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Messages - Evaristo tenscadisto

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1
1) upload more. I've double my monthly uploads.

2
AI is transforming all the industry. The issue with microstock is its video limited options, and shots that require filming still cost considerably more than any generative video AI solution.

I recall that 24 years ago, it took around 16 people to create a small corporate film. Today, it is essentially achieved with 1/4 of the team (scriptwriter, camera, and editor/motion graphics) using a combination of videos and After Effects (AE) templates purchased from microstock, along with some recorded material. Consequently, in the upcoming years, the role of the editor/animator will evolve to include new functions in generating AI videos to complete films.

I have observed this change in various agencies involved in producing magazines, books, events, or advertisements for social media. These agencies allocate less budget to traditional photo shoots with cameras and more towards cost-effective generative AI platforms. It's interesting to witness professional photographers already generating images for agencies using tools like Midjourney. However, it is somewhat peculiar, as the act of clicking the camera button is sometimes entirely replaced by keyboard and mouse clicks.

Adopting AI technologies will undoubtedly make a difference in the realm of video production. Still, I believe that Microstock will persist and likely adapt its selling strategies.

This can currently be observed: Adobe is taking a commercial and generic approach by incorporating AI as an output option in image creation (selling AI images for commercial purposes). On the other hand, SSTK is now following more an editorial path. Their images are real and documentary, serving as input for AI (machine learning). The lifespan of a commercial image differs from that of an editorial one. The editorial image gains value over time, as it becomes impossible to reproduce, while the commercial one depreciates in a short period.

For us contributors, the most prudent approach appears to be investing in both types of markets (Editorial and Commercial).

3
Isn't the solution to start uploading 8k for the pros?

I mean it is the way things evolve, while hd is still usable, many now prefer 4k, Adobe is reacting to that by making 4k the mainstream choice.

I am not a video pro, but my personal opinion or choice would be to focus on the higher quality for the new situation.

I am still uploading a mix of 4k and hd, but as soon as I can afford a simple 8k camera, I will focus on that.

Or is that a silly idea?

Tv is in 1080 or 720. Kids don't see Tv. They turn it on for news or football games. Rarely go to cinema and they consume tik tok and youtube (HD/720). Netflix/HBO here the standard is 720. In Corporate videos clients have been requesting HD/720 for youtube usually because of fast download. For Mobile Consume is the same.... so i don't find any use in 4k and above for most of the end users (viewers) - maybe only for post-production. But why should a client pay for 4k even when they got already good AI upscale SW?

I got only a few sales of 4K last year. 0 in 8K.
I am almost uploading only HD. Sometimes i put in description 4k/8k can be available if needed.






4
I understand your reluctance to share your portfolio due to concerns about imitation. However, I agree with Cobaltthe content seems generic, resembling common concepts not necessarily generated by AI.

It's essential to note that a concept alone isn't an idea; it requires both content and form.

For example you can have a concept about "what is an Idea" which is different of "what means an Idea". This is because the concept of an Idea is by its nature generic too. If we consider Descartes we understand the ideas we got for artworks are not innate ideas but rather come from what we experience. In this sense what make artworks unique (ideas) is the way we put together content and form shaped in what we can call sometimes a style.

Hope i am not confusing you...

In other words let's pick the portfolios you shared. Just because someone use a "middle age man in a office..." or "flower love heart on a pink table" does not make it an idea but a concept "what is an Idea". What is unique and copyrighted is the way we put together a concept (content and form) - therefore "what means an Idea".

5
it's fixed. At least for me is running ok now.

6
Dreamstime.com / Re: DT is a Nightmarestime
« on: December 09, 2023, 02:35 »
It's incredible, I've been stopped at $97 for several months... it's like they stopped showing my photos only to not give me the $100 I get every 2 years! This business is a nightmare. Is there a trick? Buying my own photos through a fictitious account just to get the $100? It is certain that as soon as I have my $100, I close my account.

Customers must purchase your footage till you make 100$ so you can close account. Friends or Family can be customers or not?
just an idea...  ;)

7
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: December 08, 2023, 20:02 »
Just moments ago i realize one thing...

