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Author Topic: Stocksy images for sale at CreativeMarket - Royalties?  (Read 46189 times)

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« Reply #75 on: June 16, 2015, 13:12 »
+6
Fantastic guys. You dont come across as a cult at all, where the person outing some criticism on the cult is ousted

that's why I don't give ratsass about other people saying they are so happy there. Same thing with Istock, everybody was so happy, ousting those terrible negative folk... and suddenly from xxth monday on, when the last straw broke the camels back, almost everyone was pissed, and apparently pissed since at least several years by then. :)


« Reply #76 on: June 16, 2015, 13:20 »
0
I just looked at past meeting recaps and the word "kick-ass" doesn't appear anywhere, plus they are available in full for members.

How many images do you have online?  Have you ever tried to talk to the editors about your declines?  Why do you keep uploading if you say you aren't making any money on Stocksy?

Liar, it's there in member news, with the amazing kick-ass, almost exactly as I wrote.

« Reply #77 on: June 16, 2015, 14:11 »
+12
I have been with Stocksy since 2013, and I am constantly amazed at their transparency, growth, and commitment to  their members.  I am making GREAT money with them, more than all of my other micros times 10.  I am so happy to be a part of the co-op and I feel very honored that I was lucky enough to get in. I am a working professional photographer and not a teenager with an Instagram account.

Topol, I'm so sorry that you feel like Stocky is a fraud and is giving you smoke and mirrors.  All I can say about that is that you should politely excuse yourself and take your work elsewhere.  There are many that would jump for joy at the opportunity to be a part of the community. 

« Reply #78 on: June 16, 2015, 14:23 »
+1
I have been with Stocksy since 2013, and I am constantly amazed at their transparency, growth, and commitment to  their members.  I am making GREAT money with them, more than all of my other micros times 10.  I am so happy to be a part of the co-op and I feel very honored that I was lucky enough to get in. I am a working professional photographer and not a teenager with an Instagram account.

Topol, I'm so sorry that you feel like Stocky is a fraud and is giving you smoke and mirrors.  All I can say about that is that you should politely excuse yourself and take your work elsewhere.  There are many that would jump for joy at the opportunity to be a part of the community.

I'm not saying it's a fraud just that is acutely mismanaged. I am taking my work elsewhere. Most ppl jump at anything, that's why most of the population just get by, and a small % have good fun lives.

stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #79 on: June 16, 2015, 15:21 »
+3
I have been with Stocksy since 2013, and I am constantly amazed at their transparency, growth, and commitment to  their members.  I am making GREAT money with them, more than all of my other micros times 10.  I am so happy to be a part of the co-op and I feel very honored that I was lucky enough to get in. I am a working professional photographer and not a teenager with an Instagram account.

Topol, I'm so sorry that you feel like Stocky is a fraud and is giving you smoke and mirrors.  All I can say about that is that you should politely excuse yourself and take your work elsewhere.  There are many that would jump for joy at the opportunity to be a part of the community.

I'm not saying it's a fraud just that is acutely mismanaged. I am taking my work elsewhere. Most ppl jump at anything, that's why most of the population just get by, and a small % have good fun lives.

As far as I can see, Stocky is a small CO-OP Macro agency with some decent photographers, nothing more, nothing less. If you want to go back to the Golden years of printing money with your camera, it's gone. If you can make more money elsewhere do it. I think it's your expectations that are mismanaged.

« Reply #80 on: June 16, 2015, 15:59 »
+1
I have been with Stocksy since 2013, and I am constantly amazed at their transparency, growth, and commitment to  their members.  I am making GREAT money with them, more than all of my other micros times 10.  I am so happy to be a part of the co-op and I feel very honored that I was lucky enough to get in. I am a working professional photographer and not a teenager with an Instagram account.

Topol, I'm so sorry that you feel like Stocky is a fraud and is giving you smoke and mirrors.  All I can say about that is that you should politely excuse yourself and take your work elsewhere.  There are many that would jump for joy at the opportunity to be a part of the community.

