Free images to be given away by Fololia.  Read below.

http://www.microstocknews.net/

Scratch and Dent Photos?

I was asked by a friend about an idea he had for a bargain basement stock site for everyday folks and small web designers.  What he has put together is a site (not public yet) that will offer images for below micro prices.  The catch is the images will be only those rejected by the other sites.  Sounds kind of odd to me but I was listening.  I told him that I had no idea but it would be tough to make any money because the market is already flooded with stock sites.  He wants to offer images that a sub par to the current standards.  He also would sell images for as low as .25 USD.  He also said he had a process where images with noise and artifacts etc would be downsized by the reviewers to make them acceptable.  The image would be priced according to size only.  The smallest size would be 300x200 for 25 cents.  As the size goes up the price follows up to $2.00.  He wants to offer 70%  commission to the contributors. 

This much I do know, the guy is a good photographer and web designer.  He has the money to do Google, Yahoo and Ask for sponsored search and several magazines for web developers. 

One idea he had was to open up the world to photos taken at higher ISO like 1600 and size them down a bit to allow those images to be sold at lower prices.  I did like that part.  I have a lot of shots that don�t pass that wouldn�t pass the review process at any or very few sites because of noise.  However they still make great small web images.

I told him that I would ask the question and see what the community thought about it.  Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks   

Not stock.....Accepted at all others.......Makes me want to delete all my images!

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=12395479

I went to look at my portfolio on IS and it was gone?  I can still see the approved/waiting images but the public view just isn't there for some reason.  I sent a support ticket.  It's just a computer thing I hope.

Granted I�ve only been in the stock business for a few months but I still don�t understand the business model for IS.  Yes I�ve read all the pros and cons of why they do things like they do but it still makes no sense at all to me.

Here�s a scenario for all of you skeptics.  Let�s say a new toy comes out that may take the market by storm.  Stores like Wal-Mart will try to get it first and more of it.  That�s how they beat the competition like K-mart.  They offer the best products at the best price and carry as much of a item as they can.  I think SS is the Wal-Mart and while sales at IS are good I can�t see how they expect to compete down the road with their current way of doing business.  To be honest, they operate like they have a monopoly on the microstock business.  Well I have news for them, they don�t.  Sites like Fotolia and Dreamstime are growing at a pretty fast pace.  Those sites or others like them will pass IS  sooner or later and be leave IS scratching their heads wondering what happened.

Let�s look at the real numbers;
As of today this is the number of images online at (4) of the big (6)
SS = 3,471,223
FT = 3,482,242
IS =  2,964,072
DT = 2,776,981

Here are my personal numbers

SS = 75 files approved with $29.30 in sales this month
FT = 105 files approved with $5.94 in sales this month
IS = 20 files approved with $2.65 in sales this month
DT = 55 files approved with $1.80 in sales this month

The numbers don�t lie.  People keep saying hang in there, IS is the best for long term.  That�s just BS coming from the butt kissing istockers.  What makes some of you think differently about this is anybody�s guess?  IS is working towards a bunch of Exclusive photogs to keep things fresh there.  However they are way behind the eight ball.  When Yuri goes exclusive at IS then you better take a look.  Until then stay as far away from Exclusive at IS as you can.  You�re only cutting your nose off spite your face as they say.  Also out of the other big (6) IS is days or even a week or so behind the rest when it comes to offering up new images.  Why would a designer buy a subscription at IS knowing he or she isn�t seeing the latest the photogs have to offer?  Why would a designer want to buy a sub at from a IS when they could have 500,000 more images to choose from at SS?   The only reason I care is because of the hype.  IS IS IS IS IS over and over again.  Well you know what, remember this post in a few years.  Not taking a stand as a group is the very reason we can�t change their upload limits and slow review times.  Not helping each other to make the market better will hurt us all in the long term.  Granted, IS has a strong place in the market today, but it�s my guess that this will soon change if IS doesn�t change their ways. The sad thing is they could be number (1) but I think they have waited too late to even hope for that spot.  You mark my word on this.  I�ve been in the photography business for over 30 years and I have never seen anything like IS make it for very long as a driving force.

I was wondering if anyone knows the image approval process form a technical standpoint?  In other words, what software do they use to view the images?  Are they looking at them at 100% or is the inspection at 200% or greater?   I guess I�d like to know the process itself.  How they do it form step one to finish.  This way I could try to save myself some grief by pre-inspecting my images as they do rather than how I do it now.

We all know what they are looking for to reject but the bottom line is HOW they do it step by step?

Thanks

Today out of the blue DT rejected my model release that I've been using for a good while.  The strange thing is the same release is attached to about 15 accepted files on DT.  I sent a nasty email about being consistant. (No reply as of yet) My sales are about 10% of that at ST so if they kick my out I really don't care.  They have done this in the past on images.  Accept one then reject another from a series for a really off the wall reason.  Then I re-submit it a few days later and they accept it.  I'm going to give up on them for a while if not for ever.