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Messages - Jo Ann Snover

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926
Today his portfolio is still visible but clicking on individual images brings up a -  404 error page

I saw that when checking just now.

However, I have not heard squat from iStock support, in spite of their message saying they'd respond within 24 "business hours"...

927
I catch it.

Did i still need the property release if i totally photoshop the background of the pic??

If you can't see the property in question - either because of a shallow depth of field, how you framed the photo or because you replaced the background, then no,  you don't need a property release. The release relates to what's shown in the image and if it's not shown, then there's nothing to need a release.

This photo, as an example, could have been shot anywhere, so I didn't provide a property release and no agency has ever asked for one

https://stock.adobe.com/images/joys-of-gardening-pruning-the-azaleas/131420021

This one was on private property I didn't have a release for, but was framed so it didn't become an issue

https://stock.adobe.com/images/young-girl-enjoying-a-boat-ride-leaning-out-for-a-better-view/131610755

This one needed and has a property release as well as model releases, but if the fire and wall were photoshopped in, then you'd be fine with just the model releases

https://stock.adobe.com/images/family-by-the-fire/130685183

Does that make it more clear?

928
I found one of mine too - I just reported it.

Thanks for posting the link. It's depressing that agencies don't do more work to verify the first number of uploads of new contributors; they could catch most thieves that way...

929
StockFresh / Re: StockFresh is closing
« on: October 01, 2020, 15:20 »
That is good news. Thanks for posting updates here.

Peter, if you're reading, thank you for thinking more about it and changing your mind. It's much appreciated.

I'm fine leaving my work there until after the 17th and then requesting the $39.95 (or whatever it is then).

930
There are a few other threads here like yours. I think you can use the email [email protected] to contact them via email to ask for assistance

Is this you?

https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/200745242/gunnar3000

If so, you might have a balance awaiting you :) In other words the portfolio migrated from Fotolia even though you weren't able to log in & check on things

931
StockFresh / Re: StockFresh is closing
« on: September 24, 2020, 18:29 »
Thanks for following up with Peter.

So customers get a refund of balances but unpaid contributors are left out? Not sure why contributors are the group selected to take the losses.

I have a new rule for my "fair agency" list: All contributor balances are to be kept in an escrow account, separated from general funds.

It also makes it clear how important it is for new/small/low sales agencies to have a low payment threshold...

I'd also add Peter and his partner to the "never again" list - never deal with any agency they're associated with. Honeyed words up front; stab in the back on the way out

932
A short update to my site's status. It's no longer a Symbiostock site.

I received email a week or so ago that in mid October, Bluehost (my hosting company) will be requiring an update to PhP as 5.x is considered a security risk.

Up till now, I've been  editing the htaccess file to keep the PhP version at 5.x but as that will no longer be an option, my Symbiostock site's done.

I have a placeholder for now so the blogs are still available, and for fun, I added FAA's cart widget to the home page so a visitor can get an idea of my work. I'm working on bringing licensing back - not a high volume proposition, I know, but I want to have a place to license work where I don't have to (a) share with agencies and (b) can upload something in real time should the need arise.

933
Dreamstime.com / Re: Closing Account of Dreamstime
« on: September 24, 2020, 13:24 »
...Ones reached the payout limit, I will not yet ask for the money! I wait until I reached the double and will ask to pay me the half of it. ...

In general, I would advise against leaving money with any agency once you can collect it.

There's only one place the money is within your control and that's when it's in your bank account. Interest rates are at the moment at historic lows, but more typically, someone will earn money on the balance in your account; I'd rather it be me and not the agency.

934
StockFresh / Re: StockFresh is closing
« on: September 24, 2020, 11:09 »
I received the same email this morning.

It's very disappointing that an agency with an emphasis of being fair to the contributors has decided to take this path. Even if money is tight, offering a percentage (as bankrupt companies do) would be better than nothing.

