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Messages - bbettina
76
« on: April 30, 2007, 20:27 »
I need to do a bit of an reality check:
I have been on Shutterstock for just over two weeks and the first few days were crazy 14 downloads with 7 pictures - what's not to love about that? I uploaded more and am now at 67 pictures but the downloads have dropped quite a bit I am now seeming mainly single digits (uploads were in small batches of 3 to 8 so I have been uploading pretty regularly). Maybe that's normal and others have experienced that as well - just want to find out whether its me or whether a pretty quick saturation point is reached and new pictures need to be uploaded at a higher rate (and therefore have to be taken at a higher rate ...).
Thanks for your feedback,
Tina
77
« on: April 23, 2007, 17:12 »
I just joined about 10 days ago with a small portfolio and am still $461.68 away from the goal  I guess that means finally making the investment in the lighting equipment and hope it pays off. Anyway, it's good to have a goal - however ambitious it might be. Tina
78
« on: April 22, 2007, 23:56 »
My sales are very low, too. Probably my worst month ever. But then, this entire year has been prettyslow. Don't know what's going on but sure would like to know.
Tina
79
« on: April 20, 2007, 13:27 »
Okay, I am going to reveal the full extent of my Photoshop-ignorance but so be it - I need help  My work flow is pretty basic: I used adjustment layers to adjust levels, curves and occasionally color balance and saturation. For isolated objects I sometimes use a brightness layer, crank the brightness way up to get a nice white background, then fill with black and use the brush tool to reveal the brightend areas where desired. At least that's how I did it until this morning when all of a sudden the brush tool won't work to reveal the brightend areas anymore. I must have something stupid (the layer isn't locked) but I have absolutely no idea what it might be. I guess I better invest in a photoshop class but until such time - anybody any ideas what to do? I need to keep uploading on shutterstock - it's just way too much fun to see the sales roll in to stop! Thanks everybody, Tina
80
« on: April 20, 2007, 13:19 »
Thanks for the tip. I was pretty unhappy with the regular construction lights that I recently bought but will try these. There is probably also an Alien Bee or two in my future but it will be great to have a cheaper alternative for shooting "stuff".
Tina
81
« on: April 19, 2007, 16:38 »
I agree with Chellyar's comments. If I ran a microstock I probably would be here checking out what people have to say and how they perceive my site - that's normal and could even be good for all of us if issues brought up here would be taken seriously and addressed.
Criticism and suggestions are good things as long as they are constructive and free of racial, gender and other slur - isn't that how humans learn? The whole concept of "if you say something bad I am going to retaliate" sounds so last century, pre-Internet and global exchange. The business model of the microstocks is build on the fact that people everywhere have access to computers and contribute products (pics, illustrations, footage, whatever) and to then turn around and say "don't also exchange information, ideas and criticism" is strange at best.
It would be great if criticism could be open brought up and discussed on the microstock forums but that isn't happening. So it's wonderful to have this forum and all of you microstock employees out there: this is no threat, this is a bunch of passionate people who put a lot of time into this and have ideas, suggestions and sometimes grievances. Why don't you just listen and take us seriously - at least once in a while?
Take care,
Tina
82
« on: April 14, 2007, 18:02 »
With my newfound microstock enthusiasm (29 dlds in less than 2 days on SS with a portfolio that averaged maybe 15 pics and all of that on a Fri and Sat) and feel ready to invest a little more in stockphotography.
My still lifes and pics of "stuff" actually sell pretty well and are easy to do so I want to buy a some lighting equipment to go with my shooting table.
What do people use and recommend? I need to keep it reasonable pricewise but my attempt to use the hotlights sold at Home Depot/OSH etc failed miserably - too dark, too yellow, too uneven.
Some people here suggested Alien Bee flash units to a related post I put up a week or so ago and I am looking into that - any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Tina
83
« on: April 13, 2007, 16:55 »
Yes, I am German, but I live in Sunnyvale, CA (much better weather!)
Still going back once a year, though, have my son drive the grandparents crazy and take pictures of real old stuff, like the medival houses in my home town - sort of miss that here.
