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Author Topic: Image spam?  (Read 56454 times)

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« Reply #75 on: October 15, 2015, 18:53 »
0
Some photographers specialize in a subject.  That is the only reason for multiple images.

It seems odd that on the one hand we see so much image spamming but on the other their approval process is a joke.    They can't claim quality images when this allowed.  I can't see customers would want to wade through so similar image.  Undoubtedly, many of their rejected images would be better than almos
t identical images by same contributor.


ACS

« Reply #76 on: October 16, 2015, 10:14 »
0
According to the data on the SS mainpage; on June 6, 2014 weekly image additions were 252.177. This week that figure is 545.406. More than doubled in 16 months!

« Reply #77 on: October 16, 2015, 10:32 »
0
Yeah, and 80% of those are just similars.

« Reply #78 on: October 21, 2015, 08:27 »
+4
Today I had to buy an image of a hand holding a marker (like in an animated whiteboard video). So I went to SS. I got this, endless pages filled with the same, repetitive stuff. And not even close to what I was looking for.




« Reply #79 on: October 21, 2015, 16:02 »
0
Today I had to buy an image of a hand holding a marker (like in an animated whiteboard video). So I went to SS. I got this, endless pages filled with the same, repetitive stuff. And not even close to what I was looking for.






All I can think of is that they're loading up on this sort of content now - and very likely doing it internally, or on contract - and, once they have enough, will announce a more sophisticate search tool for buyers.  You might be able to see just single image of "marker guy" and then search specifically for the same image with different text.  Or the same text on a different background.

« Reply #80 on: October 27, 2015, 16:01 »
0
Quote from: stockastic link=topic=25731.msg434757#msg434757

All I can think of is that they're loading up on this sort of content now - and very likely doing it internally, or on contract - and, once they have enough, will announce a more sophisticate search tool for buyers.  You might be able to see just single image of "marker guy" and then search specifically for the same image with different text.  Or the same text on a different background.

It would be a very interesting feature!

« Reply #81 on: October 27, 2015, 16:48 »
+3
Today I had to buy an image of a hand holding a marker (like in an animated whiteboard video). So I went to SS. I got this, endless pages filled with the same, repetitive stuff. And not even close to what I was looking for.






betcha this contributor is a good friend of the mass-rejection villain team of atilla household  ;)
and this is the only time i am all for serbian's "two is too many when you upload 2000 of the same stuff" implementation.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2015, 16:51 by etudiante_rapide »

« Reply #82 on: October 27, 2015, 21:28 »
0
Today I had to buy an image of a hand holding a marker (like in an animated whiteboard video). So I went to SS. I got this, endless pages filled with the same, repetitive stuff. And not even close to what I was looking for.






Thats disgusting

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #83 on: October 28, 2015, 05:05 »
+1
I would say that is borderline/ not that bad compared to uploading the same icons over and over again. Different buyers could need ones saying "customer service" or "good idea". As long as they are keyworded correctly and the search algorithm is working. Lots of buyers wouldn't know how to customise it themselves

« Reply #84 on: October 28, 2015, 09:53 »
+2
Nobody seemed to like my theory - but I'm saying, these were never reviewed.  SS is having this stuff done internally, or commissioning someone, and loading it directly.  No one is spending time uploading 10s of thousands of things like this, and SS wouldn't pay reviewers to look at it.  Maybe they just want to pad their numbers and reach some new milestone of collection size. Or, maybe they want to show some subset of customers what a vast collection of icons and similar stuff they have.

Of course, I could be wrong.  One way to prove me wrong would be to find the same material on another microstock.

Can't accept this or similar theories. Why wouldn't they just accept our work if they need numbers. We have better quality and not spam repeats.

« Reply #85 on: October 28, 2015, 10:30 »
0
Nobody seemed to like my theory - but I'm saying, these were never reviewed.  SS is having this stuff done internally, or commissioning someone, and loading it directly.  No one is spending time uploading 10s of thousands of things like this, and SS wouldn't pay reviewers to look at it.  Maybe they just want to pad their numbers and reach some new milestone of collection size. Or, maybe they want to show some subset of customers what a vast collection of icons and similar stuff they have.

Of course, I could be wrong.  One way to prove me wrong would be to find the same material on another microstock.