I'm not saying it's a fraud just that is acutely mismanaged. I am taking my work elsewhere. Most ppl jump at anything, that's why most of the population just get by, and a small % have good fun lives.

As far as I can see, Stocky is a small CO-OP Macro agency with some decent photographers, nothing more, nothing less. If you want to go back to the Golden years of printing money with your camera, it's gone. If you can make more money elsewhere do it. I think it's your expectations that are mismanaged.

You misdirected yourself, I do make good money with stock, and I was hoping for stocksy to do even better with more artist freedom, instead it's the worst. Also it's not macro.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2015, 16:03 by topol »

« Reply #81 on: June 16, 2015, 16:02 »
+2
If any one want's to get out of Stocksy I can take his place there  8)

And if they have "bad" photos there, good for me, I have some good ones  ;D

You don't have to take anybody's place, just can get in with your photos. :)

stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #82 on: June 16, 2015, 17:37 »
0

You misdirected yourself, I do make good money with stock, and I was hoping for stocksy to do even better with more artist freedom, instead it's the worst. Also it's not macro.

So what you have Stocksy do differently?
« Last Edit: June 16, 2015, 17:51 by stock-will-eat-itself »

« Reply #83 on: June 16, 2015, 20:53 »
+6
I have been with Stocksy since 2013, and I am constantly amazed at their transparency, growth, and commitment to  their members.  I am making GREAT money with them, more than all of my other micros times 10.  I am so happy to be a part of the co-op and I feel very honored that I was lucky enough to get in. I am a working professional photographer and not a teenager with an Instagram account.

Topol, I'm so sorry that you feel like Stocky is a fraud and is giving you smoke and mirrors.  All I can say about that is that you should politely excuse yourself and take your work elsewhere.  There are many that would jump for joy at the opportunity to be a part of the community.

Well, I love Stocksy.  I'm not a contributor but would love to be.  I recently needed some images for a website and didn't have what I was looking for among my own images.  I contemplated converting some of my microstock earnings into cash to buy some images on mainstream micro stock.  I hate to say it, but it was just soul-destroying wading through generic, plastic, and way too glossy happy people and office settings. I know there are great images on micro stock, but it was a very interesting exercise stepping into the shoes of a customer and actually trying to find something I wanted to use, before glazing over with the sheer volume.  I wandered over to Stocksy and within an hour or two selected a small group of images that hit the sweet spot. Hopefully one or more of them were contributed by people here.

« Reply #84 on: June 16, 2015, 21:05 »
+5
Stocksy is very transparent about it's growth and numbers to members and it is doing better and better and some people there do very well.  Everyone won't do well or be a good fit.
It sure is nice to have them setting an example making contributors part owners and paying a great percentage.  Sure they have a niche and a style. It would be really nice to
see a few more places pop up that share in profits, give you ownership, and turn a profit.
They do pretty decent for me with just a small Portfolio.  I actually feel like I should be supporting them more than I do because of what they offer as an alternative to most other agenices. Respect

« Reply #85 on: June 16, 2015, 22:34 »
+4
Stocksy is not for everyone. Yes, we have specific preference for aesthetic, and photographers who appreciate this type of aesthetic will enjoy working at this place. I have my own struggles in meeting the aesthetic requirements, but when that happens, I dont go around bashing the agency.

I really hope we open the door more to those who appreciate our style. For those who want to join us, the only tips I can provide is, to submit photos that you think will inspire designers to do things differently, to give them that light bulb, not to fit or follow the trends. If you truly hate the style, please dont force yourself to fit in and make yourself miserable. I cant talk for others, but being a Stocksy member, I dont feel elitish or trying to be different as people tend to think of us. We are to here to provide alternative to designers.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 01:26 by onepointfour »

« Reply #86 on: June 17, 2015, 02:22 »
+9
I'm not saying it's a fraud just that is acutely mismanaged. I am taking my work elsewhere. Most ppl jump at anything, that's why most of the population just get by, and a small % have good fun lives.

