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Author Topic: Murdered Shutterstock Forum Refugee Thread  (Read 49417 times)

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Suspect

« Reply #50 on: October 03, 2021, 03:03 »
+2
...
I guess my point or question was how many "top tier" contributors would it take to apply pressure to the agencies.

more than would ever agree to participate

Righto. The top-tier contributors have seldom (never?) been willing to sacrifice for the good of the entire collection of contributors. And really, who can blame them???

They probably have independent agreements with the agency with more favorable terms for the top-tier contributor than the mainstream contributor.

Not necessarily.
Top tier contributors might have naturally reached, many months ago, higher levels granting them higher percentages than what they had "before". So top tier contributors might make more money than "before" and they have no reasons ask for a change.

So, the experience of a lot of contributors of getting a vast majority of 10 cent + sub sales, and that the only way the increasing percentages work in their favour is when they are applied to 'special' sales such as large ODs, SODs etc, isn't true of you?

Have you found then that since the change in payment method last June, your earnings have actually increased under the 'not so new' system?

It would be great to see comparison figures from your port.  I know you were always happy to share these on the Shutterstock forum.




« Reply #51 on: October 03, 2021, 06:07 »
+6
Hardly anyone uses the SS forum. It's the same few posters all the time so I can understand why SS doesn't want to spend money on it. If SS was upset by criticism they would have closed it down long ago.

Anyway, we always have this forum to fall back on. Maybe the demise of the SS one will breathe some life into this.

The SS forum is quiet because they purged all the active and experienced members a while back. They cut the heart out so it was bound to die. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner though.

I'm guessing a lot will migrate over here, me being one of them! Been a member for years but not really used it. May be that will change now  :D

« Reply #52 on: October 03, 2021, 09:29 »
+1

The SS forum is quiet because

Hey LB nice to see you here. The forum is actually amazingly quiet now. With only 2 pages of replies to the announcement thread about sunsetting, il looks basically dead already. The same announcement say 1-2- years ago would have started a tsunami.

« Reply #53 on: October 03, 2021, 14:56 »
0

The SS forum is quiet because

Hey LB nice to see you here. The forum is actually amazingly quiet now. With only 2 pages of replies to the announcement thread about sunsetting, il looks basically dead already. The same announcement say 1-2- years ago would have started a tsunami.

Hi! Yeh, your right, a few years ago there would be 43 pages by now LOL.

« Reply #54 on: October 03, 2021, 15:50 »
0
I think the last true monster thread was the paycut announcement thread.  That ran to 200+ pages.
Then they culled a lot of people from it and since then forum usage has been very low.

« Reply #55 on: October 03, 2021, 17:03 »
0
finally, what a beautiful day

« Reply #56 on: October 03, 2021, 17:11 »
0
Quote
Just wait for it. If you critisize Shuttertock while being a contributor, eventually you will have some people on your throat blaming you for the downfall of the industry, because you have not left SS.
No place is without its downsides. But at least you won't get banned here for speaking against any agency.

you will find that you will get your account suspended instead. agencies have lurkers on here and they just kill your port if they have the slightest idea who you are. ask a few on here, fotolia was notorious for that, in particular matt, who now works for adobe. istock does the same. rinder had his istock account deleted when they found him boasting on here. jo ann and others were banned from fotolia. i am sure there are more examples, people who were rioting against istock with the google deal, fotolia with dollar club. etc. best take this as advice or  a warning

« Reply #57 on: October 03, 2021, 17:24 »
+3
rinder had his istock account deleted when they found him boasting on here.

Not really. If I remember well, Rinder got caught breaking the ToS by cross-buying his own work, together with some other dude, in an attempt to prove that iStock was cheating, or something.

But you are right about retaliation, in general.

