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Author Topic: Former Exclusives Interested in Joining Shutterstock  (Read 28765 times)

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« Reply #25 on: January 18, 2013, 15:13 »
+1
If there is a massive inflood of former exclusives, many SS customers who don't shop around much will become very happy campers indeed. And then they will tell their friends/colleagues, who will tell theirs, etc.....
Brighter days look to be ahead, as long as Getty keep their stinkin' slimy hands off of Shutterstock.


« Reply #26 on: January 18, 2013, 16:02 »
0
Shutterstock was my first stock site (many years ago now, wow...) and I have always been happy with them.   The upload system is easy to use, and payments are always on time.  There's a forum where people new to the site can get critique from other photographers on their images before submitting their application, which is really useful.


w7lwi

  • Those that don't stand up to evil enable evil.
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2013, 16:43 »
+1
As I posted over on the SS forum, this could easily turn out to be a win-win for all parties involved, except for IS/Getty.  Buyers that have been following IS exclusives will take a look at SS to see their favorite photographers, only to find even greener pastures.  And the biggest perk of all ... no more Lobo in the forums!   ;D

« Reply #28 on: January 18, 2013, 17:57 »
+3
FWIW I love the beautiful, simple, efficient Shutterstock Upload system.
I think that a lot of people that have only  ever uploaded to IS will get a pleasant surprise when they realize how easy it is to upload to most other sites.

fritz

  • I love Tom and Jerry music

« Reply #29 on: January 18, 2013, 18:11 »
0
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)

OM

« Reply #30 on: January 18, 2013, 18:40 »
+1
I wonder how many iS exclusives will actually make the move if they leave principle aside and do the math. How much does an 'average' iS exclusive make per download and how much will they make per dl on SS? On SS, EL's, ODD's & SOD's are a nice bonus and happen perhaps more frequently than one might imagine but the majority of dl's in the first months will be @ $0.25/$0.33.
How much (%) does an iS exclusive lose by going independent and how biased does the iS search become against them as indie?

The iBorg make it difficult to leave once initiated, methinks.

« Reply #31 on: January 18, 2013, 18:46 »
0
Oh ho ho ho.
Smart move to post this message , shutterstock.
Strategic.

I like it.
And written exactly like it should be.
It is all in the timing and what is not written.

« Reply #32 on: January 18, 2013, 18:54 »
0
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)

I've been submitting to both IS and SS for over 8 years and would strongly disagree with your hypothesis. In my experience they are largely the same except that IS is a bit anal over certain issues (like isolations for example) and SS can be the same about the focal point. Other than that they are pretty much the same. My acceptance rate on IS is 87% and probably about 95% on SS in over 5000 submissions.

mlwinphoto

« Reply #33 on: January 18, 2013, 18:55 »
+1
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)

Actually, I had more landscape downloads on SS than I have had on IS since going exclusive there.  It's the 25 cents/per that makes me hesitant to leave IS altogether in favor of SS.  If I decide to do nothing but drop my crown then the decision to begin uploading there will be an easy one. 

« Reply #34 on: January 18, 2013, 18:59 »
0
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)

I have a sneaking suspicion that SS admins will allow complete blocks of ports to be transitioned without all the inspection, at least for some of the top dawgs.

fritz

  • I love Tom and Jerry music

« Reply #35 on: January 18, 2013, 19:03 »
0
..
« Last Edit: January 18, 2013, 19:06 by alexmk »

tab62

« Reply #36 on: January 18, 2013, 19:03 »
+1
We may need need 'D' Day at all with SS taking down iStock...

fritz

  • I love Tom and Jerry music

« Reply #37 on: January 18, 2013, 19:05 »
0
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)


I've been submitting to both IS and SS for over 8 years and would strongly disagree with your hypothesis. In my experience they are largely the same except that IS is a bit anal over certain issues (like isolations for example) and SS can be the same about the focal point. Other than that they are pretty much the same. My acceptance rate on IS is 87% and probably about 95% on SS in over 5000 submissions.
You don't have to agree at all. It's my opinion as contributor submitting to both sites.

