Hi all..

And when you answer that, can you also specify if those images are available at the other micros also or no...

Thanks!

Ohh my God! I just looked at the istock Alexa graph! Its a steep steep fall.

Who do you suspect is eating istock's traffic.

Would love to hear some opinions!!

@Everyone -I started this topic. I want to assure everyone that this has got nothing to do with Cutcaster. And I don't care if you support CutCater or SnapVillage or Mostphotos. This is about, trying to change the prices in the microstock market.

@michaeldb - Awesome idea about the auto-reviewing. Awesome idea about the using the fact that you are late to your advantage. New way of thinking. John, you should use that idea. It seems pretty smart.

What I am wondering though is that, what are the costs of reviewers? Even if John cuts the cost of reviewers, do he cut down the overall cost substantially? Can he really give us a good percentage.

However, i don't agree with you about going back to the old prices.

@EVERYONE -

Okay, lets get organized and plan a coup! 

John Griffin has assured us that he can sell our photos if we give him enough good content. You may trust him......you may not. We can't change that fact, but we can do what is in our control...

So here is what I propose....

Ideally, it would be really great if many photographers could take the "leap of faith" and make all the stuff in their portfolio exclusive to cutcuster. But, for obvious reasons, i just don't see that happening. Its too boring, too tedious, too time consuming and what not....

So, lets do what PhotoShelter has done. Let's create new good unique content and make it available only to cutcaster. If cutcaster fails, you can take all your content and just sell it to the the other sites. No major risk. No major loss, just some time lost!

Basically here is what we do... for just 1 month, we concentrate on creating new fresh and unique content. We take that content and give it to cutcaster EXCLUSIVELY. We let John make the sales happen. If he succeeds and sales seem promising...we leave the content there. If not, we take all our content off cutcaster and give it to our regular big 6.

Basically, you will not loose the money your making now. You don't have to remove photos and re-upload them and that whole painful process.

If it succeeds, we have changed the microstock world. If it fails... then without much loss, we go on with our lives.

What say?

This will work if there are two things we do right...

1. If enough people are aware of this and contribute to it... (For this we need more people to know about the issues and contribute! Microstockgroup itself is huge. There are some big names here. Lets try to get them and many more people involved.)

2. If we know how to create good unique content.... (I believe that there are people like iornarrow here, who have small portfolios and still make huge number of sales. I believe that there are many people here who are also photo byers and designers. All these people can tell us what the current microstock industry is missing and what it needs. Maybe John can use some of his resources to prepare an in-depth survey about what we need to shoot and what the industry is missing.)

So, what say, thats my plan, any ideas.... and.... who's with me?

@John-

I was waiting for you to say something.

Good to know that you like the idea. I will continue to put 10 new ideas on the blog 3 times a week.

However, that means that those ideas will be public. That means that people can just shoot those ideas and fill the gaps on sites like istock and shutterstock etc. So, is there a way to make that information available to the photographers (or only the exclusive photographers) of cutcaster? That would really help you.

Basically, if you can come up with any good way of having these niche photos EXCLUSIVE to your site... or give some incentive to photographers to shoot for you... you will have some coveted unique content.

Okay, here is another issue...

John, hypothetically, lets say that many people are willing to give you valuable niche photos that are exclusive to you and nobody else. (That means that, those photos would stop making money on the other sites. These people will be loosing money.) The important question is, "Are you in a position currently to deliver sales?"

If you are not in position to deliver sales right now, will you be in a month from now, or 2 months from now? Can you give us some confidence about that...

If we trust you, take off all our photos from sites like SS and IS and the big six and give them to you for a month or two EXCLUSIVELY, can you give us sales?


Lastly, have you looked at all the stuff that "Photoshelter" is doing?

Have you seen their "Shoot the day!" campaign? They found a way to incentivise creation of unique stock for them. You could try something like that.

Also, the shutterstock "school of stock" is a very good resource. Those guys did a lot of analysis of the gaps in the market and what kind of shots are needed to fill the gap. And, what the current buyers are unhappy with. So, maybe you need to take a look at that info and find a way to get that content.

I am very interested in Cutcuter succeeding, so that I can concentrate on quality and not quantity. So let me know....

@ironarrow -

I am not sure I go what you ment... Do you think that I am with cutaster or dnavarrojr?

If you do then thats just cool. But i'm 100% NOT AFFILIATED WITH cutcaster.

Let's just forget cutcater, if need be. Lets only take snap village. But my problem with snap village is that they are slow and painful and all sorts of bad things. But, hey, i'm cool with people going anywhere. I personally would also go to snapvillage until cutcaster picks up some more. Mainly cause there is more reported sales activity there.

@Perry - When I said "niche".. i meant in demand niche.

"Photo of muscular naked guy with a bucket of hair... drinking coke" would also be niche. But it would not be in demand.

When I talk about niche, I mean those photos that the market needs but does not have enough of. So the photos that are there get downloaded many times. Those are the qualities of a niche image. These are not usually very costly to make. As costly as any other micrstock shot.

