You should be able to embed metadata in PNG's. That has been my experience with Lightroom.

Maybe, but the ones I'm loading now were shot ten years ago.  I've never been able to embed metadata in PNGs in PS and don't use LR.  Maybe some day.

Quote from: sgoodwin4813 on August 25, 2022, 09:38

I track everything with an Excel spreadsheet, that has each image name, titles/keywords etc., when it was sent to each agency, when they replied and the outcome.  It takes some time but not too bad once set up.  Each batch of uploads goes in its own folder labeled by the day so I can easily go back to them if needed.  For example, when Adobe started taking PNGs, I could easily go through each upload folder to find which contained PNGs, then from the image names back to the spreadsheet to retrieve the description and keywords, going all the way back to 2009.  I have another spreadsheet to keep track of earnings.  Used to track lots of other things but decided it wasn't worth the time.

what's your portfolio size? with thousands of images it would seem to take a lot of time tracking each agency - worth the time at $.10 per image or low sales volumes?

Only a couple thousand and I usually don't submit more than a few hundred a year.  If it was 20 thousand then I might not bother, although it doesn't take that much time once the spreadsheet is set up.  It was very helpful to me when I started to see what sold and also to know which could be resubmitted and for keeping track of what has gone where, and I've just continued with it ever since.  Right now only submitting to a handful of agencies and that keeps it manageable.

I track everything with an Excel spreadsheet, that has each image name, titles/keywords etc., when it was sent to each agency, when they replied and the outcome.  It takes some time but not too bad once set up.  Each batch of uploads goes in its own folder labeled by the day so I can easily go back to them if needed.  For example, when Adobe started taking PNGs, I could easily go through each upload folder to find which contained PNGs, then from the image names back to the spreadsheet to retrieve the description and keywords, going all the way back to 2009.  I have another spreadsheet to keep track of earnings.  Used to track lots of other things but decided it wasn't worth the time.

I opted out when they sent the e-mail, but just checked and it said I was opted in for new uploads!  Not that I plan to ever upload to them again but it's still annoying since I had opted out.  Now I can't figure out how to tell if my whole portfolio was opted out of Plus as I requested or if they just ignored that.

I stopped at the same time you did and haven't started again.  I have started processing images recently after more than two years - mainly to upload to Adobe to get the PS subscription - but don't plan to bother with SS just yet.  Maybe after uploading to other agencies after a few months I might send some to SS but just can't get excited about the 10-cent downloads.  The only reason would be because uploading there is easy and the images are already ready to go.  Haven't submitted to iS for many years because their process takes way more time than it's worth.

I found it very useful to identify occasional keywords that I missed.  Nice improvement.

I ignored the first e-mail but received a second one today - looks like it is scheduled to go live on Aug. 18th and we are automatically scheduled to be in unless we go and say no.  It seems they're trying something like Adobe's free section except without the upfront payment - which is the only reason I can think of for doing it for a contributor.  Supposedly only images that haven't had a download in two years are included, and their goal is to get people to go from free to a paid subscription to their PLUS section.  Looks like the payment scheme will be based on your proportion of the PLUS downloads - this is what they say "Your earnings = 50% of Nett Revenue ➗ TOTAL PLUS downloads ✖ Number of PLUS downloads of YOUR content".  But that will only be for anyone who converts from free to a paid subscription.  As if that ever works.  Of course they didn't say how much someone will pay for PLUS either.  I always love signing up for these vague schemes for exposure and promises of untold wealth in the future.  Yay, sign me up!


(fortunately it is easy to opt out but you have to do it before Aug. 18th)

I usually do it some time during the first week of the month, but use iStock and Canva numbers from the previous month.

No idea how accurate it is overall but I report my numbers accurately, good and bad.

BTW, wds, if you hover over the agency name it shows the number of votes.

I stopped submitting when SS changed the terms in 2020.  Leaves lots of time for other interests - you should try it.

I'm not sure it's worth uploading to SS any more

I'm sure - it isn't.  I stopped uploading there when they changed the commissions in June 2020.

If you're getting rejections there and the images are OK and getting accepted elsewhere I would just resubmit until they pass, or just forget about it and move on.  Definitely not worth worrying about it for 10 cents a download.

I just had another 2 sales where I got $0. I thought Alamy is macrostock. I might as well put up my images on free websites maybe someone will buy me a coffee and I will get more for my images than from the agencies.

I had my first one of those this month - it was for 21 cents and I got 8.  Sucks big time.

Right now my balance is negative because they added a late distributor charge as cleared even though the sale has not cleared.  Not worth the effort to bother with them any more.

I have a couple of the Canon pancake lenses for exactly that situation - the same camera with a low-profile lens doesn't attract any attention but they are quick to notice if you have a "professional" lens.