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Agency Based Discussion => Stocksy => Topic started by: rene on August 26, 2013, 02:17

Title: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: rene on August 26, 2013, 02:17
Stocksy is a newcomer but after almost half year probably most active contributors should have sales.
I like the idea of co-op and all artistic and human approach of this site. But what about a business side?
I'm seriously considering to invest my time and money to participate but is it worth? Do they have any chance to be successful?
Any thoughts after 5 months?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on August 26, 2013, 04:41
[semi-OT] I did a search on Scotland, and the results were 'surprising', and not just those which weren't actually taken in Scotland.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Snufkin on August 26, 2013, 11:27
If you are an accepted member you have access to the forum where some of the members report sales.
For a young agency I would say the results are very promising. Taking into account that this is not the low-cost segment of the market and the royalty structure, I'd rather say the results are excellent.
My port is very small so the numbers may not be so relevant, but all I can say is that I am pleasantly surprised.

The guys who work behind the scenes are doing an incredible job.
Do I have any reasons to complain? No.  I only wish I had more time to grow my port faster.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on August 26, 2013, 18:51
I'm still waiting to see if they come up with some sort of vector offering. So far I believe the only vectors on Stocksy are photos and textures with vector overlays in JPG format, like Simon Oxley's work.

Would be interesting to see how they approach vectors, if at all, and although I'd still be hesitant to participate in anything that requires any level of exclusivity, I'd still give it all due consideration. Always interesting to see how new companies are shaking up the vector graphics market.

Edit: Nevermind, looks like vector-based JPGs aren't on there anymore. Guess it's all photos on Stocksy for the time being.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on August 26, 2013, 19:39
I don't get their slogan, "Your Stock Photos Shouldn't Look Like Stock Photos" superimposed on top of a very stocky photo on the front page. Nothing wrong with the photo, it's very standard stock-y, and has been there for a while - shouldn't they change the front page photo from time to time - at least every day? Also several photos there were previously on e.g. iStock.
I can't really work out their aesthetic or USP for the buyer. To me it's a lot of stock-y looking pics, some really nice not-very-stocky looking pics and some 'very average' photos (i.e. like mine, but they way they'd gone on about their super high quality before they launched, I didn't even think seriously of applying).
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: BoBoBolinski on August 27, 2013, 06:19
I think they might have helped their own PR if they'd bothered to reply to people who applied, even if it was a polite 'no thanks'.
Looking arrogant and lazy is normally the prerogative of big established players, not newcomers hoping to create a positive buzz.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jen on September 02, 2013, 16:18
Stocksy is a newcomer but after almost half year probably most active contributors should have sales.
I like the idea of co-op and all artistic and human approach of this site. But what about a business side?
I'm seriously considering to invest my time and money to participate but is it worth? Do they have any chance to be successful?
Any thoughts after 5 months?

In August, 64% of my earnings and only 8% of my downloads were from Stocksy. 

I'm making much less than I was making as an exclusive contributor elsewhere, but I feel confident that things are picking up and it will take far, far fewer downloads to get to where I was before.  So personally, I'm happy.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 18:18
I think they might have helped their own PR if they'd bothered to reply to people who applied, even if it was a polite 'no thanks'.
Looking arrogant and lazy is normally the prerogative of big established players, not newcomers hoping to create a positive buzz.

they lost me right at the beginning due to what you mentioned above, mainly the arrogance. send us your link to your successful folio on another site and we 'might' invite you.

now why in gods name would i send you a link from another site so that you can 'might' scoop me from them. a real class act i'd say. tacky tacky tacky.

then when i sent in an email in reply to the email they sent me, with some very solid questions, i think it was the total lack of reply and professional courtesy in doing so that made me decide i 'might' won't be putting anything with them.

honestly, the arrogance and lack of reply is what i'd expect from the very agency they were trying to scoop me from.

no thanks.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jen on September 02, 2013, 18:29
they lost me right at the beginning due to what you mentioned above, mainly the arrogance. send us your link to your successful folio on another site and we 'might' invite you.
That's not what they asked for, is it?  This is the text I got:

If you're interested in being a contributing artist, please reply to this email with a link to your portfolio (500px, flickr, etc) and we might send you an invitation.

I guess you could be put off by the "might", but it wasn't "show us how successful you are elsewhere", it was "show us your portfolio". 
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 19:05
they lost me right at the beginning due to what you mentioned above, mainly the arrogance. send us your link to your successful folio on another site and we 'might' invite you.
That's not what they asked for, is it?  This is the text I got:

If you're interested in being a contributing artist, please reply to this email with a link to your portfolio (500px, flickr, etc) and we might send you an invitation.

I guess you could be put off by the "might", but it wasn't "show us how successful you are elsewhere", it was "show us your portfolio".

yes this is what they sent.

i think it would have been a bit more professional to say, send us 50 samples of your work for consideration, as opposed to send us a link to where your portfolio is on an existing site etc. and we might. - we all know that meant agencies they did not mention which was the etc. part.

openly harvesting contributors from existing agencies is not what i would call a class act. sorry.

regardless, i did not like how they were openly scouting contributors from existing sites. and with absolutely no reply to my email, they lost me.







Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 02, 2013, 19:26
They headhunted you (i.e. they made the first move) but they still wanted to see evidence of your work?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 19:33
They headhunted you (i.e. they made the first move) but they still wanted to see evidence of your work?

good question! yes they made first contact, how they got my email i have no clue.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jen on September 02, 2013, 19:36
Did you put your email address in their "put your email address here if you're curious" page before the site launched?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 20:16
Did you put your email address in their "put your email address here if you're curious" page before the site launched?

highly unlikely, honestly i can't remember. but if i did, it would not have been using the email they contacted me on. as a general rule, for all unknowns in the www world, of which stocksy would have been at the time, i never use my personal email, instead i have a special email just for www land. another reason it is unlikely is that i did not like the whole secrecy aspect of the clique, that too was a turn off.

i do know there was a period when there was referrals going on from the people in the know, perhaps mine got passed along. it was a rather secretive clique at the beginning and i most likely knew one or two of them. that's my guess.

anyway, not interested in stocksy for the reasons mentioned and for a few other reasons.

good luck with it.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 02, 2013, 20:44
Did you put your email address in their "put your email address here if you're curious" page before the site launched?

highly unlikely, honestly i can't remember. but if i did, it would not have been using the email they contacted me on. as a general rule, for all unknowns in the www world, of which stocksy would have been at the time, i never use my personal email, instead i have a special email just for www land. another reason it is unlikely is that i did not like the whole secrecy aspect of the clique, that too was a turn off.

i do know there was a period when there was referrals going on from the people in the know, perhaps mine got passed along. it was a rather secretive clique at the beginning and i most likely knew one or two of them. that's my guess.

anyway, not interested in stocksy for the reasons mentioned and for a few other reasons.

good luck with it.

Instead of getting your panties in a twist over "might" or whatever, be excited that a friend of yours thought that your work was good enough to submit your name to an organization with a limited membership.  Or don't.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 21:07
Did you put your email address in their "put your email address here if you're curious" page before the site launched?

highly unlikely, honestly i can't remember. but if i did, it would not have been using the email they contacted me on. as a general rule, for all unknowns in the www world, of which stocksy would have been at the time, i never use my personal email, instead i have a special email just for www land. another reason it is unlikely is that i did not like the whole secrecy aspect of the clique, that too was a turn off.

i do know there was a period when there was referrals going on from the people in the know, perhaps mine got passed along. it was a rather secretive clique at the beginning and i most likely knew one or two of them. that's my guess.

anyway, not interested in stocksy for the reasons mentioned and for a few other reasons.

good luck with it.

Instead of getting your panties in a twist over "might" or whatever, be excited that a friend of yours thought that your work was good enough to submit your name to an organization with a limited membership.  Or don't.

its the arrogance of the 'might'. and the secrecy of the 'might'. and the lack of reply from the 'might'. the vulture like harvesting from other agencies from the 'might'. 'might' turned me off before i even 'might' have considered. this is not a limited membership i want to belong to. hope this is ok with you.


Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 02, 2013, 21:17
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 02, 2013, 21:19
I would say the bigger issue is that only one person is reporting up to between 6 and 20 sales per month.  That's one person with a max of between $300-1000 per month, it's much more likely that all those sales weren't for the largest size either and this is from a group of people that includes many diamond level contributors.  It's only been 6 months but I would have expected much more than 20 sales per month from a majority of contributors by now.

I think you'll find the contributor base there mostly doesn't participate on forums like this, and those that do aren't likely to report much, due to all the negativity here regarding it.

"If you're interested in being a contributing artist, please reply to this email with a link to your portfolio (500px, flickr, etc) and we might send you an invitation."

What did you want it to say? "We _may_ send you an invitation"?  "We will _consider_"?  It all means the same thing.  You're reading too much into it.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 02, 2013, 21:23
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: leaf on September 02, 2013, 21:29
There are earnings threads on Stocksy and I'd have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by what they are posting.  I haven't uploaded to there much yet but I have serious plans to do so.  Even at their young baby age of 6 months, sales are looking promising.  That's a lot more than about 30 other sites listed on the right.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 02, 2013, 21:47
not sure what your native tongue is, but i am guessing american english.

asking to send a link to see your portfolio on any competitors site is just plain rubbish and quite frankly amateur in scope. in fact i know of no other agency that has ever requested to see your portfolio on the competitors site to see if they 'might' invite you.

now a more professional approach would have been, please send us 50 samples of work that convey your portfolio for our consideration.

you can read into it how you want, but one is clearly scavenging and bottom feeding from a competitor and the other is an invitation for consideration into an agency.

it does not matter much to me either way, i don't think you had any choice in joining this limited membership. now if you unilaterally made the move of your own volition as opposed to having this hand forced upon you, then yes, i'd take your comments more seriously.

