Quote from: sjlocke on May 15, 2009, 23:25
Yep.
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=87898&page=1#post1343774

Thanks!!

Did I miss something?

Quote from: lisafx on May 04, 2009, 20:11
I think the idea of banding together is a good one.  In fact I think it is the only one that will assure a fair and viable market for our images and our livelihood in the long run. 

Not sure if our own agency is the answer or perhaps something similar to the Stock Artists Alliance.  I know it has been discussed before, but what about approaching the SAA and seeing if they would be interested in starting a microstock branch. 

I know all the arguments why this wouldn't work - they hate us because we hurt their business, etc.  But if they are smart and pragmatic they should welcome the idea of getting active, successful microstockers on their team.  It is in their best interests as well as ours to not allow royalties to be erroded further.

My husband is a member of the IBEW (electrician's union).  Decades back when the large numbers of Cuban refugees came to Florida the Cuban electricians wanted to join the IBEW.  At the time the union had the place pretty much to themselves and didn't want to let in the competition.  The Cuban electricians started their own competing organization. 

Fast forward 20-30 years and the competition in the industry has driven electrican wages in Florida to some of the lowest in the nation and unemployment is rampant among IBEW members.  If they had welcomed in the Latin electricians they might have been able to stick together and keep wages up. 

I see that as a very similar story to what the Trad agencies did to most of us.  They didn't want us so we joined the micros and that drove down prices and royalties in the industry.  But now that we have had a taste of success we want fair pay for our hard work.  The SAA would be stupid and short sighted if they refused to help us protect our rights and raise industry pay standards. 

Makes perfect sense to me!!!

Quote from: sharpshot on May 02, 2009, 07:38
It happened a lot with snap village.  I stopped uploading to crestock as I feel if we put up with 25 cents subs commissions, other sites will stop paying us more.

I agree, Crestock is the running joke of the microstock world. I give them another 6 months before they fold.

Quote from: sharply_done on April 19, 2009, 07:33
Classy. Real classy.

thank you, like i'm trying to fit your definition of classy

Ok, so these cluseless Istock posters always bring up their proprietary crap software called "deepmeta" on my posts as to why they don't implement FTP.  Ummm.. hello clueless dolts, I'm trying to create a workflow that works the SAME across all the sites, and um, your crappy Deepmeta is not quite fitting in with my workflow. Let's see if you genious IStock programmers can figure out what numerous others have before them, and implement a simple, reliable process called FTP, or even SSH FTP, I don't give a sh_t. Deepmeta is a f'in load of crap.

Quote from: Vonkara on April 18, 2009, 15:12

Quote from: FlemishDreams on April 18, 2009, 06:42

Quote from: Vonkara on April 18, 2009, 06:31LOL you are right. I can see the flow of designers searching for blown out pictures because of the mighty recession Haha

Yes and the carbon footprint, global warming and other replacements for the boogieman that make us swallow higher taxes. That's one of the secrets of Yuri Arcurs' success on billboards: his shots are very light and high key. In times where they like to tell us that every Google click will make the sea level rise by 1m, you shouldn't underestimate the contribution of less barrels of print ink in saving the planet. 

I see now, this guy is a genius, he actually discover the secret of success in microstock. I just goes re-photoshop all my portfolio, here some of the next successful shot of mine

   

Now I will be rich it's sure

Holy Sh_t, I am seeing IStockphoto of the week here, I called it first...watch

Would be rejected by every NON-exclusive for over-filtered, blown highlights... what a joke

Is that suppose to give the effect of being shot on the beach? They must be desperate

The only math I need to know is that I would be making A LOT MORE if Fibtolia hadn't decreased their commissions

Let's be honest, IStock is barely and I mean barely holding on to the #1 slot for microstock sites. They are so desperate, have you seen their new advertising campaign, they are literally grasping at straws. They are throwing their garbage ads everywhere, even my Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) forums, Sherdog.net, and god knows everywhere else, it's sad really...... That's why their CEO quit, he knows they can't hold ground to the better sites (ie. Fotolia, ShutterStock, Dreamstime, etc.). The only chance you have there is to be an early contributor (Lise Gagne.. et all). Take it from my, their over inflated prices will be their downfall... watch and see.........

Quote from: satforce on March 25, 2009, 19:17
Hello,

Do you use editing with photoshop or any other software to your photos or you just keep it as it is?

I would estimate that I use post-processing with Photoshop on approximately 100% of my shots

Quote from: jackryan89 on March 24, 2009, 16:04
Hi,

I am new to the microstock scene and got a quick legal question:
Is it possible/legal to sell someone other's pictures with his consent? (Let's say I have a friend who wants to earn a little money but doesn't want to waste his time applying to agencies, keywording and uploading the images etc...)

Thank you for your help!

Jack

I think you would need to have your friend sign over the copyrights to yourself, because almost every site I know of asks if you are the copyright holder of the images you are uploading.

Good riddance...

That's easy, FIBTOLIA...err Fotolia, the only agency to actually lower commissions for contributors

They ALL start out overly user friendly.... but when/if (big IF nowdays) they become successful is when things start to change.

Just look at Fotolia, they started out as the most user friendly site of them all, and then when they turn successful, based laregly on OUR work, they screw us over.

FOTOLIA.... first agency to LOWER commissions

Dreamstime is my favorite agency now, ShutterStock is a close second. Fotolia was first but they moved to last after they recently screwed over their contibutors. All goodwill I had towards Fotolia is totally gone, to the point where I'm hoping they fail and buyers move to Dreamstime.