MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Graffoto

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 ... 34
76
Guess I will have to cancel my photo session with Gong Li now and look for regular lady...

Yes you should. But please give her my contact info so that I may complete the shoot for you  ;D

77
Off Topic / Re: Wow, Steve Jobs is dead!
« on: October 06, 2011, 00:23 »
I'm typing this on a Mac Pro.... oh wait, I just got a Facebook update on my iPhone.
Anyway, as I was saying I'm on my Mac and... oh, my 7 year old just grabbed my iPad to show off his school project to my wife.

OK, I was about to say; He will be missed.
Rest In Peace Mr. Jobs, you earned it.

78
Off Topic / TiGER M@TE hacked my web host's servers!
« on: October 05, 2011, 10:21 »
Tried to get to my own website last night and found a blank page  :-\

This morning I checked with my web host and there was a notice that they had been hacked.

I wish I knew where this geek lived... because I would love to figure out a way to 'hack' his lifestyle.

79
iStockPhoto.com / Re: Thread for Deletion
« on: October 01, 2011, 22:13 »
@ Goldmund, I for one did not think you were pimping your images.
Anyway, MSG is a far different place than the IS forums. No woo-yays thank TPTB and a lot of grumbling.

Anyone that chooses to hang out here should have a fairly thick hide and there are some here that can be quite acerbic.

Please continue to use these forums, your insight is appreciated by me and I am sure that I am not alone.

80
iStockPhoto.com / Re: Sales have tanked big time
« on: September 30, 2011, 19:03 »
I had a pretty good month, but ONLY because of a handful of Getty sales.
Now this last week has been absolutely dismal.

81
I see Lisa beat me to it.
Yeah... What she said.

83
iStockPhoto.com / Re: Factors which influence Best Match
« on: September 28, 2011, 10:23 »

84
Joseph, why . are you worrying about micro stock? Your port is way too good. Why aren't you shooting for Vogue yet?

For what it's worth I agree with you totally. If you look at the more traditional stock agencies they use agency models. I assisted a fashion / stock shooter, Getty, Corbis, no micro, and she always hired models from agencies in Los Angeles. They are on time, they work, they provide experience, they produce the goods, and they look great on film. MM models, flake, don't know how to model, expect the photog to micro pose their every move, in my experience, they just don't look as good, or bring much talent to the table. I'm sure there are exceptions but that's why their on MM and not working for Elite. It's other stuff too, clothing stylists, makeup stylists, it all shows in the final product. I cant tell you how many times gorgeous women show up to a shoot with terrible clothes that are not ironed, thinking that the photographer can take out wrinkles in photoshop. These girls want to model and have no fashion sense or posing ability whatsoever. If I could afford it, I would use nothing but agency models.

Yup. That's what I'm talking about :)

85
One suggestion, stop using models and start uses actors.

Excellent advice.
I have found that the best models also know how to 'emote'. ie they are good actors.

I must look into this more.

86
Hi Lisa!

I never meant that was the only driving force for Mr. Arcurs' success. I just meant that with all other factors being equal (lighting, location, set etc...) that the quality of the models is what puts him over the top.

I know from my own port that the handful of truly stunning models I have used outsell everything else in my port by a wide margin.

@ Luis. I know darn well who Mr. Locke is and have nothing but respect for his accomplishments.
I also know that he is capable of handling a little good hearted ribbing without getting offended.

87
Yes, paying them will help cut the flake percentage, but you still are not guaranteed that they will do well in front of the camera. A lot of profiles say 'very experienced' but when you look at the port they look stiff or only have one expression.

I have worked with real agency models (not for stock) and there is a world of difference in the posing ability and ease of expression in front of the camera. You have to experience it to really appreciate the difference it makes in your images.

88
You don't need to go through traditional agencies for professional models. You can try ModelMayhem.com and seek experienced models.

I do use MM models. A lot of them are flakes and none that I have found are as good as a true pro.

89
Yes, Sean we all know you do OK ;)
But think how much more 'OK' you could do if you have the same quality of models and sets that Mr. Arcurs has!