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 03:03
LOL. @ shudderstok, talking about arrogance: I was somehow tired of the way being treated as a contributor from Getty/IS. And I don't feel "harvested" at all. I would most likely be still a happy IS exclusive if the company was still respectful with their people (and all the existing problems with the site would be resolved in a timly manner). The "cliques" arguement is in my opinion very applicable to IS/Getty today. There are more than enough "all are equal - but some are more" decisions being made by IS/Getty management. I have no idea what you're talking about with this referral to existing stock sites for a Stocksy application. You were being asked to provide a link to your work (as most of us have someting like this today) and this is totally professional. All other agencies I apllied to are doing this, too - also macro agencies.
@ rene you asked a valid question and I guess a lot of people are also interested in the financial aspect of Stocksy. As there is so much negativity around here I was also hesitating to post something. (Sometimes I can't get rid of the impression that at least two members are being paid for making opinions around here).
The development at Stocksy is quite promising. Continuing growth and some big clients on board :) If you want more information, please send me a mail.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 03, 2013, 03:35
I didhn't like the way they asked people to submit 'blind', without explaining what they were looking for.

'Show us your Flickr pics' was odd; I use Flickr for showing photos to friends, i.e. just things they will be interested in, not 'stock' photos, and also for getting advice from peers on new areas I'm investigating. I have a large set called "Imperfect Images" and one called "experiments". I wouldn't want to be judged on these, or in fact any of my Flickr images, which are scrunched down in size and quality. I thought that was the whole point of Flickr. That said, there are some truly fantastic photos on Flickr, many available CC.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 03, 2013, 04:16
LOL. @ shudderstok, talking about arrogance: I was somehow tired of the way being treated as a contributor from Getty/IS. And I don't feel "harvested" at all. I would most likely be still a happy IS exclusive if the company was still respectful with their people (and all the existing problems with the site would be resolved in a timly manner). The "cliques" arguement is in my opinion very applicable to IS/Getty today. There are more than enough "all are equal - but some are more" decisions being made by IS/Getty management. I have no idea what you're talking about with this referral to existing stock sites for a Stocksy application. You were being asked to provide a link to your work (as most of us have someting like this today) and this is totally professional. All other agencies I apllied to are doing this, too - also macro agencies.
@ rene you asked a valid question and I guess a lot of people are also interested in the financial aspect of Stocksy. As there is so much negativity around here I was also hesitating to post something. (Sometimes I can't get rid of the impression that at least two members are being paid for making opinions around here).
The development at Stocksy is quite promising. Continuing growth and some big clients on board :) If you want more information, please send me a mail.

you are true in saying GI and IS are not the nicest agencies to submit to in terms of warm fuzzy feelings.

i am curious which other agencies ask to see your portfolio on competitors sites, i have not applied to any sites in many years, maybe this is the new norm? pray tell, which agencies ask to see your portfolio from competitors, i'd like to know.

why not share this promising growth with stocksy, and who are these big clients that are now on board? why not simply share this information on the forum as opposed to covertly emailing you? if one was to email you would it be your view only, or the policy of stocksy? the whole secrecy thing seems to be a concern for many. me thinks if there was a little more to go on, maybe there would be more people who would jump on board.



Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: cobalt on September 03, 2013, 04:28
They are not suffering from a lack of applications...they also have a huge number of artists who donīt seem to come from the regular stock world that I know. But they have fantastic work. Itīs a really nice mix of people and creativity. A lot of the work is so good that I am quite intimidated. I really must work on my skills again and challenge myself. There is a whole genre of photography I havenīt practiced in ages, but used to love. stocksy is the right place for work like that.

My experience with applying to smaller agencies (that are highly selective in who they accept) is that they anyway do a google search for your name and  look at your website and whatever else can be found online. In addition to whatever you sent in as application images.

Which is probably the way most applications are being done anywhere for most jobs or memberships.

I think you are reading too much into the words chosen for that email.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 04:44
@ shudderstok, well why not share your profile. Posting here wild theories anonymous might be a secrecy thing some might have concerns with ;)
I don't know why you're riding this "portfolio of competitors" thing . I've sent them my personal business portfolio. If you're interested: www.ina-peters.de (http://www.ina-peters.de)
You will be sure able to post a small collection of pictures you want to apply with somewhere in the web if you don't have a business website. There are services around ... but wait, you made clear that you don't want to apply.
To answer your question, nothing from me is "official", I'm just a contributor. I will surely not post here internal information about clients, sorry.
My guess on why they maybe did not answer all applications timely is that it's still a very small team and when Stocksy got public the interest was overwhelming ... just my 2 cents.
You asked about this other agencies that are requesting portfolio links? Well, imagesource, Getty, stockfood for example - just to name some of them.
Just to give you an impression about earnings: In July I made half of what I made on IS (after the respectful royalty cut for Indies) on Stocksy (Stocksy ca 250 files, IS ca 2500). Good development IMHO for a young agency.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Monty-m-gue on September 03, 2013, 04:46
I joined Stocksy recently and things are very promising there. Up until a few days ago I only had uploaded 2 images. I made a sale within the first week - probably making me as much in one license as I might expect to make in a week with 800 images at iStock. Clearly, earning 50% of a decent license on Stocksy is preferable to earning 15% of a pittance with you-know-who. I've since been out on two shoots especially for Stocksy and I have more planned this week.

There is a very positive buzz amongst the Stockys photographers and this, again, is in total contrast to you-know-who. I love the style of photography that Stocksy and their clients want and I love the business model they have propoed. It reminds me why I came into photography in the first place. I've been re-energised and re-motivated after feeling very jaded with the whole Microstock world.

I have no idea if Stocksy will be a successful, long-term proposition - but I sincerely hope so and I'll be doing what I can to support them.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 04:50
shudderstok: you are true in saying GI and IS are not the nicest agencies to submit to in terms of warm fuzzy feelings.



I'm not talking about warm fuzzy feelings, I'm talking about respect and professionalism. Solving IT problems immediately. That is professionalism in my opinion.

edited for typing
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 03, 2013, 04:58
I would say the bigger issue is that only one person is reporting up to between 6 and 20 sales per month.  That's one person with a max of between $300-1000 per month, it's much more likely that all those sales weren't for the largest size either and this is from a group of people that includes many diamond level contributors.  It's only been 6 months but I would have expected much more than 20 sales per month from a majority of contributors by now.

I think you'll find the contributor base there mostly doesn't participate on forums like this, and those that do aren't likely to report much, due to all the negativity here regarding it.

"If you're interested in being a contributing artist, please reply to this email with a link to your portfolio (500px, flickr, etc) and we might send you an invitation."

What did you want it to say? "We _may_ send you an invitation"?  "We will _consider_"?  It all means the same thing.  You're reading too much into it.
The negativity spawned from the fact that people didnt get any reply back on their submission, and that many people with good portfolios with Stocksy like images, were not accepted and people with typical stock portfolios were. Some things said about the likes of Stocksy were simply not true. The tag line says that Stocksy is not for your typical stock photo, but it is. And the fact that upon rejection or no reply, you had to wait a year to apply again. All that caused some negativity towards Stocksy. I believe Bruce explained that due to a technical error application emails got lost. But that was said in some interview, somewhere, so not a lot of people know about that.

I still would like to apply to Stocky at some point, but its still not clear to me what they want, or if I was rejected in the first place. Since the community wishes to remain silent and only talk in their closed forum, no one will get to know the positive side of Stocksy, also not knowing what sales to expect is an important factor since we are talking about image exclusivity.  Many people say they are pleasantly surprised, but that is such a broad and personal opinion, it has no factual meaning. And in the end sales is most important to anyone in this business.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: bunhill on September 03, 2013, 05:01
If you're interested: [url=http://www.ina-peters.de]www.ina-peters.de[/url] ([url]http://www.ina-peters.de[/url])


Nice work. Your drag racing pictures are especially great. And fun too :)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: bunhill on September 03, 2013, 05:06
The negativity spawned from the fact that people didnt get any reply back on their submission, and that many people with good portfolios with Stocksy like images, were not accepted and people with typical stock portfolios were.

What is a Stocksy-like image ? I keep looking and I see a whole variety of different contemporary styles and approaches. It's undeniably strong work. And likeable.

You don't have to be a part of thing to admire it for what it is. There is a lot which they are doing right. And a lot of hard work and thought has gone into the portfolios.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 03, 2013, 05:09
The negativity spawned from the fact that people didnt get any reply back on their submission, and that many people with good portfolios with Stocksy like images, were not accepted and people with typical stock portfolios were.

What is a Stocksy-like image ? I keep looking and I see a whole variety of different contemporary styles and approaches. It's undeniably strong work. And likeable.

You don't have to be a part of thing to admire it for what it is. There is a lot which they are doing right. And a lot of hard work and thought has gone into the portfolios.
I do like the work on Stocksy, no doubt.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 05:14
Thank you bhr :)
What gets accepted is a question most of us are figuring out at the moment. There are a lot of rejections - on some themes more than on others. I made recently a little serie for Stocksy that I considered "highly artistic" (LOL). All got rejected for beeing "too staged". That's life. They are looking for natural images, whatever that means. Real people doing real things (in terms of people shots). No "toothy smiles" towards the camera of people that look like being dressed in a costume ...
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: bunhill on September 03, 2013, 05:16
Do you think that at some point they will also be looking for a distribution deal for the collection as a whole ?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 05:23
I don't know. Haven't heard of any plans in this direction yet. Only Bruce knows.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 03, 2013, 05:25
stocksy definitely has some great work. for now i will wait it out. things are working well for me at GI and IS. i don't like the corporate culture at GI at all, if anything they totally miss the mark on contributor relations, but i am not submitting for the social aspect of being with an agency, i am there for the money. if things eventually turn south over at GI and IS and i feel i have hit a tipping point in royalties, i will look at stocksy more seriously, however for the time being it would be financial suicide to do so. i have made my comfort level in royalty rate with the current RC in place, and will hang out as long as i retain that rate, but if for whatever reason i drop a level, that will be the tipping point.

anyway, may we all prosper and have financial success for our craft, regardless of where we choose to submit too. i love good photography.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gostwyck on September 03, 2013, 05:30
Only Bruce knows.

