Since iStock changed its Asset page, it no longer shows file Download count - which I used to research images and concepts.

Are there other sources for researching image downloads or popularity?


thanks

I have always archived my RAW files as well as my uploaded JPEGS to a few hard drives. But I have been thinking if I really need to keep both since I cannot recall using my RAW files for anything after uploading as JPEGS.

My experience with buying photos from Adobe Stock

I had to upgrade to Lightroom/Photoshop 6 CC to get my new Canon 5Dsr 50mp files to open. (amazing camera btw).

When you launch the PS app, a splash screen appears pitching ADOBE STOCK. OK, so I thought I would give it a shot. The link navigates to the Search page where I put in �surfing�. I found a nice photo with a guy surfing and his board had many visible logos on it�. BUT there was NO mention of editorial use only. There was NO mention of ANY restrictions for usage.

So I buy the photo for sale for $4.99 (40% off sale for a few days - Sub plans are offered). They only sell the largest file size. When I try to DL it, I find out that it will take 24 hours to process it. Since I just singed up I guess they need to verify me.



This morning, I found my file (not easily) and was able to download it. STILL no mention of ANY usage restrictions even though there are company logos all over the shot. AND it was out of focus (you can�t zoom in on previews).

Alright, This morning I give it another go with the KW �tennis� and found a nice shot of a woman playing with the word �HEAD� clearly on the racket. No mention of ANY restrictions. Only one size. Buy button. I click. Immediate Download to my desktop. DONE. Nice shot and in focus for $4.99. No waiting.

Clearly, Adobe has decided to make buying photos effortless with ONE CLICK Downloads, NO USAGE RESTRICTIONS, NO EXTENDED LICENSE issues, ONE SIZE buying, right into Photoshop!

Could be a game changer.

So this morning I checked on all the new files that were uploaded and approved and had been showing under NEW for the past few days. What I found is many of the files are not in the NEW section or showing in results. ODD

Now the Best Match, New And Most Popular links are not even working! ... on both Chrome and Safari

 

I want to buy one of these

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3#page1

But the FAA says I cannot use it legally for selling stock video. Do any of you use drones for aerial stock? Do all the major agencies accept it? 

I was considering submitting my demo reel to Getty Video but don't know anything about them. Can't find much online.

Anyone have knowledge, sales etc? What is the pricing and royalty structure?

Thanks

Too many of my designer friends use Dollar Photo Club, which offers high res photos for one dollar with a $10 a month fee. It is a curated collection from Fotolia claiming over 25 million images! No subscriptions and no contracts.

https://www.dollarphotoclub.com

Is this the new bottom for micro stock? Did all those contributors to Fotolia agree to this?

We have seen iStockPhoto take down RM, and Shutterstock take down iStock/Getty's mid-stock... will DPC take down Shutterstock?

++++ JUST FOUND THE OTHER THREAD ON THIS TOPIC. LEAF PLEASE DELETE +++++

As an iStock exclusive I am not clear on where else we can sell and license our work.

It appears, by the Artist Agreement, that we can sell prints online at Print-On-Demand sites like Fine Art America, Crated, etc... and on our own sites and through "our own" POD sites like Zenfolio, Smugmug, and Photoshelter.

Also, can we license our images through other-than-Getty, Rights Managed sites like Almany? Are there others?

As an IS Exclusive, where do you sell your work other than iStock and how effective are those other channels?

Thanks so much for your comments. 

I was shooting stock footage last week and set up my tripod on the edge of a beautiful cliff extending out in the ocean. It was about a 100 foot straight drop on to rocks.

When I shoot, I kinda get consumed by the technical camera stuff and finding the perfect frame so I did not really register that I had just turned my camera 180 degrees to shoot what was behind me. Suddenly, I noticed that my foot was about 10 inches from the edge of the cliff and if I had looked up from the viewfinder and taken just one step back... i would have died. 

Wake up call for me!

I am posting this as a reminder when your are shooting...SAFETY FIRST!

Those flickering animated GIF sponsor banner ads on this site drive me nuts. I have to slide my browser over to block them out all the time. Just plain annoying as hell. Guest I am too visual -- perhaps like most of us. The place is starting to look like a Christmas tree.

We now have the new and improved "yuri" iStock. Simple. Cleaner. It was retooled to deal with Shutterstock's product offering and to win back buyers.

So, how do you think it matches up from a buyers perspective in the areas of price, selection, ease-of-use, price-package offerings, etc?

Did iStock get it right? Or no.

My wife wants to open an account on shutter stock and shoot after my shooting -- meaning same props but rearranged for her shots some. (props and lighting etc). So the shots from those shoots will be similar but not the same as mine.

I have an IS account as exclusive so I am concerned about all this. Since she is taking the photos while I am not even in the studio she would own the copyright and could contractually submit to Shutter stock. But my shots will look similar when I upload to IS.

I am wondering if this would create a problem with my IS exclusive account.

iStock�s lack of inspection standards spell more doom.

We all know IS accepts anything. Reviewers only seem to be looking for trademark and property release issues.

To see how bad it was, I uploaded a test photo. It was slightly out of focus and I was hand-holding at 1/40 so there was blur. The exposure was off so I opened up the shadows and exposed the noise. A total reject of an image.

The photo was accepted!

The ramifications of this run deep. As critical buyers download this kind of approved garbage they will stop buying from istock in greater numbers than they already have. The reputation will further spread that IS is an overpriced (and confusing priced) wasteland of too many technically unacceptable, low quality images.

Getty management appears to be sailing istock harder and faster into the reef even as it continues to sink. I feel, even after all the research last year, they still don�t understand their buyers or the microstock marketplace. Corporate greed created a mid-tier price category that at first appeared promising, but eventually sent market share seeking cheaper images at Shutterstock. Constantly in damage control � they make shady deals with online content providers and offer subscription pricing. Then open the upload limits and kill inspection standards all while crushing the morale of contributors with a toxic forum/communication environment

Somehow I think these narcissistic idiots think they are brilliantly adjusting to ever-changing market conditions by exploring new business models. And again, they will be wrong.