MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: NeonRobot on June 29, 2020, 03:45
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Tell us what you have in mind.
1st PHASE
https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/stop-uploading-to-ss-join-the-action (https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/stop-uploading-to-ss-join-the-action)
2nd PHASE
https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/shutterstock-blackout-2nd-phase-22-28 (https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/shutterstock-blackout-2nd-phase-22-28)
3rd PHASE
https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/shutterstock-blackout-3rd-phase-jun-29-jul-8 (https://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/shutterstock-blackout-3rd-phase-jun-29-jul-8)
Russian speaking contributors:
http://www.microstock.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=20349 (http://www.microstock.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=20349)
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This graph represents one month of action against Shutterstock………
Let's keep it that way, we're on the right path!
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This graph represents one month of action against Shutterstock………
Let's keep it that way, we're on the right path!
Or exponential growth in SS image library for the last 10 years bought to a halt overnight by artists' protest?
You know they are adding hundreds of thousands of zero effort vectors to even keep the numbers steady now?
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I've created this thread to accumulate different point of views and then based upon all of them make final decision.
So thank you for your opinions!
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Tell us what you have in mind.
I have this in mind: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/pressmaster (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/pressmaster).
When crap portfolio disappear, and a 0,001% of crappy images disappear, but great player stay... I don't know what we are talking about :-(
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It's port of russian stock pressfoto.
Casual pics nothing more, lot's of them [it is only my opinion].
But it looks like i am getting that you are saying about uselessness of boycott.
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I can't afford to turn off my port at SS indefinitely. I've put too much time into it. If the big players won't cut them off, then what difference will my 2000 make?
What I have done is gone through my whole port and carefully deleted all my new photos and my best sellers. If I think it's worth more than 10 cents...delete. I was surprised at how much of my really old stuff honestly just wasn't that good. If I can squeeze a few more pennies out of it, then so be it. I may change my tune next January and turn it off again when I see those pathetic numbers, but until then my new attitude for SS is #ShutterDump. No new stuff for them ever...unless it doesn't sell at all at any of the other agencies for months. I MIGHT send them a few underexposed pics of some corn chips on a paper plate if I get bored.
That might actually run them out of business faster than just deleting the whole port.
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I can't afford to turn off my port at SS indefinitely. I've put too much time into it. If the big players won't cut them off, then what difference will my 2000 make?
Many people doing like you. So nothing will happen for sure.
I've disabled 2 ports 26.000 units in total.
Social media like fb and twitter utterly useless, considering the fact that they've got wild censorship and deleting/baning is a common stuff for them .
Cr#p sites for dumb ones.
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I turned it off completely for a month. All that happened was that I missed about $300 that would have been in my bank account next week.
I look at it this way. If every SS contributor shut them off for a month and then deleted the best 25% of their ports, SS would be out of business by now. I did my part and unfortunately it didn't work.
I'm probably out of the business for good anyway. I don't see it as a productive use of my time in the future unless something drastic changes. It was great while it lasted, but the gig is up and I might as well grab a few more dollars on my way out the door.
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... If every SS contributor shut them off for a month and then deleted the best 25% of their ports, SS would be out of business by now. ...
how 'best'? quality won't matter if it doesn't fit the user's needs - of all pix taken on cruises (onboard & offshore) the best seller is the kitchen gallery! next best are various casino pix (allowed on board) and then there's the one-shot purchase as EL (total unpredictable)
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Delete your whole port on SS and move on. Who can afford selling images at 0.10? Consider the perpetual rights you are giving away for just 0.10. Scum sites are going to buy your images in bulk and resell them for more!
Next year SS will introduce 0.05 royalties if you give in. Don't be weak. Even Jon O said that "take your content and go".
I have deleted my SS account and am happy selling my quality images elsewhere!
GOODBYE GOOD RIDDANCE SH1TTERSTOCK.
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Why turn off your port? Do you want to reactivate it and have $0.16 clip sales cuz that's where it's at now. Shutterstock is a dead company, just look at their stock! It's a sinking ship and these criminals will squeeze every last drop out of our footage. I deleted mine, well actually Shutterstock did after I told them to kindly jump off a bridge but it worked.
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
The company valuation is what I look at. Their stock has been steadily dropping since 2014 and will never recover. That to me is a dead company. Let the losers continue to upload to that dumpster fire, I know I won't.
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
You shouldn’t be worried about whether it will hurt SS. You should be deleting your port because your images are worth more than 10 cents! And if you don’t delete and move on, next year you will be making 5 cents an image. Or a penny an image. Do it out of self-respect. Do it because it’s hurting EVERYBODY! (And when I say YOU, I don’t necessarily mean YOU personally. I mean anyone who thinks the same way as you.)
It doesn’t matter how many millions of files there are. If buyers only see crap in their searches, they will go elsewhere. Lots of people are worried about the wrong thing. But I suppose some watch those numbers go up and use it as justification for staying. 😟
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I come to idea that shitter is not care about individuals [level of quality doesn't matter for them].
Their future: cheap image factories without any originality.
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I come to idea that shitter is not care about individuals [level of quality doesn't matter for them].
Their future: cheap image factories without any originality.
Right.