It's curious no one in this forum (including me) talked about Metas new AI image generator was trained on 1.1 billion Instagram and Facebook photos. Maybe the focus somehow was just in our work than part in ourselves too but this got me thinking...

In the new world of AI: we are a customer or we are the product.

Certainly people can have different levels of AI use from zero to "all in" but definitely AI will use us. 

8
Fresh news! AI Act in EU!!

According to Euronews "Member states and the European Parliament have reached a preliminary deal on the Artificial Intelligence Act, the world's first attempt to regulate the fast-evolving technology in a comprehensive, ethics-based manner. "

"Historic! The EU becomes the very first continent to set clear rules for the use of AI," said Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the internal market who took part in the debate. "The AI Act is much more than a rulebook it's a launchpad for EU startups and researchers to lead the global AI race."

Link to euronews: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/08/eu-countries-and-meps-strike-deal-on-artificial-intelligence-act-after-drawn-out-intense-t

9
Supposedly it was today but AI ACT agreement in Europe is not reached yet.
This week France, Italy and Germany came with the idea of Self-regulation. In some cases self regulation can be interpreted as no regulation at all.

"If an agreement is not reached this week, this will represent a big missed opportunity for Europe and one of the biggest scandals involving the influence of interest groups mainly foreign in the internal affairs of the EU."

Euronews "The fight for the AI Act is a clear case of defending the public good"
link : https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/12/06/the-fight-for-the-ai-act-is-a-clear-case-of-defending-the-public-good

10
Pond5 / Re: New rules - Editorial content etc
« on: December 01, 2023, 14:05 »
I like the solution of first tagging the clips as editorial or commercial. Sharing and exchanging information, such as cataloging the clip, cannot be better than interaction between both parties. In fact, it has been a constant problem for me and I have constantly fought with microstock companies on this issue.

I am sure that at an editorial level, no one knows the context better than the person who capture the moment and understands whether any unknown rights or commitments may be violated from the contributor PoV. On other hand, the review is also easier for the curator in areas considered gray since he doesn't have to decide tagging the clip without full agreement from both parties.

There were many clips that I deleted due to commercial attribution to things that I specifically said  that could only be used for editorial and educational purposes in order to also respect my commitments with others.

I also agree with dragonblade regarding trademark terms in editorial. It does not make sense to me not having it. Imagine that you are making a documentary regarding the evolution of mobiles. In terms of educative and historical purpose trademark terms can help keeping record of time, different models, logo evolution of things in society culture. I think it will even value a little more the clip if such things are in keywords or description of the clip.

 

11
General Stock Discussion / Re: AI generated movies from images
« on: November 29, 2023, 10:56 »
Oh, thanks for that!

Will that work on my mac?

I will certainly try to install stable fr video or photos at some point. It will save a lot of money and I don't have to worry about privacy if I animate my own photos.

well you can run stable diffusion but I don't know if you can run this too. I am not using mac. sry

12
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 29, 2023, 10:51 »
Take Adobe Firefly: "Generate images from a detailed text description." This is the promise of Adobe.

If you write Tiger you get a tiger, if you write Pope you get the image of the Pope.

There must have been a photographer who took a photo of the tiger, and another photographer who took the photo of the Pope." Both photographer go empty and Adobe makes the deal.

Am I wrong?

Adobe firefly "Trained on Adobe Stock images, openly licensed content, and public domain content, Firefly is designed to be safe for commercial use. To ensure that creators can benefit from generative AI, we've developed a compensation model for Adobe Stock contributors whose content is used in the dataset to retrain Firefly models" link: https://www.adobe.com/sensei/generative-ai/firefly.html

I am curious and If you write your name... does a photo of you appear? And if you upload an image of you instead of text what you think will happen? Have you tried? ;)


13
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 29, 2023, 10:28 »
We've been discussing the topic of AI here for years. Sharing information, knowledge, experiences about what is AI and how could affect us...

