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Author Topic: Image Upload Limit due to Covid-19  (Read 9154 times)

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« on: April 21, 2020, 06:16 »
+1
Recently SS show to contributors a warning box claiming that due COVID-19 image review time will be larger

Quote
PLEASE NOTE: Our review teams are taking the necessary steps to continue operating safely and at full capacity. However, you may experience longer than usual wait times for review due to the global impact of COVID-19.

One week ago the also implement an image limit:

Quote
PLEASE NOTE: There is a temporary limit on the volume of content each contributor can submit weekly due to a reduction in review capacity. Contributors can submit up to 500 images and 100 videos in a 7 day period. Thanks for your patience while we provide the opportunity for all contributors to get their work reviewed.

Nobody really care about this, i think because most of us are not able to upload 500 images per week. For me, even making basic vector illustrators, 500 designs per week is an unattainable goal.

I've been thinking about this a little bit and i can't make sense to the fact that reviewers have trouble doing their job due to covid-19, because reviewers are doing remote work, as most of us, they stay more time at home and are really able to review more images, so no reason for longer review time or for a collapse in reviews that requires to put a limit.

The only way I can make sense to this is that contributors are uploading more content due to covid-19... because other activities was cancelled so they have more time to upload pics and illustrations...

Any thoughts on this?


Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2020, 06:51 »
+2
Recently SS show to contributors a warning box claiming that due COVID-19 image review time will be larger

Quote
PLEASE NOTE: Our review teams are taking the necessary steps to continue operating safely and at full capacity. However, you may experience longer than usual wait times for review due to the global impact of COVID-19.

One week ago the also implement an image limit:

Quote
PLEASE NOTE: There is a temporary limit on the volume of content each contributor can submit weekly due to a reduction in review capacity. Contributors can submit up to 500 images and 100 videos in a 7 day period. Thanks for your patience while we provide the opportunity for all contributors to get their work reviewed.

Nobody really care about this, i think because most of us are not able to upload 500 images per week. For me, even making basic vector illustrators, 500 designs per week is an unattainable goal.

I've been thinking about this a little bit and i can't make sense to the fact that reviewers have trouble doing their job due to covid-19, because reviewers are doing remote work, as most of us, they stay more time at home and are really able to review more images, so no reason for longer review time or for a collapse in reviews that requires to put a limit.

The only way I can make sense to this is that contributors are uploading more content due to covid-19... because other activities was cancelled so they have more time to upload pics and illustrations...

Any thoughts on this?

The limit does nothing to hurt me or prevent me from uploading 500 a week, I don't think I've ever come close to that number. Maybe in a month, but that was just because of week or two of, getting caught up with old images that I had parked and not edited or uploaded.

I suppose you could have more uploads, because people have more time? But when SS is claiming to add 1 million new images a week, there's some pretty big reviewing going on? I'm guessing that there's a problem with reviewers who don't review from home, who can't go to the location of the reviewing computers.

First on that would be, if IF there were actual location reviewers who worked inside the HQ in New York. Or possibly people who have more than one job, would also do reviews at the NY HQ. I mean they have a whole floor plus some in the Empire State Building, what do all those people do there, if not reviews?

Second, lets say that offshore review facilities exist. I've always thought, complete conjecture, that someone is contracted to provide reviews, paying employees to do the work. Hypothetical. Someone owns a reviewing contract in Mumbai. They hire people, to come in and review and pay either a flat rate and have a quota or or maybe hourly rate. As these are employees, using company equipment, at the location, they would need to be on location.

Many of us assume, someone doing reviews would have a computer and the proprietary software and work at home. That's expensive and complicated. Not only that, the security of the inside software would be compromised. It makes more sense to have a business, that hires workers, to use their equipment, on site.

Everyone can't afford the right computer at home. Plus every time someone starts or quits, they would need IT to come and set up or remove equipment. For that reason, in my opinion, there are centers that hire people, who come in to work. Whatever turnover, high or low, the work is supervised, the equipment is secure and if someone walks out, the chair is open for someone else.

There could be review centers in other places with inexpensive labor and a ready workforce. I just used India because they are on top of the list for that kind of skilled people, working with computers for very low wages.

OK so people are staying at home, no gatherings, because of Coronavirus, so less reviewers available to review those 1 million new photos, which judging from recent rejections, could be 10 million new images and videos a week. Start thinking how many seconds does it take to review 10 million photos, in a week?  :) Of course that depends on the number of active reviewers, and that's why the limits. My Personal Guess.