But maybe that means that some customers needs/are satisfied with cheap image without any originality…
If it is like this Shutterstock and similar companies will survive.
If it is not like this Shutterstock will sink and die.
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They continue to remove 10c picture and text about their sh#tty actions from progile for the third time. Disgusting people, for sure. Put it back.
Be sure to check your own and return if needed.
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
You shouldn’t be worried about whether it will hurt SS. You should be deleting your port because your images are worth more than 10 cents!
Sure thing, except the big question is: where is the next best place where we can sell for more than 10 cents? Are buyers considering our images worth 10 cents? Sales aren't really picking up at other places, and the other agencies are not compensating the huge revenue drop from deleting/disabling our SS portfolio...
We all consider our work worth more than that, but do the buyers know?
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
I've looked at the images under fresh content, and there's not a lot that stands out.
So its easy to get caught up in the numbers, but not a lot I`d see an image buyer or designer wanting to use.
Much more satisfying looking through Adobe stock.
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Sales aren't really picking up at other places
It's starting to feel recessionary, isn't it?
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i had some videos waiting for approval and i deleted them. Right now i'm uploading new contents, and after 10 years,
for the first time, SS isn't in the list.
Sad day
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To me, #Shitterstock seems like a relationship gone bad. Become abusive.
And the usual advice for people trapped in an abusive relationship is to get out. Leave and don't look back.
That's how I see this situation, and I feel relieved to be out of an abusive relationship with SS.
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
Sure thing, except the big question is: where is the next best place where we can sell for more than 10 cents? Are buyers considering our images worth 10 cents? Sales aren't really picking up at other places, and the other agencies are not compensating the huge revenue drop from deleting/disabling our SS portfolio...
We all consider our work worth more than that, but do the buyers know?
I am sorry..how many years did it take for customers to discover your port, lightbox your files and then keep returning for more of what they need?
Why would that process suddenly disappear? It will take a long time to rebuild the lost income from a marketplace by going elsewhere.
There is no instant money option.
All those that wewre istock exclusive and left in 2013 had to realize that it was a much longer process than expected to get back to their old values.
If you have no patience, then maybe leave the current port up at SS while rebuilding elsewhere.
You shouldn’t be worried about whether it will hurt SS. You should be deleting your port because your images are worth more than 10 cents!
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Sales aren't really picking up at other places
It's starting to feel recessionary, isn't it?
starting?
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/09/us-officially-in-a-recession-but-its-different-than-2008.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/09/us-officially-in-a-recession-but-its-different-than-2008.html)
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How can it be dead? There are over 322 million files online. 4 million more than just a few days ago.
Does all this blackout thing help at all? WHO is it that keeps uploading, and WHY do they do it? I'm getting so frustrated here. I don't see Shutterstock losing anything at the moment. The amount of files should be decreasing instead of increasing........
You shouldn’t be worried about whether it will hurt SS. You should be deleting your port because your images are worth more than 10 cents! And if you don’t delete and move on, next year you will be making 5 cents an image. Or a penny an image. Do it out of self-respect. Do it because it’s hurting EVERYBODY! (And when I say YOU, I don’t necessarily mean YOU personally. I mean anyone who thinks the same way as you.)
It doesn’t matter how many millions of files there are. If buyers only see crap in their searches, they will go elsewhere. Lots of people are worried about the wrong thing. But I suppose some watch those numbers go up and use it as justification for staying. 😟
beautifully said! congrats :D
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I've been talking to many photographers lately and none of them stopped uploading. I honestly expected the contrary. What I want to say is that this forum is not reflection of reality at all. It is occupied by contributors who promorte boycott and agressive measures and the majority that still uploads is silent. The more realistic reflection of reality would make this forum much more useful for all of us. I blame promoters lf boycott for this, they (we) are too hursh on the ones who have different opinion. Let them talk and let not be even worse than SS itself by not listening or caring about others opinion.
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I've been talking to many photographers lately and none of them stopped uploading. I honestly expected the contrary. What I want to say is that this forum is not reflection of reality at all. It is occupied by contributors who promorte boycott and agressive measures and the majority that still uploads is silent. The more realistic reflection of reality would make this forum much more useful for all of us. I blame promoters lf boycott for this, they (we) are too hursh on the ones who have different opinion. Let them talk and let not be even worse than SS itself by not listening or caring about others opinion.
If some dummies are still uploading, they can't be helped. Maybe their mothers can explain it to them.
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If some dummies are still uploading, they can't be helped. Maybe their mothers can explain it to them.
And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.
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“And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.”
“Some contributors are morons, so I’m not going to take the SS boycott seriously.” Really?
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“And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.”
“Some contributors are morons, so I’m not going to take the SS boycott seriously.” Really?
Really.
I am happy to protest (in my own way) SS's decisions but when contributors start slamming other contributors, don't expect me to join in this little parade. Not everyone has the luxury of stopping their income on a dime, and there is enough posts denigrating those who cannot or will not delete their portfolios to show the usual digression from "agency bad" to "what is everyone else doing and do I approve".
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“And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.”
“Some contributors are morons, so I’m not going to take the SS boycott seriously.” Really?
Really.