That sounds awful.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: cobalt on September 03, 2013, 05:31
There is more than just stocksy out there. If you decide to be independent there are many smaller more specialized agencies that you can work with (if they accept you). They also distribute to Getty, but also many of the other macro sites, including offset. They also (supposedly) take a larger amount of the files you send them because the agencies pick and choose whatever they want, but as a whole more files from a series can be accepted by them initially.

And of course they sell direct,Rf and RM.

They are only image or series exclusive. You can still send files to micros if you want to, work with stock food directly for food pictures etc...and of course you can sell direct.

So you donīt have to give up selling via Getty if this is what you want, but you get added exposure to other parts of the market as well.

I understand it is very comfortable to be exclusive with istock. I did it for years.

But if you are independent your choices are not limited to selling files for 30 cents.

And you can supply any kind of style as well. There is a lot of my work that will not fit into stocksy but I know it can be sold for higher prices,so I can send it to where I think it will sell best.

However, the micros, including the subscription sites and especially SS and Fotolia, will probably be the most reliable money maker,so I will always be sending content to the high volume market as well.

It will take me two years to get the experience what sells where, but I no longer have to worry if getty/istock are going up or down. If they succeed - good for me, I get sales. If they drop - not a problem for me, Iīll make money elsewhere.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Silberkorn on September 03, 2013, 05:33
Only Bruce knows.

That sounds awful.

Really? Wasn't meant to do so.  :P
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 03, 2013, 05:44
My experience with applying to smaller agencies (that are highly selective in who they accept) is that they anyway do a google search for your name and  look at your website and whatever else can be found online. In addition to whatever you sent in as application images.
Oh well, I'm screwed.
As well as Flickr, I have photos I've taken for all sorts of events which were never intended to be 'stock'; I did a charity event in the evening/at night where they were very adamant that the pictures had to be unposed/unlit, and the rain was so bad my 5d2 packed up and luckily I had my 40D to carry on. Another charity even which was partly outside on a very sunny afternoon and partly inside a very dark building which they didn't want lit as they wanted to keep the atmosphere. And just all sorts of things that I've done for various purposes (field trips by a local RSPB group etc) which I wouldn't like to be judged on for acceptance to a stock library.
My website was made for a very specific purpose back in the days of dialup, full of scanned slides crunched right down to about 40Kb, and I've never had reason to update it (and it's useful for throwing images up onto that I want advice on or to link to here and other places). My (new) blog is just a record in a total beginner gardener taking down a badly neglected garden and building it up from scratch. It makes no pretences at being anything else - one of my gardening challenges is it's very light-limited.
Pity there's no place for personal fun on the web without being judged on it or having to lock it from just about anybody's eyes. H*ck, I went out for lunch with two friends and we took each other's photos on our phones and put them on Facebook, just for fun, no lighting, no posing, no fussing with our clothes/hair/makeup. I wouldn't dream of sending these to an agency - why should I be judged on them? I don't do 'people' stock, so all of these photos I've mentioned would be totally irrelevant to any application.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: cobalt on September 03, 2013, 05:48
I donīt think that would be a problem Sue. i have all kinds of horrible old pictures flying around the internet. Editors are certainly able to distinguish between professional work and old files,or family events. they have them out there as well.

Google background searches are just part of life these days. Any company you apply to will do them.

And with stocksy chances are the files with "bad" lighting, harsh shadows and awkward poses, will have just the authenticity that they like. I really wouldnīt worry about it.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: travelwitness on September 03, 2013, 07:36
why not share this promising growth with stocksy

My partner hit + $700 in July with just over 100 images in her portfolio.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 03, 2013, 07:56
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: travelwitness on September 03, 2013, 08:05
Yep there was an EL sale in there.

There's been quite a few EL purchases reported on the forums, which suggests bigger clients are starting to appear.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 03, 2013, 08:07
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on September 03, 2013, 08:23
...asking to send a link to see your portfolio on any competitors site is just plain rubbish and quite frankly amateur in scope. in fact i know of no other agency that has ever requested to see your portfolio on the competitors site to see if they 'might' invite you...

When and where did Stocksy ask this? I only ever saw the request for a link to a portfolio not specifically an agency one (flickr, 500px, etc).

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: travelwitness on September 03, 2013, 08:33
...asking to send a link to see your portfolio on any competitors site is just plain rubbish and quite frankly amateur in scope. in fact i know of no other agency that has ever requested to see your portfolio on the competitors site to see if they 'might' invite you...

When and where did Stocksy ask this? I only ever saw the request for a link to a portfolio not specifically an agency one (flickr, 500px, etc).

They don't as far as I know, me and my partner sent links to our personal Photoshelter sites. There are photographers there who have never sold stock images before, I've no idea where this has come from?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: lisafx on September 03, 2013, 10:54
I continue to be hesitant to submit there.  My word continues to be pretty standard, boiler-plate stock.  Not sure it is the right fit for Stocksy. 

The exclusivity thing is a roadblock for me.  I tend to cram a lot of concepts into each model shoot.  That means a couple of hundred usable images.  If one from a series is accepted at Stocksy, then that means the rest of the series can't be submitted anywhere else. 

For people that shoot a lot of unique individual images it seems like a good fit, but for me, shooting hundreds of images per session, I can't wrap my brain around sending 95% of my usable images per shoot to the scrap heap if one or two of them are accepted to Stocksy. 
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 03, 2013, 11:02
You can always withdraw the accepted images and submit elsewhere if you don't like how things work out.

"Series" would mean same people, clothing, place and theme.  If you change clothing and location during a shoot, so that it appears to be separate from the first part, you should be fine.  But you can ask Rob S. or Nuno S. for specifics if you have a detailed plan.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: cobalt on September 03, 2013, 11:06
I would also recommend to either talk to Nuno or Rob before a shoot or just send them a link with all the files from the shoot and discuss with them what is and what isnīt suitable for stocksy.

That is the real advantage of being part of a small group - direct interaction.

They are not trying to get in your way. You just have to find a workflow that works for both stocksy and your regular work.

It is the same routine if you want to send a series to Getty House or exclusively to Dreamstime,Fotolia or Westend61.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: nuno on September 03, 2013, 11:35
I don't check these forums very often, but I did want to say that it wasn't arrogance that prevented us from replying to everyone.  It was a technical failure on our part.  It's something we've apologized for in the past (in Facebook, over emails, etc.). We didn't have a mechanism to reply to the amount of portfolios we initially received. We've corrected that and now send emails after a Call to Artist submission or Application is reviewed.  It was a stupid mistake on our part and was not intentional.  We fixed it as soon as we could.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: focus40 on September 03, 2013, 11:42
I’m still hopeful about Stocksy. I’m glad to hear that there has been growth over the last 5 months. I like the positive attitude coming from the few who have posted here. After leaving iStock and now testing the waters with a personal site, I would be very interested in sending my best work to Stocksy. Gives me a solid reason to stay in this business and justify the time spent on new projects. It’s also a no brainer for me as I am not actively involved with other sites at the moment and I like the idea of image exclusivity. Trying to make some long-term decisions. Thanks for sharing your experiences so far.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: BrianM on September 03, 2013, 15:36
For me, solid sales trend growth over the 5 continuous months I've had sales at Stocksy. Also, my August was almost double my June, with no ELs yet. I'm starting to regularly have better sales days on Stocksy than iStock and I have every expectation that trend will continue and accelerate.

There is so much to like about Stocksy, but many people won't know the great vibe first hand yet. Among a few of my favorite things are the personal touches including direct access to editors if needed and incredibly responsive (like superhuman) technical support. You absolutely feel like a partner with the focus on customer's and contributor's experience, making the site and the business optimal for both. It's entirely 180 to the way things felt at the other place, as if you were expendable, even a resource to be strip mined.

The vibe in the forums is extremely positive, a lot of people encouraging and helping each other.

When Stocksy offers discounts, it doesn't come out of contributor's commission. Also, contributors keep 100% of ELs. Crazy, right?! Things like that really make you feel valued. I hope Stocksy's growth continues on the path it's on, not just for co-op owner/member/contributors, but also to reinforce the idea that businesses can thrive and take good care of their partners at the same time.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sunnygirl on September 04, 2013, 05:24
I don't check these forums very often, but I did want to say that it wasn't arrogance that prevented us from replying to everyone.  It was a technical failure on our part.  It's something we've apologized for in the past (in Facebook, over emails, etc.). We didn't have a mechanism to reply to the amount of portfolios we initially received. We've corrected that and now send emails after a Call to Artist submission or Application is reviewed.  It was a stupid mistake on our part and was not intentional.  We fixed it as soon as we could.

Does that mean that all of the applicants will get the response now, be it positive or negative?

For people that recently got involved with Stocksy, how many days did you wait for them to call?

I agree with everyone who said that it's not just about being accepted or rejected - I'd still have to think very carefully about breaking the exclusivity with iS and Getty. But I do want to know whether I'm in or out. I like almost everything about Stocksy so far and looks very promising! Keeping the fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jjneff on September 04, 2013, 05:37
It is great to hear that Stocksy is growing! Even if I am not there now it gives me something to work towards! I really hope Stocksy blows all the others out of the water because they treat the artist fair. So happy to hear some good news from them!
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: nuno on September 04, 2013, 09:04
Yes, everyone gets a reply regardless if it's a yes or a no.