Although I certainly share a few of your complaints, definitely not the "failure" part, from my perspective that must be based on unrealistic expectations. All of the numbers I have seen so far are far beyond what a startup with limited funding and running on a small, cost efficient team in an oversaturated market could have expected.

However, what I am most surprised about reading is that while you claim to have a long going history with iStock and obviously have warned anyone about them in the past, you should have known all the key players in Stocksy from the past. So why did you ever start submitting in that knowledge?

Also from other statements you have made, I can only conclude that you have submitted images that are way different (more artistic? less commercial?) than what you successfully sell everywhere else, and now you are complaining that your personal sales are disappointing. Okay, can happen. You can't make everyone happy.

But at the very least I'd say everyone who puts in an effort to provide better conditions for contributors than the big market places do, should deserve a little more respect. Even if you don't agree with their decisions.

« Reply #87 on: June 17, 2015, 02:55 »
+6

You misdirected yourself, I do make good money with stock, and I was hoping for stocksy to do even better with more artist freedom, instead it's the worst. Also it's not macro.

So what you have Stocksy do differently?

Imho, stocksy should sell most of the stuff that other micros do, but only the very-very best, premium versions of it + exclusivity. That would more than justify it being a special agency worth bookmarking, no need to narrow it to this childish instafilter hipster style. They started saying, and even advertised this on their front page, that they 'don't have stuff like people on white, shiny beauty shots, ppl just gesturing'... yeah great idea, lets ditch some of the stuff that outsells almost everything else everywhere. The 'stock that doesn't look like stock' mantra is nonsense, the stuff they accept still instantly looks like stock from a 100 miles away - thank god, or they would sell even less. If dropping pro style was a great idea, why don't companies just go around buying selfies from kiddies on FB? :) Once again, this whole concept is childish and counterproductive. What are they afraid of, that their art course visiting buddy with a handlebar moustache won't talk to them anymore, if he notices they sell beauties on white for example?

To prove my I have stuff up that is a lot more like regular stock, because at the start they were a bit more lax with forcing this BS on ppl., and guess what, the regular stock-like stuff outsells the rest, by far.

Seeing what was posted here they also should pay more attention to technical quality. I never thought about that regarding stocksy, my stuff is generaly very high tech quality, I presumed most others are similar. Micros overdo this horribly, stocksy seems to fail the other way. I'v been a buyer too, for years and years, and I can assure you, both me and clients would have been very pissed at getting files like the ones I saw here. If it happened several times, it would definitely mean going somewhere else for stock.

I also remember the argument for stocksy being what it is, that they will attract some "special bunch of clients", and that those very often would be the type that is big and/or has big budget. I call 200% total BS on that too:

1 - Stocksy is not particularly expensive at all, so why would it be about big budget? somewhat better than average blogger can buy these pics anyday.
2 - That special type of client does not exist, at all. After a few years I'v seen thuosands of usages of my "regular stock", and there is no criteria to sort the customers whatsoever. They are any type you can ever imagine, from little bloggers, small 3rdworld companies to elite financial services "only for sophisticated investors" (aka billionares), luxury real estate projects, giant worid brands, special image companies with niche beauty products... anything.

Also if you have some very-very special shot you might want to reconsider sending it to stocksy, many photographers would still consider it selling out cheapo with those prices, and I would have a hard time arguing with them.

One last thing: no matter how special stocksy tries to be with the style of shots, you can be pretty much sure, that a place like shutter will have almost the same stuff too, likely even more if it than stocksy, among their 40 million stock, so sorry, but it's a wasted effort.

That's pretty much it, I could have summed it up in medium sized post already and be done with it, but fanboys just keep trolling and sadly it's my weakness that I often can't keep myself from retorting to even the most obnoxious trolls. To shut down even more trolling I didn't voice these on stocksy because after a few rounds of communication it was painfully obvious that it would be pointless. It would be judt local fanboys trolling there too, and the management repeating their mantras posing coolio. I'v seen this countless times.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 03:02 by topol »

« Reply #88 on: June 17, 2015, 03:07 »
+2
I'm not saying it's a fraud just that is acutely mismanaged. I am taking my work elsewhere. Most ppl jump at anything, that's why most of the population just get by, and a small % have good fun lives.