I'd agree, almost no one cares about this and most of us won't ever make 500 new photos in a week, and true more people are home, with nothing to do but create or edit new things for uploads. I know I've been adding something every day, and I want back into old folders from 2019 to find things to edit and upload.

I don't think as many reviewers as we might imagine, actually work from home, because of complications and expenses and limitations, which I just listed some of that. There are more. You or I could work from home, but there are people in much worse financial situations who don't own a suitable computer.

I could sum this up as, they could set the quota at 100 and it wouldn't hurt me? Not studios and not professionals who shoot all day every day, but just individuals. I don't know how many make 100 new files a week which is 5,200 new a year.


« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2020, 07:41 »
+2
I've been thinking about this a little bit and i can't make sense to the fact that reviewers have trouble doing their job due to covid-19, because reviewers are doing remote work, as most of us, they stay more time at home and are really able to review more images, so no reason for longer review time or for a collapse in reviews that requires to put a limit.

I think a significant portion (off-shore) reviewers normally work at an office somewhere and are now required to work from home. In some cases, their home may not be the ideal working environment. Not only do they have to adapt to a (temporary) new working environment, there could also be limited access to the reviewing system, decreased office communication. plus the fact that most people are living with kids and/or their partner. Productivity will most likely decrease just because of that.
Also keep in mind that some reviewers may be personally affected by corona, or someone in their family, which means they can work fewer hours. Especially in third-world countries where access to hygiene products and protective gear is limited. This could also affect the workforce as a whole.

« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2020, 07:44 »
+5
It would be nice to have high quality reviews, from qualified reviewers that did their job.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2020, 11:20 by SuperPhoto »

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2020, 09:51 »
+2
i actually have done business (outsourcing), as well as worked with companies that outsourced.

In the last 10-15 years, it's been very popular to outsource to either India or the Phillipines. In india in particular, it 'used' to be "cheap" to get things done - but many major companies that initially outsourced things like coding projects (especially india) realized they had to re-do everything several years or months later, so stopped doing it. Except for the simplest of tasks (i.e., call centers, data entry, etc).

Problem with India is - generally speaking - they will try and get away with whatever they can - so unless there is someone looking over their shoulder constantly reviewing the work, you tend to get crap. And excuses, and demands for more money, etc.

Phillipines - "tends" to be better - but you have to be SUPER specific about exactly what it is you want done, otherwise you get the same kind of thing happening. You used to (about 15 years ago) be able to get some really top notch talent (because in the phillipines it was a badge of honor/bragging rights to be able to tell all your friends that you worked for a "US" company - so they really tended to try and do the best job possible). But as "everyone" (companies) started outsourcing things like data entry, basic marketing tasks, coding, etc to the phillipines - the 'good' ones got hired quickly - and then you were left with a lot of people who didn't care (not the same level of pride) - and would do the bare minimum to pass. In fact - I actually had this one data entry project where people that were hired woudl go through the "motions" of reviewing (i.e., you would see their mouse cursor sit on the screen for 10-15 seconds, move left-to-right, etc) - but *nothing* was actually reviewed, and it was just 'click click click' onto the next item.

So chances are the reviewers are actually based in either india or the phillipines - and while a 'general' rule was given (i.e., you should not approve 100% of the items because it means you aren't doing your job) - it just became easy to automatically reject 30% and approve 70%. Totally random - but it gievs the 'appearance' of doing work so they can speed along through it.

Chances are - there were more submissions coming through the last month - so then they just decided to batch reject certain accounts - and other accounts give 100% approval too. (I.e., if they like kittens, they might approve 100% of the images/videos of someone who submits kittens, but reject others that they don't care for).

Based how shutterstock is doing things - I would say they've gone the cheap route here and have hired these kind of people, and are probably paying the bare minimum possible. (i.e., $4/hour us - still good money in certain parts over there, but definitely no one in the us would normally work for $4/hour).

Good points. Especially "so unless there is someone looking over their shoulder constantly reviewing the work, you tend to get crap. And excuses, and demands for more money, etc." why I think workers are at centers, with company owned equipment, and if someone doesn't like it they can walk. Standards and monitored.

Awe come on, who doesn't like Kittens?  ;)

I'd like to disagree with the 30% fail / 70% pass theory, seems they have gone to 70% fail lately. It's much faster, creates more churn. (more of the same images come back through to be reviewed again, creates a need for the reviewers = job security)

Anything going the cheap route, will have all kinds of problems, and back to the basics, we're the ones suffering because of that. So I'll assume you are correct about that too.


« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2020, 09:58 »
+1
Interesting feedback...