It could take a few weeks though.  Generally, we do it in waves though when we can dedicate enough time to the task (and have the bandwidth to accept new members).
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: lisafx on September 04, 2013, 11:10
You can always withdraw the accepted images and submit elsewhere if you don't like how things work out.

"Series" would mean same people, clothing, place and theme.  If you change clothing and location during a shoot, so that it appears to be separate from the first part, you should be fine.  But you can ask Rob S. or Nuno S. for specifics if you have a detailed plan.

Thanks for the detailed reply.  Everything about them does sound really positive.  I will need to come up with a different workflow and shooting style for Stocksy submissions.  I just don't see anything I currently shoot as being a good fit there. 

OTOH don't want to get left behind in the microstock soup when there is such an appealing life-raft floating by ;)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mantis on September 04, 2013, 14:52
I think they might have helped their own PR if they'd bothered to reply to people who applied, even if it was a polite 'no thanks'.
Looking arrogant and lazy is normally the prerogative of big established players, not newcomers hoping to create a positive buzz.

they lost me right at the beginning due to what you mentioned above, mainly the arrogance. send us your link to your successful folio on another site and we 'might' invite you.

now why in gods name would i send you a link from another site so that you can 'might' scoop me from them. a real class act i'd say. tacky tacky tacky.

then when i sent in an email in reply to the email they sent me, with some very solid questions, i think it was the total lack of reply and professional courtesy in doing so that made me decide i 'might' won't be putting anything with them.

honestly, the arrogance and lack of reply is what i'd expect from the very agency they were trying to scoop me from.

no thanks.

I am still trying to remain positive about Stocksy but you are right in that I never heard a thing back from them regarding my port.  I don't have anything they'd want anyway except maybe my underwater work.  I am sure they had a frickin flood of applicants and were overwhelmed with contributors desperately looking for a new and successful way to sell their images.  But they should have know and prepared for that flood. Other than never hearing a peep back from them, they still have the right to accept or reject whatever they want.  But leaving the "criteria" floating in the fog will not help build their collection.  It will impede their ability to grow the collection, to offer clients more variety and fresh new material in the volume needed to become a player in the game of stock. 
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sunnygirl on September 04, 2013, 18:57
Thanks Nuno, glad to hear that!

Even though the criteria is currently unknown and many of those things are floating in the air, it is possible that Stocksy themselves are still searching for the exact look and variation they need, so they cannot say "we want this and need that".

However, they are one of the few stock site where you almost cannot see any junk. All other sites are plagued with junk stock photographs and it's beyond me why they keep accepting those kind of images in the first place. It's like they are shooting themselves in the foot.
No one will buy badly staged and produced photographs, it's a waste of space, buyer's time and a search engine. What's worse, prolific junk shooters are readily accepted and constantly plague newest images mode of the search engine.

So, I'm glad that Stocksy are the pioneers of a thoughtful stock selection, and I guess the designers will slowly begin to appreciate that.  It is true that over time, Stocksy may need less artsy images of some "boring" subjects (fruits on the white background anyone?). However, they can also say - hell, the clients can get those kind of images on all other sites and google... we'll focus on more unique things.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: fritz on September 04, 2013, 19:37
Thanks Nuno, glad to hear that!

Even though the criteria is currently unknown and many of those things are floating in the air, it is possible that Stocksy themselves are still searching for the exact look and variation they need, so they cannot say "we want this and need that".

However, they are one of the few stock site where you almost cannot see any junk. All other sites are plagued with junk stock photographs and it's beyond me why they keep accepting those kind of images in the first place. It's like they are shooting themselves in the foot.
No one will buy badly staged and produced photographs, it's a waste of space, buyer's time and a search engine. What's worse, prolific junk shooters are readily accepted and constantly plague newest images mode of the search engine.

So, I'm glad that Stocksy are the pioneers of a thoughtful stock selection, and I guess the designers will slowly begin to appreciate that.  It is true that over time, Stocksy may need less artsy images of some "boring" subjects (fruits on the white background anyone?). However, they can also say - hell, the clients can get those kind of images on all other sites and google... we'll focus on more unique things.
Well, I did search for "support" but I wasn't impressed with the result. Actually most of the files look to me like a snapshoots ;D.  Sorry, but  out of 265 results  I see a lot of wrong balance, bad composition .......
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 04, 2013, 19:45
What I see for 'support' is a lot of stuff in iStock/general micro style.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: shudderstok on September 05, 2013, 03:02

So, I'm glad that Stocksy are the pioneers of a thoughtful stock selection, and I guess the designers will slowly begin to appreciate that.  It is true that over time, Stocksy may need less artsy images of some "boring" subjects (fruits on the white background anyone?). However, they can also say - hell, the clients can get those kind of images on all other sites and google... we'll focus on more unique things.

they are? from all the hundreds if not thousands of agencies out there before stocksy i'd say they are more or less doing what was normal before microstock came along and allowed every photograph taken to be accepted. it's a concept the micro crowd does not understand with 89% acceptance rate. its called rejection 90% of the time, editing accepting 10% of the work submitted.

i think the premiere agency that really got into it was before GI even existed. not sure if you have ever heard of Tony Stone Images, now called Stone. They also got bought out by GI. all agencies used to edit tight, but i seem to recall it was Tony Stone Images that were really  'contemporary' and had a style that most other agencies did not have.

in fact, i used to contribute to TSI and joke with my TIB friends about how boring the images were at TIB and that TSI was fresh (these silly conversations do stand the test of time, just look at GI,Stocksy,IS,SS et al.) yet we were all shooting for the best agencies around at the time, and sadly we all got bought out by GI.

i think all Stocksy is trying to do is back up the truck a bit to when there was a moral standard in the industry. 50% royalties; quality tight editing procedures; knowing your editor; etc. i find it strange however this comes from the people who also brought down the industry with the intro of microstock namely IS, sh!tty pricing on images, lowering royalty rates to 20% and taking every image ever shot if it had a pixel in it regardless of quality. sort of ironic don't you think?

still though, it is a move in the right direction, and i applaud this new effort. but i really don't think they are the premiere agency to be concerned about quality and stock selection, they are simply going old school in terms of what it used to be. i think a few of the founding photographers are also from the days of Tony Stone Images, at least i think so cause i see a few names from those days with Stocksy, and have heard that a few GI photographers also got in early, so i am guessing it is them.

@NUNO thanks for acknowledging that Stocksy more or less screwed up or whatever, that certainly corrects the arrogance issues i've had and others too, it puts it into a new light. it was an oooopppssss.

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: topol on September 05, 2013, 04:25


... what was normal before microstock came along and allowed every photograph taken to be accepted. it's a concept the micro crowd does not understand with 89% acceptance rate. its called rejection 90% of the time, editing accepting 10% of the work submitted.

i think the premiere agency that really got into it was before GI even existed. not sure if you have ever heard of Tony Stone Images, now called Stone. They also got bought out by GI. all agencies used to edit tight, but i seem to recall it was Tony Stone Images that were really  'contemporary' and had a style that most other agencies did not have...


Thats bs. A micro sites actually became extremely picky after just a few years, both on subject matter and especially on technical quality. They don't seem to care about aesthetics, which bothers me too, but that doesn't mean they are  not very-very-very picky. As for stone and other old getty cr*p, we were buying images for them for years, and boy were they a disappointment 'bout 50% of the time. We were getting pisspoor quality unusable junk from them all time... and that's really bad when you got a tight deadline and it's 24-48 hours for some kind of a replacement. Theye were (and still are) selling lame slide snapshot that only look ok as a print thumbnail, and they were also loaded with lame ugly shots, just like now. (like that infamous on-camera-flas toilet shot in one of istock collections). I remember sitting in front of the comp in cold sweat after receiving some discolored OOF ultragrainy junk that wouldn't even work at desktop size, while the deadline for a shiny full page ad was next morning with the printing shop on hold waiting for me... so plz.. keep your fairytales for granma'
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gillian vann on September 07, 2013, 18:52
Stocksy has become my #2 or #3 agency very quickly. I've slowed down uploading to the others as most of my lifestyle stuff works well for Stocksy.  I've got just over a 100 files on Stocksy, compared to 400-500 on the others.  There is an almost family-like atmosphere over there, and I've even emailed a few members and given them keywords they've missed off their files, and I've had a member email me and point out an error in my description. That's pretty scary stuff to do but it's what friends do for each other, right? That's how it feels over there.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: luissantos84 on September 07, 2013, 19:11
just dropped a tear ;D
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Allsa on September 07, 2013, 21:32
Does Stocksy plan on including illustrations at some point?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 08, 2013, 02:41
.  There is an almost family-like atmosphere over there, and I've even emailed a few members and given them keywords they've missed off their files, and I've had a member email me and point out an error in my description. That's pretty scary stuff to do but it's what friends do for each other, right? That's how it feels over there.
That's how it was on iS, back in the day, before they made us all rivals.
(I have good long-term memory.)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tab62 on September 08, 2013, 10:34
Everyone keeps asking - "Where is Stocksy?"

Here they are-

http://www.stocksy.com/?gclid=CMj15euPvLkCFQxyQgod6VoAYg (http://www.stocksy.com/?gclid=CMj15euPvLkCFQxyQgod6VoAYg)



 ;D
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: pro@stockphotos on September 08, 2013, 10:40
Expectations were very high based on the previous IS success.  It seems the under current of IS promoting of the "artsy" stock shooter and ignoring the guy that sells 500,000 "too stocky" images has reared its ugly head.  A lot of the images look the same to me.  It's like the kids school who don't fit all look the same while  laughing at the popular kids for looking the same. 

