I'd like to throw it out there that, in spite of Christian's image which appears to have been rejected in error, I still find Istock inspectors overall to be very consistent.  As is said often, it is a human process, and there will be differences of opinion. 

Although I agree with much of what Allsa says (as usual ) I don't think increased upload limits are the answer.  Istock already has the most restrictive upload limits in the business and it hasn't made a difference in anyone's acceptance rate. 

I also don't think inspections should be scrapped in favor of self-policing.  Buyers have said over and over again that they prefer the sites with the tightly edited collections.  As much as we contributors might like to do away with inspections, the buyers needs will take priority. 

And overall, with the exception of the occasional visit from Attila the Reviewer, I think the sites do a good job of reviewing the content. 

Quote from: lisafx on November 23, 2010, 09:30

I think that photo is outstanding, Christian.  Can't see any reason  it should have been rejected.

There is a thread on IS forums welcoming new inspectors.  Sounds like they have hired quite a few of them.  Maybe the training process needs to be improved...?

thanks Lisa and Jbarber!!  I can certainly live with rejects, no problem!  however, rejects for no reason but lack of training or knowledge is in the long run a money looser. funny thing is that Ive already got uploads like this, very similar and in Duplex toning, already on line.

My support ticket did get closed - very politely and empathetically but still closed.

So I had a read of the artist supply agreement to see what it said about payment timing. The exclusive agreement (which I think is the same in this respect as the general one) says:

In response to a written request, iStockphoto will endeavor to make payment of fees in respect of purchased downloads of Accepted Exclusive Content on a monthly basis on or about the 15th day of the month following the purchase of Accepted Exclusive Content, except when sales reporting from a distribution partner is delayed, in which case payments will be made in the month following the date such sale is reported, provided such fees aggregate a minimum of US$100, failing which fees owing will be retained until they exceed such minimum.

Seems pretty loosey-goosey in that it doesn't even include the word "reasonable" with endeavor and says nothing about what happens if they blow the deadline.

My new ticket requests that they compute my withheld royalty and pay it to me regardless of whether they fix the code on the site that computes El royalties. They want to tie those two (and I can see that it'd be less work for contributor relations to wait until they fix the code to do the back payments) but I see no reason they need to be.

The agreement says request in writing, so my ticket is a written request to be paid. I would hope it'd be sooner, but I want to start the clock ticking so I can complain again after December 15th if they haven't paid.

It's not Joy's fault that this mess is happening, and I feel bad that I'm making work for contributor relations staff who likewise aren't to blame for this either.  I think it's important to do whatever we can to ensure we get paid promptly.

It's not a ton of money in my case, but I guess my sense-of-injustice button got pushed big time by their cavalier attitude to paying us.

Quote from: cclapper on November 16, 2010, 10:54

Quote from: caspixel on November 14, 2010, 18:42

Were you banned as well cclapper?

Apparently I have not been banned from the forums, as I was able to post one this morning. But I expect that thread will be locked very soon.

I took a payout on Sun. am and it left $.17 in my account. Today, I still have $.17 in my account. Either sales are not being reported correctly or my wooyaying-nauseating comment in another thread here has offended the mighty gods and they decided to punish me with no sales, because 2 days with NO downloads has not happened to me since I first started uploading a few years ago! I checked my most downloaded images and they are still showing in the best match as they did before.

November sales (one of amazing last four mouths) are total crap, at least for me.

Quote from: Microbius on November 05, 2010, 03:58

I think it has. The woo-yays didn't need winning over. It's the rest of us this stuff is targeted at winning over.

I'm not so sure it's backfired. Taking a look at the current Stockys thread over there, you can find plenty of complementary posts from people who were as vocal as anyone else in the "Where do we go from here" thread. Seems plenty of people have been easily swayed by the chance to win a little money.

Mission accomplished, iStock.

I think Risamay is referring to a post I made in the locked oh-shut-up!-no?-ok-complain-in-here thread about why the contest wasn't a neutral thing to do, IMO.

Quote from: Microbius on October 22, 2010, 10:41

mucky b*stards, they really think they can buy people off by  a pittance of their own money back at them after robbing them.
Oh wait, they probably can.

they can, 'what fun', 'how cool', how stupid are these people?

Quote from: traveler1116 on October 20, 2010, 02:37

New mail from IS.  Learn all about collections.  They say "Agency Collection photos cost from 55 to 200 credits. "  XXXL images cost 250 credits but I guess that's not meant to mislead anyone, just a typo.  They also say vetta "cost between 30 and 125 credits. "  XXXL Vetta is 150, another typo?  They also say "Exclusive photos can cost between 2 and 25 credits"  not exactly an E+ XXXL costs 35 credits, maybe it's a typo too?

We'll see if anything (other than the thread getting locked) comes of it, but I posted something about the errors in the prices here. You have to wonder if anyone acts as an editor on these things or if they just write them and ship them out.

How are people's sales going at iStock this month?
Mine were rising in the last couple of weeks in September and since Oct 1st have been dire: July-like. Two sales yesterday, one so far today. Without a big rush, I doubt if I'll make half the $$$  I made in October 2008.  It doesn't seem to be Best Match.
I know, Ebb and Ebb, but I just wondered how others are doing, specifically in October.