Microstock ?

[Streetshooter]

I agree the quality divide has almost vanished, some Microstock is good quality, rivalling and often exceeding RM material

'Some' is the word, this hardly constitutes 'the quality divide has almost vanished' does it. If people think that the majority of what's on Microstock sites is almost as good as most Rights Managed stuff, god help us all..

Gary.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=184466\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Gary,

I'm with you. The thought of doing microstock makes my blood run cold. I want to cry when I see how much people pay to use images on these microstock sites !  Check out the Shutterstock site, you can download 25 images a day (750 per month) for just £149.00 !  

The problem as I see it is that future picture buyers/users will get used to paying little or no money for the images they use. Will they even recognise a good image if they see one ? Will they search the other RM sites ?

With music now, the younger generations (who are the future photo buyers/users) expect to get their MP3's either free or for very little cost. My son hasn't bought a regular priced CD in years. There's no way of putting the Genie back in the bottle once it's escaped.

In my opinion the ONLY way forward for good photographers who value their work is to continue producing work that moves and interests them.

Maybe there will be a few people left that will know a good photo when they see one and want something unique. I do have a little bit of faith left somewhere.

Pete

[Gary Yeowell]

Pete,

Firstly let me say that i do see the Rights Managed model surviving, however it will never be of the volume and price point of lesser imagery, in fact you make a good point with regards to MP3's and downloads, but there are of course still people like myself who still buy CD's and in fact vinyl because it is of the quality required and mp3 is not. Now i know i'm in the minority as one who spends a fortune on a top CD player and turntable but i can tell you now that vinyl is very much having a revival right now, quality never dies.

I am presently having to re-evaluate my stock shooting, but am confident that there will always be a need for unique and inspiring imagery, and that clients will pay for this. It is as you say, going to be a difficult period of transition and clients are most definately expecting more for less, but dig in and don't let your standards drop.

Regards,
Gary.

[free1000]

I don't mean any disrespect, but:

You guys who have no experience in microstock are incorrect with your calculations on how much money a microstock photographer earns.

For your info, you earn a lot more than $1 per sale. 

Perhaps you would be so kind to enlarge on this?  The prices on iStockphoto go up to $12 per image. The photographer gets what 20-30%. But surely the size distribution of downloads are near the bottom end of the size scale?

You intimate that you have personal experience of this, can you be a bit less short on detail?

There are clearly a few people doing very well. I imagine like anybody doing well they need to be pretty well organised and focused about what they are doing.

Are you one of them?

[Streetshooter]

Pete,

Firstly let me say that i do see the Rights Managed model surviving, however it will never be of the volume and price point of lesser imagery, in fact you make a good point with regards to MP3's and downloads, but there are of course still people like myself who still buy CD's and in fact vinyl because it is of the quality required and mp3 is not. Now i know i'm in the minority as one who spends a fortune on a top CD player and turntable but i can tell you now that vinyl is very much having a revival right now, quality never dies.

I am presently having to re-evaluate my stock shooting, but am confident that there will always be a need for unique and inspiring imagery, and that clients will pay for this. It is as you say, going to be a difficult period of transition and clients are most definately expecting more for less, but dig in and don't let your standards drop.

Regards,
Gary.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=184485\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Gary,

Like you I have faith that good and indeed unique RM photography will survive. I believe that the top shooters in terms of quality will survive too. There always has been many stock photographers who were average and unfortunately it's these shooters who will suffer.

My standards rise as I get older, they're not going to drop. There's no way I'm giving up my Linn LP12 and vinyl just yet !

Interesting times indeed.

Pete

[Gary Yeowell]

Gary,

Like you I have faith that good and indeed unique RM photography will survive. I believe that the top shooters in terms of quality will survive too. There always has been many stock photographers who were average and unfortunately it's these shooters who will suffer.

My standards rise as I get older, they're not going to drop. There's no way I'm giving up my Linn LP12 and vinyl just yet !

Interesting times indeed.

Pete
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=184499\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yup, my LP12 is staying also!! and so is my Naim CDS3/555PS  

and as you say, good stock shooters are the ones who will survive.

Gary.