New earnings structure for Contributors

[David Bostock]

Re the email some people are getting from Shutterstock - A customer has expressed interest in licensing the following removed image blah blah. How can this information be true when the person has disabled their portfolio, that means the images wouldnt be available for clients to see in Shutterstock for the person to show interest in an image? I dont get that part.. or is Shutterstock making the email contents up just to get you to enable your portfolio?

[NAXStock]

I understand if the file was selected and put into a lightbox, it is technically still for sale and SS has to honour it.

13 minutes ago, David Bostock said:

Re the email some people are getting from Shutterstock - A customer has expressed interest in licensing the following removed image blah blah. How can this information be true when the person has disabled their portfolio, that means the images wouldnt be available for clients to see in Shutterstock for the person to show interest in an image? I dont get that part.. or is Shutterstock making the email contents up just to get you to enable your portfolio?

 

[eskystudio]

38 minutes ago, AKaiser said:

Why do you guys even bother arguing about who's worse? Cases of copyright infringement happen in each single country of the world. This isn't about where those people are  located, but about Shutterstock not protecting their contributors' work, although they (apparently) were notified more than once. Far too many operators of such websites get away with what they're doing - no matter where. Europe, Russia or the US.

Exactly, not to mention that a year ago there was a map published where the most content was stolen instead of being bought. First place USA, then China. I'll post the link if I find it.

[AKaiser]

40 minutes ago, eskystudio said:

Exactly, not to mention that a year ago there was a map published where the most content was stolen instead of being bought. First place USA, then China. I'll post the link if I find it.

I still remember this map, too.

[Marco.Warm]

2 hours ago, David Bostock said:

Re the email some people are getting from Shutterstock - A customer has expressed interest in licensing the following removed image blah blah. How can this information be true when the person has disabled their portfolio, that means the images wouldnt be available for clients to see in Shutterstock for the person to show interest in an image? I dont get that part.. or is Shutterstock making the email contents up just to get you to enable your portfolio?

Images of deacitvated Portfolios are still available to find via Google Image search. That is how many customers search for stock images nowadays. Just Google "David Bostock Stock Images"

[eskystudio]

11 minutes ago, Marco.Warm said:

Google Image search. That is how many customers search for stock images nowadays. 

I don't mean this question in a bad way, I'm genuinely curious what is the source of this information and how do you know if it is true that Google image search generates majority of stock image searches.

I'm thinking about creating the website for myself and it can be very helpful .

[Marco.Warm]

16 minutes ago, eskystudio said:

I don't mean this question in a bad way, I'm genuinely curious what is the source of this information and how do you know if it is true that Google image search generates majority of stock image searches.

I'm thinking about creating the website for myself and it can be very helpful .

I cannot say how many percent this are doing. I recognized that most of my photos were not found via keywords. At least SS only seldom displays the keyword matching percentage next to my downloads. 

Here is an article explicitly explaining how to search for stock on Google: https://www.stockphotosecrets.com/questions-answers/google-images-search-to-find-stock-photos.html

Looking through some videos on "How to" find Stock Photos Google is mostly the general advice. Google "how do people find stock photos" and look through the youtube videos.

Google even seems to have found that out themselves and plan to adapt their image search: https://www.freepik.com/blog/google-implement-stock-filter-image-search-results/

 

[owlesia]

I wrote many letters to Shutterstock, asking to delete my account and portfolio entirely. Why don't they answer ? 

[mpessaris]

so i just had a thought...what if we flooded the online marketing departments of big customers with messages, polite messages, telling them about the situation and to help us, those who produce the images, to get a fair pay..telling them that they can find the same picture with AS and to move their subscriptions there.. obviously the customers are aware of what's happening, but it couldn't hurt right?

[jjmillan]

Para alguien que gana más de 4 millones de $ el año es más justo pagar 0,10 $ por los contenidos en lugar de 0,33.

[NAXStock]

2 hours ago, mpessaris said:

so i just had a thought...what if we flooded the online marketing departments of big customers with messages, polite messages, telling them about the situation and to help us, those who produce the images, to get a fair pay..telling them that they can find the same picture with AS and to move their subscriptions there.. obviously the customers are aware of what's happening, but it couldn't hurt right?

I am not sure that customers are aware.

[Wiola Wiaderek]

I am excited to announce.... a bit irony at start, and now to the point. I am a small player here, with 6000 photos only, and income from stocks are my additional one, not very big, but I have hoped that slowly it will grow up. According to the new earnings structure I am on second level. I stopped uploading new photos at the beginning of June, first days, but I waited for some holidays I have some photos associated with and usually sold them at the time. But together with the humilating payment numbers of sold photo decreased drstically. I just observed how the thing are going on, without, actually, big hope for change. And, two days ago I felt that am ready to take the final decision, and I did it. I deactivated my port. I don't have much hope for positive changes, but if there is any....only by this kind of pressure, I think.