Also from other statements you have made, I can only conclude that you have submitted images that are way different (more artistic? less commercial?) than what you successfully sell everywhere else, and now you are complaining that your personal sales are disappointing. Okay, can happen. You can't make everyone happy.


Thru a few rounds of tries, I conformed to their wishes, they were happy with it, they selected & preferred those, and it led to almost no sales. The stuff they liked the most has the worst sales - so sry, but the ball is not in my court. But I already wrote about this. Why do I have repeat everything a 10 times? Are we adults here? I'm done with this.

Semmick Photo

« Reply #89 on: June 17, 2015, 05:21 »
+4

You misdirected yourself, I do make good money with stock, and I was hoping for stocksy to do even better with more artist freedom, instead it's the worst. Also it's not macro.

So what you have Stocksy do differently?

Imho, stocksy should sell most of the stuff that other micros do, but only the very-very best, premium versions of it + exclusivity. That would more than justify it being a special agency worth bookmarking, no need to narrow it to this childish instafilter hipster style. They started saying, and even advertised this on their front page, that they 'don't have stuff like people on white, shiny beauty shots, ppl just gesturing'... yeah great idea, lets ditch some of the stuff that outsells almost everything else everywhere. The 'stock that doesn't look like stock' mantra is nonsense, the stuff they accept still instantly looks like stock from a 100 miles away - thank god, or they would sell even less. If dropping pro style was a great idea, why don't companies just go around buying selfies from kiddies on FB? :) Once again, this whole concept is childish and counterproductive. What are they afraid of, that their art course visiting buddy with a handlebar moustache won't talk to them anymore, if he notices they sell beauties on white for example?

To prove my I have stuff up that is a lot more like regular stock, because at the start they were a bit more lax with forcing this BS on ppl., and guess what, the regular stock-like stuff outsells the rest, by far.

Seeing what was posted here they also should pay more attention to technical quality. I never thought about that regarding stocksy, my stuff is generaly very high tech quality, I presumed most others are similar. Micros overdo this horribly, stocksy seems to fail the other way. I'v been a buyer too, for years and years, and I can assure you, both me and clients would have been very pissed at getting files like the ones I saw here. If it happened several times, it would definitely mean going somewhere else for stock.

I also remember the argument for stocksy being what it is, that they will attract some "special bunch of clients", and that those very often would be the type that is big and/or has big budget. I call 200% total BS on that too:

1 - Stocksy is not particularly expensive at all, so why would it be about big budget? somewhat better than average blogger can buy these pics anyday.
2 - That special type of client does not exist, at all. After a few years I'v seen thuosands of usages of my "regular stock", and there is no criteria to sort the customers whatsoever. They are any type you can ever imagine, from little bloggers, small 3rdworld companies to elite financial services "only for sophisticated investors" (aka billionares), luxury real estate projects, giant worid brands, special image companies with niche beauty products... anything.

Also if you have some very-very special shot you might want to reconsider sending it to stocksy, many photographers would still consider it selling out cheapo with those prices, and I would have a hard time arguing with them.

One last thing: no matter how special stocksy tries to be with the style of shots, you can be pretty much sure, that a place like shutter will have almost the same stuff too, likely even more if it than stocksy, among their 40 million stock, so sorry, but it's a wasted effort.

That's pretty much it, I could have summed it up in medium sized post already and be done with it, but fanboys just keep trolling and sadly it's my weakness that I often can't keep myself from retorting to even the most obnoxious trolls. To shut down even more trolling I didn't voice these on stocksy because after a few rounds of communication it was painfully obvious that it would be pointless. It would be judt local fanboys trolling there too, and the management repeating their mantras posing coolio. I'v seen this countless times.

Good post, well written.

« Reply #90 on: June 17, 2015, 05:33 »
+5
I think a lot of people where expecting stocksy to be an agency that wants to be the "only" solution a customer uses, similar to what getty does. You dont need 100s of millions of files for that, but you really need diversity, in subject matter and in style.