I am happy to protest (in my own way) SS's decisions but when contributors start slamming other contributors, don't expect me to join in this little parade. Not everyone has the luxury of stopping their income on a dime, and there is enough posts denigrating those who cannot or will not delete their portfolios to show the usual digression from "agency bad" to "what is everyone else doing and do I approve".
I can understand when some contributors are dependent on every dollar and decide to leave their SS portfolios online, but I can't see any rationality in digging the hole deeper and continue uploading new images at the new rates. If you need money, then creating and uploading new images to SS is the last thing you want to do. There must be hundreds other more dignified or gratifying ways to earn money.
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I can understand when some contributors are dependent on every dollar and decide to leave their SS portfolios online, but I can't see any rationality in digging the hole deeper and continue uploading new images at the new rates. If you need money, then creating and uploading new images to SS is the last thing you want to do. There must be hundreds other more dignified or gratifying ways to earn money.
Then say that instead of calling people who work hard "dummies" and insulting their intelligence. You think people want to make less money by choice? In many cases it has nothing to do with dignity (look at all the people still contributing to istock for example for a few cents). The thing is, you don't know anyone else's situation. And I doubt any of them will be swayed by insults from their peers.
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There must be hundreds other more dignified or gratifying ways to earn money.
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
just silly --
== in many places, it's illegal to take from garbage or recycle bins
== there are only about 20 states w bottle bills (mostly 5c-10c) and 10 in europe
but seriously? people complain about 10c royalties - but you're telling them to collect 100-200 bottles/hr to make $10/hr? (not counting time spent gathering, transporting, etc; not to mention pawing thru smelly, or worse, garbage) how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
just silly --
== in many places, it's illegal to take from garbage or recycle bins
== there are only about 20 states w bottle bills (mostly 5c-10c) and 10 in europe
but seriously? people complain about 10c royalties - but you're telling them to collect 100-200 bottles/hr to make $10/hr? (not counting time spent gathering, transporting, etc; not to mention pawing thru smelly, or worse, garbage) how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
I took Noodle's suggestion as tongue in cheek.
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
just silly --
== in many places, it's illegal to take from garbage or recycle bins
== there are only about 20 states w bottle bills (mostly 5c-10c) and 10 in europe
but seriously? people complain about 10c royalties - but you're telling them to collect 100-200 bottles/hr to make $10/hr? (not counting time spent gathering, transporting, etc; not to mention pawing thru smelly, or worse, garbage) how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
In my local wine store, they pay 20 cents for clean bottles (with no artifacts), and after the inspection and rinsing, they sell them at 80 cents to their winemaking customers. So, you are getting 25% commission, and they pay for the storage. Maybe when you get to the next level, you would get a higher commission. AFAIK, similars are allowed and they don't reset your commission level every January.
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
just silly --
== in many places, it's illegal to take from garbage or recycle bins
== there are only about 20 states w bottle bills (mostly 5c-10c) and 10 in europe
but seriously? people complain about 10c royalties - but you're telling them to collect 100-200 bottles/hr to make $10/hr? (not counting time spent gathering, transporting, etc; not to mention pawing thru smelly, or worse, garbage) how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
In my local wine store, they pay 20 cents for clean bottles (with no artifacts), and after the inspection and rinsing, they sell them at 80 cents to their winemaking customers. So, you are getting 25% commission, and they pay for the storage. Maybe when you get to the next level, you would get a higher commission. AFAIK, similars are allowed and they don't reset your commission level every January.
Thanks for that info! Sounds like a good business opportunity, especially since no specialized (ie expensive) equipment is needed.
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“And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.”
“Some contributors are morons, so I’m not going to take the SS boycott seriously.” Really?
Really.
I am happy to protest (in my own way) SS's decisions but when contributors start slamming other contributors, don't expect me to join in this little parade. Not everyone has the luxury of stopping their income on a dime, and there is enough posts denigrating those who cannot or will not delete their portfolios to show the usual digression from "agency bad" to "what is everyone else doing and do I approve".
You won’t join the SS protest, but you WILL join the parade of contributors slamming other contributors. LOL
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I come to conclusion, that stock is not affected by our actions.
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I come to conclusion, that stock is not affected by our actions.
I was going to lay back and enjoy this forum as a reader instead of a poster but after reading your post I wanted to give an update of my view on the current situation.
You are right about the stock market not being affected at all by our actions.
Too many contributors are still ok with this change. They complain but are still uploading while others that can afford to deactivate their portfolio don't. This will never work anyway if they can continue to sell our work so even though it's impossible for many of us our portfolio's should be in fact be deactivated because stopping uploads isn't going to change much. Their buyers don't seem to have any intention to shop elsewhere and that is because they can still get what they want with so much on offer.
Then we have other agencies who do not seem to be eager to take their place. My best sellers at SS (with one over 9k downloads) are now dead since they never took off at other agencies and it looks like they never will.
I have picked up a lot on uploading to Adobe but they don't move an inch so I don't think Adobe is the solution. This seems to be the case for many others btw. I was a bit overenthousiastic about Adobe in the past. This is also probably the reason Mat still has a port on SS. Adobe is not a performer, on the contrary they seem to be going down after deactivating my portfolio at SS. It's as if the competition is afraid of SS and hey, maybe they are!
