Hey people

Got this email earlier, an wandered what you thought of them?

Hi there

FStockphotos is the latest global stock photo agency, and we want YOU!

1. Your account is free
2. We offer a 40% commission on all your images, every time one is sold
3. We offer better visibility to your work

We'd like to see you join our rank of quality photographers, just as the top selling microstock photographer in the world, Yuri Arcurs did. Come on, if FStockphotos is good enough for Yuri, it's good enough for you!

Go on! Sign up at http://www.fstockphotos.com, and we will inform you once your account has been activated. This could take up to 24 hours before you will be able to upload your images.

Hope to see you soon!

The FStockphotos Team

I went to have a look, and it sure does look like Yuri Arcurs' work. Im not about to blow anyone's horn (unless I get paid to do it). Just wondering if Yuri signed up, then they cant be that bad?!

This also does not help when you guys attack each other. No argument can be won, and we cant debate when we are at each others throats! The point is that I am trying to get an answer! Like I said before, I am a photog myself! I know all about what goes into my own work. So don't for one moment assume that I am saying that a contributor has no expense them selves!

I am trying to get a workable solution to the problem! Question: Why is it that when someone tries to fix things, it is the very one who will benefit from it, who are the ones that does all the attacking?! People, instead of fighting with each other, why don't we put our heads together to solve this issue?

Hiya!

well, all good things come to those who wait. Truth is, we all need a solution. I understand all 3 arguments in this industry (contributor, distributor and buyer) and I sympathise will all 3.

Fact remains that the industry is managed by the wrong people! I am involved in this business, as some of you are in more than one respect, and only reflect my own personal feelings. I mean speaking as a photographer, this is what I would like to see happen. But as a buyer, I must also warn that such a move in the industry could turn micro stock into an elite industry, making prices too high.

So the balance needs to be carefully looked at and managed in such a way that photographers dint get carried away with their prices, while at the same time caring for the distributor, (who by the way needs to add their own markup) and sparing a thought for the buyer who needs to pay a much higher price!

Also, keep in mind that a distributor has overheads to cover. photogs only submit their work and that is it, but the contributor needs to pay for marketing, hosting, and so on and so forth...

Now, This is what I would like to see and hear!!!

The solutions you are coming up with, will most surely force agencies, who are nothing more than distributors of someone else's product, to come in line! But as it has been mentioned in this site as well, contributors will keep moaning and groaning about the current situation, but still submit their images to the very ones who trample on them...

I put it to you: This HAS TO stop and we MUST come up with a better solution in favour of the contributors! For now, I LOVE the idea of a central place for contributors to load their images and let agencies merely get the meta tags and thumbnails!! Can we make this work?

I agree that another site might not be the thing. I also know that even when something is good for us, we tend to let it go, goz we dont like to change. I am all about the bottom dollar in the pocket of both the seller and buyer. Sellers need to realise that high prices stem the cash flow, and buyers need to realise that low prices bnkrupt the seller.

If I owned a stock agency, I would surely make sure that the seller, gets at least 50% of the sale price.

I come from a place whereI get to buy, sell and host images... I understand all three arguments! It is from this vantage point that I will operate from.

For a VERY LONG TIME have I looked at, researched and read about this industry.

It seems that most contributors don't like this business because of what a few bullies are doing to it!
It also seems to me that, just like in the French Revolution, the power actually lies with the masses!
It also seems to me that there is no David around to stick it to Goliath!
It seems to me that this is about to change!

What would you like to see happen in this industry, and what would you do if you found it on offer?
Would you like to see both agency and contributor earning a fair bit of commission?
Would you like to see better selling prices?

Come on, tell me... coz what you don't know, is that I just might be able to do something about it!
And before you laugh it off, remember this...
1) Dr Martin Luther King Jr
2) Gandhi
3) Napoleon
4) Alexander the Great
5) jeepers creepers
6) Nelson Mandela
7) Jabber ??

All of them were just "one man". Their mark is FOREVER left on our history...

Quote from: leaf on November 11, 2008, 21:29
Firstly, welcome to the forum.

If you want to connect to other new users, you can check out the *newbies only* forum area here
http://www.microstockgroup.com/**newbies-only**/

In regards to starting threads, members who are 'lurkers' (those who have less than one post) are not able to start new threads.  This is an effort to cut down on spambots.

Once you have made one post, your status is upgraded to 'Newbie' and you can start your own threads.

Also:  when you do start a new thread, please give the thread a descriptive subject.  If you are going to ask a question, put the question in the subject.  A thread that is titled 'a question for you' or 'I am having problems' is not helpful and will probably not get a very good response.  Instead try 'I am having problems with my ftp program Filezilla' or 'What is the best FTP software?'

THank you...