« Reply #38 on: January 18, 2013, 19:20 »
+5
The upload process may be simple at SS, but the inspections are far from it. I went indie this time last year and only managed to get about half my portfolio accepted with trademark issues and LCV being the biggest rejection issues. Anything with a mobile phone in it was rejected for trademark no matter how heavily I modified it. Given my best sellers on iStock were mobile phone images it was a real kick in the crotch. SS didn't work out for me so I returned to exclusivity later in the year. I have dropped the crown again, but in the interim took measures to get around the mobile phone issue and judging by my most recent uploads to SS they have been successful.

Basic message, you can't just dump your IS portfolio on SS and expect it to be approved. Each site has it's inspection inconsistencies (e.g. similars at Dreamstime). Even if you do get your images uploaded and accepted you can't just expect them to sell like they did on iStock either. Believe it or not your best selling images were probably lucky breaks that got a couple of early DLs and thn floated on a best match wave to success. At SS they will probably sink and be hidden.

The grass isn't greener on the other side, but if you're prepared to work at it, be flexible and adjust and leave your ego at the door, you can make it and quite frankly Getty deserves to be sunk. They have been exploiting shooters for year.

Poncke

« Reply #39 on: January 18, 2013, 19:22 »
0
Be prepared for mass rejections and hard work submitting to top and middle tier sites . First you'll have to figure out what kind of images they want. It's quite different from Istock and it will take some time but forget landscapes people.... and be prepared for  random rejections.
I still do believe that IS  inspectors are the best unfortunately.....
Good luck everyone :)

Actually, I had more landscape downloads on SS than I have had on IS since going exclusive there.  It's the 25 cents/per that makes me hesitant to leave IS altogether in favor of SS.  If I decide to do nothing but drop my crown then the decision to begin uploading there will be an easy one.
You only need 500 dollar to jump 8 cents up p/dl

ruxpriencdiam

    This user is banned.
  • Location. Third stone from the sun
« Reply #40 on: January 18, 2013, 19:26 »
0
Top dawg or otherwise doesn't make a difference they all should be required to pass the 7 of 10 test like anyone else!

Just cause they are exclusive it doesn't make them any better then anyone else chit half their stuff wont even get past Attila!

« Reply #41 on: January 18, 2013, 19:28 »
0
The upload process may be simple at SS, but the inspections are far from it. I went indie this time last year and only managed to get about half my portfolio accepted with trademark issues and LCV being the biggest rejection issues. Anything with a mobile phone in it was rejected for trademark no matter how heavily I modified it. Given my best sellers on iStock were mobile phone images it was a real kick in the crotch. SS didn't work out for me so I returned to exclusivity later in the year. I have dropped the crown again, but in the interim took measures to get around the mobile phone issue and judging by my most recent uploads to SS they have been successful.

Basic message, you can't just dump your IS portfolio on SS and expect it to be approved. Each site has it's inspection inconsistencies (e.g. similars at Dreamstime). Even if you do get your images uploaded and accepted you can't just expect them to sell like they did on iStock either. Believe it or not your best selling images were probably lucky breaks that got a couple of early DLs and thn floated on a best match wave to success. At SS they will probably sink and be hidden.

The grass isn't greener on the other side, but if you're prepared to work at it, be flexible and adjust and leave your ego at the door, you can make it and quite frankly Getty deserves to be sunk. They have been exploiting shooters for year.

It's starting to sound like exclusives will get a free pass, so yeah, guess they will be approved.


Poncke

« Reply #42 on: January 18, 2013, 19:30 »
0
The upload process may be simple at SS, but the inspections are far from it. I went indie this time last year and only managed to get about half my portfolio accepted with trademark issues and LCV being the biggest rejection issues. Anything with a mobile phone in it was rejected for trademark no matter how heavily I modified it. Given my best sellers on iStock were mobile phone images it was a real kick in the crotch. SS didn't work out for me so I returned to exclusivity later in the year. I have dropped the crown again, but in the interim took measures to get around the mobile phone issue and judging by my most recent uploads to SS they have been successful.

Basic message, you can't just dump your IS portfolio on SS and expect it to be approved. Each site has it's inspection inconsistencies (e.g. similars at Dreamstime). Even if you do get your images uploaded and accepted you can't just expect them to sell like they did on iStock either. Believe it or not your best selling images were probably lucky breaks that got a couple of early DLs and thn floated on a best match wave to success. At SS they will probably sink and be hidden.