Read the founding story.  A guy wants to sell fine art online, but can't,  then ends up with a stock site and I guess he never wanted as a commercially geared site.   Seams like timing was everything in 1999.   Now, its a much harder.   

I just wonder if they launched Istock part II would it slay the getty monster again.  Not a lot of happy contributors out there.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on September 08, 2013, 18:21
Does Stocksy plan on including illustrations at some point?

At the original launch, yes, it was discussed that vector illustrations would be included at some point. But at that time I was told it would just take a few months, which have long since come and gone and no word yet.

I also noticed recently that some raster versions of vectors that were previously on the site (mostly stuff from simonox) are now gone. No idea if that's related, but I'm wondering if it's a sign that maybe Stocksy is scrapping plans for any sort of illustration offering.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gillian vann on September 08, 2013, 19:43
just dropped a tear ;D

! LOL
I know how it sounds, and yes, sometimes it's a bit too happy clappy, but then I can come here and have arguments with almost anyone and balance is restored. :)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: luissantos84 on September 08, 2013, 19:51
just dropped a tear ;D

! LOL
I know how it sounds, and yes, sometimes it's a bit too happy clappy, but then I can come here and have arguments with almost anyone and balance is restored. :)

Stocksy being your 2nd or 3rd best agency I understand (for real), believe I would be delighted as well just wouldn't express it so romantically ;D
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gillian vann on September 08, 2013, 19:56

Stocksy being your 2nd or 3rd best agency I understand (for real), believe I would be delighted as well just wouldn't express it so romantically ;D

yes, I suppose, or maybe you'd be so high on the love over there you would change the way you think, and be inspired and grateful to be part of the community... and end up a bit romantic about it :)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: luissantos84 on September 08, 2013, 20:05

Stocksy being your 2nd or 3rd best agency I understand (for real), believe I would be delighted as well just wouldn't express it so romantically ;D

yes, I suppose, or maybe you'd be so high on the love over there you would change the way you think, and be inspired and grateful to be part of the community... and end up a bit romantic about it :)

ahah now you are reminding me of "come and dine with me" lol on today's episode there was a really tough woman that was a football supporter but in the end she couldn't stopped crying when the party hostess got a singer playing a romantic song for her and other invited ;D
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: BrianM on September 16, 2013, 14:18
This is only one member's data, so take with a grain of salt. But here it is:

In the first week of September, my Stocksy earnings were much better than my iStock earnings. I wondered if the trend would hold true for whole month. We are only at the half way point, but I take my iStock earnings on the 16th and 1st day of the month. As I made my withdraw today, I checked my Stocksy stats: still besting iStock earnings handily.

I continue to be impressed by Stocksy's growth. Also feel this ought to be (although probably won't) a sign to other firms in this space. Not to try and imitate, but to mind the fundamentals -- fair royalties, care for suppliers, and honest dealing with buyers.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: mlwinphoto on September 16, 2013, 15:20
This is only one member's data, so take with a grain of salt. But here it is:

In the first week of September, my Stocksy earnings were much better than my iStock earnings. I wondered if the trend would hold true for whole month. We are only at the half way point, but I take my iStock earnings on the 16th and 1st day of the month. As I made my withdraw today, I checked my Stocksy stats: still besting iStock earnings handily.

I continue to be impressed by Stocksy's growth. Also feel this ought to be (although probably won't) a sign to other firms in this space. Not to try and imitate, but to mind the fundamentals -- fair royalties, care for suppliers, and honest dealing with buyers.

Good to read posts like this.  Hopefully Stocksy will continue to grow, Macrografiks will do the same, and the likes of iStock will recognize that their current approach in how they deal with buyers and contributors is counterproductive to their long term growth (and survival).
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 16, 2013, 15:26
.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: mlwinphoto on September 16, 2013, 15:55
This is only one member's data, so take with a grain of salt. But here it is:

In the first week of September, my Stocksy earnings were much better than my iStock earnings. I wondered if the trend would hold true for whole month. We are only at the half way point, but I take my iStock earnings on the 16th and 1st day of the month. As I made my withdraw today, I checked my Stocksy stats: still besting iStock earnings handily.

I continue to be impressed by Stocksy's growth. Also feel this ought to be (although probably won't) a sign to other firms in this space. Not to try and imitate, but to mind the fundamentals -- fair royalties, care for suppliers, and honest dealing with buyers.

Good to read posts like this.  Hopefully Stocksy will continue to grow, Macrografiks will do the same, and the likes of iStock will recognize that their current approach in how they deal with buyers and contributors is counterproductive to their long term growth (and survival).
I think he's comparing Stocksy income to non-exclusive Istock income which is 10-20% of exclusive Istock income (roughly), it would need to be at least 5-10x more to make up the difference wouldn't it?

Re-read what I wrote....."Hopefully Stocksy will continue to grow....".  I didn't say they were 'there' yet.  Stocksy is doing better for him than iStock is, period.  Besides, money isn't everything, right?
You must cringe when you read anything positive about an agency other than iStock.  Why not just accept that there are some alternatives out there that others may find more enjoyable/plausible/productive....
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 16, 2013, 16:03
.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ranplett on September 16, 2013, 16:05
Quote
Besides, money isn't everything, right?

Hah!

The thing that gets me all gushy inside is that there is a sense of excitement and a sense of potential that many of us experienced 8 - 10 years ago with iStock. That is the kind of energy that will push photographers to new heights, and the same energy that GI head office thinks they need to suppress.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: mlwinphoto on September 16, 2013, 16:14
Re-read what I wrote....."Hopefully Stocksy will continue to grow....".  I didn't say they were 'there' yet.  Stocksy is doing better for him than iStock is, period.  Besides, money isn't everything, right?
You must cringe when you read anything positive about an agency other than iStock.  Why not just accept that there are some alternatives out there that others may find more enjoyable/plausible/productive....
I guess that's where we differ, the money is the main thing.  Everything else is secondary.  I'm happy to see people doing well but if I was to drop exclusivity to join Stocksy I would want much more than 2x my non exclusive Istock income.  It's no where near worth it with those returns, Stocksy is exclusive and those images would probably be the best I was producing.   I can accept that some people find alternatives that are "enjoyable/plausible/productive" but for me if the money is less then it's not for me.

Don't forget that Stocksy launched a mere 6 months ago.  For it to be producing beyond what iStock is doing for a nonexclusive, in that short period of time, is pretty * good.  If they continue to grow, as I certainly hope they do, perhaps it won't be too long before they are producing beyond what an iStock exclusive can expect.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 16, 2013, 16:19
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 16, 2013, 16:26
Don't forget that Stocksy launched a mere 6 months ago.  For it to be producing beyond what iStock is doing for a nonexclusive, in that short period of time, is pretty * good.  If they continue to grow, as I certainly hope they do, perhaps it won't be too long before they are producing beyond what an iStock exclusive can expect.
Indeed; but it could also be at least partly reflective of how badly iS has been doing for many (not all) of us over the past year.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: BrianM on September 16, 2013, 16:29
That's right about launching just six months ago MLwinphoto :)

And Tick, here's context: you are correct that Stocksy is outperforming my non-exclusive iStock earnings this month. It's the truest comparison I can make. It would be a wild guess trying to estimate what my IS exclusive earnings might look like now. However, and here's the real kicker, my earnings growth at Stocksy is happening with a portfolio that's 1/10 the size of my port at iStock! In terms of RPI/month, Stocksy is already besting my best ever exclusive months at iStock.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 16, 2013, 16:39
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Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ranplett on September 16, 2013, 20:17
However, and here's the real kicker, my earnings growth at Stocksy is happening with a portfolio that's 1/10 the size of my port at iStock! In terms of RPI/month, Stocksy is already besting my best ever exclusive months at iStock.

That's good news Brian. How many photos do you think you would need based on that RPI to match estimated iS earnings if you were still exclusive? I know it's tough to gauge.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on September 16, 2013, 22:33
I guess that's where we differ, the money is the main thing.  Everything else is secondary...

On this small point, we agree.

Except that for me the money leads me to non-exclusivity.

But in the end, yeah, it's all about the money. Gotta pay the bills, and the bank doesn't accept warm and fuzzy feelings as payment.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: BrianM on September 17, 2013, 13:36

That's good news Brian. How many photos do you think you would need based on that RPI to match estimated iS earnings if you were still exclusive? I know it's tough to gauge.

Tough to gage Randy, because RPI is growing steadily from month to month, and I expect that trend to continue for quite some time as news of Stocksy spreads to more designers. The ones I meet love it when they see the photos and most haven't heard of it yet so I get the sense there is a big market and they're going to be loyal customers when they discover Stocksy.

Best estimate: I need to somewhere between double and quadruple my current Stocksy port to for it's income to exceed my best IS exclusive earnings. That would be 1/2 the size of my IS port at it's peak. That's very doable because Sean already has well more than that up.

For sheer income, in the short term, stay with IS if you are treated well or feel comfortable there. It was crushing my sole  ;)   so I made my choice early and I would guess in the medium term, let's say 3-9 months out, I should be earning more than I was as an exclusive. Best of all, it's not artist exclusive, so I can have additional revenue from SS or Symbio, etc. My battle for prioritizing time is always between local commercial, local clients, and stock. But within the stock category, hands down, and very easy decision, priority goes to Stocksy.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 17, 2013, 13:38
But within the stock category, hands down, and very easy decision, priority goes to Stocksy.