I do think we need much more AI regulation and legislators are just trying make up for lost ground. They should consult more with academics and perhaps establish a security committee for new technologies, where the general body is represented by individuals with stronger ties to academic research instead of companies interests. Currently, we only have powerful lobbies that exclusively represent the business side, exerting influence on the legislation of laws, and this is not ideal. I don't mind they exist since they are the engine of economy but there is also a need for a perspective more driven by the social component to balance opinions within decision-making bodies.

I am not against of getting paid to feed AI learning but it cannot be in a royalty perspective for 2 reasons: once used to learn there is no need to re-use it, secondly large amount of data and metadata is required so algorithm cam learn properly.

For the second, even a budget of 1$ per data/metadata is a fantasy for the short budget of the research and developments projects. I mean we are talking about something that will not be even be distributed only used to learn. In this sense i am not talking about midjourney, dall-e or Stable diffusion. I am talking about thousands of projects that require real image data to learn and probably 5 cent is too much.

Furthermore "I never use AI" topic will mean that in future someone will not use smartphone, computers, Tv, internet, electric cars, hospitals, etc. It's a complete return to old "Zoe" but not really a return to innocence. Well...In some way it can be achievable if someone isolates from society.


14
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 29, 2023, 10:09 »
The topic here is: "I will never use AI".
To all the pro-AIs who sell their faith and prostration on this thread: Why not open a topic "I pray I will get eternal AI" for the simple sake of consistency and intellectual respect?  ???

[Edit]:I know that most AI critics tend to leave this forum, and that's unfortunately really understandable.


How to be.... let's say discreet and approach the topic " i never use AI" without actually sharing what people think about it?
Isn't that the idea of participate in the topic of a forum?

Even if it is a different point of view it does not make sense to me not to be included.
There's a well-known saying that fits perfectly here and I couldn't agree more: "It is from discussion that light is born"

People are exposed to different cultures and levels of technology so opinions regarding topics must be open and diverse. Otherwise we fall in the wrong conviction that things are just like some topic title. Some people think that earth is flat but if a topic arise with that title i will gladly share a different opinion about it. Not saying that i am right or wrong but sharing and listening different point of views empowers us to have a better and wide view of how things really are.

15
General Stock Discussion / Re: AI generated movies from images
« on: November 27, 2023, 21:49 »
Cobalt, Just got some interesting news... Stable Video Diffusion arrived!

You can install and run in your pc and also use it for your own photos. Its via github and hugging face.
Anyway the youtuber Olivio Sarikas explains how to use it step by step with its Local Install Guide.

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePDjcr0YPGI

16
General Stock Discussion / Re: AI generated movies from images
« on: November 27, 2023, 20:25 »
I was pretty curious to test at Runway https://runwayml.com/ a new creative tool to AI-generate a video directly from a prompt,  an image + prompt, or simply with brush strokes over an image to specify motion.



The two last posts on my blog https://luisafumi-digitalart.com/blog are dedicated to my attempts.
I enjoyed the ride and I think the last result is not bad at all.

Wow Your attempts are very good! 
In my case, I can't even consider what I did as an attempt because something came out of the realm of the grotesque. Maybe I exaggerated in the prompt but I don't recommend putting people eating eheheh

17
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 27, 2023, 19:07 »
I can only answer from the point of view of an illustrator. I easily could generate a coloring book for kids within minutes and sell it on Amazon.


Machine Learning, AI that creates images does not use the original images, it's not making a composite or taking bits and pieces of our images to make new images. The machine is trained to create new images, from what it has learned. At least that's the way AI like Dall-E and Midjourney work.

We don't know, Pete, how that works.
When I search AS exclusively for AI-generated images, I clearly see Apple products, an Audi A4! A Mercedes star and so on

If the software worked the way you say it does, it would develop its own computers or cars. But it doesn't. And you can't be sure that it doesn't use 1:1 components from your images either.

Wilm if you use Midjourney with image to image prompt instead of mixing text to image prompt chances are that some lines, colors or some sense of logo shape can appear on the image. This happens because the algorithm is merely reinterpreting the image you gave it without additional prompt data. Prompts must have two images or one image and text to work.

