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Messages - modviz
126
« on: August 13, 2012, 07:28 »
[/quote]
Were they all submitted in the same batch using the Content Editor? It has a nasty habit of (sometimes) transposing the details of one image across every other image in the same batch. This happens at the point that you click on Submit. Luckily, in most cases you get the error message (querying spellings etc) and that gives you a second chance to check the image details are still correct. Checking differently captioned images and clicking Save Work before you go to the Submit stage seems to work (so far). Regards, David.
[/quote]
Thanks, David. Yes, in the case of 10 images all having the same caption/title/description, they were all in the same batch. As for images/videos not having titles/descriptions and or captions, that seems to apply mainly to older submissions. I'll try the "save work" suggestion and, in the meantime, pay more attention before sending it out.
Lesson learned. Regardless, periodic checks with an unstable/quirky system will have to be added to the list of microstock duties. I have a small portfolio (about 250 images/clips) and approximately 25% had errors in one form or another. My investigation was prompted by contributors complaining of a slow start to August sales. They may want to do as I did and review their complete list of submissions with SS for errors. Thanks again.
127
« on: August 12, 2012, 23:00 »
I would encourage everyone to review their portfolio with SS. I discovered today that many of my images had the same description/title/caption. A shot of a farm landscape that I took was found when you typed "small bridge construction" in the SS search box (or something to that effect). 10 of my approved images had the same description/title/caption and they were totally different images.
I also noticed many of my images/videos no longer have titles and or descriptions. I've contacted SS today but I would encourage you all to review your approved images with SS.
I'm a Windows user.
128
« on: August 12, 2012, 09:03 »
Why do people always discuss pulling their images? If everyone simply stopped contributing to an agency like 123RF because they were dissatisfied with the new royalty rate scheme three things would happen within six months if everyone participated:
1. You would continue receiving revenue from 123RF.
2. 123RF would revert back to its' old formula because its' library is stagnant.
3. ALL other agencies would think twice before lowering their rates in the future.
The problem with the Microstock system currently is that the agencies are empowered and they know it. We are only empowered if we all stand in unison. Period. Everybody leave your portfolio intact but stop contributing to 123RF as of January, 2013 and the Microstock business will improve for the contributor.
129
« on: August 10, 2012, 09:27 »
This is just leading to the devaluation of our work and therefore im not going to contribute. I notice that DP staff have gone quiet.
Why dont they try setting the prices higher. I agree 100% Contributing to an "also-ran" agency that thinks like a bottom-dweller: "Hey, let's get into video like the big players are doing but we'll charge a lot less and burn the contributors" provides absolutely no incentive for me to join into DP's game plan. Can you imagine charging more for a video clip? And actually attracting the best of the best to your agency? :oGoes back to my original comment. DP, like so many other agencies, is a reactionary agency. "Let's do what everybody else is doing and we'll distinquish ourselves from the others by dropping the prices". Very disappointing.
130
« on: August 09, 2012, 06:27 »
Just another agency jumping on the same old bandwagon. Offer something unique to the market DP. All you're going to do is drive down the share for contributors.  A year ago I saw you as a "new" thinker. A well thought out agency that would grow through innovation and originality. I don't see it anymore. Just the same old, same old.
131
« on: August 04, 2012, 15:30 »
When an agency doesn't provide what it should (growing sales and royalties), it becomes worthless and has to be dropped.
Really? Then you must be deeply disappointed in most every aspect of your life. Most of us hope for improvements in a few small aspects of life and are grateful when most things don't get worse. Would you abandon your kids if they didn't get better grades? Quit your job because they don't give you a raise year after year? Me, I'll gravitate toward agencies that show better results. But I won't abandon one that keeps earning, just because I wish they'd do even better.