Being a very niche agency leaves the majority of the money in the stock market elsewhere, you are basically forcing the customer to use stocksy only as an add on agency.

However for branding, it is a lot easier to come in with a niche, just like it is much easier to market an ice cream store that has the best ice cream, instead of a store that has ice cream and dog food and fruits and italian sweets.

I think the growth rate for stocksy is phenomenal, so the niche they chose is a very good one. Whatever I see that they do for marketing, the way the site works, it is just wonderful.

Is the niche big enough to be sustainable in the future? Will being very, very trendy provide enough growth longterm?

Can this niche feed 20 000 artists? Or even just 5000?

I think these are questions many are asking. After the Getty Google deal and with all the drama at other agencies, thousands of artists were ready to throw themselves behind an artist friendly site. stocksy came just at the right time for many of us. That we would be able to tell the agencies: "treat us well or this content will "go stocksy".

Thousands of people applied but couldnt get in. I feel very lucky I made it, but sometimes I also feel guilty for being so lucky. I didnt want to just save myself, I wanted to be part of a project that can involve many more people and really have an impact on the industry in the way artists are treated.

But I understand that you need to start somewhere and to me stocksy is an extremely successful endeavour.

So I hope in time it will evolve, reach out and more and more people can join.

In the meantime, the thousands of people out there looking for a reliable partner, have to keep spreading their work to different places and maybe test other niche agencies with exclusive work.


stocksy is a great agency run by very hard working people with experience. But as a new agency and with a very small team, it cannot instantly become a replacement for Gettyimages, or Shutterstock or any of the other large players. This would require stocksy to become an agency with hundreds of employees, does the stocksy community want to work with an agency that becomes a cooperation like the other places?

But 10 years from now? Or even 5 years from now? What will stocksy grow into?

With the success they are showing, give them time, I believe it is the most exciting project out there. I know it is frustrating for those who havent been able to join yet, like watching a great party by looking in through the window. But give stocksy time, dont give up.

But also dont ignore all the other opportunities to make money with stock. There is a lot happening this year.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 05:47 by cobalt »

Me


« Reply #91 on: June 17, 2015, 05:49 »
+5
.....I know it is frustrating for those who havent been able to join yet, like watching a great party by looking in through the window. But give stocksy time, dont give up.

But also dont ignore all the other opportunities to make money with stock. There is a lot happening this year.

Aaah, the usual elitist, condescending chatter to the proles from Stocksy contributors. It is just this sort of attitude that makes people hostile towards Stocksy. Nothing like making the "little guys" looking in through the windows feel better.

I have no doubt this is not what you intended from your post but that is the way it comes over with the phraseology you have used.

« Reply #92 on: June 17, 2015, 05:55 »
+3
It is up to you to take it the way you want. You seem to believe that not being accepted by stocksy is a verdict on the quality of your work.

Stocksy only takes a small number of people because it is a very tiny agency. If they were as big as Shutterstock, they could take many more people...but I guess reading my post is probably too long...

I know many people who have applied to stocksy and were rejected and this is exactly what they told me how they felt.

Obviously, if you havent applied, why would you care? But there are loads of people who love stocksy and really want to join.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 06:01 by cobalt »

Me


« Reply #93 on: June 17, 2015, 06:09 »
+3
It is up to you to take it the way you want. You seem to believe that not being accepted by stocksy is a verdict on the quality of your work.

Stocksy only takes a small number of people because it is a very tiny agency. If they were as big as Shutterstock, they could take many more people...but I guess reading my post is probably too long...

I know many people who have applied to stocksy and were rejected and this is exactly what they told me how they felt.

Obviously, if you havent applied, why would you care? But there are loads of people who love stocksy and really want to join.