So if contributors don't care, buyers don't care and other agencies don't care?
With that I have re-activated my portfolio and will take what is left from Microstock instead of letting my deactivated best sellers do nothing but collect dust.
I might deactivate my port again in the near future because SS might have decided to screw those who have deactivated their ports even more and obviously I won't be sending them my new work.
Eventually SS might start lacking new content and maybe then we can see some movement but by that time most of us have probably moved out of Microstock.
I will continue uploading new work to Adobe and Pond5 just to see if there is even a slight uptick but this is wishful thinking.
To me Shutterstock is the creator and destroyer of the Microstock market!
So back to hiding for me. Again my apologies if I have offended anyone in my previous posts and my apologies to those who are taking a stand for no longer joining them in this battle. Well I still am for not uploading new work but that's not going to to have much effect I'm afraid.
Good luck to all my fellow contributors!
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I come to conclusion, that stock is not affected by our actions.
I was going to lay back and enjoy this forum as a reader instead of a poster but after reading your post I wanted to give an update of my view on the current situation.
You are right about the stock market not being affected at all by our actions.
Too many contributors are still ok with this change. They complain but are still uploading while others that can afford to deactivate their portfolio don't. This will never work anyway if they can continue to sell our work so even though it's impossible for many of us our portfolio's should be in fact be deactivated because stopping uploads isn't going to change much. Their buyers don't seem to have any intention to shop elsewhere and that is because they can still get what they want with so much on offer.
Then we have other agencies who do not seem to be eager to take their place. My best sellers at SS (with one over 9k downloads) are now dead since they never took off at other agencies and it looks like they never will.
I have picked up a lot on uploading to Adobe but they don't move an inch so I don't think Adobe is the solution. This seems to be the case for many others btw. I was a bit overenthousiastic about Adobe in the past. This is also probably the reason Mat still has a port on SS. Adobe is not a performer, on the contrary they seem to be going down after deactivating my portfolio at SS. It's as if the competition is afraid of SS and hey, maybe they are!
....
Good luck to all my fellow contributors!
Thanks, for sharing your thoughts.
Agree that Adobe will not save us: they just another exploiter.
So i come to my final decision:
- enable my port at JUL 8
- delete all valuable stuff
- will not upload nothing new (forever)
- allow to flow fading income till it stops at some point
- delete ss bookmark
- forget about all this mess
I think that such scheme is pretty optimal.
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So i come to my final decision:
- enable my port at JUL 8
- delete all valuable stuff
- will not upload nothing new (forever)
- allow to flow fading income till it stops at some point
- delete ss bookmark
- forget about all this mess
I think that such scheme is pretty optimal.
agreed, I'll do the same (before disabling, I deleted my valuable stuff yet)
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how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
[/quote]
I have an awesome wicker basket
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“And this is why some contributors don't take forums or boycotts seriously. It invariably slides into contributor versus contributor instead of agency. What other people do is their choice, and this kind of garbage helps no one.”
“Some contributors are morons, so I’m not going to take the SS boycott seriously.” Really?
Really.
I am happy to protest (in my own way) SS's decisions but when contributors start slamming other contributors, don't expect me to join in this little parade. Not everyone has the luxury of stopping their income on a dime, and there is enough posts denigrating those who cannot or will not delete their portfolios to show the usual digression from "agency bad" to "what is everyone else doing and do I approve".
You won’t join the SS protest, but you WILL join the parade of contributors slamming other contributors. LOL
Huh? When did I say that? I thought I said the opposite, but ok...
And no, as I said earlier elsewhere, I am retiring from all agencies. It just takes time. I am offering all my best for for free on my website (farbled dot com) since I see little difference between ten cents (or less at istock or freepic) and doing that. :)
That way Shutter not only makes no money from my images, but they also potentially lose a sale of something else. See? Protesting in my own way.
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I was going to lay back and enjoy this forum as a reader instead of a poster but after reading your post I wanted to give an update of my view on the current situation.
You are right about the stock market not being affected at all by our actions.
Too many contributors are still ok with this change. They complain but are still uploading while others that can afford to deactivate their portfolio don't. This will never work anyway if they can continue to sell our work so even though it's impossible for many of us our portfolio's should be in fact be deactivated because stopping uploads isn't going to change much. Their buyers don't seem to have any intention to shop elsewhere and that is because they can still get what they want with so much on offer.
Then we have other agencies who do not seem to be eager to take their place. My best sellers at SS (with one over 9k downloads) are now dead since they never took off at other agencies and it looks like they never will.
I have picked up a lot on uploading to Adobe but they don't move an inch so I don't think Adobe is the solution. This seems to be the case for many others btw. I was a bit overenthousiastic about Adobe in the past. This is also probably the reason Mat still has a port on SS. Adobe is not a performer, on the contrary they seem to be going down after deactivating my portfolio at SS. It's as if the competition is afraid of SS and hey, maybe they are!
So if contributors don't care, buyers don't care and other agencies don't care?
With that I have re-activated my portfolio and will take what is left from Microstock instead of letting my deactivated best sellers do nothing but collect dust.