That's a really poor comparrison, in my opinion. If an agency claws back royalties and shows little or no improvement in sales, it may, depending on your portfolio, be a waste of time. I have a relatively small portfolio
with 123RF. As it stands, with the present system, it'll take months before I "cash in". How much longer will it
take with royalties cut back? I agree with Fujiko but I'm not going to bail until I see the numbers next year. I spent
far too much time and effort with 123RF before I'll abandon ship but in the end if the pay-off doesn't reflect the
amount of energy I've dedicated to 123RF, I won't partner with them. Period.
132
« on: July 25, 2012, 16:36 »
Preferred number of downloads front and center on the home page.  With this new system you have to dig a bit deeper. -Modviz
133
« on: July 20, 2012, 10:45 »
Yes...thanks WIM.
I was looking through my portfolio and noticed the Shutterstock
watermark was covering up an important feature on the image
when you're viewing it simply as a thumbnail. If indeed Shutterstock
doesn't allow you to go back and shift the watermark logo (in my
case I'd place it at the bottom) then it might be a "heads-up"
item when you're preparing your image for submission, especially if you're
like me, and never payed attention to that feature. Lesson learned
but I DO wonder why Shutterstock doesn't include that with re-editing your images.
134
« on: July 20, 2012, 01:35 »
Quick question. Couldn't find the answer in the forums....how do you
re-edit the watermark position in Shutterstock after it has already accepted your image? With thanks.....
-Modviz
admin edit: changed the subject to be more descriptive
135
« on: July 13, 2012, 15:26 »
I deal with four agencies: DT, SS, DP and 123RF and I find there are likes and dislikes with all four agencies. I'm wondering if we all pool our "likes" that it might influence the various agencies to consider additions/changes to their particular contributor site. For example:
DT: I like the many categories. I've yet to create an image that didn't fit into the three categories that DT provides. Displaying the number of "views" each image gets is helpful, letting me know that my keywords are working or failing.
SS: I like the fact that SS displays where your image was purchased. The world map is a creative and unique feature that I enjoy. I also like it's analysis of your keywords, especially with spellcheck features.
123RF: Really straight forward contributor page. Simple and fast. I'll often do 123RF first and use the information to add to the other agencies.
DP: Very similar to DT. Good category range. Helps keep the workflow smooth and quick.
What's your thoughts? Sometimes it maybe worth sending out some positive vibes to various agencies and not just focusing on the negative.
136
« on: July 09, 2012, 04:49 »
Although I agree with the edit function for accepted photos, espectially on key words, I think the whole process at 123rf is extremely easy. One of the fastest out there. And attaching a MR is easy peasy Maybe on your site but not on mine.....
137
« on: July 08, 2012, 23:12 »
Thanks for your response, Anglee....unfortunately I went through your described process yesterday after looking over some old posts and experienced a steady stream of frustrations....
When I go through the steps there is no "attach" box beneath the image I want to attach the release to. The only image on that particular page with an attach check box is of a strawberry.....all others, including the model appearing in the images, is blank.
Can you not streamline the process much in the same way others simply enable you to "edit" the accepted image and you simply add a model release form?
Does it have to be so convoluted?
Your company, in my opinion, have excellent communication skills but a lousy
contributor process that demands five steps when everyone else has a streamlined process. DT and DP are two good examples. In my opinion.
138
« on: July 06, 2012, 21:30 »
Thanks, LisaFx....just thought buyers may hesitate
if they don't see a model release included.
139
« on: July 06, 2012, 18:30 »
I just noticed I have images accepted by 123RF that should but don't have model releases included with them. Does anybody know how I can attach a model release with an image already accepted by 123RF?
Many thanks!
140
« on: July 05, 2012, 00:31 »
Looks very similar to the one I bought on EBay for about $20CDN. Works great with my T3i. A friend has one also for his T2i and dealt with a minor glitch. He had to put a small piece of tape around its' mini jack to work properly. Other than that works great for his T2i.