I think this situation is evidence agains the IA reviewing software theory...

marthamarks

« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2020, 10:09 »
+4

Awe come on, who doesn't like Kittens?  ;)


I like kittens. I actually have one! :D

He's doing his job especially well these days helping me stay sane while I'm stuck at home and not able to go out in my little teardrop camper and shoot migrating birds.  :(

« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2020, 04:18 »
+2
what I have analyse from last 3-4 weeks:
#1: They have Reduce the Company Size, Fired 100 Employees due to Covid
#2: Off-Shore office (Mostly Reviewer - India) is limited now, because I noted when and what time my stock is being reviewed, Before Lockdown mostly Indian Day Time was reviewed  Now EST.
#3: Yes, Some agencies are uploading more than 500/day and mostly having Team of Vectors / Illustration Designers.
Those team can produce 1000+ Vectors/ Illustration in a day.
#4: Freelancer / Stock photographer is hardly achive this limit, For media agencies their per day target is 2000 (Depeneds on Company Size and Quality of Work)

« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2020, 12:53 »
0
what I have analyse from last 3-4 weeks:
#1: They have Reduce the Company Size, Fired 100 Employees due to Covid
#2: Off-Shore office (Mostly Reviewer - India) is limited now, because I noted when and what time my stock is being reviewed, Before Lockdown mostly Indian Day Time was reviewed  Now EST.
#3: Yes, Some agencies are uploading more than 500/day and mostly having Team of Vectors / Illustration Designers.
Those team can produce 1000+ Vectors/ Illustration in a day.
#4: Freelancer / Stock photographer is hardly achive this limit, For media agencies their per day target is 2000 (Depeneds on Company Size and Quality of Work)
#3 and #4 are really good info. My guess for per day target was 300 videos per day (6 seconds each) to produce with small team. It can be achieved easily. 7000 per day is lot of work. Create, edit, keyword and submit. It requires a big team to produce everyday.
Good insights indeed !!!

« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2020, 14:50 »
0
what I have analyse from last 3-4 weeks:
#1: They have Reduce the Company Size, Fired 100 Employees due to Covid
#2: Off-Shore office (Mostly Reviewer - India) is limited now, because I noted when and what time my stock is being reviewed, Before Lockdown mostly Indian Day Time was reviewed  Now EST.
#3: Yes, Some agencies are uploading more than 500/day and mostly having Team of Vectors / Illustration Designers.
Those team can produce 1000+ Vectors/ Illustration in a day.
#4: Freelancer / Stock photographer is hardly achive this limit, For media agencies their per day target is 2000 (Depeneds on Company Size and Quality of Work)
#3 and #4 are really good info. My guess for per day target was 300 videos per day (6 seconds each) to produce with small team. It can be achieved easily. 7000 per day is lot of work. Create, edit, keyword and submit. It requires a big team to produce everyday.
Good insights indeed !!!

300 "high quality" videos per day with a small team?
Impressive!!!
Care to share more info?
Are you speaking about real footage or cg animations?
thanks

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2020, 02:06 »
+3
I don't know why they don't always have the limit. It ensures a bit of variety to the collection and stops it getting inundated with piles of mass produced c**p.

« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2020, 07:52 »
0
what I have analyse from last 3-4 weeks:
#1: They have Reduce the Company Size, Fired 100 Employees due to Covid
#2: Off-Shore office (Mostly Reviewer - India) is limited now, because I noted when and what time my stock is being reviewed, Before Lockdown mostly Indian Day Time was reviewed  Now EST.
#3: Yes, Some agencies are uploading more than 500/day and mostly having Team of Vectors / Illustration Designers.
Those team can produce 1000+ Vectors/ Illustration in a day.
#4: Freelancer / Stock photographer is hardly achive this limit, For media agencies their per day target is 2000 (Depeneds on Company Size and Quality of Work)
#3 and #4 are really good info. My guess for per day target was 300 videos per day (6 seconds each) to produce with small team. It can be achieved easily. 7000 per day is lot of work. Create, edit, keyword and submit. It requires a big team to produce everyday.
Good insights indeed !!!

300 "high quality" videos per day with a small team?
Impressive!!!
Care to share more info?
Are you speaking about real footage or cg animations?
thanks

Real Footage. CG is time taking stuff.