Mellimage, if you do sign up and you do it through my referal link I can make $0.03 per picture you sell (you still make the $0.25). Let me know whether you'd consider that and I'll send you my referal link (I hope it's not against the rules to ask for referals here, if so, let me know and I shall never do it again).
Happy Friday,
Tina
84
« on: April 13, 2007, 15:35 »
I didn't sign up for the longest time because I thought the $0.25 per dl is, well, a little on the low side. Then I read all those stories about the photos that get approved really selling like crazy and meanwhile some of the other microstocks I submitt to started not doing as well as they used to and so I reconsidered. Looks like it was a good decisions at least for now - while we were talking I had another two dls -  Tina
85
« on: April 13, 2007, 15:15 »
I had to share the news. Just slipped by with 7 of 10 approved yesterday, but who cares, I am in  the whole process was super-quick. I submitted yesterday in the early afternoon and got approved like 3 hours later. Had 8 dls since then, 6 of the 7 photos have already sold. I have to say, that's not bad at all  Thanks to everybody who gave input along the way! Tina
86
« on: April 10, 2007, 17:18 »
It's been a good day! I sold a picture on a German microsite www.panthermedia.net. Netted me Euro 4.95! That's EL type of money - made my day. I guess I'll do a little bit more key word translation tonight Tina
87
« on: April 10, 2007, 10:23 »
Since my models are mostly our teenage babysitter and my toddler son's playmates the chance of them being drunk is rather minor and generally their parents are sober as well. Moreover I reject the notion that only because the witness is my husband he is unable to make a legal and professional decision. Since I don't have an assistant (but a day job, a child and am trying to take pictures) the other option is to pull somebody off the street and ask that person to sign as a witness. I wonder which one is better ....
88
« on: April 09, 2007, 22:04 »
It's a hassle but a bunch of microstocks have that rule (DT, itock). In some cases you need a witnessed model release for a self-portrait ... that's taking it a little far, I think.
I just have a bunch of witness releases that my "usual witness" = my husbands signs and keep them around. It is a real hassle if you want to submit to a microstock that has your MRs (without witness) on file and now, all of a sudden, they want a new one for a model that you have submitted pics for for some time (no witness). That's the case at DT. The exchanging of the MRs is such a hassle that I basically stopped submitting to them.
89
« on: April 09, 2007, 16:52 »
Just had a $ 0.50 download - the first revenue there in days, make that weeks. I am so not going to bother anymore.
90
« on: April 07, 2007, 22:14 »
I used to rent a fully equipped photo studio part time but had to give it up for a number of reasons. Now I am trying to create a mini version of it in my garage. I am thinking of mainly taking pictures of objects/still lifes (my wedding related still lifes sell quite well) but would also like to do the occasional people shoot later on. I have a shooting table but no lights and was wondering what people recommend in terms of flexible strobe units and slave trigger units which could serve the two purposes and won't cost me an arm and a leg (I am going to worry about backgrounds for model photography etc a little later). Another caveat: I am not a techie and take no joy in fiddling with equipment. Ideally I want to plug stuff in and never have to worry about it, so user-friendly is a definite plus.
Thanks for your input!
Tina
91
« on: April 05, 2007, 17:31 »
For me FT is my best seller in terms of overall $$ and number of dls. It's also my largest portfolio - easy to upload, rejection rates quite low - which attracted me to it in the first place. The only site I have ever sold an EL (like 4 or 5 in total since August 2006).
Having said that, IS has better revenues per pix and better dls per pics ratios. I have about 80% of FT sales on IS with about 25% of the portfolio (cumbersom uploading, higher rejection rate, upload limits).
DT annoys me no end, I hate their customer service (or lack thereof), the randomness of their decisions (one batch, several pics of the same person, identical MR, one gets rejected because the MR is not ok, the other gets accepted) and their appaling acceptance rate recently (unless I have become a really lousy fotographer recently).
Don't even mention BS - the occasional sale. Not worth the trouble.
Not yet on SS but hopefully soon.
Fotolia won't make you rich (which site will?) but if you keyword anyway might as well upload (keep in mind that fotolia wants the most important keywords as the first seven entries - that's the only hassle with the uploading there).