141
« on: July 02, 2012, 12:01 »
I find a slight variation in the title tends to get less successful images
found on the "also-ran" sites even though all four agencies share the
same keywords. Is that something new? Often an image ignored on SS
will be picked up by DP, DT or 123RF and I attributed that to my
variations with the title....keeping in mind that the title still maintains
the main discriptive component/theme of the image. My thought was
you're working with the same image but you're giving it a slightly
wider spread by varying the adjectives/verbs etc. in the title.
142
« on: July 01, 2012, 22:11 »
I submit to all four agencies but I almost always vary the caption.
"A Dog in the Park", "A Dog Plays in the Park", "A Dog Romps in the Park", "A Dog exercises in the Park"....that kind of variation. The keywords almost always stay the same. I always load 123RF first because their details are simplistic. Title/Description and keywords. That's all. Then, using that information to carry on with DT, DP and SS. It streamlines the process.
143
« on: June 21, 2012, 06:16 »
April was my turning point as well. Slow positive growth and then the wheels suddenly fell off. 3 sales all of this month with a portfolio heavy with summer themes (I started last July). Until April, Dreamstime was my #1 agency. It's now last. I had 3 sales last July with 20 images in my portfolio. I now have well over 300 images.
I'm noticing a wild swing in "views" with new accepted images. A few with lots of views and no sales and many with no views at all after a few weeks. That's unusual and very unlike pre-April.
I'm new to Shutterstock but with 60% fewer images I've sold over 40 more images so far this month.
144
« on: June 13, 2012, 11:48 »
I've had 4 sales in June, two were subs. This is the worst ever for me. Ditto the same here. Much will depend on your portfolio and subject matter but during my first six months with DT sales increased as my portfolio increased....the way it should be. The past three or four months everything has changed. My portfolio is growing yet sales have completely tanked. Very discouraging.
145
« on: June 05, 2012, 16:15 »
.. not to mention they took over 10 days to review them..
There's the worst problem and it isn't confined to DT. These are images that record a current event that bloggers, news people, etc. are going to acquire for their "morning edition".......why 10 days? It's an editorial submission and it needs to be offered to a waiting buyer within a 12 hour period to maximize its' sales capabilities or it'll quickly become an old, standard image. If you're going to offer editorial material, do it right or don't do it at all.
146
« on: May 29, 2012, 22:53 »
Gosh....now I wonder how long before 123RF gets the message?
147
« on: May 28, 2012, 07:08 »
Ditto the previous remarks. Sales are consistently bland but major acceptance ratio. I'm looking forward to an overhaul of their contributor's home page. I know they'll eventually get the message. Certainly there's been enough negative comments to open their eyes. Use DP and DT as a model where everything is up front and streamlined. Still, at least I can interpret their captcha unlike SS. And, as previously mentioned, maximum 72 hour review time. At least for now....
148
« on: May 25, 2012, 09:13 »
Brilliant....quiet. Subtle. Keeps you watching from beginning to end.
An editor with a lot of patience and vision.
149
« on: May 23, 2012, 10:21 »
I have a BME so far at DT - number of sales is a bit low, but RPDL with the level changes is much higher. Of course I'd prefer more sales, but fewer DLs for more money is OK too. Ok...ok, can the next photographer now tell us what a terrible month Dreamstime has been? WME. If we keep this up this could be the all time longest running forum topic and what an accomplishment that would be! 
150
« on: May 22, 2012, 08:40 »
I wasn't aware of this feature either until I read this posting.
Thank you.
Yesterday DT rejected a photo because of "focus/DOF" issues.
I remember looking through the viewfinder and thinking: "This
is a money shot." I really did. Doesn't happen very often but I
knew everything came together: composition/lighting/focus etc.
SS has had it for less than a week now and its' sold 7 times....
I used the "don't be mad at us" resubmission feature that you
pointed out to see what their response will be. Regardless, if
they accept this time around I'm going to quickly remove it.
There have been just too many recently that are selling well
with other agencies yet rejected by DT. Get it right the first time
is my mantra. It should be theirs as well.
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