For the newcomers: it is advisable to stay as anonymous as possible, if you intend to criticize some agencies. Don't link your port to your profile, unless you only plan to kiss their a@@. 😉
« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 17:28 by Zero Talent »

« Reply #58 on: October 03, 2021, 17:28 »
+1
no rinder didnt buy his own photos, i think rinder submitted photos from someone else to prove that his photos would be rejected for no good reason

« Reply #59 on: October 03, 2021, 17:29 »
+2
no rinder didnt buy his own photos, i think rinder submitted photos from someone else to prove that his photos would be rejected for no good reason

Yes, you are right. This was it. Copyright infringement in an attempt to prove some conspiracy. I remember now.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 17:32 by Zero Talent »

« Reply #60 on: October 03, 2021, 17:35 »
+1
https://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/did-a-test-a-istock/

actually he let someone else submit his images that were rejected for him and then they got approved lol

« Reply #61 on: October 03, 2021, 17:36 »
0
thats not copyright infringment by the way, i dont think its legally wrong, it just pissed off istock, just be careful what you post here under your real name

« Reply #62 on: October 03, 2021, 17:42 »
+4
thats not copyright infringment by the way, i dont think its legally wrong, it just pissed off istock, just be careful what you post here under your real name
I'm afraid it is. You can't upload someone else's work. That's clearly copyright infringement. That was really stupid. iStock's decision was perfectly justified.

« Reply #63 on: October 03, 2021, 17:43 »
0
huh? if the creator gives you the right to upload, how can it be infringement?

« Reply #64 on: October 03, 2021, 17:47 »
+3
huh? if the creator gives you the right to upload, how can it be infringement?
I strongly doubt that the rinder and the other dude signed legal papers relinquishing their rights. He got caught and paid the price. Rinder said it was "political". No, it was simply stupid.

Otherwise I agree with you that retaliation is a thing, even on this forum.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 18:07 by Zero Talent »

« Reply #65 on: October 03, 2021, 20:49 »
0
As for members of SS forum leaving, I wasn't aware so many were banned, which probably explains much of it. I thought that perhaps many left due to low morale and feeling discouraged by declining earnings and diminished returns on their work and investment to produce content.

But alas, either way, this would suggest that microstock agencies and perhaps the industry more broadly, is the reason for low contributor participation. And how dare I make such a criticism. How dare I!

But thanks to a very Talented colleague on the MCG forum, I have now seen the error of my ways. So with my new enlightened perspective I have looked again at why contributors departed the SS board en masse and can see they left simply due to them no longer needing the forums. All are making so much more commission earnings now than they use to under the old stagnant payments structure and are fully content and satisfied. Thank you Shutterstock!


« Reply #66 on: October 04, 2021, 04:08 »
0
Quote
Rinder said it was "political". No, it was simply stupid.

aye, defo


Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #67 on: October 04, 2021, 17:22 »
0
Typical corporate behavior.  They don't see any profit in the forum.

And tons of negative publicity as people expose the way artists are ignored when our work is stolen. There's no benefit to trying to draw in new victims by the hooray and positive drone on the forums. Now it's mostly negative. I wonder why anyone new is joining any of the agencies?

I suppose this means I have to take one last look. I don't think I've logged in there in at least half a year.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #68 on: October 04, 2021, 17:31 »
+2
https://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/did-a-test-a-istock/

actually he let someone else submit his images that were rejected for him and then they got approved lol

He claimed...

OK, well I've been with them since the beginning, Im sick of the silly ignorant rejections. I sent a friend of mine 10 Images that were rejected for  You know   "Over filtered" the only thing I think they teach them. i dont use filters so It's always funny.   Anyway He's Exclusive and has all the little BS hats, crowns and stuff they give you. He submitted them and Bingo all 10 approved. there ya go. Your Mileage may vary. I'll just submit through Him from now on. for what they pay, Who in . are they Kidding?

Then after that he said he made the whole thing up and someone turned him in, (and he has written to me a few times, "I know who it was" but never said who he suspected) that's why iStock banned him. According to Rinder because of a made up post on a forum.

I never asked, but what happened to his Exclusive Friend, did he get banned too?  ???


Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #69 on: October 04, 2021, 17:39 »
+2

The SS forum is quiet because they purged all the active and experienced members a while back.

Because those people complained about the new dime program and how SS was screwing artists. That and some the no dime logo and some multiple accounts. One guy was asked to tone it down and he told them off, account locked on the forum, but he's still selling. Much of the "purge" rumors like 50 people banned in one clean swipe, for supporting Rinder against a moderator was BS. But then, people wanted to believe that SS was that nasty, so they believed and quoted the myth.