I might deactivate my port again in the near future because SS might have decided to screw those who have deactivated their ports even more and obviously I won't be sending them my new work.
Eventually SS might start lacking new content and maybe then we can see some movement but by that time most of us have probably moved out of Microstock.
I will continue uploading new work to Adobe and Pond5 just to see if there is even a slight uptick but this is wishful thinking.
To me Shutterstock is the creator and destroyer of the Microstock market!
So back to hiding for me. Again my apologies if I have offended anyone in my previous posts and my apologies to those who are taking a stand for no longer joining them in this battle. Well I still am for not uploading new work but that's not going to to have much effect I'm afraid.
Good luck to all my fellow contributors!
Most of us go through the Kubler Ross curve here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model#/media/File:K%C3%BCbler_Ross_grieving_curve_(edited).png)
Each on their own, and at their own pace.
Most of us will re-enable portfolio's and even resume uploading.
Kudos to the ones like Farbled who decided to step out. It's either that or just accepting the new reality, there's no real in-between because indeed, you are right Snow, SS started the complete demolition of microstock.
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Kudos to the ones like Farbled who decided to step out.
Now if I could make Shutterstock delete my account after repeated requests. I have no photos left online with them, so i don't know why they won't....
And not really a kudos thing, but thank you. I am more tired of the uphill battle for smaller returns than anything else. At least with my own website I can tinker and play. So the timing is perfect.
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For those continuing to upload to Shutterstock, take a look at the new uploads they're accepting. This is a screenshot from a few minutes ago of new work from one of the aggregators, WireStock.
This is by no means the only example of pages and pages of filler, the bulk of which should have been rejected. It has no sales potential and lots of it is poorly lit, poorly composed with no concept. It doesn't do the contributors any favors to accept this rubbish and buyers aren't going tolerate this for long either.
Even if you keep your old work with Shutterstock for now, for heavens sake, put your new work somewhere better.
For what it's worth, the keywording is as bad as the images. For one of the scrumpled pieces of paper we have:
abstract backdrop background blank card computer design document empty grunge grungy image letter note notebook office page paper pen rough scrapbook sheet space stained surface texture wallpaper web website white
The upside down maple leaves use the keyword flag. The plastic bottle has healthy lifestyle & fitness. The speed limit sign has car, business, automobile, green. I could go on but you get the idea.
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Collecting refundable bottles would be one idea
Go around the neighbourhood on garbage day and take bottles that people would rather throw out than return for 10 cents.
You don’t need to invest in any fancy equipment
Use your bike or walk around the neighborhood
You’ll also be doing yourself a favour by excersizing
just silly --
== in many places, it's illegal to take from garbage or recycle bins
== there are only about 20 states w bottle bills (mostly 5c-10c) and 10 in europe
but seriously? people complain about 10c royalties - but you're telling them to collect 100-200 bottles/hr to make $10/hr? (not counting time spent gathering, transporting, etc; not to mention pawing thru smelly, or worse, garbage) how are going to carry that many bottles on your bike?
In my local wine store, they pay 20 cents for clean bottles (with no artifacts), and after the inspection and rinsing, they sell them at 80 cents to their winemaking customers. So, you are getting 25% commission, and they pay for the storage. Maybe when you get to the next level, you would get a higher commission. AFAIK, similars are allowed and they don't reset your commission level every January.
Thanks for that info! Sounds like a good business opportunity, especially since no specialized (ie expensive) equipment is needed.
given the OP's quote it didnt sound satirical - and if the addtl comments are serious, the next question is just how many wine bottles do you expect to find each week?
as far as eqpt - a pickup is required to make this at all feasible! (tongue firmly in cheek)
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the reason i responded is the numerous posters telling people to find another way to make money, but w/o actually have any idea how to do it -; this when we have almost 40 MILLION unemployed and a tanked economy. not a time to be looking for a new career
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...
For what it's worth, the keywording is as bad as the images. For one of the scrumpled pieces of paper we have:
...
scrumbled? i didnt think it was a word, but
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scrumbled (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scrumbled)
https://www.yourdictionary.com/scrumble (https://www.yourdictionary.com/scrumble)
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/scrumble (https://www.thefreedictionary.com/scrumble)
now if only they could agree!
--------------------------
anyway, i learned a new word. while imstocker.com is a great tool, often it also fails on generic things like 'crumpled paper' with similar outliers, and those poor keywords were probably from a bot and the artist(!) didnt bother to check
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anyway, i learned a new word.
Farbled means to "pass gas underwater" :)
(I guess I should have checked way back in the day when I registered my domain)
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For what it's worth, the keywording is as bad as the images. For one of the scrumpled pieces of paper we have:
abstract backdrop background blank card computer design document empty grunge grungy image letter note notebook office page paper pen rough scrapbook sheet space stained surface texture wallpaper web website white
The upside down maple leaves use the keyword flag. The plastic bottle has healthy lifestyle & fitness. The speed limit sign has car, business, automobile, green. I could go on but you get the idea.
That's what you get when IA keyworders talk to AI reviewers. The only thing those images need are AI buyers.
As far as quality goes, don't forget these stock garbage trucks like Wirestock are also dumping these images on other agencies, and I know a few who'll definitely accept (talking to you DT and P5)
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Kudos to the ones like Farbled who decided to step out.