I completely understand that the normal course of business imposes a wait for $50 before payment, but when they decide to wind up the business - effectively removing the option for contributors of waiting for the next payout - I think the only right course of action is to pay contributors any balance.

An ignominious end for the creators of StockXpert...

935
General Stock Discussion / Re: Stock Photography Future
« on: September 23, 2020, 14:50 »
Bizarrely, if you search Lise Gagne on SS, you get over 57k images..

Literal English translation of her name = Lise Wins

I think the connection to the search results is having win or winner in the description or keywords

936
StockFresh / Re: StockFresh is closing
« on: September 23, 2020, 13:27 »
My earnings are stuck at 49.40 at Stockfresh. Is it allowable for me to have my son purchase a photo to put me over the 50.00 limit

I have asked support (no answer yet) about whether contributors with a balance lower than $50 at the time they close (Oct 17) will be paid.

The email about closing said that we had until Nov 1 to request payment and made it sound as though that would be regardless of the balance. Mine is $39.95 now, but other than one sale after the closure announcement, I haven't seen other activity (I had hoped perhaps buyers with credits to use up might bring a little boost to the balance).

Perhaps wait just a bit - you have until October 17th to have your son make a purchase (and I can't imagine there'd be any blowback - after all, what would they do? Close your account? :) )

937
General Stock Discussion / Re: Fine Arts America.
« on: September 23, 2020, 10:59 »
What's happened?

If you mean to Lauren Rinder, he closed his account and left. He's been around microstock almost from the beginning, and is a very talented photographer, but is very impatient & volatile. Periodic blow-ups and walk-outs are part of the scenery.

If you were wondering if it was something you said, no worries :)

938
Dreamstime.com / Re: Closing Account of Dreamstime
« on: September 23, 2020, 10:55 »
...Their practice are almost scam-like.
This is just to inform guys in similar situation, not to expect any human considerations from Dreamstime.

It's a shame that things weren't working out for you with Dreamstime, but I strongly disagree that their practices are "almost scam-like".

I still have my account open with them - and in May I did a catch-up upload of recent files when they behaved in a very thoughtful way and increased contributor royalties by 10% because of the Covid-19 pandemic. I had no illusions that suddenly sales would go back to where they had once been, but as they were the only agency behaving with consideration for contributors hurt by the pandemic, it seemed I should update my portfolio to give them more to sell.

It is absolutely true that whereas I could once make payout multiple times a month, it now takes months to reach $100. Dreamstime has always paid me in a timely way (I've been there since 2004 with a gap from 2008-11).

If you argued that given their current level of sales, Dreamstime should cut payout to $50, I'd agree wholeheartedly. However I can wait to reach $100 (and you could have too if you just let files sit - what harm would that have caused?).


939
How this can happen (my theory):
They buy many different pics like this. Then they open model release and add these pics to ads, which will see people in area from model release. For example you are 25 y.o. man from texas and they show their ad with your photo to all texas people in that age range (20-30s).
But it's too tricky 🙂
Most likely they just show it to many people like someone mentioned before.

None of the agencies make model releases available to buyers. They will confirm that there is one on file, but anything more would be totally unprofessional.

940
The way Facebook's ad placement works, the person who licensed your images isn't the one who picks which specific FB users see an ad. They can set general criteria (people in a certain country or area, people of a certain age group, male vs female, etc.) but not who.

It's likely that you and your friends are in the demographic the ad is targeting and it's no more complicated that that. I hope your friends are savvy enough to ignore ads like this, even with your picture in it :)

You should read what a royalty free license is - a purchaser can use the licensed image as many times as they like."Shutterstock hereby grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use, modify (except as expressly prohibited herein) and reproduce Visual Content worldwide, in perpetuity,"

https://www.shutterstock.com/license


941
General Stock Discussion / Re: Fine Arts America.
« on: September 19, 2020, 14:46 »
The $30 fee is still there

https://fineartamerica.com/membershipplans.html

I stopped paying for several years (I didn't upload). I kept all the uploads I already had and received my payment on sales (just not the accessory commission you get if you're a "premium" member).