90
Ok, we all recognize the technical perfection. The clean, bright, albeit somewhat flat look. The well thought out sets and compositions.

However, I would argue that above all else the secret to Mr. Arcurs success are his models.
He has mentioned on several occasions that he uses agency models and it shows.
I even remember reading on one occasion that he flew in a Russian model for a shoot.
All of his models; male, female, young & old are stunning. Who would not want these people to represent their product or company?

So how is this done? In the Los Angeles region where I am, agency's frown on their models being used for microstock. It dilutes their value.
Not to mention the additional cost of going through an agency to hire models. Ideas? Insights anyone?

91
Disorderly is correct.
The Paul C Buff Einsteins maintain their color temperature throughout the power range.
They have dual settings, one for constant color and one for super short flash duration.

Alien Bees and White Lightening (also both from Paul C Buff) do change color temperature as the power settings change. They get warmer at the lower settings.

If using Bees/White Lightning strobes, it is necessary to take a new gray card reading every time power output is adjusted, if you wish to be color accurate through your workflow.
This is not necessary with the Einsteins.

I own both and find this to be true via empirical evidence.

92
Off Topic / Re: Man Jailed for 'Trolling'
« on: September 13, 2011, 19:27 »
He appears to have some sort of disability himself.

93
I don't get why these things are locked but not deleted  ??? If they really want to stifle the truth, why not delete the post entirely?

I understand that they don't want to acknowledge that they are losing business, yet any of us that submit to IS can tell from our sales that something is wrong.

94
iStockPhoto.com / Re: New Survey...
« on: August 20, 2011, 00:50 »
I'd say they are reading them and swearing under their breath.

95
iStockPhoto.com / Re: What would it take?
« on: August 19, 2011, 09:18 »
^^
Wow, harsh but absolutely spot on.

Our 'agent' screwed us and then tried to sugar coat it.

That's exactly what I put in their survey.
I said we are not stupid and no matter how much they attempt positive spin, our BS meters will see through it.

96
iStockPhoto.com / Re: The future...You decide
« on: August 16, 2011, 23:46 »
I want to go Back to the Future.

97
Lighting / Re: Why do you use Alien Bees?
« on: August 16, 2011, 00:17 »
I use all Paul C Buff equipment. It is cost effective and reliable.

I am using Einsteins now because color shift when changing power output was driving me bonkers.
These units do away with that problem.
As a bonus, they can be controlled remotely from a Cyber Commander unit (which also acts as a meter).

No more climbing up and down over and over to adjust a light that's up on a boom. Woo-Yay!!!  ;D

98
iStockPhoto.com / Re: August best match shift?
« on: August 14, 2011, 17:44 »
My recent xtra small sales of stale, moldy and frankly not my best images suggests to me that the price slider is being used by buyers.
Old cheap non Vetta, non-"Plus" files are getting attention.

99
iStockPhoto.com / Re: August best match shift?
« on: August 14, 2011, 15:06 »
sales may be sales, but I'm not happy when the best match favours old files. it means new files are being indexed and basically pushed to the back, potentially never to be seen. I stop uploading when this happens for the most part. best match right now is messed....I don't like it even though sales numbers are up and down, generally average for August.

With so many images, both old and new, there has to be a balance struck in the best match. Right now I think they have it about right. For example I've just searched on a subject (omelet) which had over 1400 results. Out of the first 100 images, when sorted by best match, 13 of them had zero downloads. New images are getting their time in the sun but not excessively so.

Don't forget every unproven new image is, at least for a time, displacing older proven work which may be far better. In the past Istock has rewarded artists who continually uploaded tons of mediocre images to the cost of artists who were more selective and uploaded fewer but much better images. In those days images were effectively being killed off once they were 6 months old. That's not the way to build a high-quality library.

^^^^
This.

100
iStockPhoto.com / Re: Big Change at IS
« on: August 04, 2011, 18:09 »
Manhattan will eat him alive.

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 ... 34

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors