Some interesting offers...maybe when I launch my next frame! I am member of the club that is associated with the Olympic (2012) mountain bike venue...so there are always members up for a road trip!

A few of you may know me for my illustrations (nicemonkey)  I have been working on a side project, designing mountain bike frames.

At present I am still at the prototype stage, it is being made in China as we speak..hopefully landing in the UK in around 3 months. The problem is I need some studio shots of the frame but I just don't have the skills to produce quality images for my website...or the cash! 

I know its cheeky but would anyone be interested in helping me producing the images? in exchange I would be willing to model for outside mountain bike shots, or offer some coaching in offroad riding (I race at quite a high level) or if that's not your bag I would be willing to offer my illustration skills for logo design etc.

I live in the South East of the UK (Essex).

Yes everything at 300dpi with the sizes I mentioned above. I know they go on files sizes but I have never had an issue when uploading the JPEG files of my illustrations at these resolutions.

I use 426x303mm or 350x350mm and it covers all of the agencies that I submit to including Alamy, when rasterized. As for sales...sporadic, I get sales every month but it varies wildly from month to month. I guess what I am saying is suck it and see, Their upload system is quite straight forward but their approval system can be a little time consuming. I wouldn't upload your portfolio all in one go but maybe drip feed it to see if you get sales and its worth your time.

I have just been sent an email from fotolia saying that my W-8BEN form only last 3 years and I have to resubmit it to the Tax Centre. I have had a search around and am not sure what to do as before all the W-8BEN forms were sent back to each individual agencies. Has anyone else come across this?

Same issues with me, Also the "edit submitted images" area says that I have 18 images waiting for review when it empty.

Shutterstock up 5%, all of the other flat or slight drop...Pretty much average month

I have ordered a copy as I have CS3 and its the last version you can used as an upgrade. Really looking forward to messing around with it when it drops through my door on the 7th 

I wave a website to promote my work (but I not sure how successful it is) but I have also produced a few tutorials for fellow microstockers.

www.nicemonkey.co.uk

I have written a tongue in cheek blog on the shortage of microstock fuel (petrol/gas) images within the industry, poking fun at the uk politicians.

UK fuel image shortage

Unlike other agencies you have to opt in to be included into new partner deals with Zoonar (as far as I know). So you didn't need to close your account. You should try dropping them an email as I have found them very friendly in the past, this is the one I use [email protected].

Suddenly I have been getting lots of rejections for poor quality of jpeg files (when viewed at 100%) with my illustrations across a couple of agencies. I have done a little digging and it seem that they do not like the sharp/jagged lines that can be cause around the edges of objects when converted to bitmap. Has anyone else had this issue and found the best solution for sorting it out in batches...antialias etc

I still find it extremely irritating that they reject a file because of the jpeg when in reality it (on most occasions) is just for preview

My humble opinion the "Blue house" is good enough but the others are a little basic, but you can never tell with SS

Count me in, sounds like fun 

Is there a time limit to how long images can stay in the "submitted image" queue? i.e. if I upload now can they stay unedited in the queue until after the New Year?

Great, thanks. Glad its not just me!

I have always just uploaded my Vector files manually to iStock but it is so time consuming that I have given up doing it...what is the easiest upload method. Most methods I have looked at don't support vectors

I agree sounds like ideal stuff for Alamy

Bah humbug, My images have been turned down twice at that site....

Just been contacted via email by two new sites does anyone know anything about either of them? first one is VectoRain and www.photokore.com

Neither of them are referral links!

I agree that a descriptive name is a good move and that GL means nothing, my point was more that "Leftovers" led (me anyway) to think of the wrong connotation...Graphics that nobody wanted.

Looks like a great move to me...I mean who would chose to have "Leftover"?

GL has always been a consistent earner for me, lets hope this move takes it up another level.

As for people promoting their referral links...you wont catch me doing it!  I frown on such activity. 

Its very hit and miss but the obvious choice is Shutterstock you may well find that they reject the textures for "we have too many of this kind of image" but the one that do get through will sell.

Also I have had some sucess with Graphic Leftovers and Stockfresh

I thought it was just me  One month I would get 100% approval and then the next 10% there seems to be no pattern to the rejections

I couldn't resist either and have signed up!