For creative, it seems the only way now is through the contest.
http://competitions.gettyimages.com/en/competitions/call-for-entries-3/the-brief#.U55ODfmSzxQ. What I read from Getty forum, people are offered to contribute to either iStock or Moment collection upon winning the contest there. Not sure about other collections.

Here's an image on Stocksy that really blows my mind.

http://www.stocksy.com/224056

Can anybody explain the appeal of an image like that?

I'm Stocksy big fan. I don't get that too. I have seen this style several times. The most memorable one is on latest edition of Fool Magazine, a blurred portrait of a chef, but that's more tasteful done than this photo.

I don't get most of the main photos on Shutterstock page that being used as the background (background for the search field). No offense to the photographers, but Shutterstock has a lot more beautiful photos but the photos chosen on their website, I'm almost 100% sure the would get rejected if one submit the same photos today. Let's me go thru one by one and please if you are the photographer, please do not get offended. This is not personal attack but to show the what's the  problem with current inconsistent review. The photos in question are as below (if you know what's I'm talking about, you need to keep refreshing shutterstock page to see each of the photo)

Photo #1 - photo of a green plant (looks like succulent to me) that was shot using shallow depth of field. Today this would be rejected for focus issue.
Photo #2 - photos of rice terrace - it looks like it was taken during a very gloomy day. If it's submitted today, it probably will be rejected for lighting issue
Photo #3 - Photo of sailing boat. Dark, gloomy and huge potential to be rejected for lighting issue as well
Photo #4 - Photo of sleeping Asian baby on mother's arms. Beautiful photo but the white balance looks off to me, almost too yellow. I'm Asian, I'm sure as hell I'm not that yellow

I just pulled out of Stockbo.  No sales since joining but I only put a small port up there so that was to be expected.  I just didn't feel like I was a good fit there, for several reasons.  Besides, with the exception of SS (for now) I'm done with agencies and going a different route.

Same here. I will continue  to support 500px and leave some photos on macrografiks. I will direct potential buyers there if I happened to get enquiry to use my photos. I want to create more RM worth photos and put them in macro agencies. I determine to win some competition this year. Meanwhile, I will also focus more on Image Brief now that I'm a little optimistic of the prospect after winning my first brief this month. In longer term, my goal is keep creating images and improving to the point that I got accepted by Stocksy and Offset. The utmost important, I will continue to keep my day job that pays me 15 times more than my stock photo earning 

Out of the blue, I'm getting email wants to use my image that have not been uploaded to any agency. So, I'm hoping to close the deal and I need to send them an invoice. Anyone have any recommendation where can I find nice template of invoice for stock photo for both RF and RM usage?
 

I have nothing to do with music. But I like this news as it's showing that SS is going stronger. SS is the only agency that can make Getty shivers...and I hope they will continue to do so..lol

I love the hiking series. I think you should keep them or may be process them to be more instangram-ish

Quote from: dirkr on May 08, 2014, 08:52

Quote from: stocked on May 08, 2014, 07:11

Quote from: dirkr on May 08, 2014, 04:54

Same for me - I don't think what I shoot and how I shoot it will ever be a match for what Stocksy currently wants.

And maybe (certainly?) their focus on a specific style and their rather restrictive policy of accepting new contributors/content is a big part of their success.

But what I would love to see is the same model (co-op, fair commissions, no price dumping) being applied to a broader spectrum of content / contributors. Even if that would not allow exact same pricing (accepting - and successfully selling - more and less focused content may only work with a lower price level than Stocksy), it would be a great alternative to all the other agencies.
Could be a different collection, or a different site with different branding, but with the same principles.
That would be great and would allow many of those who can't make it into Stocksy right now to benefit from those ideas...

Why not give 500px prime a chance?

I'm doing that, but it's too early to expect any results.
Still, a Stocksy-like approach with broader access for contributors would be interesting. I like to have multiple alternatives...

Agree on everything, but we should give 500pix a good chance right from the start btw afaik one of the founder at Stocksy is now in the prime-team at 500px.

I have uploaded a small collection there but  haven't heard a thing. Will be great if they finally take off.

I don't know much about Bruce's evil deed or background in iStock as I was never part of them. All I know there is very few people that can create some impact in the industry and it happened that Bruce is one of them, not to mention the right timing since his departure from iStock and the money he made there. We all wish there will be a knight in shining armor in form of big corporation like Google comes to photographers rescue, but that's just a dream. My point is I appreciate anyone who is willing to create some ripples in the industry in favour of photographer, doesn't matter their past because there is very few who could. Now let's dream that Jon Oringer will eventually leave Shutterstock and setup another dream agency for photographers.

Thanks for the info.
I've never seen instagram, as it seems you have to log in to be able to see anything, unless I'm missing something. No matter. I don't have enough time to keep up with the sites I do check out!

I hardly post anything on my instagram too Sue. I hate all the popularity and social media stuff. I'm following them because I have a weird obsession in visual trending and have fun trying to predict the upcoming trend.

As I mentioned a few of contemporary magazines in my posts, you can see that they are mostly food magazines which have much love for local produce, organic and healthy lifestyle. What I noticed, these magazines start to appear after Noma restaurant won best restaurant for 3 consecutive years. The head chef Renee Redzepi is using only locally sourced, seasonal produce and foraging for wild ingredients and he has been named one on the most influential people by Time. He clearly has started a new trend and food culture. His first book is shot by the talented Ditte Isager, and you can see Ditte's inspired style in all these magazines. Now, I even noticed very distinct Ditte Isager's inspired food photography in Stocksy.

Quote from: jen on May 07, 2014, 12:35

Which magazines do you like?  I've been looking for some besides Kinfolk.

Feast Journal is an Irish magazine with a similar outlook to Kinfolk. We came to it via the always lovely farmette blog btw.

I'm going to check them out. I have a thing for indie magazines.

Quote from: onepointfour on May 07, 2014, 09:57

Uh..hope this thread will not become watermark vs no-watermark debate.

Sorry to divert your thread.

Anyhow - good luck with Stocksy. Nobody could sensibly deny that they are building a really nice collection.

No worries. It's just one of the debate topic that will never go anywhere, just like for Nikon vs Canon.

Uh..hope this thread will not become watermark vs no-watermark debate.
I personally dislike watermarks, but as a stock photographer I have to use it. No offense, watermark is the main concern for most microstockers, but it's no big deal for assignment photographers.

Steve McCurry does'n watermark his works. Anyways, I don't think I can get away easily stealing his photos.