Check out my newly started blog for examples...  http://www.ms-niche.blogspot.com/

Actually, "what exactly is niche" is not the topic of discussion. I would love your opinion on the issue posted in the first thread.

@Leaf-

It's not like I don't get your point. But I guess a large number of photographers will stand in the middle too. That wont really be a "revolution".

So, that will just be sad, since everything will be where it is or will move slowly towards higher prices. Or even lower prices. I donno. But I do know that its not good.

In any case would love to hear what others have to say. We need more people, to not be worried about loosing some money to try this idea and move their portfolios "exclusively" to Cutcaster or snapVillage or something. If only for a small time period.. just to test how things would go.

I would also like to know what John (owner of cutcaster, has to say).

John, I can identify niches for you. If you can make some sort of incentive for photographers to shoot that and make it exclusive with catcuster, we can get something going.

Anyways, whats the general view, should I keep the blog open? Or should I shut it and use the niche ideas by myself.. because keeping it open will might just fill up those niches and further ruin things? Any opinion John?

@leaf- Well thats the hard part.

If you create niche photos, and you de-value them by selling them to buyers at $0.25 on shutter stock or even 1$ on some other site, you loose in the long and medium run.

You could take those photos and put them on some place like snapvillage or mostphotos or any other place that is paying well and your confident will give sales. Even if it sells less frequently, it will sell for a higher cost.

Buyers will have to buy your photos because you will have something niche. Better for you. You sell your photos at a much better price. You get much more.

We keep talking about the big sites devaluing our work. But we are devaluing our own work. By allowing sales though subscriptions. By having quality niche photos, that buyers want and need, and still choosing to sell them for 0.25$.

Nobody is doing it to us in this case. We are doing it to our-selves.

This is our way of getting some control back.

Hypothetically, in the real world: If you had an awesome photo that were sure would really sell.... would you give it away to people for a dollar or 2 dollars or even 5 dollars? You have something that others want, you can charge a large amount for it. People will have to pay. Basic business sense.

So, why do that here? Let us take control, and let us make this drift to better stock prices possible.

The way i suggest above does not require the support of the whole community of microstock photographers. Each photographer can do it for themselves. If it works more will join in. Prices will have to rise.

In conclusion, shoot niche. But don't de-value it. Sell it for a high price...if not on cutcaster, then somewhere else. But sell it at a high price.

Hi all,

I have been looking for a "set your own price" MicroStock alternative for a long time now. I think I am going to settle for cutcaster..... Mainly cause I am impressed with how involved John Griffin (the owner) is with everything and how he makes quick changes and gives quick responses here.

Great going John. You are the reason I joint Cutcaster so keep it up.

My concern is that, even though Cutcaster is great for photographers, it's not really that great for buyers. And in a competitive environment, like microstock, you just GOT TO offer buyers something really special and different or they are not going to come to you. Why should they? I mean, they got so many many alternatives. So many of them are cheaper and have huge databases of images!

So, cutcaster needs to have images that nobody else has. You need exclusivity to be there John.

But that itself is also not going to do much. If some images are exclusive to cutcaster; there will be others that are available elsewhere, maybe better and surely cheaper.

So my solution is, you need to have exclusive and niche images on cutcaster. Cutcaster needs to become the place where buyers get really rare images that they don't get anywhere else. Then you at least have your foot in the door. Once you have buyers taking you seriously, you can have all the usual stuff that everyone also has so that you become a "one stop shop".

I am sure that there is nothing new to what I have said. But here is my contribution and my plan...

I started a small blog today... http://ms-niche.blogspot.com/

The idea is simple, 3 times a week I post 10 "niche photo ideas". People shoot those photos and sell it on a place like cutcaster or snapvillage by setting your own pice. Make the images exclusive there.

This will help the photographers. This will help cutcaster. In the long run, hopefully it will help to sell all your images at a higher price.

Wooha! Huge post,
Thanks for reading!

Looking forward to your opinions.

Hi all,

This is my first attempt at food photogrpahy...... I would really like some critique on how to do it right and what specifically I am doing wrong!



Thank you for your time....
Khoj

@Seren - Thanks again. You seem like a very warm person.

Anywho, "You cannot play the system by trying to make images suit it."... I'm not trying to do any such thing. I'm just trying to understand how new images are treated. But, I don't think i need to explain that, I think most people get it.

Okay, the reason I believe that new images are treated in this way is cause I have seen it happen my self to my image and also have read it number of times.. even on this forum. Nobody, knows this for fact, but its a working approximation that people use.

Still, if I am wrong, it would be cool if more people could tell me so.

If you are reading this and think that what I have said above, about the way new images are treated about is incorrect, please do let me know.

Thanks all!

@Seren.. Thank you.

I really thank you for telling me that the images are dull. That means that there is huge scope for improvement. Cheers.

However, can you comment on the question I asked please....

"From what I understand, each new image is given a high place int the best match search for the particular keyword, and given some time before it is moved down the search pages. It it performs in this time, it keeps moving up. Else, it keeps moving down. I think that the time given for an image to perform is around 2-3 weeks."

is that true... is it the images worth that decides its success or is it the size of the portfolio because sice everything is random. And the more the you throw other there, the more sticks?

Looking for your opinion on this issue.
Khoj

Hi all,

Here is something I just don't get.....

When I ask people advice about why I cant sell a lot of photos on Istock, they keep telling me that "my portfolio size is too small!". I know that it is small as compared to other people, no doubt!

But at the end of the day, a good image is a good image is a good image.

From what I understand, each new image is given a high place int the best match search for the particular keyword, and given some time before it is moved down the search pages. It it performs in this time, it keeps moving up. Else, it keeps moving down. I think that the time given for an image to perform is around 2-3 weeks.

Am i right about this?

If i am right, that would mean that the size of the portfolio is not a criteria. The quality of an image is the only criteria.


Lastly, if the size of the portfolio is a criteria, that would mean that everything is utterly random and the more you throw out there the greater the possibility of success is.


Finally: I am interested in this game only if the quality of a photo determines it success in selling. I am ready to accept that my photos are bad quality. I am not ready to accept that it's a statical game and I need to have luck to succeed. I was born unlucky, so i will likely fail here.

What are your experienced comments? Thanks a lot!

Khoj

Thanks guys for your responses!

Okay, let me elaborate on what exactly my strategy is and how I am trying to archive it. Maybe you guys can tell me from your experience where I am going wrong....

My short term aim is: To have 3 downloads per day minimum!

To do this, here is the plan..... I identified this photo....
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/object/4617143_indian_business_man_smiling_clipping_path_available.php?id=4617143

It sells on an average 3 times a day. It is the first image according to Best Match search for the term "Indian businessman"
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&text=indian+businessman&oldtext=&textDisambiguation=&oldTextDisambiguation=&majorterms=&fileTypeSizePrice=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22Image%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Video%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Flash%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Illustration+%5BVector%5D%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%5D&showPeople=0&printAvailable=0&exclusiveArtists=0&extendedLicense=&illustrationLimit=Exactly&flashLimit=Exactly&showDeactivatedFiles=&membername=&userID=&lightboxID=&downloaderID=&approverID=&clearanceBin=&color=&copySpace=&orientation=7&minWidth=0&minHeight=0&showTitle=&showContributor=&showFileNumber=1&showDownload=1&enableLoupe=1&order=Best+Match&perPage=&within=4

(I think that the people looking for this photo most likely use that as their search term!)

So, I thought that if i had an image that was better than that, I would have the top spot and I would be selling 3 time a day. Because, obviously there is a demand for that kind of shot.

So, i set out to make a similarly themed but better shot than this... And some of the shots I made are here...
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&majorterms=%7B%22csv%22%3A%22%22%2C%22conjunction%22%3A%22AND%22%7D&copySpace=%7B%22Tolerance%22%3A1%2C%22Matrix%22%3A%5B%5D%7D&userID=2682619&fileTypeSizePrice=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22Image%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Video%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Flash%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Illustration+%5BVector%5D%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%5D&orientation=7&filterContent=1&illustrationLimit=Exactly&flashLimit=Exactly&order=6&perPage=20&page=1&showFileNumber=true&showDownload=true&enableLoupe=true

But, for some reason they are not selling.

So, the question is, "Why?"
Are my shots too new... how much time should I give it?
Are my shots not better?
Are my shots bad?
Any other reason?

Lastly, is there any other way to tackle this aim/target that I have?

Thank you all guys!!!
Khoj

Looking forward to your responses!

Hi all,

I am new to Istockphoto. I know I have a very small portfolio and I might just be getting a little anxious here....

But, I just wanted to know...

I have a few shots in my portfolio, some are better than the others in all aspects I think.... like commerial value, quality of the image (lighitng, model etc...).... yet some of the good images just don't sell? Why? Or is it that my ideas of what is good and what is bad is wrong. Or is it some sort of luck factor that I dont understand? Or is it something else?

Or do I have to do something to promote an image once i upload it? Or do i just upload and sit back?


If you go through my portfolio, you will see that there is only one image that has sold 6 times. There are many better images as compared to that in the portfolio, but they dont seem to be selling!? Why?

I am pretty confident that there is demand fo this kind of shot! I have seen other photogrpahers whose shots are comepting on the same subject and idea...their shots sell everyday... so, is there any good reason why mine dont?


BTW... here is a link to my portfolio... http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&majorterms=%7B%22csv%22%3A%22%22%2C%22conjunction%22%3A%22AND%22%7D&copySpace=%7B%22Tolerance%22%3A1%2C%22Matrix%22%3A%5B%5D%7D&userID=2682619&fileTypeSizePrice=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22Image%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Video%22%2C%22size%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22priceOption%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Flash%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22Illustration+%5BVector%5D%22%2C%22size%22%3Anull%2C%22priceOption%22%3A%22All%22%7D%5D&orientation=7&filterContent=1&illustrationLimit=Exactly&flashLimit=Exactly&order=6&perPage=20&page=1&showFileNumber=true&showDownload=true&enableLoupe=true

Thanks everyone,

Khoj