Yep, since I am only on DP, Pond, Photoshelter and GL, the obvious choice for effort goes to Stocksy, which beats them all combined by about 1000%.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: focus40 on September 17, 2013, 19:16

For sheer income, in the short term, stay with IS if you are treated well or feel comfortable there. It was crushing my sole  ;)  so I made my choice early and I would guess in the medium term, let's say 3-9 months out, I should be earning more than I was as an exclusive. Best of all, it's not artist exclusive, so I can have additional revenue from SS or Symbio, etc. My battle for prioritizing time is always between local commercial, local clients, and stock. But within the stock category, hands down, and very easy decision, priority goes to Stocksy.

Your statement sums up my feelings perfectly: "It was crushing my sole  ;)."

Glad to hear Stocksy is progressing at a steady pace. Gives the rest of us some hope that there are opportunities outside of iStock exclusive.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 18, 2013, 01:17
I have a folder on my harddisk called "Stocksy", I thought I would prepare an application, since I like the concept.

But. I have a problem.
The problem is that I dont know what pictures to put into it.
I really dont. I took a look on Stocksy 5 min ago, and it was still the same: I cannot see any style, or any trend that makes an image qualify.
What I do see is images that break rules. No respect for the golden section, no respect for white balance and no respect for exposure.
So I ask myself, do they want pictures that break rules? Like cut in halves people standing in awkward positions in the middle of the frame?
Then I check my area of expertise: pictures of butterflies. And the search of "butterflies" brings foreward the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time.

It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mellimage on September 18, 2013, 04:30

It leaves me bewildered and worried.

your comment does the same to me - it's as if you are looking at a completely different site.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 18, 2013, 04:50

It leaves me bewildered and worried.

your comment does the same to me - it's as if you are looking at a completely different site.
Did you do a search on 'butterfly'?
If so, and you don't understand his comments, there is a different set of images being shown if you're not logged in.

However, certainly the butterflies there don't have any normal 'stock' aesthetic or quality, which is as advertised. Unlike the long-lasting front page images which all look like normal 'stock'.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mellimage on September 18, 2013, 04:57
I see the same images logged in and logged out. And I see creative use of filters, but definitely not the *the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time.* That remark was one of the worst insults to the artists. Sorry, my very humble opinion.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 18, 2013, 05:18
I see the same images logged in and logged out. And I see creative use of filters, but definitely not the *the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time.* That remark was one of the worst insults to the artists. Sorry, my very humble opinion.
How do you know what he 'has seen in a long time'?

I've posted already that I think I must be seeing different images on Stocksy (in my personal-interest searches) than others, who rave here about the super-high quality and aesthetic.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 18, 2013, 06:03
I think I have better clarify:

There are a few decent shots among the stocksy butterfly images, but no good ones and certainly no outstanding. The bulk is utter rubbish. Easy snapshots taken by people with a very poor knowledge of nature and camera technique.

That is from a naturephotographer point of view, and yes, it might insult the artists, or not. They might know themselves.
However, the pictures are claimed to be special, and artistic and have value for  the customer.
They might have, they might be different, and being different is maybe what stocksy sells.

But it confuses me.
Should I throw out my gear and use a point and shoot instead? should I take random snapshots? Should I apply degrading colour filters? What about my knowledge about the subjects, is it useless? Does stocksy want amateur pictures and not quality. Im used to believing that quality and value has something to do with eachother.


Stocksys artistic view is unclear to me.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 18, 2013, 06:15
I'm reasonably sure that what Stocksy really wants is lifestyle shots. It's not my personal area of interest, so I've only clicked some links from msg. Generally what I see thereby is more-or-less what I see everywhere else.
Specialist butterfly buyers presumably buy at specialist agencies, though what I see in natural history publications is often words-and-images packages.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 18, 2013, 06:15
It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?

I guess it isn't for you then.  We've already done the "I don't see a style" thing and all.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: travelwitness on September 18, 2013, 06:17
If you have an amazing collection of butterfly (or nature) images and see a gap in the Stocksy collection, apply and upload them. Surely that's an opportunity for your niche, not a problem.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 18, 2013, 06:22
If you have an amazing collection of butterfly (or nature) images and see a gap in the Stocksy collection, apply and upload them. Surely that's an opportunity for your niche, not a problem.
Not necessarily.
As images have to be Stocksy-exclusive, he'd need to ask himself whether the images would be likely to sell from there or from other agencies.
By that, he needs to consider the Stocksy aesthetic, and who they're marketing to.
If they're not marketing to his target market, he'd be losing the oppportunity for sales.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 18, 2013, 06:41
It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?

I guess it isn't for you then.  We've already done the "I don't see a style" thing and all.
Maybe we have done it before, but I still cannot see it, and I hope someone can explain to me what I should put into my "Stocksy" folder.

And as for exclusive butterfly pictures, I have tens of thousands butterfly pictures, Im sure I can find some that have not been uploaded elsewhere.
IF I only knew which.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: travelwitness on September 18, 2013, 06:43
And as for exclusive butterfly pictures, I have tens of thousands butterfly pictures, Im sure I can find some that have not been uploaded elsewhere.
IF I only knew which.

The ones that make you want to stroke the computer screen :-)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 18, 2013, 06:55
It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?

I guess it isn't for you then.  We've already done the "I don't see a style" thing and all.
Maybe we have done it before, but I still cannot see it, and I hope someone can explain to me what I should put into my "Stocksy" folder.
Nonononono.
Submitting to Stocksy is Photographic Manoeuvres in the Dark.
It's an esoteric initiation for the Chosen Few.
(BTW, before anyone bothers to comment, this is neither jealousy nor bitterness. I haven't submitted, far less been rejected. Like Jens searching 'butterfly', I searched 'Scotland' and didn't 'get it'.)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mellimage on September 18, 2013, 07:06
For me, it is much less "Photographic Manoeuvres in the Dark" (love this 80s band reference hidden here). Gut feeling tells me a stocksy shot when i see it. (Of course, whether it sells later on is completely different matter).
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mantis on September 18, 2013, 07:28
For me, it is much less "Photographic Manoeuvres in the Dark" (love this 80s band reference hidden here). Gut feeling tells me a stocksy shot when i see it. (Of course, whether it sells later on is completely different matter).

What's confusing is if you look at your port (quite nice, by the way) there is a ton of stock level, staged images with studio lighting. Much of your port using "similars logic" can be found on the micros.  That is why the "formula for stocksy acceptance" is always discussed because there is no logic.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Mellimage on September 18, 2013, 07:38
but it is how my port fits into the overall collection - and how the overall collection looks that sets stocksy's collection appart. you will have similar images on micros, but in the sea of images they will disappear, while the images pop out much more in the stocksy collection - and the stocksy collection overall is edited with a creative vision in mind. If i see the latest page, i am always amazed, how, in style, the images flow and work together.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 18, 2013, 11:54
Whatever is being said, I find it confusing as well. There are typical clean stock images, staged, happy, smiley, people and there are very artistic instragram weird focus angle filter slap on images. Its a nice collection for sure, but its hard to figure out what you need to submit, what Stocksy wants to see.

Even the message slogan on the home page is confusion, its says stocksy is not for your typical staged stock image, yet they do have typical stock images.

Confusing.

Problem is, you cant show examples, because leaf will delete examples.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sedge on September 18, 2013, 14:42
I think that ShadySue is correct when she says that Stocksy is primarily a lifestyle site.  When I do a search for "Landscapes" or "Seascapes" what I mostly see are flat and washed-out images; kind of reminds me of depressing Soviet era architecture.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 18, 2013, 14:46
I think that ShadySue is correct when she says that Stocksy is primarily a lifestyle site.  When I do a search for "Landscapes" or "Seascapes" what I mostly see are flat and washed-out images; kind of reminds me of depressing Soviet era architecture.

There are plenty of beautiful landscape, animal, insect, food and everything else images as much as there are people images.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 18, 2013, 14:48
.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 18, 2013, 14:54
there are a lot of Stocksy contributors here that would probably be able to give you some direction.

I wouldn't dare any more ! ;)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: tickstock on September 18, 2013, 14:56
.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on September 18, 2013, 15:25

Why does anyone think there should be some sort of blueprint for how to get into Stocksy? Wouldn't that just defeat the purpose of a starting a new stock company under the premise of offering a more artistically diverse range of images?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: cobalt on September 18, 2013, 15:35
The contributor community is looking for a safe plattform to sell their content with a team of people that can be trusted longterm. It is perfectly understandable that people are looking for clear guidelines on how to get in.

It is not about joining a fancy not for profit art project. People are looking for a reliable way to sell their work to feed their families.

Bruce himself advertised stocksy as the "new hope" for the community. After all that happened this year and the last years with istock thousands of people are ready to support an artist friendly plattform.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: VB inc on September 18, 2013, 20:43
Why is it that some people assume that there is some sort of criteria or a look for stocksy? I think with photography, you really train your eye as well as other things... and that takes time. It's different with everyone on how fast they learn or get better with their trade. Might be that some cant see what is clearer to others.

As a young artist, i was never fully satisfied with my work. I knew something was off but couldn't really nail it down. Only when I got better with experience could i clearly see what the issues were. The same thing happened with type. The more designs i did, i started paying more attention to the font face or the kernings so it stuck out like a sore thumb if the kernings were too tight.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gillian vann on September 18, 2013, 21:34
I like the bending of the rules at Stocksy. How many times have you groaned at the "poor composition/poor lighting" rejection and thought it was rubbish? I like that the food shots cover such a wide spectrum (although there's nothing on pure white you'll notice), and are in general, amazing.

yes, there is a whole world of crazy stuff there too, stuff I don't get at all, and stuff I am inspired and amazed by. that's life.

If you need a litmus look at "apple" and see the difference in results from iS to Stocksy, esp the exclusive content.  That should give you an idea into the style difference.

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 00:20
there are a lot of Stocksy contributors here that would probably be able to give you some direction.