92
« on: April 05, 2007, 17:19 »
Interesting that you mention the Europe thing. I see the same thing with my sales (lots of sales to German buyers) and I always wondered whether that's a "European thing" I have going - living in the US as a German, somehow hitting the European taste a little better than Americans (not other Europeans, of course). But in light of what you say, that might not be true, fotolia seems to just get the majority of sales from Europe.
My sales have rebound a little - got three dls yesterday and felt like celebrating - but by and large they aren't back to 2006 levels. I haven't fallen a lot in the "all time ranking" either - that's not a good sign.
93
« on: March 24, 2007, 00:47 »
I am selling the pics of my neighbors (I am suspecting they are pre-baby boomers) quite well on both fotolia and istock, in fact they are selling better than the really cute teenage baby-sitter - so my advice would be to go ahead and shoot some more.
tina
94
« on: March 20, 2007, 13:57 »
Here are a few questions for you:
Do you have any idea how much money you would need to start it? Would you need outside funding (VCs or angle investors) or could you and a few friends pull it off?
Have you given thought to questions such as: who would use it? what would people pay for the service? is there any competition already out there? How hard would it be for an established player to take the idea (once implemented) and just make it bigger, faster, prettier and steal your customers/clients?
How much would you have to sell to make a living? How would you market it? Will people really pay for that product/service (people often say they would pay when asked before hand but when faced with the decision to actually pay they won't.)
Do you have any business types as friends, people who have started and/or financed companies, or at least have some small company exprience (even an MBA will do to talk through the basic issues) - they might be a good resource.
Just some ideas, hope it helps and good luck.
Tina
95
« on: March 14, 2007, 00:59 »
yeah, did that - I get something like [img]\[img] and still have no idea what to do.
Please help!
96
« on: March 13, 2007, 01:17 »
I'd love some input. I thought (and still think) this is a good picture (well, its my boy so I officially have to think its good) - little blond blue-eyed boy, attractive black woman, diversity, happiness, not even purple fringing, I believe its sharp, it got accepted at a couple of sites but nobody even looks at it - much less buys it. Any explanations? Thanks, Tina http://www.fotolia.com/id/1518025
97
« on: March 11, 2007, 22:33 »
That's good to know, thanks. I got a bunch of "Empfehlungen" and whats called "Red. Tipp" - not sure what the difference is but I guess it musst mean something good.
I'll just try individual photos from "tricky categories" like landscapes, flowers and see whether they are excepted, if so, I can still do more. I think Xenia's point earlier that it makes little sense to upload the same pics that people can buy somewhere else for $1. Trouble is, a lot of my people pics are online soemwhere.
Tina
98
« on: March 10, 2007, 23:07 »
Any suggestions what kind of pics to submit to Panthermedia. I uploaded a like 10 or so - all studio people pics I also have on US micro sites (mostly kids). Is there a particular topic/style/subject you recommend? What do you think the critical portfolio size is? I simply don't have 500 great pics - at least not yet. Do pics keep selling or do you have to "keep feeding the hungry beast" as people say of SS and I have experienced on DT myself?
So far I have had very few views and no sales but its only been like two weeks.
Great discussion - thanks!
Tina
99
« on: March 09, 2007, 19:49 »
Okay, thanks, this is very helpful.
That means that I would have made it if it weren't for a model release that I forgot to attach. Do you guys suggest I "appeal" or isn't it worth the trouble?
Tina
100
« on: March 09, 2007, 16:19 »
Good point, Tom, so here are the reasons:
2835150 Rejected: Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
2835151 Rejected:
2835152 Rejected: Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
2835153 Rejected:
2835154 Rejected: Composition--Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
2835155 Rejected:
2835156 Rejected:
2835157 Rejected:
2835158 Rejected:
2835159 Rejected: Lighting Problems--Purple fringe, blown highlights or lenses flare.
And yes, I forgot to upload a model release, noticed it immediately but couldn't figure out how to remedy it. So I posted a question of the forum seking help but before I could even look/act all were rejected. So really 3 out of 10 were rejected for a reason, one problem could have been mitigated easily (I obviously have the model release) and 6 were rejected just because.
Thanks for helping me to figure this out.
Tina
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