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RF Alamy and Microstock


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Hello folks,

 

I was recently thinking about RF. I think Alamy is loosing a lots of sales just because it is allowed to submit RF photos also to Microstock. I understand that on the other hand Alamy want to get as much images as possible and is therefore also inviting Microstock photographers. I think the solution could be to create a extra section on Alamy in the kind of Stockimo. It could be a place linked to Alamy where contributors can submit all their RF photos that are also available on Micros. I think this would be great for us, Alamy and costumers.

 

+ Costumers that are on Alamy RF will be sure that RF photos are not available on Microstock and Alamy RF will get higher value.

+ Costumers will not anymore check first on microstock but would stay on Alamy and if they need a cheaper photo they could go to the new "budget" section to look.

 

What do you think? Am i crazy ??? :rolleyes:

 

Mirco

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You make the assumption that buyers in Alamy's main editorial markets have the time to go search every micro to see if they can get it cheaper. Well even if they did have the time (they generally don't), they might well be in a scheme or have discount access that doesn't make micro any cheaper. Also their time is money, so the cheap alternative maybe isn't all that cheap when you factor in ALL their costs.

 

Alamy made the decision some time back to allow this to happen, it was a positive decision. Don't forget that Alamy were (still are?) members of the biggest indie microstock forum. They knew exactly what the score was. Indeed, ever noticed how they have often used microstockers as examples in their PR/blogs.

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You make the assumption that buyers in Alamy's main editorial markets have the time to go search every micro to see if they can get it cheaper. Well even if they did have the time (they generally don't), they might well be in a scheme or have discount access that doesn't make micro any cheaper. Also their time is money, so the cheap alternative maybe isn't all that cheap when you factor in ALL their costs.

 

Alamy made the decision some time back to allow this to happen, it was a positive decision. Don't forget that Alamy were (still are?) members of the biggest indie microstock forum. They knew exactly what the score was. Indeed, ever noticed how they have often used microstockers as examples in their PR/blogs.

 

Also . . . buyers have a budget. If they don't spend their budget it will shrink on them. So the lowest price is not always their prime motivation. 

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You make the assumption that buyers in Alamy's main editorial markets have the time to go search every micro to see if they can get it cheaper. Well even if they did have the time (they generally don't), they might well be in a scheme or have discount access that doesn't make micro any cheaper. Also their time is money, so the cheap alternative maybe isn't all that cheap when you factor in ALL their costs.

 

Alamy made the decision some time back to allow this to happen, it was a positive decision. Don't forget that Alamy were (still are?) members of the biggest indie microstock forum. They knew exactly what the score was. Indeed, ever noticed how they have often used microstockers as examples in their PR/blogs.

 

I agree. Except for the time spent to search for a micro stock edition of the same image. If you really want to do it it'll take half a second as micro sites are open for Google Image searches..

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I also think that it is good idea to separate and improve value of images not available on micros... In some macro agencies it's called "premium", "value" or "special", etc... 

 

If Alamy starts doing this kind of stuff, what will distinguish it from all the other, greed-driven agencies? Do words like "value" and "premium" really mean anything? Aren't they just tacky marketing terms?

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I also think that it is good idea to separate and improve value of images not available on micros... In some macro agencies it's called "premium", "value" or "special", etc... 

 

If Alamy starts doing this kind of stuff, what will distinguish it from all the other, greed-driven agencies? Do words like "value" and "premium" really mean anything? Aren't they just tacky marketing terms?

 

 

You have to understand John, that on the whole, the bigger and better agencies using these categories are staffed by intelligent people, who often love photography as much as a nice monthly paycheque.  They are looking for particular values that distinguish some images from the mass, and using standard marketing techniques to actually try and get buyers to pay more, rather than less (less is where the greed lies, because we all know why prices have been dropping). 

 

I don't think it makes sense to put images into premium collections simply on the basis that they aren't in micros.  As it happens Alamy does have premium RF collections, because agencies don't want to sell at Alamy prices - and they happen to have been professionally edited. Lack of editors is probably the main reason why they haven't rolled it out for contributors.