I wouldn't dare any more ! ;)
I'm sure someone would, I don't really think any of the people complaining would do it though.  I'm not so convinced they want to do anything more than what they already are doing.
Well I would! as I said, I am confused, and I do not know what fits in qualitywise and stylewise.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 00:24
You can see some of the content in my "stocksy" folder here: http://www.jensstolt.dk/stocksy.htm (http://www.jensstolt.dk/stocksy.htm)

The images are selected because they are MAYBE pictures, Maybe a bit different, maybe a bit artistic, maybe, maybe.

Please comment!
(http://www.jensstolt.dk/stocksy/firemen.jpg)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 19, 2013, 00:50
Why is it that some people assume that there is some sort of criteria or a look for stocksy? I think with photography, you really train your eye as well as other things... and that takes time. It's different with everyone on how fast they learn or get better with their trade. Might be that some cant see what is clearer to others.

As a young artist, i was never fully satisfied with my work. I knew something was off but couldn't really nail it down. Only when I got better with experience could i clearly see what the issues were. The same thing happened with type. The more designs i did, i started paying more attention to the font face or the kernings so it stuck out like a sore thumb if the kernings were too tight.
People know what SS wants and what IS wants. Therefore when newbies come here or to the agency forums people can guide them to get accepted because they know what the agency would like to see. With stocksy established photographers cant get in because their work doesnt fit Stocksy. Yet the styles of these rejected  photographers all differ, so no one knows what they want to see. There was one guy with an amazing portfolio with a style everyone would expect to get into Stocksy got rejected because they thought his work wouldnt fit heir collection.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 19, 2013, 05:42
Why does anyone think there should be some sort of blueprint for how to get into Stocksy? Wouldn't that just defeat the purpose of a starting a new stock company under the premise of offering a more artistically diverse range of images?

IIRC, people have been rejected with a general 'not what we're looking for' sort of message and invited to resubmit after a certain period.
If they 'don't know what they're looking for', and it isn't obvious by looking at the collection, what else can they do but ask for advice here from the community to see what needs to be changed, with reference to what's already there?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 19, 2013, 05:44
It sounds like a lot of people are focusing on the outlying images rather than on the majority. 
People are obviously going to focus on the type of images they produce. If Stocksy don't want that, they should just say. Easy.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: sharpshot on September 19, 2013, 06:13
I think the general style of accepted images is quite clear.  They seem to accept top quality images that are in the more traditional stock style as well.  I'm still not sure if it will be worth me spending time working on just producing images for them but I'll probably apply in the next 6 months.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Monty-m-gue on September 19, 2013, 06:31
Honestly, if you can't see the Stocksy aesthetic I think you might be wasting your time even thinking of applying to be a contributor there. Stocksy obviously require photographers that shoot - in volume and quality - a style that fits effortlessly into their collection. If you're struggling to distinguish the kind of images they need it's unlikely you'll be the right match for them.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 06:40
That would be me, I simply cannot see it.
Neither by browsing various searches nor by listening to what people say.

And noone seems to be able to educate me.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 19, 2013, 06:45
I am with Jens on this one. But its no use discussing this any further. Stocksy shooters clearly have a better vision. I see a ton of styles, apparently there is only one.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 19, 2013, 06:49
Honestly, if you can't see the Stocksy aesthetic I think you might be wasting your time even thinking of applying to be a contributor there. Stocksy obviously require photographers that shoot - in volume and quality - a style that fits effortlessly into their collection. If you're struggling to distinguish the kind of images they need it's unlikely you'll be the right match for them.

Having looked at Scotland and butterfly, the mystery is more about what they reject.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Monty-m-gue on September 19, 2013, 06:49
Ron, forgive me if I'm wrong - but I think you're the only person to have said that Stocksy shooters 'have a better vision' and that Stocksy have only one style. Personally, I think you're misguided on both counts...
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Monty-m-gue on September 19, 2013, 06:58
Shady, most Micro agencies cherry-pick images from thousands of photographers. Stocksy seem to work in a very different way. They cherry-pick the photographer and then work with them to build a portfolio for Stocksy. It's just a different way of curating a collection. These are my own observations, of course, and not Stocksy policy!
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 19, 2013, 08:07
Ron, forgive me if I'm wrong - but I think you're the only person to have said that Stocksy shooters 'have a better vision' and that Stocksy have only one style. Personally, I think you're misguided on both counts...
I never said both quotes. I said it seems stocksy shooters have better vision, coz I dont see what is so obvious to them, and I said Stocksy has many styles, thats why its confusing what they want, but to you the style is all clear. 
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 08:36
Good, Ron. It would be usefull if those people who had a clear understanding educated the rest of us. If they are stocksy contributors they could even show us examples and tell us why the images qualify.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 19, 2013, 09:16
Good, Ron. It would be usefull if those people who had a clear understanding educated the rest of us. If they are stocksy contributors they could even show us examples and tell us why the images qualify.


Not falling into that trap again.

Examples:
Front curated page: www.stocksy.com (http://www.stocksy.com)
Facebook timeline with spotlighted images: https://www.facebook.com/stocksyunited (https://www.facebook.com/stocksyunited)
Weekly favorites from FB timeline post: http://www.stocksy.com/stock-photos?g=2678 (http://www.stocksy.com/stock-photos?g=2678)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 09:43
That helped, there are actually many good and different photos among those pictures. The concept is a bit clearer now, than it was when I did the butterfly search.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jen on September 19, 2013, 09:52
You can see some of the content in my "stocksy" folder here: [url]http://www.jensstolt.dk/stocksy.htm[/url] ([url]http://www.jensstolt.dk/stocksy.htm[/url])

The images are selected because they are MAYBE pictures, Maybe a bit different, maybe a bit artistic, maybe, maybe.

Please comment!

Jens, do you think these are your best ever images?  If not, don't submit them. 

IMHO you should submit what you consider to be your absolute best work, whether or not it fits into what you believe to be the Stocksy aesthetic.  I can't explain the technical requirements they are looking for because I do not know them, but I think it's a mistake to try to find a "Stocksy look".  You have your own style, so show them that.   
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 19, 2013, 10:04
Jen, nice that someone adress my problems.

Those are not my best images. They would look completely different and would not at all fit in.
Because I have been Shutterstockified over the years and kept there in a vice grip.
But I can do other things with a camera than photograph critters on white. And I would like to, a coop is a nice thing.

(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1173791_10151849888624586_1832882786_n.jpg)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: nitrus on September 19, 2013, 12:27
This is a very interesting thread so I looked up some entries on Stocksy - I searched through animals looking for hummingbirds. I couldn't find any way of making the search specific so I looked through all the animals! There were mostly domestic, farm and zoo animals with not a whole lot of wildlife. I found an image mis-labelled Whooping Crane which was in fact a greater egret in its nesting plumage, only found two hummingbirds, neither of them was remarkable. In fact the second had some very annoying large brilliant red blobs in the background which completely detracted from the bird.

Of course, this kind of image probably doesn't sell well anyway - after all you aren't going to advertise toothpaste with a snarling jaguar (although that might be interesting) but still there seems to be the potential for the same problems other stock sites have - inaccurate keywords, odd taste in picking the pictures and an unhelpful search engine.

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on September 19, 2013, 12:34
This is a very interesting thread so I looked up some entries on Stocksy - I searched through animals looking for hummingbirds. I couldn't find any way of making the search specific so I looked through all the animals!


Did you try searching on "hummingbird"?

http://www.stocksy.com/stock-photos?s=hummingbird&t=Hummingbird+Stock+Photos (http://www.stocksy.com/stock-photos?s=hummingbird&t=Hummingbird+Stock+Photos)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sedge on September 19, 2013, 14:14
Just two more hummingbird images, neither one remarkable.

 ???
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Monty-m-gue on September 19, 2013, 14:17
You know what? If I were a buyer looking for Hummingbird images....I don't think Stocksy would be the first port of call..
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Sedge on September 19, 2013, 14:26
Can't argue with that!
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: soundworks on September 20, 2013, 06:56
I really don't understand all this hate. Stocksy is a great place for photographers and images, a place where both receive the attention they deserve. For a collection this young Stocksy can offer a lot of choice. Do you think that buyers will be happy to browse 10,000 images of butterflies to find what they want? Who has the time nowadays.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 20, 2013, 08:34
I really don't understand all this hate. Stocksy is a great place for photographers and images, a place where both receive the attention they deserve. For a collection this young Stocksy can offer a lot of choice. Do you think that buyers will be happy to browse 10,000 images of butterflies to find what they want? Who has the time nowadays.
Who's hating? There's a lot of incomprehension, that's different altogether.

If a buyer has a specific need for their butterfly pic, they can add more keywords, e.g. the actual species, the colour, with a person, isolated, with a flower, whatever. But for sure, a specialist won't go to Stocksy, and that's what potential contributors need to keep in mind.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: EmberMike on September 20, 2013, 08:41
...Bruce himself advertised stocksy as the "new hope" for the community. After all that happened this year and the last years with istock thousands of people are ready to support an artist friendly plattform.

Did Bruce really say that? Can you point me to where it was said?

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: jen on September 20, 2013, 11:39
I really don't understand all this hate.
Who's hating? There's a lot of incomprehension, that's different altogether.

Well, there's the comments about how the images are "the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time", "flat and washed-out", or your sarcasm about the Chosen Few and repeatedly pointing out that you find the results for "Scotland" not up to standards. 

It's not all that productive IMHO. 
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Ron on September 20, 2013, 11:47
...Bruce himself advertised stocksy as the "new hope" for the community. After all that happened this year and the last years with istock thousands of people are ready to support an artist friendly plattform.