It usually happens when you only upload a image and you use the parameter --iw 2 without text prompt.
So if you upload 2 different image of computers, add text prompts and parameter --iw 1.25,  i am pretty sure this issue will stop.

link of midjourney how things work in terms of prompt: https://docs.midjourney.com/docs/image-prompts

18
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 27, 2023, 18:34 »
I can only answer from the point of view of an illustrator. I easily could generate a coloring book for kids within minutes and sell it on Amazon.

But you can't protect or copyright it. Kind of ironic.

Machine Learning, AI that creates images does not use the original images, it's not making a composite or taking bits and pieces of our images to make new images. The machine is trained to create new images, from what it has learned. At least that's the way AI like Dall-E and Midjourney work.

The original images are never accessed again when someone asks for a new composition. So the whole, "I should get paid, every time my image is used again." is not logical, as all images of that type, style or whatever else, were used only once, but no images are specifically ever used again. AI is making a new image.

I see the decision to use or not as anyone's individual choice. I have fun making some cartoons or basic illustrations. And that's just as needed, now and then. Personally I'm not going to depend on AI for anything, and I like taking real photos. Hopefully people who pay for using images that I create will feel the same.


I couldn't agree more.
I use AI for some things that save me time but I don't change the pleasure I have in making my clicks with street photography (preferably in black and white).

19
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 25, 2023, 19:22 »
You're comparing apples with oranges. So I have to disagree with your statement.

If someone creates something, then that person needs visual, linguistic, musical or creative know-how. That is something completely different from typing in prompts.

It doesn't matter whether you use a paintbrush, a camera, a guitar, a keyboard, a computer or any other tool.

A work created by a human being, be it a painting, a photograph, a poem, a piece of music or whatever, is therefore an achievement that represents a value.

The fact that this is the case can be seen in how many images you are not allowed to upload anywhere for commercial purposes - be it an Eames chair, an Apple computer, the light installation on the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, a Harley Davidson and countless other subjects.

This also applies to AI-generated images, which are not allowed to take up these protected works visually.

The fact that a normal image contributor does not have the money to legally prosecute the illegal use of their work does not mean that a corporation offering AI software has the right to freely use the work of these "normal" contributors to make money illegally!

Anyone who produces something creative - with whatever tool - is the author of that thing. And no artificial intelligence has the right to circumvent that!


Actually the comparison is perfect. Using your example It's fruit what we are talking about regardless the shape or taste. It's Image what we are talking about regardless method or process used to achieve it.

"If someone creates something, then that person needs visual, linguistic, musical or creative know-how. That is something completely different from typing in prompts."

Of course it is. it's a different brush, process or method but the person can be the same or not?

You cannot argue that an image is not the representation of reality or an idea. In the second case anyone can have one, right?
Humans have cultural layers that translate into learning from lived experiences, social or scientific knowledge. All people have influences from someone on themselves or if you prefer, all people keep, store or steal memories from others and mix with their own experiences.

I don't know anyone that don't have visual, musical or creative know-how. In terms of image value everyone can have an idea but don't explore it too much because tools and methods used today are still too primitive and requires a lot of time to learn.

So... why don't use prompts instead? Is it less artistic or less representative of the idea?
It's not. It seems to me we both agree and can guarantee through Art history it is wrong to think that an idea can be held hostage by any type of technique or method used.

In that sense, "A work created by a human being, be it a painting, a photograph, a poem, a piece of music or"  ....including prompts too... ", is therefore an achievement that represents a value."






 



 

20
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 25, 2023, 09:37 »
I couldn't agree more with Cobalt.

Josephine.... let me ask your question from another perspective: is it fair with the technology we have today to have to take days or years to create a work of art?

I still like using the old methods but I think it's unfair that I can't use the best that technology has to offer.

Therefore what stops you as an illustrator from using this technology to create 100 coloring books instead of just 1 coloring book?
Isn't selling 100 books on Amazon better than 1? 