I wanted to add some more work there, so I re-upped my fee to allow me to upload again.

942
General Stock Discussion / Re: Fine Arts America.
« on: September 18, 2020, 19:21 »
I have to print the photos and send them,   or someone else will do it in the Fine Art America web page give print service?

Fine Art America does all the printing and shipping. You just collect your share from them - they pay out on the 15th of each month automatically.

943
General Stock Discussion / Re: Fine Arts America.
« on: September 18, 2020, 16:08 »
I don't know Fine Arts America, but it sell for good price? Can i sell landscape photos i have in microstock there? People from Venezuela can sell there?
Thanks!

You can sell prints or print-on-demand items (tote bags, greetings cards, etc.) via Fine Art America and you get to set the markup. In other words, if their cost to print an item on canvas is $25, you get to set your markup (let's say $10) and the resulting price for the buyer is $35.

You can use microstock images - nothing is exclusive - but bear in mind what sells is something people want to look at (versus some of the useful shots that do well for stock agencies). I don't know of any reason they couldn't allow a contributor from Venezuela, but you have to be able to receive payments via PayPal.

https://fineartamerica.com/termsofuse.html?document=contributortermsofuse

If you start with a free account, you can only upload 25 items and see how things go. If you want to upload more, you need the premium account at $30 per year.

944
Not many takers so far...

I honestly think that asking for uploads when you haven't decided on pricing is a huge mistake. How would anyone know what sort of content to give you when you won't say much more than "cheap-ish" vs "expensive-ish" regarding pricing?

945
StockFresh / Re: StockFresh is closing
« on: September 17, 2020, 09:11 »
I am at 47$ and they will not pay me and will hold my money?
Or am I missing something?

They say they will make a payout in the last paragraph.

I wrote to support to clarify. In the last paragraph, they don't explicitly say that they'll make payout under $50, although that's what I think is likely. I'll post an answer here.

946
General Stock Discussion / Re: Fine Arts America.
« on: September 16, 2020, 15:39 »
After a very long hiatus, I've been uploading there today. So far (other than the clunky UI) everything is working as expected). Mac OS, Chrome Browser

947
Weird how on the Stock Coalition Facebook page under his Calling for Entries post the option to comment is turned off.

And there is no reaction from the OP.

If you read all the comments, you'll see one from me - I turned off comments. The Coalition group isn't a place to advertise your business.

I posted a link in that comment to this thread so anyone who was interested could read the discussion here.

948
General Stock Discussion / Re: Stock Photography Future
« on: September 12, 2020, 12:49 »
Thanks for posting a link to the article.

A couple of thoughts on the main article (I didn't look at all the linked stuff).

He suggests that video is a better option than photography. If you look at recent moves by Shutterstock that resulted in masses of extremely low (under $1) royalties for video (API partnerships), it's not clear that video is exempt from the same pressures on price & royalties.

He also suggests design as a way out of the conundrum. I don't think he realizes how many subscription sites there now are which either offer tons of templates so you can be your own designer (like Canva & its clones) or a real designer (I think all hired in low wage places) that works with you - Design Pickle, Penji, NLC and their many competitors. I don't know how much of a dent these (expensive) services are making, but they offer to take all the pain out of hiring designers :)

"Whether you have considered hiring an in house designer, tried to manage a freelancer, or even worked with one of those other design sites, we know it sucks. Design Pickle is all about making your life easier. AKA not suck. All for one flat rate"

All sobering stuff...

949
$9 given away so far :)

If you assume $1 per clip bonus (it's 50 cents to $1.50), that's 9 clips...

STAY AWAY

Jo-Ann I am not sure banner is working in real time.

Perhaps not real time, but it has adjusted this morning - it's down to $19,990 :)

950
$9 given away so far :)

If you assume $1 per clip bonus (it's 50 cents to $1.50), that's 9 clips...

STAY AWAY

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