Now if I could make Shutterstock delete my account after repeated requests. I have no photos left online with them, so i don't know why they won't....
And not really a kudos thing, but thank you. I am more tired of the uphill battle for smaller returns than anything else. At least with my own website I can tinker and play. So the timing is perfect.
You could also decide to stop uploading, but leave your images online and take whatever they are earning without looking back and investing any more second in it. Brave and idealistic move. I wish you luck and all the best.
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For those continuing to upload to Shutterstock, take a look at the new uploads they're accepting. This is a screenshot from a few minutes ago of new work from one of the aggregators, WireStock.
This is by no means the only example of pages and pages of filler, the bulk of which should have been rejected. It has no sales potential and lots of it is poorly lit, poorly composed with no concept. It doesn't do the contributors any favors to accept this rubbish and buyers aren't going tolerate this for long either.
Even if you keep your old work with Shutterstock for now, for heavens sake, put your new work somewhere better.
For what it's worth, the keywording is as bad as the images. For one of the scrumpled pieces of paper we have:
abstract backdrop background blank card computer design document empty grunge grungy image letter note notebook office page paper pen rough scrapbook sheet space stained surface texture wallpaper web website white
The upside down maple leaves use the keyword flag. The plastic bottle has healthy lifestyle & fitness. The speed limit sign has car, business, automobile, green. I could go on but you get the idea.
Numbers look like they are going up again, but generally the images are diabolical.
Keep them coming.
But I for one, having spent 20 years shooting stock, most of that shooting RM, don't want my images side by side with most of these.
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the images are diabolical
)))))) neat
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SHUTTERSTOCK IN ONE SECOND
Whatever your efforts, they will always return you to the starting point in just one second
it's a HAMSTER GAME
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Sales aren't really picking up at other places
It's starting to feel recessionary, isn't it?
starting?
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/09/us-officially-in-a-recession-but-its-different-than-2008.html (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/09/us-officially-in-a-recession-but-its-different-than-2008.html)
The present and future looks very difficult in all aspect of life. I see in all my sales are down in microstock. And well, i'm not anymore in Shutterstock. I live in a third world Venezuela, and everyday is worst tahn before.
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I've been talking to many photographers lately and none of them stopped uploading. I honestly expected the contrary. What I want to say is that this forum is not reflection of reality at all. It is occupied by contributors who promorte boycott and agressive measures and the majority that still uploads is silent. The more realistic reflection of reality would make this forum much more useful for all of us. I blame promoters lf boycott for this, they (we) are too hursh on the ones who have different opinion. Let them talk and let not be even worse than SS itself by not listening or caring about others opinion.
Yet more people disable or delete their Shutterstock ports and more join the coalition every day. We’ll hit 5,500 members today or tomorrow.
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Previously rejected works begin to emerge at adobe stock.
Guess what's next? :)
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Previously rejected works begin to emerge at adobe stock.
Guess what's next? :)
Do you mean SS? Or do you really mean adobe? Adobe is doing that too?
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SHUTTERSTOCK IN ONE SECOND
Whatever your efforts, they will always return you to the starting point in just one second
it's a HAMSTER GAME
can I use that graphic in a tweet?
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Previously rejected works begin to emerge at adobe stock.
Guess what's next? :)
Do you mean SS? Or do you really mean adobe? Adobe is doing that too?
I mean adobe dashboard of contributor.
I don't have twitter.
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abstract backdrop background blank card computer design document empty grunge grungy image letter note notebook office page paper pen rough scrapbook sheet space stained surface texture wallpaper web website white
The upside down maple leaves use the keyword flag. The plastic bottle has healthy lifestyle & fitness. The speed limit sign has car, business, automobile, green. I could go on but you get the idea.
Good grief.
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Guys, this is my last message on the forum.
Wish you all maximum luck & not to run into greedy people!
Chaching!!
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I'm not sure it needed this to quit and realize SS is a gonner anyway. Takings are so down and so bad its uncanny. Somebody I know with 45000 files earnt himself a staggering $3 yesterday so in pure disgust he is beginning to deactivate/delete files today!
Good grief whats happened to this joint?
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I see 2 options at this point, either go with Wirestock to get better commission on SS, or go istock exclusive...
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I see 2 options at this point, either go with Wirestock to get better commission on SS, or go istock exclusive...
Through Wirestock you can go Adobe exclusive.
But it is limited to some categories of subjects.
https://wirestock.io/exclusive
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Guys, this is my last message on the forum.
Wish you all maximum luck & not to run into greedy people!
Chaching!!
Please, don't go!
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I'm not sure it needed this to quit and realize SS is a gonner anyway. Takings are so down and so bad its uncanny. Somebody I know with 45000 files earnt himself a staggering $3 yesterday so in pure disgust he is beginning to deactivate/delete files today!
Good grief whats happened to this joint?
Could be that some buyers are gradually switching to other agencies.
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I'm not sure it needed this to quit and realize SS is a gonner anyway. Takings are so down and so bad its uncanny. Somebody I know with 45000 files earnt himself a staggering $3 yesterday so in pure disgust he is beginning to deactivate/delete files today!