Can't accept this or similar theories. Why wouldn't they just accept our work if they need numbers. We have better quality and not spam repeats.

sorry yada3 , i agree with stockastic on this one.  8)
they do not just mass approve you and me, they have certain people who can upload everything
and sh*t and all gets approved without looking at their work because of their position
in the boardroom  8)

this is not just a plague in ss, it's a common practice with all business controlled by shareholders.
nepotism is a commonplace in business, and with shareholders, it is not unusual for them to get their good-for-nothing sons, daughters, wife, mistresses, cousins cousins cousins..etc
into the management office without an interview, or qualification,etc

« Reply #86 on: October 28, 2015, 12:26 »
0
Nobody seemed to like my theory - but I'm saying, these were never reviewed.  SS is having this stuff done internally, or commissioning someone, and loading it directly.  No one is spending time uploading 10s of thousands of things like this, and SS wouldn't pay reviewers to look at it.  Maybe they just want to pad their numbers and reach some new milestone of collection size. Or, maybe they want to show some subset of customers what a vast collection of icons and similar stuff they have.

Of course, I could be wrong.  One way to prove me wrong would be to find the same material on another microstock.

Can't accept this or similar theories. Why wouldn't they just accept our work if they need numbers. We have better quality and not spam repeats.

sorry yada3 , i agree with stockastic on this one.  8)
they do not just mass approve you and me, they have certain people who can upload everything
and sh*t and all gets approved without looking at their work because of their position
in the boardroom  8)

this is not just a plague in ss, it's a common practice with all business controlled by shareholders.
nepotism is a commonplace in business, and with shareholders, it is not unusual for them to get their good-for-nothing sons, daughters, wife, mistresses, cousins cousins cousins..etc
into the management office without an interview, or qualification,etc

And aside from people who watched x-files, what's your proof that they have special people or boardroom specials or cousins. I'll stick with what I can really see. They reject mass quantities of good work, and if it was all about making numbers, that makes no sense. If they wanted numbers, SS would be more like they used to be or more like IS.


« Reply #87 on: October 28, 2015, 12:56 »
0
And aside from people who watched x-files, what's your proof that they have special people or boardroom specials or cousins. I'll stick with what I can really see. They reject mass quantities of good work, and if it was all about making numbers, that makes no sense. If they wanted numbers, SS would be more like they used to be or more like IS.

1) i don't watch xfiles
2) da vinci said the world was round , a long time before the rest of the world was allowed to think that da vinci was correct
3)  it is much easier to be Thomas ;D

« Reply #88 on: October 28, 2015, 13:31 »
0
Nobody seemed to like my theory - but I'm saying, these were never reviewed.  SS is having this stuff done internally, or commissioning someone, and loading it directly.  No one is spending time uploading 10s of thousands of things like this, and SS wouldn't pay reviewers to look at it.  Maybe they just want to pad their numbers and reach some new milestone of collection size. Or, maybe they want to show some subset of customers what a vast collection of icons and similar stuff they have.

Of course, I could be wrong.  One way to prove me wrong would be to find the same material on another microstock.

Can't accept this or similar theories. Why wouldn't they just accept our work if they need numbers. We have better quality and not spam repeats.

Because inspecting submissions takes time and costs money.  If you just want thousands of similar vectors or icons, it's cheaper to pay someone to generate exactly what you want, and just load it directly, without paying reviewers to look at it.

SS makes their own rules.  There is no legal requirement that they only offer imagery from outside contributors, or that it all goes through inspection. Their buyers don't care where it came from.  SS wants to grow, and they don't need to rely on crowdsourcing for everything anymore.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2015, 13:36 by stockastic »

« Reply #89 on: October 28, 2015, 14:40 »
0
Because inspecting submissions takes time and costs money.  If you just want thousands of similar vectors or icons, it's cheaper to pay someone to generate exactly what you want, and just load it directly, without paying reviewers to look at it.

SS makes their own rules.  There is no legal requirement that they only offer imagery from outside contributors, or that it all goes through inspection. Their buyers don't care where it came from.  SS wants to grow, and they don't need to rely on crowdsourcing for everything anymore.

i seem to agree more with you than with my own xfile theory  ;)
it goes hand in hand with the deception method used by apartment bldg owners who want to dump their real estate because it is riddled with lots of pending repair and hidden skeleton ..
so they fill their apt with met-houses and druggies 
and present their apt as fully-rented.
when the buyers come in, they make sure the druggies and met-houses ppl are gone,
so it looks like a nice quiet fully-rented apartment bldg.

iow, wait for another change of ownership istock style

« Reply #90 on: October 28, 2015, 16:02 »
+2
Because inspecting submissions takes time and costs money.  If you just want thousands of similar vectors or icons, it's cheaper to pay someone to generate exactly what you want, and just load it directly, without paying reviewers to look at it.