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Hi Robert!  fancy meeting you, Brian and Geoff here!  small world!.

 

Robert!  are there any better or worse agencies today?? I remember Mark-Getty coming over to London in 96, he stood there in fron of all of us and said " we are going to be the biggest, the best and house the most specialized images in the world!.. well they did actually,..... until the digital cameras and micro came around and that was the end of that.

 

I have a digital file captured with an HD4 and the most sophisticated close-up equipent existing of a surgeon removing a small Glioma, thats a small brain-tumor btw. I thought I was the only one having this file, thought it was unique! and it was!  some weeks back I am flicking through the medical pages of two leading micros and what do I see?  same shot!!  I couldn't believe it, just couldn't believe it.

 

The moral of the story. All of todays leading agencies, may it be RM, RF, Micro or whatever, because of modern technique, copycats, this, that, can cater for anything and everything. I bet there are similars for every picture take. There is no such thing anymore as one agency better or more specialized then the other, not on the whole and buyers certainly are not going to waste any time scouting around. I have actually seen them settling for an inferior picture at the flick of a switch rather then keep looking.

 

sadly, you can't beat them only joining them.

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But ... there is something new and major now emerging, something that could bring about a big skills gap.  And for less than the price of an HD4.  Or even an H1.

 

More on that elsewhere.  Too many eyes and ears here.

If there's something you won't share, please just keep it to yourself. Don't nudge nudge, wink wink. Sorry but I find that a bit unkind.

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You make the assumption that buyers in Alamy's main editorial markets have the time to go search every micro to see if they can get it cheaper. Well even if they did have the time (they generally don't), they might well be in a scheme or have discount access that doesn't make micro any cheaper. Also their time is money, so the cheap alternative maybe isn't all that cheap when you factor in ALL their costs.

 

Alamy made the decision some time back to allow this to happen, it was a positive decision. Don't forget that Alamy were (still are?) members of the biggest indie microstock forum. They knew exactly what the score was. Indeed, ever noticed how they have often used microstockers as examples in their PR/blogs.

 

Agree. The cost of imagery now is often cheaper than the time it takes to look for it in the first place (if you waste time looking everywhere).

 

Secondly, Joe Blogs image finder is not entirely bothered if it costs a little  more here when the majority of what they do need is here. It isn't worth buying a subs / credit packages with numerous different agencies as it offsets minimal savings elsewhere. Besides, it's often not their money but it is their time and they have to meet their bosses deadlines!

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Hi Duncan!  the only way you are ever going to get a price justifying the usage or whatever, nowadays is what I posted in the other forum ( you know the one)  is when a creative buyer scouts around for a client, might be exclusive-rights, copyright sales as the buyer I had looking for a pic to use in a world-wide logo-type.

 

Why?  simply because they have no option but to pay, no matter the cost, the pic must simply be exclusive, period. Also when you have ad-agency creatives, art-directors buying etc, money is seldom an object.

 

A pal of mine, AD at O&M is right now looking for a stone statue of an old man draped in snow and is prepared to pay 5K for it. How about that???  he could most probably find that in any old agency BUT he wants the copyright, etc.

 

In August I did a Land-rover shoot, latest Defender ( 15 year old client), the budget for the shoot was mega big, around, 50K, models, props, this, that and only a day shoot. This they don't mind paying for, same client I told a few month's earlier to use a stock-agency just for fill-out pics in an annual for a meager, $.70 per shot. He thought that was too expensive, HA!

 

There is no way you can win, prices have just been slashed too much and going down and agencies are finding all sorts of ways to save payouts to contributors ( not alamy ) but the micros, one of the leading ones are pushing down higher royalty-members in the search-engine, another one is pushing subs-packages instead of credit-sales.

 

Talk about some day, this will all backfire on them and we wake up on a Monday morning just to find they've gone out of business.

 

all the best Duncan.