[Przemek Iciak]

1 hour ago, Wiola Wiaderek said:

I am excited to announce.... a bit irony at start, and now to the point. I am a small player here, with 6000 photos only, and income from stocks are my additional one, not very big, but I have hoped that slowly it will grow up. According to the new earnings structure I am on second level. I stopped uploading new photos at the beginning of June, first days, but I waited for some holidays I have some photos associated with and usually sold them at the time. But together with the humilating payment numbers of sold photo decreased drstically. I just observed how the thing are going on, without, actually, big hope for change. And, two days ago I felt that am ready to take the final decision, and I did it. I deactivated my port. I don't have much hope for positive changes, but if there is any....only by this kind of pressure, I think.

Same story here, i was planing to wait few more months without uploading before decide to deactivate. But honestly seeing my hard work go in series of 10c to 15c... I deactivated yesterday. After looking in some statistics of my sales i notice this small fact, to get back to the point of earnings that i had last months i would have to keep uploading for at last next 2 years to get there. That just logically for me have no sense and im pretty sure SS is a agency i will never visit again to upload new stuff. Sad to be honest.

[Guillermo Barda]

Hello Shutterstock,

I'm a small contributor with a few pictures, after some years I had my first payment and now I have 24,85$ pending to be paid, but as the last sell was priced at 0,10$, my sales are 1 per month and the minimum payment is 35$. It will take me about 8 years and half to be paid again. Therefore, better than wait 8 years, I'll delete all my pictures now.

0,10$ isn't worth the effort of labeling any new photos, it isn't worth the internet usage to load ithe picture, it isn't worth the electricity spent by the battery of the camera, it isn't worth having a camera.

Enjoy my 24,85$ that you'll keep probably for ever.

[Murasaki Izumi]

How can I deactivate my account? I turned sales off but I wish deactivation. I wrote to privacy@shutterstock.com but I have got no answer for about two weeks. What else do I have to do, who can tell me?

[justone]

Working for 10 cents?
No thanks.
I disabled my portfolio.
disgusted…

[Mirko Rosenau]

52 minutes ago, Murasaki Izumi said:

How can I deactivate my account? I turned sales off but I wish deactivation. I wrote to privacy@shutterstock.com but I have got no answer for about two weeks. What else do I have to do, who can tell me?

 

 

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Posted June 2

  On 6/2/2020 at 10:26 AM, Bennian said:

How can we do that? I wold like to stop my sales also because of the now payment attitude.

If anyone know please tell me. Thanks.

 

We all should done this!

Here the info you ask for. 

How do I deactivate/delete my contributor account?

We provide the options below to deactivate/delete your contributor account:   Opting out of sales (recommended option) Opting out of sales will remove your content from online display, but keeps your account active and ensures that your earnings payment will be made when you reach the minimum payout level. Your referral earnings will also continue to accumulate. Opting in or out of sales allows you to quickly reinstate your previously approved content if you decide to return to Shutterstock in the future.   To opt out of sales, log into your account and navigate to the Account Settings page from the drop-down menu under your name in the top right corner of the page. Scroll down to the section How can we license your work? and select No for the sales options.     Deactivating your account Deactivating your account removes your content from online display and bars you from access to your account and participation in our forums. If you wish to return at a later time, the account can usually be reactivated with the help of our care team. We will pay any outstanding earnings above $1, but you will need to contact us in advance to process this payment.  Contact us if you wish to deactivate your account or if you wish to reactivate an old account. Please do not create another account without contacting us first, as this is not permitted per the Contributor Terms of Service. Deleting your account You have the right to access and correct, or delete your Personal Information and privacy preferences at any time. You can immediately change your profile here or request a deletion of your personal information from our privacy team - Privacy@shutterstock.com. Deleting your account will permanently remove your content from online display, bar access to your account and participation in our forums. You can find detailed information on our Privacy Policy.

[eskystudio]

9 hours ago, Marco.Warm said:

I cannot say how many percent this are doing. I recognized that most of my photos were not found via keywords. At least SS only seldom displays the keyword matching percentage next to my downloads. 

Here is an article explicitly explaining how to search for stock on Google: https://www.stockphotosecrets.com/questions-answers/google-images-search-to-find-stock-photos.html

Looking through some videos on "How to" find Stock Photos Google is mostly the general advice. Google "how do people find stock photos" and look through the youtube videos.

Google even seems to have found that out themselves and plan to adapt their image search: https://www.freepik.com/blog/google-implement-stock-filter-image-search-results/

 

Thanks a lot.

[Soare Cecilia Corina]

1 hour ago, Mirko Rosenau said:

 

 

    On 6/2/2020 at 10:26 AM, Bennian said:

How can we do that? I wold like to stop my sales also because of the now payment attitude.

If anyone know please tell me. Thanks.

 

We all should done this!

Here the info you ask for. 

How do I deactivate/delete my contributor account?

We provide the options below to deactivate/delete your contributor account:   Opting out of sales (recommended option) Opting out of sales will remove your content from online display, but keeps your account active and ensures that your earnings payment will be made when you reach the minimum payout level. Your referral earnings will also continue to accumulate. Opting in or out of sales allows you to quickly reinstate your previously approved content if you decide to return to Shutterstock in the future.   To opt out of sales, log into your account and navigate to the Account Settings page from the drop-down menu under your name in the top right corner of the page. Scroll down to the section How can we license your work? and select No for the sales options.

