, 19:40 »
I got an EL today at DT "50 credits (2010) $16.75 ". Of course, I would have preferred $25. And now, of course, I cannot request payment, no matter how much I have over $100, "You cannot request a payment for this amount. Your account records show at least one EL license sold in the last 7 days. These funds are pending at this stage. Please come back after 7 days from your last EL sale or adjust your payment request. " DT is my favorite site, but adding insult to injury?
718
« on: February 27, 2010, 19:24 »
What really concerns me is the growing preference for non-photographic imagery. When I do a search for an object I'm thinking about shooting, I very often find the best-selling images are vector renderings, and the trend is growing. I think we're not far from the day when CGI rendered models (of people) will be preferred for most stock shots. All those beautiful well-dressed people in business meetings, in lavish futuristic office spaces - all those handsome, rugged looking doctors in scrubs - will be synthesized. No model releases, no privacy issues, no homely people, perfect teeth, any desired ethnicity, gender and age group. It can't be far off.
I can hardly wait! But personally, as someone who has been doing renders of people for a long time, I think the wait will be several years at the very least before the imagists who submit microstock (that is, do not have access to Hollywood level rendering engines) can produce people-renders which can really pass for the kind of happy-business-people-photo which which does well as micro. However, in every other area of image - except maybe food and particular locations , Times Square, say - CG should replace photography very soon.
719
« on: February 11, 2010, 17:43 »
I think that in 10 years 3D technology will have reached the point where realistic people can be dialed up in an application and eliminate the need for 'real' models in 'real' situations completely. 3D animators will become the major content producers.
This is a good point. But even if this doesn't happen something else will. New technologies for making images will emerge, and buyers will want the images made using those technologies. Microstock is the child of technologies: -digital cameras -image software, from Photoshop to 3DS Max -cheap high speed internet access -search engines In the future, revenues will increase for people who are willing to learn the new technologies and who can see the market clearly enough to recognize the best opportunities.
720
« on: February 10, 2010, 21:25 »
Dreamstime will never favor portfolios. I've always said that we favor great images, never portfolios. Any amateur can produce a best seller and any pro can submit less-than-good images. As the buyer buys the image, they should be compensated according to the image!
In my experience at DT (since 2005) this is very true. It is one of my favorite things about DT and I hope it never changes. IMO all sites would be better to approach the business this way. Let every image compete equally on its merits.
721
« on: February 10, 2010, 21:14 »
For about a week, I have had a problem logging in to 123RF using Internet Explorer. If this problem is affecting very many other people including buyers, that might be affecting sales.
722
« on: February 08, 2010, 20:49 »
Good game, but the commercials were great.
They get better every year. The Who kinda sucked IMO. Get Prince back for 2011! What does Indy have to do to get some calls in its favor, get hit by a giant tornado? Move to Baltimore?
723
« on: January 10, 2010, 21:30 »
I have been doing a little thinking and research on this subject. It looks to me like the safest thing, in general and in the US at least, would be to:
-explicitly leave the copyrights of your images to your wife, or other heir
-make sure that your executor will have power of attorney, which will allow him or her to deal with the microsites just as you would - requesting payments, changing passwords, etc - as soon as he or she provides the sites with copies of the power of attorney.
724
« on: December 18, 2009, 00:06 »
I know lots of people head off for the holidays, and I am as well.
Please stay safe on the roads, and remember ... take your camera!
I am taking off a little early also, so I also say, Merry Christmas to Everyone! (and yes I am taking my camera, even though I do vectors ).
725
« on: December 16, 2009, 17:11 »
For me it is still not working using Firefox. Internet Explorer works fine though.
For me IE does not work and Firefox does. Weird.
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