Here are more details:
Staff
=================
2 photographers / videographers full time.
1 Creative head.
2 Editors
1 for Keywording
1 in Research team.
=====================
Production Targets
300 clips a day. (10 Seconds each).
300 x 30 = 9000 clips ( acceptance 50-60%) = 5550 clips a month. 5550x12 = 66000 clips an year. ( it is a good target).
=================================

 

« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2020, 08:11 »
+2
Thanks for the detailed reply! 
And seems that you are well organized, congratulation and good luck! ;)

« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2020, 08:56 »
+6
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2020, 09:34 »
+3
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.
100% this. The limit forces people to be selective in what they shoot and only upload their best.

Stops everyone's work being swamped by a sea of same-ey rubbish from the same contributors, keeps the collection fresh and makes it possible to survive as a contributor. Win win.

Shame SS started pushing collection size as a metric at every shareholder meeting and announcement backing themselves into a corner and us off a cliff.

« Reply #15 on: May 06, 2020, 10:48 »
0
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.
100% this. The limit forces people to be selective in what they shoot and only upload their best.

Stops everyone's work being swamped by a sea of same-ey rubbish from the same contributors, keeps the collection fresh and makes it possible to survive as a contributor. Win win.

Shame SS started pushing collection size as a metric at every shareholder meeting and announcement backing themselves into a corner and us off a cliff.

Top contributors have nearly 1 million files for each portfolio. It is not one two or three, there are many such ports on SS. Such numbers are not possible in one life-time without team. This is the market of volume. When you have a team with you, quality control is your key function to sustain your unique position. My policy is, not more than two variation of same shot to submit to agencies.  It has to be operated like any other business.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #16 on: May 06, 2020, 11:25 »
+3
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.
100% this. The limit forces people to be selective in what they shoot and only upload their best.

Stops everyone's work being swamped by a sea of same-ey rubbish from the same contributors, keeps the collection fresh and makes it possible to survive as a contributor. Win win.

Shame SS started pushing collection size as a metric at every shareholder meeting and announcement backing themselves into a corner and us off a cliff.

Top contributors have nearly 1 million files for each portfolio. It is not one two or three, there are many such ports on SS. Such numbers are not possible in one life-time without team. This is the market of volume. When you have a team with you, quality control is your key function to sustain your unique position. My policy is, not more than two variation of same shot to submit to agencies.  It has to be operated like any other business.

I know this. And if they didn't the collections would be much better and individual contributors would have a chance to make living. Buyers would miss out on nothing and have less to wade through to see a variety of images.



« Reply #17 on: May 06, 2020, 12:35 »
+4
Top contributors have nearly 1 million files for each portfolio. It is not one two or three, there are many such ports on SS. Such numbers are not possible in one life-time without team. This is the market of volume.

That's nothing to be proud of.

wds

« Reply #18 on: May 07, 2020, 08:12 »
+2
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.
100% this. The limit forces people to be selective in what they shoot and only upload their best.

Stops everyone's work being swamped by a sea of same-ey rubbish from the same contributors, keeps the collection fresh and makes it possible to survive as a contributor. Win win.

Shame SS started pushing collection size as a metric at every shareholder meeting and announcement backing themselves into a corner and us off a cliff.

Top contributors have nearly 1 million files for each portfolio. It is not one two or three, there are many such ports on SS. Such numbers are not possible in one life-time without team. This is the market of volume. When you have a team with you, quality control is your key function to sustain your unique position. My policy is, not more than two variation of same shot to submit to agencies.  It has to be operated like any other business.

...and what does it cost to pay a full team?

« Reply #19 on: May 07, 2020, 15:10 »
0
Theres the problem.  A: theres no way anyone can make 300 -good- and -useful- videos a day.  Its just spamming the system.  To the detriment of all.
100% this. The limit forces people to be selective in what they shoot and only upload their best.

Stops everyone's work being swamped by a sea of same-ey rubbish from the same contributors, keeps the collection fresh and makes it possible to survive as a contributor. Win win.

Shame SS started pushing collection size as a metric at every shareholder meeting and announcement backing themselves into a corner and us off a cliff.

Top contributors have nearly 1 million files for each portfolio. It is not one two or three, there are many such ports on SS. Such numbers are not possible in one life-time without team. This is the market of volume. When you have a team with you, quality control is your key function to sustain your unique position. My policy is, not more than two variation of same shot to submit to agencies.  It has to be operated like any other business.

...and what does it cost to pay a full team?

Hire them from freelance market once. Keep in touch with them and re-hire them when you need. Does not cost tons. Or better have a weekend team. You get access to talent on weekends. I get lot of people interested in working over weekend for extra money. I always pay same day without fail.

m

« Reply #20 on: May 08, 2020, 07:45 »
0
This shows the lack of resources and abilities of ss.


 

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