 

 

Question --> Can one OPT OUT OF SALES - per specific photos? One by one? Or this is an option for all photos at once...?

 

For me it would be good to make this gradually because stock photos are my only source of income and my health is very fragile. I still need some money all these months till I gradually start to do something else, or move my photos elsewhere. 

I am planning starting to opt out of sales of my biggest sellers first, letting on Shutterstock the normal photos. In the future I need to decide what to do - put here only the normal photos, snapped photos, without a lot of work, totally detached of anything or close the account entirely. 

Please help me with some advice - what to do? Can I opt out gradually?

 

 

[Murasaki Izumi]

1 hour ago, Mirko Rosenau said:

...

Here the info you ask for. 

How do I deactivate/delete my contributor account?

...   Opting out of sales (recommended option)  ... Deactivating your account ... Deleting your account ...

Yes, that is exactly what I've done. So, I think they just ignored me. I'll try again. Thank you)

[Tony Dunn]

On 6/19/2020 at 11:14 PM, Wilm Ihlenfeld said:

What shutterstock is doing is illegal from my point of view. If a seller doesn't want to sell an image, then it is. Then shutterstock can't just sell it against your will.

Let's say you decided three days ago to sell exclusively to another agency. To be able to offer exclusively there, you have to make sure for legal reasons that your images can't be bought anywhere else, because otherwise you'd be acting illegally - you wouldn't keep your contract as an exclusive provider.

So you deactivate your portfolio with all other agencies. Everything done right.

Now the agency where you exclusively offer your image will see that it has just been sold on shutterstock. Then they will claim that you have breached your contract.

That simply can't happen. A "sales permission" is a crystal-clear statement! Shutterstock selling it anyway is illegal!!!

 

& they know people won't take SS to court for just a dime per download

[Mirko Rosenau]

9 hours ago, Soare Cecilia Corina said:

 

 

Question --> Can one OPT OUT OF SALES - per specific photos? One by one? Or this is an option for all photos at once...?

 

For me it would be good to make this gradually because stock photos are my only source of income and my health is very fragile. I still need some money all these months till I gradually start to do something else, or move my photos elsewhere. 

I am planning starting to opt out of sales of my biggest sellers first, letting on Shutterstock the normal photos. In the future I need to decide what to do - put here only the normal photos, snapped photos, without a lot of work, totally detached of anything or close the account entirely. 

Please help me with some advice - what to do? Can I opt out gradually?

 

 

I don't thin k you can. It would be a "All or None" thing. You could delete individual images. Maybe this is an avenue you would like to go. 

[whitejellybeans]

II am a contributor and a buyer. Our business signed up for the monthly plan over eight months ago as we were setting up a couple of websites. Most months go by now where we are lucky to purchase one or two images a month but are still paying $49 per month for the subscription as it was an annual commitment. The months that our business does not purchase any images means that SS does not need to pay any of their contributors a cent. 
I suspect that the overheads for storing images are huge, but I would have thought good business sense would be to offload images that have not sold for say three years or so and allow contributors to resubmit. It is appalling what SS has done to their contributors who are the backbone of their company. It is also a lazy business to take the easiest option out by cutting the bonus to their contributors rather than looking at other ways to cut a profit. 
For our business, once the subscription runs out, our company will never buy images off Shutterstock again. As a contributor, my portfolio is small and was just a side income.  I am in the process of deleting all my decent images and leaving all my crapy ones on SS that I submitted when I first started out. 

[Weston]

1 hour ago, whitejellybeans said:

II am a contributor and a buyer. Our business signed up for the monthly plan over eight months ago as we were setting up a couple of websites. Most months go by now where we are lucky to purchase one or two images a month but are still paying $49 per month for the subscription as it was an annual commitment. The months that our business does not purchase any images means that SS does not need to pay any of their contributors a cent. 
I suspect that the overheads for storing images are huge, but I would have thought good business sense would be to offload images that have not sold for say three years or so and allow contributors to resubmit. It is appalling what SS has done to their contributors who are the backbone of their company. It is also a lazy business to take the easiest option out by cutting the bonus to their contributors rather than looking at other ways to cut a profit. 
For our business, once the subscription runs out, our company will never buy images off Shutterstock again. As a contributor, my portfolio is small and was just a side income.  I am in the process of deleting all my decent images and leaving all my crapy ones on SS that I submitted when I first started out. 

So mathematically true, you just found few millions earned thanks to us, but we don't see even 0.10 cents out of it.

[Saurav022]

1 hour ago, whitejellybeans said:

I would have thought good business sense would be to offload images that have not sold for say three years or so and allow contributors to resubmit. 

There are lot of good images that haven't sold for years because they are buried deep under the spam and poor quality images that is cluttering the site. The trick would be get rid of all the poor quality content and give the good quality images a chance to shine. Several years ago, SS had an undiscovered tab that used to comprise all the unsold pictures, but then they got rid of it. Now it is just popular and new.