Good grief whats happened to this joint?
Could be that some buyers are gradually switching to other agencies.
Which would be a very sweet development, wouldn't it? :)
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you are wrong.
They are the team, and they were the founders of pressfoto, but that project was not of a great success, I belive.
And they have excellent images, follow all the trends, shoot videos (more than 53 000 of clips in the portfolio)
It's port of russian stock pressfoto.
Casual pics nothing more, lot's of them [it is only my opinion].
But it looks like i am getting that you are saying about uselessness of boycott.
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SHUTTERSTOCK IN ONE SECOND
Whatever your efforts, they will always return you to the starting point in just one second
it's a HAMSTER GAME
can I use that graphic in a tweet?
[/quote]Yes Sure
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SHUTTERSTOCK IN ONE SECOND
Whatever your efforts, they will always return you to the starting point in just one second
it's a HAMSTER GAME
can I use that graphic in a tweet?
Yes Sure
[/quote]
Sorry. Just noticed a freepik tagline in lower left. Nope.
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Jon keeps selling
Insider trading? Cashing out before it goes to $16 a share? looks like he's staying under a specific amount per trade.
https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html (https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html)
(https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)[/url]
and
Thomas R. Evans
https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/ (https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/)
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Jon keeps selling
Insider trading? Cashing out before it goes to $16 a share? looks like he's staying under a specific amount per trade.
https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html (https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html)
(https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)[/url]
and
Thomas R. Evans
https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/ (https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/)
Insider People sell shares for many different reasons, buy a cottage, boat,etc
But Insider people only buy for ONE reason
That’s what I would be looking at
Not what stock options they get as part of a bonus or salary, but if they are willing to put down their personal funds to buy more into the company
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Jon keeps selling
Insider trading? Cashing out before it goes to $16 a share? looks like he's staying under a specific amount per trade.
https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html (https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2020/07/09/insider-selling-shutterstock-inc-nysesstk-director-sells-703102-32-in-stock.html)
(https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1549346/000117911020008054/xslF345X03/edgar.xml)[/url]
and
Thomas R. Evans
https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/ (https://sec.report/Document/0001179110-20-007083/)
Insider People sell shares for many different reasons, buy a cottage, boat,etc
But Insider people only buy for ONE reason
That’s what I would be looking at
Not what stock options they get as part of a bonus or salary, but if they are willing to put down their personal funds to buy more into the company
$3.3+ million in June & July is a very nice boat (that's the total of Oringer's sales). With over 16 million shares he wouldn't be buying any
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Remember Istock!! buyers started to migrate and its the same here nothing will hurt more then if buyers read all this and decide to turn their backs on SS!..words spread like wildfire!
The only way to even make a serious dent is if buyers starts closing their books and go elsewhere.
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Make no mistake. Our actions have profound consequences. It obviously will not take down a giant as Shutter or Getty but they loose leadership. In this case Adobe and P5 wil be winners if they play well their cards. Shutterstock management wants to cash out the same as Klein Mark Getty and all of his troupe did in the past. In the meantime they lost the leadership in the creative content market to the other players that at that time where really far behind. The same will happen to shutterstock. Just watch the next few years .
And about the ones that cannot or will not jump they will be hit with harder numbers every year (remember that targets are movable now). I can perfectly understand that there are people that cannot or don't want to move because or they are making too much income from Shutter or they don't make that much and it is comfortable to not change.
I am still at Getty exclusive with images (at that time I was making a yearly 6 figure there ) Too much money , too much risk to take jumping wagon. But not packing up was a bad decision as new opportunities like Stocksy arised that I was not willing to take at the time. I wish I did. In that time yearly targets have become harder and harder, the content supplied is worse in quality and quantity than the competition and the agency has never recovered the power and leadership it had one time. Since them I have fully concentrated on video production and did not make this mistake again this time.
Shutterstock is dead for me now-disabled everything there ( I never supplied a single clip to Getty/Istock) I have move to greener pastures where I can control my future and I give an opportunity to those agencies that stay fair to contributors.
Those that stay with Shutter can of course do what they want but they should think twice about their future, specially if they are making full income on this activity.
I come to conclusion, that stock is not affected by our actions.
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Make no mistake. Our actions have profound consequences. It obviously will not take down a giant as Shutter or Getty but they loose leadership. In this case Adobe and P5 wil be winners if they play well their cards. Shutterstock management wants to cash out the same as Klein Mark Getty and all of his troupe did in the past. In the meantime they lost the leadership in the creative content market to the other players that at that time where really far behind. The same will happen to shutterstock. Just watch the next few years .
And about the ones that cannot or will not jump they will be hit with harder numbers every year (remember that targets are movable now). I can perfectly understand that there are people that cannot or don't want to move because or they are making too much income from Shutter or they don't make that much and it is comfortable to not change.
I am still at Getty exclusive with images (at that time I was making a yearly 6 figure there ) Too much money , too much risk to take jumping wagon. But not packing up was a bad decision as new opportunities like Stocksy arised that I was not willing to take at the time. I wish I did. In that time yearly targets have become harder and harder, the content supplied is worse in quality and quantity than the competition and the agency has never recovered the power and leadership it had one time. Since them I have fully concentrated on video production and did not make this mistake again this time.