I have no issue with how Stocksy select their contributors, or what aesthetic or niche they are going for. My comments were in response to the comments you posted and the words/phrase you chose to use - it was condescending, and that shows through a lot with people who have been accepted into Stocksy. It also comes across from Stocksy contributors that it is they who seem to think that by being accepted it is an indication of the quality of their work, raising them above the people who haven't "got in". The whole phraseology of "being accepted" or "got in" indicates some sort of special club to aspire to joining rather than an indication of the size of the agency.

« Reply #94 on: June 17, 2015, 06:30 »
+4
"to get in" is a reality. How else would you like to phrase it that is more politically correct? Any suggestions?

To be accepted at small agencies is first of all a numbers game, i.e. limited by the number of places they have to offer. If 500 places are open and 10 000 apply, your chances are 5%, if everyone has equally suitable content for the given niche.

You also have to "get in" to Shutterstock, but they dont limit the number of artist, so eventually those that really want to, usually "make it". But with Offset, they have only a small number of artists, so if thousands of people apply, you will only again hear of very few people who...get in, make it,are accepted, can submit??

I didnt apply to stocksy for a "feel good 1% factor". I didnt even know it would be such a niche agency when I applied. I applied because I am fed up with agencies taking the artists for a ride and seeing hedge funds etc...making millions from our work. I wanted to be part of an artist driven community where my work is safe.

People also apply and are rejected at Westend61, they have less than 400 artists. And just like them, there are many, many, many niche agencies out there.

just because an agency is not listed on msg, doesnt mean you cant make money there.

But the smaller the place is, and the more people apply, the smaller the possibility of getting a place.

It is the same wherever you apply, agency,job, private group etc...stocksy is not different. If the offer is attractive, the number of people wanting to get in is just huge.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 06:41 by cobalt »

stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #95 on: June 17, 2015, 06:59 »
+5
Why do I have repeat everything a 10 times? Are we adults here? I'm done with this.

Wow, you really are angry. Quite an entertaining tantrum.

« Reply #96 on: June 17, 2015, 07:09 »
+6
It is up to you to take it the way you want. You seem to believe that not being accepted by stocksy is a verdict on the quality of your work.

Stocksy only takes a small number of people because it is a very tiny agency. If they were as big as Shutterstock, they could take many more people...but I guess reading my post is probably too long...

I know many people who have applied to stocksy and were rejected and this is exactly what they told me how they felt.

Obviously, if you havent applied, why would you care? But there are loads of people who love stocksy and really want to join.

I have no issue with how Stocksy select their contributors, or what aesthetic or niche they are going for. My comments were in response to the comments you posted and the words/phrase you chose to use - it was condescending, and that shows through a lot with people who have been accepted into Stocksy. It also comes across from Stocksy contributors that it is they who seem to think that by being accepted it is an indication of the quality of their work, raising them above the people who haven't "got in". The whole phraseology of "being accepted" or "got in" indicates some sort of special club to aspire to joining rather than an indication of the size of the agency.

I really think you're overreaching here.  Cobalt's comments are the least condescending of anything I read here.

« Reply #97 on: June 17, 2015, 07:12 »
+3
Why do I have repeat everything a 10 times? Are we adults here? I'm done with this.

Wow, you really are angry. Quite an entertaining tantrum.

nah, far from angry, just irritated by dumbness.

« Reply #98 on: June 17, 2015, 14:12 »
+2
nah, far from angry, just irritated by dumbness.

Well, I think the dumbest part I have read in this thread so far was this statement:

so sry, but the ball is not in my court.

Obviously you didn't understand what you were doing when you picked photography as a source of income. You are a self-employed business person who can freely decide whom to make business with. No other entity owes you anything. The ball is always in your court.

« Reply #99 on: June 17, 2015, 14:22 »
+1
nah, far from angry, just irritated by dumbness.

Well, I think the dumbest part I have read in this thread so far was this statement:

so sry, but the ball is not in my court.

Obviously you didn't understand what you were doing when you picked photography as a source of income. You are a self-employed business person who can freely decide whom to make business with. No other entity owes you anything. The ball is always in your court.

Trollboy, you need to grasp the incredibly complicated concept that I was talking about the curation.


 

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