Steve Cukrov Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 SS is now offering our images on FineArtAmerica https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/shutterstock.html Looks like many of the images were added June 2019 - but their 'About' area says "Shutterstock joined Fine Art America on October 16th, 2018." Just another deal we know nothing about until it is uncovered by a contributor. How much do we get? Why can't we opt out? What if SS offers the same image we already have on FFA? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Lowe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 I left FFA because there was one individual there that I knew of, who was stealing images from SS and posting them there for sale as his own work. FFA actually would ban anyone who called out such image theft, so that's when I lost all respect for that agency and pulled all my images off it. P.S. I found one of the images there for sale by SS that I had pulled off that site. ::SIGH:: Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Whitcombe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 18 minutes ago, Phil Lowe said: I left FFA because there was one individual there that I knew of, who was stealing images from SS and posting them there for sale as his own work. FFA actually would ban anyone who called out such image theft, so that's when I lost all respect for that agency and pulled all my images off it. P.S. I found one of the images there for sale by SS that I had pulled off that site. ::SIGH:: Now you can have the delightful full circle where someone steals an image from FFA, uploads and sells it on SS who then upload and resell it on FFA as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Lowe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Just now, Richard Whitcombe said: Now you can have the delightful full circle where someone steals an image from FFA, uploads and sells it on SS who then upload and resell it on FFA as well. An Infinity Loop of seedy desperation and crime. Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Cukrov Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 22 minutes ago, mandritoiu said: Thanks for sharing this discovery @Steve Cukrov. Not very happy about it, because SS is charging less than me. Now I might have lower my prices to avoid competing with myself. I can see 5 of mine being mirrored there, maybe not the end of the world. I can also see one from you Steve and one from @Phil Lowe (guess which one?). I didn't really discover it - found it over at MSG - and since it hadn't been mentioned here yet I decided to bring it up where we might get some answers. Link to post Share on other sites
L1761298432871 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 7 minutes ago, Steve Cukrov said: I didn't really discover it - found it over at MSG - and since it hadn't been mentioned here yet I decided to bring it up where we might get some answers. Who is MSG? Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Cukrov Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 I can't post the link - it's MicroStockGroup, google it. Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Lowe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Microstock Group. Link to post Share on other sites
L1761298432871 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 5 minutes ago, Phil Lowe said: Microstock Group. Thank you Link to post Share on other sites
Sari ONeal Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 45 minutes ago, mandritoiu said: Thanks for sharing this discovery @Steve Cukrov. Not very happy about it, because SS is charging less than me. Now I might have lower my prices to avoid competing with myself. I can see 5 of mine being mirrored there, maybe not the end of the world. I can also see one from you Steve and one from @Phil Lowe (guess which one?). Well, CRAP!!! I certainly hope I find none of mine there this time! Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Lowe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 This thread explains our history with FAA. Link to post Share on other sites
oleschwander Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 4 hours ago, Phil Lowe said: FFA actually would ban anyone who called out such image theft, so that's when I lost all respect for that agency and pulled all my images off it. Obviously the same here at Shutterstock now. Instead of banning the thieves SS have banned one of the most decent people here because he brings the thieves into the light. Where's the moral in this? SS should hire him instead. Large scale sales of stolen images can now continue - in the dark. Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Whitcombe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Thats possibly the worst reaction they could have. Rather than fix the problem they're punishing people who pointed out the problem. I guess they'd rather this type of thing went on with nobody mentioning it. Link to post Share on other sites
Eric Krouse Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 @Steve Cukrov your wine corks picture is on there. You can search by your SS contributor name in their FAA gallery. Laurin's got 3, Phil has a cardinal, Richard a sea turtle, etc, etc and so forth. Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Whitcombe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Didnt think i'd have anything on there at all. The turtle is my 3rd top selling image and appears to be onsale there for significantly less than elsewhere. The only other one i have, horses in the snow has sold exactly once. Years ago for $0.38. Yet its 5x the cost of the other one. How do they set these prices? Edit:- The horse and snow is from Getty not SS. Why the huge price discrepancy? Link to post Share on other sites
Andi_GreyScale Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 I wouldn't be surprised if SS is keeping all the profit off the images sold at FAA and the contributors are getting nothing. Link to post Share on other sites
jean-francois me Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 1 hour ago, oleschwander said: Obviously the same here at Shutterstock now. Instead of banning the thieves SS have banned one of the most decent people here because he brings the thieves into the light. Where's the moral in this? SS should hire him instead. Large scale sales of stolen images can now continue - in the dark. just saw that. wow Link to post Share on other sites
Eric Krouse Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Found a couple multiples from Sean Pavone's port (I hate that guy, he's too good :-) ) $10US price cut on the same image at the SS gallery. Link to post Share on other sites
njene Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Wow disgraceful all around Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Gibson Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 @jeffde I think we need some clarification here, found four of mine on there also. Not acceptable, at least need an opt out choice specifically for FAA, not all partner sites, just FAA so we are not competing with ourselves. This industry gets seedier and seedier, I sometimes feel dirty just being part of it. Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Cukrov Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 44 minutes ago, Eric Krouse said: @Steve Cukrov your wine corks picture is on there. You can search by your SS contributor name in their FAA gallery. Laurin's got 3, Phil has a cardinal, Richard a sea turtle, etc, etc and so forth. Thanks, I know - it's the only one of mine so far, and I'm not happy about it. Link to post Share on other sites
Andi_GreyScale Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 This is also very harmful to artists and photographers that willingly uploaded their work to FAA, not realizing they're competing with micro stock images as well. Bad deal all around. Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Whitcombe Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 So a direct question to SS - what commission do WE get paid for a sale on that site? Link to post Share on other sites
stevemart Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Richard Whitcombe said: So a direct question to SS - what commission do WE get paid for a sale on that site? I don't have anything at FAA anymore but would be interested to know how much we get for FAA sales...hope for the most but fear for the least (sub or mini-SOD)! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 This has been going on for about a year and I am pretty sure there is a thread about it somewhere. I couldn't find that thread but I did find the one about a similar situation with Amazon. I can inmagine that the deal SS has with Amazon is similar to the one with FAA https://forums.submit.shutterstock.com/topic/90519-amazons-posters-prints-program/page/2/ Also, if I remember correctly (would have to double check that I can't do right now), but clients are already allowed to purchase a regular licence for a print for their personal wall, which would pay us a lot less than the FAA or Amazon deal. Something to think about Link to post Share on other sites
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