Shutterstock is dead for me now-disabled everything there ( I never supplied a single clip to Getty/Istock) I have move to greener pastures where I can control my future and I give an opportunity to those agencies that stay fair to contributors.
Those that stay with Shutter can of course do what they want but they should think twice about their future, specially if they are making full income on this activity.
I come to conclusion, that stock is not affected by our actions.
You are absolutely right! for what its worth I can tell you that Offset is hardly making any money at all and neither is Stocksy well not much to speak of anyway and not many distributors either! makes you wonder where all the money is landing??
as far as Adobe? I doubt it since Adobe dont seem too interested in doing anything with the old Fotolia. Their search is so bad its almost uncanny favourising the same as SS the "poorer" countries members and they have also forgotten their old photographers that was with them from the start and sort of built the company! nope there are not too much brains among these computer geeks owning stock-agencies.
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I had a look at the latest "fresh" images, I see a series of cat photos.
I'm no photographer or expert on this matter, but have a look at the one below: out of focus head (it's focused on the chest), bad lighting, ugly yellow color and poor commercial value.
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mixed-breed-domestic-kitten-oman-1773811832 (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mixed-breed-domestic-kitten-oman-1773811832)
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Well, I did my boycott. I am switching from retired back to semi-retired. I took about 1000 pix from my collection and I'm just throwing them up on various agencies and then forgetting about them, like someone suggested earlier. I can use the money if it brings in any. Ah well.
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Well, I did my boycott. I am switching from retired back to semi-retired. I took about 1000 pix from my collection and I'm just throwing them up on various agencies and then forgetting about them, like someone suggested earlier. I can use the money if it brings in any. Ah well.
Lol well now you are just making a mess of things ;D
As long as we act smart with our new work! But I don’t think that’s on your to do list anymore.
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Yes. I deleteri Alonge clips
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Lol well now you are just making a mess of things ;D
As long as we act smart with our new work! But I don’t think that’s on your to do list anymore.
Lol, my issue with SS was the lack of respect shown to contribs with recent decisions, sames as IS years before. But in the grand scheme of things with the volume of micro in general, I think many of us (including myself) have an inflated sense of what a photo is now worth.
Some artists are brilliant and can nail the concept and execution and deserve far more, while I do my 30 seconds or a minute of work to throw at the wall and see what sticks. I lose nothing if it doesn't sell.
And no, not on my to-do list anymore. I actually will be selling all my barely used equipment soon when I get the energy.
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I had a look at the latest "fresh" images, I see a series of cat photos.
I'm no photographer or expert on this matter, but have a look at the one below: out of focus head (it's focused on the chest), bad lighting, ugly yellow color and poor commercial value.
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mixed-breed-domestic-kitten-oman-1773811832 (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mixed-breed-domestic-kitten-oman-1773811832)
You're right about the focus. That image is downright pathetic.
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I thought I would just add that I was pleasantly surprised by Shutterstock in July. Yes, there were a lot of 10 - 18 cent sales, but I also had quite a few 85 cent subscripion sales and $4.35 on-demand sales. In the end it was my second best month this year. Microstock is just a side gig for me and I have a relatively small portfolio of mostly high-quality vectors, so I know I'm not typical, but I would be interested if anyone else had similar results for July.
Also, I'll throw in my 2 cents for the people who are discussing where images are bought these days, as I buy a lot of stock as well as sell. Most people I know in advertising are still buying from iStock, Shutterstock, Adobestock, and Getty if the budget allows. Personally I have looked for images at Stocksy quite a few times and never yet found what I needed, which is usually culturally-diverse lifestyle images. I need fun, natural-feeling, unposed images and for god's sake, please don't make the models look at the camera.
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. Personally I have looked for images at Stocksy quite a few times and never yet found what I needed, which is usually culturally-diverse lifestyle images. I need fun, natural-feeling, unposed images and for god's sake, please don't make the models look at the camera.
As a stocksy contributor i am surprised by this comment. They have been the champion of culturally-diverse content for years, (so much so that I won't use blonde-haired caucasian models at all), as well as authentic, fun, non-stocky looking imagery. And you've no idea how many, many declines I get for "camera aware" expressions.
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The shots my clients are usually looking for are happy family shots, often with children, either at home or outdoors. It is a struggle to find great, well-lit, naturally posed shots like this at any of the agencies that aren't strictly white people. Stocksy definitely offers more diversity, but I have had difficulty finding these sort of traditional happy family images. Maybe I'm wrong and need to look again, but it seems to me that Stocksy is more focussed on younger, hipper, non-traditional images. Which is great, just not what my clients need.
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The shots my clients are usually looking for are happy family shots, often with children, either at home or outdoors. It is a struggle to find great, well-lit, naturally posed shots like this at any of the agencies that aren't strictly white people. Stocksy definitely offers more diversity, but I have had difficulty finding these sort of traditional happy family images. Maybe I'm wrong and need to look again, but it seems to me that Stocksy is more focussed on younger, hipper, non-traditional images. Which is great, just not what my clients need.
Hoperfully some people on here will read this and fill the gap in the market.