The grass isn't greener on the other side, but if you're prepared to work at it, be flexible and adjust and leave your ego at the door, you can make it and quite frankly Getty deserves to be sunk. They have been exploiting shooters for year.
Mobile phones are done to death anyways... better shoot something 2013  ;). SS accepts almost anything in terms of subject. They dont have similars rejects, they dont have aesthetic rejects, they dont have overabundance rejects(well walls and backgrounds maybe), they dont have overfiltered rejects. The only thing is that reviews can be inconsistent at times and they are tight on copyrighted subjects. But basically you dont have to worry about all the stupid rejections from the other agencies. The forum is quite active, no forum moderators in your face, communications have improved, hands on bug fixing. Heck, I even got a handwritten xmas card with personal message.  ;D

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #43 on: January 18, 2013, 19:35 »
0
SS accepts almost anything in terms of subject. They dont have similars rejects, they dont have aesthetic rejects, they dont have overabundance rejects(well walls and backgrounds maybe), they dont have overfiltered rejects.
I thought it was SS which made rejections for 'lcv' - or is that Ft or Dt?

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #44 on: January 18, 2013, 19:38 »
+6
I applied to SS three years ago and was accepted on my first attempt. I have kept my account open and ready in case. I also opened accounts on all the major agency sites, obviously without ever adding files. I suggest any exclusives planning a move should do the same. I have tried to stay on top of the news in forums on all the major sites too, just so a transition isn't too painful should it be necessary at some point.

I won't be surprised to see some major contributors moving. personally I haven't made a final decision about exclusivity yet. for those of us heavily invested in E+ and mirroring on Getty, it remains to be seen if this will give a good boost to sales and I hoped to watch that play out. that was before the Google/MS kerfuffles.

I've been impressed by Shutterstock's moves over the last year. and I've always liked that Jon Oringer is a photographer first and foremost and that he continues to lead the business.

ruxpriencdiam

    This user is banned.
  • Location. Third stone from the sun
« Reply #45 on: January 18, 2013, 19:40 »
0
SS accepts almost anything in terms of subject. They dont have similars rejects, they dont have aesthetic rejects, they dont have overabundance rejects(well walls and backgrounds maybe), they dont have overfiltered rejects.
I thought it was SS which made rejections for 'lcv' - or is that Ft or Dt?
They are having all kinds of strange rejects being reported on the forums and yes they will even hit you with this
Quote
Similar Submissions--Too many of the same subject. Please see Shutterbuzz for more info
even if other then a wall or BG!

Poncke

« Reply #46 on: January 18, 2013, 19:41 »
0
SS accepts almost anything in terms of subject. They dont have similars rejects, they dont have aesthetic rejects, they dont have overabundance rejects(well walls and backgrounds maybe), they dont have overfiltered rejects.
I thought it was SS which made rejections for 'lcv' - or is that Ft or Dt?
SS does have LCV but I havent got one for at least 8 months. So I am not sure if they still use that on regular bases. I think if its done right they will accept it. LCV is still used a lot in the critique forum because newbies do not fully understand what stock is about so they come with photos of isolated fruit.

dbvirago

« Reply #47 on: January 18, 2013, 19:43 »
0
No, currently, Attilla is on a composition tear. Before that it was lighting. LCV will come  back around

Poncke

« Reply #48 on: January 18, 2013, 19:44 »
0
SS accepts almost anything in terms of subject. They dont have similars rejects, they dont have aesthetic rejects, they dont have overabundance rejects(well walls and backgrounds maybe), they dont have overfiltered rejects.
I thought it was SS which made rejections for 'lcv' - or is that Ft or Dt?
They are having all kinds of strange rejects being reported on the forums and yes they will even hit you with this
Quote
Similar Submissions--Too many of the same subject. Please see Shutterbuzz for more info
even if other then a wall or BG!
I am sorry but the last time I got LCV or similars on SS was 8 months ago. The most rejections reported at SS are copyright, composition, focus and uneven lighting.

« Reply #49 on: January 18, 2013, 19:48 »
0
Rejections are not important, sales are.
Lack of sales is a rejection in it self. The picture will be burried and forgotten.

The customer decides, and that has to do with the search machine.
and if the contributor can keyword his images.

And shutterstocks new keyword tool is the most efficient on the market.


 

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