The feeling of loss of power when faced with new things is understandable, but the fear of new things is easily overcome by learning new tools. During my academic career I was trained to be open-minded, that things are always changing and that is why training and learning are a lifetime experience instead a partial time of our lives.

Tutorials, E-learning, Workshops, Seminars, Senior Universities are some of the new ways to keep training and learning. I hope you consider some of the new learning methods.

21
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 25, 2023, 01:25 »
Personally, I have no interest in doing AI. I enjoy wandering around with my camera and shooting what catches my eye.

Sometimes I get to meet other photographers doing the same and we have a good chat.

Of course, stock isn't a major income stream for me so I get to pick and choose.

I will not antagonize what can also be fun to do or experience with AI but for those who have no interest in doing AI... It is not a prophecy that all cameras will have AI very soon and i am not talking about enhance AI like focus and stabilize. Cameras will be able to set different realistic backgrounds in real time and combine perfectly with your model and light exposure.

Also, AI in Drones and Smartphones will be able to frame and capture pictures that "he" thinks its best so humans can avoid hazard risk environments or enjoy the family moments more instead spending time in clicking (i actually enjoy doing it).

I have seen also a big advance on Image Edit tools with AI. For example we can draw in a very naive way, i mean like childlike drawing just a tree with house and sun and AI will transform it in a gorgeous photographic landscape just like Midjourney outputs now with text to image.

In short: I still love my analog Nikon F too and whether we like it or not AI will be in all processes of making an image.

22
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 25, 2023, 01:21 »
Many talk about selling AI images. For private use ist o.k. but not for the purpose of making money on other peoples intellectual property.

I will never use AI. Anybody else on this forum? If I would do so, I am no longer myself but a thief.

What if there was at some point some AI that you could train on only your own photos?

Thank you for raising that question. You can!
Actually before midjourney or dall-e was a thing we could already do it with via github/huggin face, or stable diffusion. At the time the results were not the best if we consider the output and user interface of the big companies. Since last 2 years a lot of people trained several type models and it's free.

It's hard to understand Generative AI is stealing which in fact is learning. Algorithms learn color, lines, shapes and dimension of things. Pretty similar like humans do. In a way since Art begin all artists have learn (stolen) styles from others. They have learned and developed a unique combination of that preview styles. We call it influences of an Artist which outputs a way of human experience. But if a machine can train and learn the same way some people call it steal.

If we consider machine learning to be stealing, perhaps computers shouldn't exist. Let me remind that copy/paste function is more enabled to be stealing someone's work than an unique generative AI image made from output learning. ;)

23
Off Topic / Re: I will never use AI
« on: November 22, 2023, 19:17 »
Many talk about selling AI images. For private use ist o.k. but not for the purpose of making money on other peoples intellectual property.

I will never use AI. Anybody else on this forum? If I would do so, I am no longer myself but a thief.

Sorry to know you feel that way.  best of luck with your thoughts....







24
General Stock Discussion / Re: Keywording and meta data GPT
« on: November 16, 2023, 07:46 »
Hello guys,

I have created a GPT to generate meta data for our stock images:
https://chat.openai.com/g/g-RlTKUHzlr-image-metadata-guru

You can upload your image and it will give you Title, Keywords in the order of importance, description, category and it will also notify you if there is any visible trademark or logo related issue with the image. It is not supporting editorial content.

You will need a subscription to use it. Let me know what you think about it.

It sounds great but I can't upgrade at the moment to test it. When i push the button to upgrade plus it says  "Due to High demand,  we've temporarily paused the upgrades".

The only choice is sign up for waiting list... I hope it doesn't take too long... 

25
General - Stock Video / Re: 1080p video still worth to produce?
« on: November 12, 2023, 06:08 »
The vast majority of my video sales are HD. In fact, Ive never sold any 4k videos at 4k prices. I did sell 2 or 3 4k videos through Adobe Stock but I only got about $5 each for them.

Out of curiosity, is there much demand for 4096 x 2304 footage? I don't suppose anyone has sold any 4096 x 2304 clips?

I sold just one. last year. 
Getting a feeling that clients will upscale video with ai tools if they need.

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