Anyway, yes, lots of people got banned when SS said stop the constant complaining, protests and boycotts. Some left on their own and right, the forum died at the same time, because most of those people were active and interesting.

I self banned myself just because I'm boring...  ;) OK not really. Because like you say, the forum just because a boring drone of the same posts, very little new or interesting. Then someone says a massive, never ending spam attack, that SS didn't stop or prevent.


thijsdegraaf

« Reply #70 on: October 05, 2021, 09:28 »
+2
After our pay cut there was of course a lot of complaining, which I also participated in. But there was also a lot of fun. Even after the announcement of the closing of the forum. Like this topic of Alexandre: https://forums.submit.shutterstock.com/topic/124125-post-your-favourite-%E2%80%9Cgoodbye%E2%80%9D-stock-pic/ Look quickly, because in two weeks it will no longer be visible.  :)

« Reply #71 on: October 05, 2021, 15:59 »
+1
Hey I just want chime and wonder if those dudes from the shutter forum that claimed to be swimming in the riches and that we should keep the faith are gonna be around here also?

« Reply #72 on: October 06, 2021, 02:47 »
+3
Hey I just want chime and wonder if those dudes from the shutter forum that claimed to be swimming in the riches and that we should keep the faith are gonna be around here also?

Who are you talking about? The really "big players" in this game like picture farms never took part in the forum.

I only know of only few regulars that really made big money, like Doug Jensen who made videos and never told us to "keep faith", but rather the opposite - to change our tactics and that we were doing it all wrong. Other people who made decent money there like Milleflore also rather gave tips on how to improve. I can't remember anyone telling us to "keep faith" and that alone would bring in the money. Everyone who has any decent income on SS and took part in the forum encouraged us to work differently if we wanted to earn money there.

The only yay-sayers that just told everyone to "keep doing what you were doing" and that they were on the right path were the ones who never made big money themselves, but encouraged every single person who whined about having a picture rejected for focus or noise claiming that everything was perfectly fine with their pictures and that it was just the bad evil reviewers - while the pictures were in fact out of focus or full of noise. Or that told people who wanted feedback on their ports full of mediocre snapshots of flowers and forests that their pictures were "great" when in fact they were close to useless. Neither one nor the other was really helpful. Sometimes harsh critisism and truth might hurt or seem not polite, but it's not helping contributors solving the problems to many rejections or poor sales if people keep telling them that everything was fine with their images. But I never saw people who have decent income do that.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2021, 04:17 by Firn »

thijsdegraaf

« Reply #73 on: October 06, 2021, 03:59 »
0
Hey I just want chime and wonder if those dudes from the shutter forum that claimed to be swimming in the riches and that we should keep the faith are gonna be around here also?

Who are you talking about? The really "big players" in this game like picture farms never took part in the forum.

I only know of only few regulars that really made big money, like Doug Jensen who made videos and never told us to "keep faith", but rather the opposite - to change our tactics and that we were doing it all wrong. Other people who made decent money there like Milleflore also rather gave tips on how to improve. I can't remember anyone telling us to "keep faith" and that alone would bring in the money. Everyone who has any decent income on SS and took part in the forum encouraged us to work differently if we wanted to earn money there.

The only yay-sayers that just told everyone to "keep doing what you were doing" and that they were on the right path were the ones who never made big money themselves, but encouraged every single person who whined about having a picture rejected for focus or noise claiming that everything was perfectly fine with their pictures and that it was just the bad evil reviewers - while the pictures were in fact out of focus or full of noise. Or that told people who wanted feedback on their ports full of mediocre snapshots of flowers and forests that their pictures were "great" when in fact they were close to useless.

I totally agree with Firn. But I often am.

Suspect

« Reply #74 on: October 06, 2021, 04:05 »
0
Hey I just want chime and wonder if those dudes from the shutter forum that claimed to be swimming in the riches and that we should keep the faith are gonna be around here also?

The Shutterstock forum member who did that the most left the forum a couple of years ago and is in fact a regular poster on this forum.  So you get the chance to swim in his success here...


 

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