Did Bruce really say that? Can you point me to where it was said?


http://www.photoggin.com/blog/stocksy-an-overview-of-the-buzz/ (http://www.photoggin.com/blog/stocksy-an-overview-of-the-buzz/)

Quote
The blog post URL calls it a new hope.


http://blog.stocksy.com/blog/2013/3/21/stocksy-a-new-hope (http://blog.stocksy.com/blog/2013/3/21/stocksy-a-new-hope)

Its a dead link now.

http://web.archive.org/web/20130403162540/http://blog.stocksy.com/blog/2013/3/21/stocksy-a-new-hope (http://web.archive.org/web/20130403162540/http://blog.stocksy.com/blog/2013/3/21/stocksy-a-new-hope)
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 20, 2013, 11:56
I really don't understand all this hate.
Who's hating? There's a lot of incomprehension, that's different altogether.

Well, there's the comments about how the images are "the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time", "flat and washed-out", or your sarcasm about the Chosen Few and repeatedly pointing out that you find the results for "Scotland" not up to standards. 

It's not all that productive IMHO.
Show me where I said anything was 'not up to standards'.
In any case, nothing you quote counts as 'hate'.
I am totally neutral to Stocksy, which admittedly is below how I felt about it when it was announced.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 20, 2013, 12:11
It was me who said it. And Ill stand by my words. Many of the butterfly pictures on Stocksy  are " the worst miscoloured snapshots I have seen in a long time".

They are. But that is not the point.

The point is if they are sellable, and they might be.
The customers might what that kind of images.
Or other pictures like them, and that is not hatred, it is curiosity when I ask why and what.
"Are the customers stupid, is it the emperors new clothes or is there something with art and vision I have not understood?"
Can someone explain? Does stocksy target a certain group of customers who cannot see the difference, or do not care about the difference because they want something else.
And if so. What is Stocksy selling then??


Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: ShadySue on September 20, 2013, 12:14
or your sarcasm about the Chosen Few  ...
From above (not my words), " They cherry-pick the photographer and then work with them to build a portfolio for Stocksy."
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Snufkin on September 20, 2013, 13:23
I have a folder on my harddisk called "Stocksy", I thought I would prepare an application, since I like the concept.

But. I have a problem.
The problem is that I dont know what pictures to put into it.
I really dont. I took a look on Stocksy 5 min ago, and it was still the same: I cannot see any style, or any trend that makes an image qualify.
What I do see is images that break rules. No respect for the golden section, no respect for white balance and no respect for exposure.
So I ask myself, do they want pictures that break rules? Like cut in halves people standing in awkward positions in the middle of the frame?
Then I check my area of expertise: pictures of butterflies. And the search of "butterflies" brings foreward the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time.

It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?

JPSDK, you are a true master of butterfly photography, there is no doubt about it + you are an expert in that field. But I would say your style is rather encyclopedic, perfect for example for handbooks or encyclopedias. Stocksy's vision is probably different. They might not be able to compete with such pictures with microstock sites.

I don't know the minds of Stocksy curators, I suck at explaining styles and I am not qualified to critique your pictures, so I will tell you a story instead:

There was an accomplished classical musician who wanted to play in a Canadian jazz band. He said: "Your band seems like a cool place to be, I really would like to play with you guys. I just have a small problem with that... hmmm... jazz music. I really don't feel it, and for the life of me I cannot understand why you guys play like this. I am very good technically, I play the flute for the Copenhagen Philharmonic. I listened to your music and I found that a few of your tracks kind of suck... there's no harmony in that. But I really would love to join you, please tell me how I should play, give me a hint..."

What I wanted to say with this allegory is that if you take jazz or blues etc. musicians, most of them probably didn't become jazz/blues musicians because they had thoroughly read book definitions of jazz / blues
but because they just heard a few such pieces and thought: "Wow, this style is kind of cool, I can also play like this".


Back to Stocksy, I would say that as everywhere else, there is the Mainstream and the Fringes. It is the job of the applicant to recognize what the mainstream is and how wide the fringes are. If an applicant hasn't figured it out he would probably take too much of curators' time. It's basically the same as at many microstock sites, just the level of difficulty is a bit higher.

Greetings
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: leaf on September 20, 2013, 16:28
I have a folder on my harddisk called "Stocksy", I thought I would prepare an application, since I like the concept.

But. I have a problem.
The problem is that I dont know what pictures to put into it.
I really dont. I took a look on Stocksy 5 min ago, and it was still the same: I cannot see any style, or any trend that makes an image qualify.
What I do see is images that break rules. No respect for the golden section, no respect for white balance and no respect for exposure.
So I ask myself, do they want pictures that break rules? Like cut in halves people standing in awkward positions in the middle of the frame?
Then I check my area of expertise: pictures of butterflies. And the search of "butterflies" brings foreward the worst miscoloured amateurish snapshots I have seen in a long time.

It leaves me bewildered and worried.
Can that kind of pictures sell? Is it art on a level I do not comprehend?

JPSDK, you are a true master of butterfly photography, there is no doubt about it + you are an expert in that field. But I would say your style is rather encyclopedic, perfect for example for handbooks or encyclopedias. Stocksy's vision is probably different. They might not be able to compete with such pictures with microstock sites.

I don't know the minds of Stocksy curators, I suck at explaining styles and I am not qualified to critique your pictures, so I will tell you a story instead:

There was an accomplished classical musician who wanted to play in a Canadian jazz band. He said: "Your band seems like a cool place to be, I really would like to play with you guys. I just have a small problem with that... hmmm... jazz music. I really don't feel it, and for the life of me I cannot understand why you guys play like this. I am very good technically, I play the flute for the Copenhagen Philharmonic. I listened to your music and I found that a few of your tracks kind of suck... there's no harmony in that. But I really would love to join you, please tell me how I should play, give me a hint..."

What I wanted to say with this allegory is that if you take jazz or blues etc. musicians, most of them probably didn't become jazz/blues musicians because they had thoroughly read book definitions of jazz / blues
but because they just heard a few such pieces and thought: "Wow, this style is kind of cool, I can also play like this".


Back to Stocksy, I would say that as everywhere else, there is the Mainstream and the Fringes. It is the job of the applicant to recognize what the mainstream is and how wide the fringes are. If an applicant hasn't figured it out he would probably take too much of curators' time. It's basically the same as at many microstock sites, just the level of difficulty is a bit higher.

Greetings

Very good explanation .. another example .. not saying anyone is anything.. just giving an example from an experience in my life.

I was once in a Lindy Hop (https://www.google.ca/search?q=youtube+lindy+hop&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb&gws_rd=cr&ei=sb08UvyQCuLh2QXKwoHIDg) dancing club.  We were all beginners but had a basic grasp of how to do things and were starting to feel like we had some control.  There was an extremely experienced classical dancer who had won many prizes for ballroom dancing (waltz, foxtrot etc).  When he came and did Lindy Hop with us one day he looked extremely awkward and strange.  He was doing the correct steps but looked like he had a broomstick tied to his back. As far as dancing in general was concerned he was far better than anyone in the room, but when it came to Lindy Hop... I think he maybe had the most to learn of anyone .. and he was so good and what he did already I'm not sure he would be able to make the switch.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 20, 2013, 21:47
snufkin... a good explanation, and nicely put. Thanks.
The music allegory is very applicable, I dont understand music either, since im a mechanical nerdish guy, and I would probably dance the Lindy Hop with a broomstick tied to my back.

The lesson to be learnt here is that you can be so microstockified in a mainstream way, that you have a hard time getting ouf of it again.
Or worse, that you believe its the only and right way.
Ok guys, thanks, time to think and observe.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: gillian vann on September 21, 2013, 05:56
Jens I looked at your 10, I wouldn't submit those. Especially the swan with the tilted horizon - they don't like tilts, I've learnt that much!  I can't speak for the butterfly as I don't shoot insects, macro or any nature that requires me to be patient :)
i'm still on a learning curve as to what they do and don't like, but I don't think the compositions or processing will wow them.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 21, 2013, 11:07
fine, I dont feel for them either.
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Bluebell on September 21, 2013, 11:14
Perhaps my suggestions are a bit more Stocksy!!!???? :-)  Agencies are different, or perhaps you haven't noticed because you have been lucky enough to have the same images accepted by all of them!1

Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: JPSDK on September 21, 2013, 12:24
bluebell, please, can we see your suggestions?
Title: Re: Stocksy - where are they?
Post by: Pixel-Pizzazz on December 02, 2013, 23:03
I'll be watching with interest (curiosity, really) to see how they fare.  It's a whole lot different.  Istock (original) had a pretty big 'captive' buyer base before it went 'commercial' because of it's humble 'barter-like' initial offerings.  In my opinion they were a kind of library come bookstore and were super successful because they already had lots of contributors and lots of designers on board that they had built a relationship with, when they started really selling.  The majority of the other adopters were bookstores (so to speak) right out of the gates and therefore had to work a lot harder at attracting the sellers and particularly the buyers.  So, I'd say they are just another bookstore.  A better one?  That's to be seen.

IMO we were sold down the river...and well - once bitten twice shy, as they say.  Curious what book (literally) is the manifesto, this go...

Expectations were very high based on the previous IS success.  It seems the under current of IS promoting of the "artsy" stock shooter and ignoring the guy that sells 500,000 "too stocky" images has reared its ugly head.  A lot of the images look the same to me.  It's like the kids school who don't fit all look the same while  laughing at the popular kids for looking the same. 

Read the founding story.  A guy wants to sell fine art online, but can't,  then ends up with a stock site and I guess he never wanted as a commercially geared site.   Seams like timing was everything in 1999.   Now, its a much harder.   

I just wonder if they launched Istock part II would it slay the getty monster again.  Not a lot of happy contributors out there.