SS makes their own rules.  There is no legal requirement that they only offer imagery from outside contributors, or that it all goes through inspection. Their buyers don't care where it came from.  SS wants to grow, and they don't need to rely on crowdsourcing for everything anymore.

i seem to agree more with you than with my own xfile theory  ;)
it goes hand in hand with the deception method used by apartment bldg owners who want to dump their real estate because it is riddled with lots of pending repair and hidden skeleton ..
so they fill their apt with met-houses and druggies 
and present their apt as fully-rented.
when the buyers come in, they make sure the druggies and met-houses ppl are gone,
so it looks like a nice quiet fully-rented apartment bldg.

iow, wait for another change of ownership istock style

The thing is, though, that it's not even deceptive. SS simply sells images, they're not a photographers' agency. The images can come from anywhere: from  independent 'contributors', or people under contract to SS, or from SS employees.  They can choose to inspect new content, or just accept it as-is.  They could even write software to generate thousands of vector images automatically, based on some formulas for combining images and text with variations.   None of that would be deceptive, or in violation of their contributor terms.  We (independent photographers) are just one source of images.  There will certainly be others, in the future. 

Take a look at what's happening with Etsy.  It started out with crowdsourcing of handmade goods.   Now that it's gone public, it's bringing in mass-produced products from big suppliers.  All those artisans and craftsmen that got the business off the ground are crying "foul" but there never was any promise regarding the future.  Same thing will happen to (formerly) micro stock.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2015, 16:38 by stockastic »

« Reply #91 on: October 28, 2015, 17:56 »
0

Take a look at what's happening with Etsy.  It started out with crowdsourcing of handmade goods.   Now that it's gone public, it's bringing in mass-produced products from big suppliers.  All those artisans and craftsmen that got the business off the ground are crying "foul" but there never was any promise regarding the future.  Same thing will happen to (formerly) micro stock.

hmm, interesting. so we like those indie musicians and now artisans are all crying foul, when we all went in knowing that eventually they will forget you once they become mainstream.
it's a sad world with vultures using pawns like us.

i guess the next time something wonderful comes up ...like canva, stocksy ... ;)
we better ask ourselves if we want to lend them a helping hand, right???
what do that phrase for ppl like us...??? whipping boy,  chess piece, stoolie, floor-mat ...
can't remember what that is appropriate definition to describe ppl like us  8)


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #92 on: October 28, 2015, 18:05 »
+2
can't remember what that is appropriate definition to describe ppl like us  8)
Dispensable.  :( >:(

« Reply #93 on: October 29, 2015, 10:10 »
+1

Take a look at what's happening with Etsy.  It started out with crowdsourcing of handmade goods.   Now that it's gone public, it's bringing in mass-produced products from big suppliers.  All those artisans and craftsmen that got the business off the ground are crying "foul" but there never was any promise regarding the future.  Same thing will happen to (formerly) micro stock.

hmm, interesting. so we like those indie musicians and now artisans are all crying foul, when we all went in knowing that eventually they will forget you once they become mainstream.
it's a sad world with vultures using pawns like us.

i guess the next time something wonderful comes up ...like canva, stocksy ... ;)
we better ask ourselves if we want to lend them a helping hand, right???
what do that phrase for ppl like us...??? whipping boy,  chess piece, stoolie, floor-mat ...
can't remember what that is appropriate definition to describe ppl like us  8)

I guess the lesson is that all opportunities are temporary.  There's always a 'window'.   Any new idea that takes off will eventually be absorbed by big corporations, that never changes.  And eventually, they kill it, or transform it beyond recognition, and the cycle starts over.  Many people still value things made by individual artisans and craftsmen, and if Etsy is no longer be the place to find them, something will take its place.

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #94 on: October 29, 2015, 10:27 »
+3
In the town next to mine they had a first "maker's festival" last month. Took over part of an organic farm to sell handmade goods from local artisans. The turnout was so huge it caused traffic jams. The weekly farmers' markets are also packed. I think people are getting tired of mass production.

