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Messages - Asthebelltolls
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 8 9 10 11 ... 14
126
« on: May 29, 2019, 08:06 »
Beautifully done, Brightonti! Thank you for the insightful tutorial!
My "bottom-line" question would be: Are you finding that the pay-off is worth the effort? So much time spent scouting the location, getting the sequence - providing everything works as planned during that 1-3 hour process - and then taking it home and spending more time working the frames before uploading it to multiple agencies and hoping there's a demand for that particular TL clip.
128
« on: April 14, 2019, 08:08 »
I'm thinking that Depositphoto realized everyone want to cut to the chase as quickly as possible and that little or no categories streamlines things. Dreamstime is arduous and slow and plodding. We maybe used to the process - I can choose 17 categories appropriate for my shot of a farmer seeding his land - but do we really need that much selection to find the right buyer?
129
« on: April 13, 2019, 19:29 »
I just noticed that the choice of categories has disappeared ...
I was wondering if anyone else had noticed. Meanwhile we have Dreamstime who have enough categories to fill the Black Hole. Do you think DT will finally come to its senses and realize that contributors AND buyers don't want to waste their time filling out their time consuming form?
130
« on: April 01, 2019, 09:56 »
In my opinion, no matter how little these agencies decide to pay for content, they will still have no lack of new content.
I think the fact that this topic is still alive is encouraging. The key for success is getting the BIG contributors (25,000 or more images) to submit strictly to agencies that pay highest. Keep all your portfolios with various agencies intact but focus, from now on, with the agencies that pay the highest. Large contributors are the leaders/front runners and can set the standard if done collectively. Things wouldn't change overnight but it WOULD gain the attention of ALL agencies that lowering image prices is not a means for success.
131
« on: March 27, 2019, 22:38 »
One part if the problem is that we've always been reactive, we struggle against companies that cut commissions but do nothing against the ones that had low commissions to begin with. We should do a massive ask for fair commissions from companies like SS, istock, getty. Petitions, multiple mails, even roping in fair trade government/international bodies to help. That'll also help players like Pond5 maintain royalties. Maybe we can take their help in ensuring that the race to the bottom does not happen
The only solution is to unionize. As much as many of us would resist, a union where we all collectively agree to work together...refusing to submit to agencies that pay less. Agreeing collectively to set certain price policies and standards. It's headed in that direction. It's just a matter of time. Just as it has formed in the past when people asked: You want to pay me how much for picking your cotton? You're going to pay me how much for working in your sweat shop? A union is the only answer. It's now just a matter of someone getting it started.
132
« on: March 18, 2019, 19:04 »
Wouldn't it make sense for agencies to boost prices of images with strong sales? Or maybe to give the option to the contributor to do so?
Only if all agencies jumped on board with the same pricing. Why would a buyer pay $2.00 at Shutterstock when they can get the same image at 123RF for $0.17? At least we, as contributors, can decide if we want to work with an agency that pays a "teenie bit" or another agency that'll pay you a "teenie bit more". 
133
« on: March 09, 2019, 14:08 »
I'm still waiting for Iceland to make a purchase. I may have to add a few more snowbanks and snowshoe track shots maybe.  I'm thinking my portfolio is a fifty-fifty split between the US and the rest of the world. I live in Canada but very close to the US border so my portfolio (about 20,000 shots in and among 5 agencies) has a fair amount of US content.
134
« on: February 18, 2019, 09:50 »
Beautifully done! It made me think of all the time spent - particularly in difficult/busy areas of London. But also, from my POV, how much of the footage I could submit as Free Rights and not Editorial.....the fireworks obviously but any of the TL street footage? Lots of recognizable logos/faces. Thanks for sharing and merry, belated Christmas! 
135
« on: December 15, 2018, 16:14 »
Not sure about 2018 but here's my video on making bank in 2019 :-)
https://youtu.be/BdRxcegTDWc
Lovely presentation. Well done! A little surprised that you didn't have a greater emphasizes on " environmental".....but then it's a "subject" that doesn't seem to resonate much with agencies either.
136
« on: December 08, 2018, 09:58 »
Just to follow up, they've come back to me apologising and have reviewed everything I had pending since April. So problem solved for now... until next time 
Congratulations! And what are you going to do with all that $0.22 when/if it sells?
137
« on: November 17, 2018, 10:52 »
....and just to add. I've been getting a pile of images accepted from DP that I totally forgot about. Images in the quee since 2016.  
Yep me too I haven't actually checked but I thought they were already approved...weird
DP informed me that they're re-assessing images that they rejected in the past.....my goodness! Rejected images with Depositphoto may not be rejected after all.....
