Panthera tigris

I have been following your (and Tina's) VLOG for a couple of years. I was in the process of moving to Portugal (now cancelled because I could not get my act together before the removal of the NHR) and found some very informative stuff on winter the Algarve from your vlog. Keep it up - I still watch you.

I am just on Alamy direct sales (none of the additional sales methods or distribution) and I don't (fingers crossed) get these low prices when one sells. It is still low (say average of 25 gross at moment) but not cents gross. I don't think anyone is in stock as a "job" anymore, just a little side money on existing images/catalogues. My last 3 were 20, 25, 125 (not had one of this for a loooong time)

Just like tangible uses of blockchain to create financial systems, the tangible and worthwhile uses of NFT blockchain tokens will become more apparent to us in the future. Right now it's just people trying to use the technology for a quick buck rather than a worthwhile use.

After the first couple of months I did not see a big difference in the scan interval between paid and free.

It's standard quite everywhere when one does a SWIFT system transfer (usually used only for transferring from one country to another these days). I have charges on SWIFT transfers at 30USD and 25GBP per transfer. Its a hard pill to swallow but nothing to do with Alamy TBH, its the SWIFT system.

I agree, I gave up my paid subscription and have gone back to the free. When I gave it up there seemed to be a flurry of activity resolving cases on their side but the amount of cases that can be resolved compared to the flagged images is tiny for me. It seems the world is wising up and I am sure everyone here who is on Pixsey knows how simple it is for an image stealer to "hide" (I am not going to say it on a public forum but you know the simple tactic they use).

I tried lattice for a while, nothing came of it and I don't think PS distribute lattice boards to potential buyers anymore. The original idea was as a PS marketing tool so they could market 'collections". My own take on PS is that they are just breaking even or worse and ultimately the end is nigh. But I think this is ultimately the case for whole genre if sales are a notable part of their income model. I don't mind paying for my vanity site, what aggravates me is the total lack of engagement with their existing customers. How any company can let the comments section exist with such poor reviews and not do something about it is mind boggling (unless the end is nigh). I don't know anybody who makes sales with them anymore, or has done for a long time.

Backblaze offers 1 year (rather than 1 month) for an additional small fee. I use it - has saved my life twice now. They only charge about 180 USD for a backup copy (incl HDD) mailed to you as well if the failure is too big for a download (your choice).

What happened in the past happened, it achieves nothing blaming today on those who chose to take part in the MS model (FYI I never did take part). The only thing that matters is that TODAY is the baseline we are all working from, what will tomorrow bring is the real issue. I don't think anyone is expecting it will get better for producers.

Its one year for an additional small fee

Interestingly most of what is quoted above, or linked, from the photoshelter lead staff seems to have been deleted. And last update is back to July 2021. The members forum area is just a sea of bad feeling and unanswered complaints. I worry that they may not be financially stable. Like others I remember how fast their stock project closed when they could not get funding.

Interesting thread. I just check in once a month. Not enough income to warrant me spending any more time on stock now so naturally I have less interest in a forum that discusses stock. I still take photos but for my own pleasure and to test myself/give me something to do in retirement. I have systematically pulled out of all stock with Alamy being the last one for me, but I have been slowly pulling out (removing images) for the past year. The total income is simply not worth me complicating my tax return anymore. I have no hard feelings about PA/Alamy. The big feeding off the fry is the way of the world and they were/are at least one of the very last to to make it an all you can eat buffet. A stock photo is a simple commodity and its average price reflects its value - as I always say, all you need is to buy a camera and have time on your hands and you are a "photographer", the bar for entry is so low that the price of the commodity now reflects that for now (I think it will go lower)

I have been out of distribution for a while, for all countries except 1, Japan, because I used to work there and know the very low level of English language adoption. So I rarely have or take notice of distribution sales. I just had a distribution sale posted and thought, "25 USD .... I am OK with that". Until I looked at the sales report. Alamy made 9 USD, the distributor 10 USD and that left me, the producer, with 6 USD. How did it all become so sad?

I just closed two agencies as part of my retraction from all stock. They both gave me very very detailed accounts of all sales going back 15 years. Surprised me.

This is quite common in my experience. I always ask how much and if its reasonable I say yes. What surprises me is that if the fee is not what I am looking and I say no, the sale does not go through i.e. the distributor or client does not buy it directly from Alamy (in my own experiences of this). I have pondered this and think its just that prices in general are getting lower between client and agent or agent only wishes to offer images when profit is maximised.