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Hi Duncan!  the only way you are ever going to get a price justifying the usage or whatever, nowadays is what I posted in the other forum ( you know the one)  is when a creative buyer scouts around for a client, might be exclusive-rights, copyright sales as the buyer I had looking for a pic to use in a world-wide logo-type.

 

Why?  simply because they have no option but to pay, no matter the cost, the pic must simply be exclusive, period. Also when you have ad-agency creatives, art-directors buying etc, money is seldom an object.

 

A pal of mine, AD at O&M is right now looking for a stone statue of an old man draped in snow and is prepared to pay 5K for it. How about that???  he could most probably find that in any old agency BUT he wants the copyright, etc.

 

In August I did a Land-rover shoot, latest Defender ( 15 year old client), the budget for the shoot was mega big, around, 50K, models, props, this, that and only a day shoot. This they don't mind paying for, same client I told a few month's earlier to use a stock-agency just for fill-out pics in an annual for a meager, $.70 per shot. He thought that was too expensive, HA!

 

There is no way you can win, prices have just been slashed too much and going down and agencies are finding all sorts of ways to save payouts to contributors ( not alamy ) but the micros, one of the leading ones are pushing down higher royalty-members in the search-engine, another one is pushing subs-packages instead of credit-sales.

 

Talk about some day, this will all backfire on them and we wake up on a Monday morning just to find they've gone out of business.

 

all the best Duncan.

 

Good to hear from you Chris! Yeah, no agency is ever going to compete with client based work :-) Emailed ya by the way!

 

The day we find an agency that can be trusted 100% will be the day hell freezes over (sorry Alamy). They all have too many agendas, shareholders and investors etc who want more and more of the pie!

 

In fairness, most have been doing really well of late and that includes Alamy..... cheers Alamy, credit where credits due!!

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Hi Duncan!  the only way you are ever going to get a price justifying the usage or whatever, nowadays is what I posted in the other forum ( you know the one)  is when a creative buyer scouts around for a client, might be exclusive-rights, copyright sales as the buyer I had looking for a pic to use in a world-wide logo-type.

 

Why?  simply because they have no option but to pay, no matter the cost, the pic must simply be exclusive, period. Also when you have ad-agency creatives, art-directors buying etc, money is seldom an object.

 

A pal of mine, AD at O&M is right now looking for a stone statue of an old man draped in snow and is prepared to pay 5K for it. How about that???  he could most probably find that in any old agency BUT he wants the copyright, etc.

 

In August I did a Land-rover shoot, latest Defender ( 15 year old client), the budget for the shoot was mega big, around, 50K, models, props, this, that and only a day shoot. This they don't mind paying for, same client I told a few month's earlier to use a stock-agency just for fill-out pics in an annual for a meager, $.70 per shot. He thought that was too expensive, HA!

 

There is no way you can win, prices have just been slashed too much and going down and agencies are finding all sorts of ways to save payouts to contributors ( not alamy ) but the micros, one of the leading ones are pushing down higher royalty-members in the search-engine, another one is pushing subs-packages instead of credit-sales.

 

Talk about some day, this will all backfire on them and we wake up on a Monday morning just to find they've gone out of business.

 

all the best Duncan.

 

Good to hear from you Chris! Yeah, no agency is ever going to compete with client based work :-) Emailed ya by the way!

 

The day we find an agency that can be trusted 100% will be the day hell freezes over (sorry Alamy). They all have too many agendas, shareholders and investors etc who want more and more of the pie!

 

In fairness, most have been doing really well of late and that includes Alamy..... cheers Alamy, credit where credits due!!

 

Agree!  going good here as well and in all the RM, RF and micro. I can't complain. Even two outright copyright sales during November.  

 

Oh I can undersand micros, its a sort of pictures off the peg Casbah market mentality, fair enough we all know that. Trouble is that many traditional agencies have no option but to string along with that, lowering prices, royalties, etc or else they're in trouble, revenue wise that is.

In the end its like a cut-price super market right across the board, well is already I suppose.

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