« Reply #95 on: October 29, 2015, 12:33 »
0
In the town next to mine they had a first "maker's festival" last month. Took over part of an organic farm to sell handmade goods from local artisans. The turnout was so huge it caused traffic jams. The weekly farmers' markets are also packed. I think people are getting tired of mass production.

Yes I think so too.  And of course Etsy was riding that trend, until they went public, and immediately began losing their identity in the madness of a newly public company.

I have lots of photos that I could be selling as wall art, greeting cards etc.  But as we all know, art/craft shows are a huge effort that seldom pays off.  For photographers, the problem is inventory - we have to invest hundreds in framed/matted prints, and unlike wood furniture, they aren't fun to make.  And we have to store them.   If technology could give us an answer to this problem, local photo sales would be more of an option.  Maybe every art show could have a single print booth that could produce finished product on demand, so we'd just have to show samples. 

« Reply #96 on: October 29, 2015, 12:49 »
0

I have lots of photos that I could be selling as wall art, greeting cards etc.  But as we all know, art/craft shows are a huge effort that seldom pays off.  For photographers, the problem is inventory - we have to invest hundreds in framed/matted prints, and unlike wood furniture, they aren't fun to make.  And we have to store them.   If technology could give us an answer to this problem, local photo sales would be more of an option.  Maybe every art show could have a single print booth that could produce finished product on demand, so we'd just have to show samples.

i think we have a rapport going here... in terms of where we are going with our work..globally via ss,etc or locally.   re your comment to me about temporal-ity of opportunity, and in this latest reply of yours to shelma re marketing locally.

y'know, i have traveled to lots of countries and the issue of distribution is the same all over,, whether latin-am, italy, usa, asia, etc.  i spoke to all kinds of photographers and painters and i get mostly
the most optimistic rapport from the ones who work locally all day in an installment during summer mainly.

you mention inventory issue is universal too. i was on holidays in the maritimes and italy and these same issues were pointed out to me. also local issues like getting a good spot each summer. some cities have a bais to seniority, others are first come first served annual  while other is more in the raffle. but no matter where you get to be in the tourist area during summer for your stall,
the unity is amazing.
we don't find this backstabbing attitude we find with stock photography.
and yes, many tell me they are not interested in stock photography too.
but, long days in summer sitting in the tent or outdoors in the shade waiting for business
do not fazed these artisans. they are back there every year, so obviously they must make enough
or else they would not be there each summer .

the cost to get a stall is a bit steep for someone like me waiting to see if i do want to take that leap
... as the oldtimers say, $$$ to pay for a stall may sound much, but you sell .

if you are in this business, i like to hear your own view as to the feasibility to take that leap
to sell photographs locally, ie. in whatver city i may be at that time.
italy i am told is almost out of the question, as they do not give out a local stall license to foreigners.

« Reply #97 on: October 29, 2015, 12:52 »
0
p.s.
i know what i commented directly to stockastic is a bit OT, but this topic of this thread is more or less moot. nothing 's gonna change with ss or whoever. whether in terms of better contributors relations, or preview size, or sales, etc
so we may as well start to rapport on alternatives instead of beating a dead horse
and screaming  here on leaf's site
because no one gives a hoot already. 8)

« Reply #98 on: October 29, 2015, 13:32 »
0
Yes, we've wandered off topic.  But obviously SS isn't going to explain what's going on and won't change.

For me, at least, microstock is history and in fact, discussion here on MSG is way down from what it used to be.   I'd like to see a new forum dedicated to print sales, both online and in person.  I've searched, but I don't think there is one that is currently active.  MSG has a subforum for POD but there's little activity in it. FAA has a forum but the moderators won't allow criticism or any mention of competitors.   

« Last Edit: October 29, 2015, 13:47 by stockastic »

« Reply #99 on: October 29, 2015, 15:06 »
0
Yes, we've wandered off topic.  But obviously SS isn't going to explain what's going on and won't change.

For me, at least, microstock is history and in fact, discussion here on MSG is way down from what it used to be.   I'd like to see a new forum dedicated to print sales, both online and in person.  I've searched, but I don't think there is one that is currently active.  MSG has a subforum for POD but there's little activity in it. FAA has a forum but the moderators won't allow criticism or any mention of competitors.

nothing wrong with competition. if football(soccer to you ), tennis or grandprix ban competitiveness
... the sport would diminish into wishywash like social medias on interent  8)


 

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