138
« on: November 16, 2018, 09:08 »
....and just to add. I've been getting a pile of images accepted from DP that I totally forgot about. Images in the quee since 2016.
139
« on: November 09, 2018, 13:33 »
It's a question of "What else can they do?"
The SS has to compete with the also-ran sellers. If "We" the supplier stopped supporting the middle and low tier agencies we wouldn't have this problem. I just
sold a clip with SS and received $1.50.
And yes, I practice what I preach. The SS. IS and P5. That's it.
140
« on: October 26, 2018, 16:23 »
Obviously varying experiences with 123RF.
Personally I dumped them when they lowered the minimum payment below $0.30us. And this is an agency that hasn't spent a nickle on their site since their inception. It looks like something from the 1990's. Meanwhile other agencies that I've worked with have tried to simplify and improve their sites....Shutterstock in particular who use image recognition technology to provide possible new descriptive words. Pretty impressive IMO when you think of the volume they have to deal with on a daily basis. Its also an agency where you're going to reach your next level faster than most agencies. Currently I make a minimum $0.38 per sale. Pond5 matches that if you set the price accordingly.
Meanwhile 123rf only makes changes to their website when they're trying to pick more money out of your pocket, IMO.
141
« on: October 18, 2018, 09:27 »
Thanks for the advice. Well written, thorough article. I think its a good example of just how "automated" the business has become. Take heart. Alamy's strict policy is self-punishing. They lose a good, money-generating supplier.
142
« on: October 08, 2018, 19:48 »
Use Filezilla....that resolved any uploading issues for me with Shutterstock.
143
« on: October 02, 2018, 16:38 »
Much of what many contributors have stated with this topic applies to me as well. September was the lowest September in the 6 years I've been contributing to my #1 agency and the past 4 months have been dismal. My number of sales continue to increase but my payout falls well short of other years. For me, personally, its all due to clip sales. I've been a regular contributor - all HD - and I get the feeling buyers are moving on to 4K technology. Hence the dwindling sales and revenue.
144
« on: September 25, 2018, 08:26 »
I stop uploading after they cut our royalties.
I think the only agency that increase our royalties is Fotolia/Adobe. I love them!
Love them now, Sebastian, but make sure you're wearing protection. I tried dating Fotolia a long time ago and got into trouble. Never again.
145
« on: September 22, 2018, 13:36 »
Dreamstime was my first agency that I submitted to way-back-when so I think I continue on more for nostalgic reasons than anything else - that and their minimum payback isn't under $0.30 US.....my "bottom-line" working with any agency.
Like others have said - its a decent agency with good people to help but for the life of me - I can't understand why they refuse to lower the minimum pay-out threshold. They're almost in the "low earner" category and yet the rule remains that suppliers have to reach $100 before getting paid. I've got to think a lot more photographers would jump on board if the pay-out watermark was set at $30 or $50us.
Could someone from DT respond to this question and clarify once and for all why you insist on setting the bar so high? Even SS - the top earner for most of us - is $25 lower....
146
« on: September 17, 2018, 08:59 »
Terrific platform. Well done! But I look at it and I'm sure my reaction is the same as everyone else's. "Was it worth the effort?" There must have been a massive amount of work putting it together. I also think, while your images/illustrations etc. are very high standard - they're limited in variety in each category. I think your experience will be interesting for all of us. I hope you do well!
147
« on: August 24, 2018, 16:22 »
I have to agree with SLP's comment. Very limited range. Attention to detail is a nice start but broaden your subject material. Nothing here yet that generates the "wow" factor. What can you present that's more than a snapshot? But regardless, putting it out there and letting others see your work is an excellent first step. Thanks for sharing.
148
« on: August 22, 2018, 19:34 »
123rf. The most antiquated, backward, stilted agency you can work with unless you enjoy working in the 1990's. Makes me want to wear a headband and listen to Abba records every time I visit that site....
149
« on: August 06, 2018, 08:06 »
So blatant. When I complained, the agency said unless they take my actual file and re-upload it, not much can be done about it.
"Not much can be done about it....." Yeah, right. How about rejecting the image/footage because it's too similar to creative work already accepted? I've had my own work rejected by agencies because it was too similar to things I've submitted in the past. So are they saying it's not alright to submit similar themes I've done in the past but its alright to copy/plagiarize someone else's original work? The agency in question should at least contact the copycat and inform them that their image/footage will be withdrawn due to copyright infringement. If they don't respect/encourage uniquely creative ideas what's the motivation for submitting to them?
150
« on: July 20, 2018, 13:29 »
I think I should buy the film rights to make the Trump biopic.
Alec Baldwin as Trump?
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