DavidC

As a fairly modest (limited) poster, both myself and the 'Dog of Death' have noticed that the previous Avatar seemed to attract a large number of instances where the slash of the 'Blue Pencil' swiftly followed - either by our summary dismissal, or worse still the dreaded 'Poster Padlock'........ Just to avoid the charge of drifting Off Topic I would point out that this posting is to progress my journey towards Advanced Membership - and I really am trying to avoid mentioning the Scheming Newspapers Arrangements - honestly !

Sorry. 'The Dog of Death' appears to have bitten again on the other Stockimo topic......trying for a double nip !

.......if that is right you are already about 24hrs behind mine which should be captioned, keyworded and already in the picture desk browser......

Eclectic - that's the word I've been looking for - not necessarily contemporary, up to date or unusual - just about anything that is relevant in time to news, views, or fashions - incorporating archive material when the relevance is high and using just about any camera to get it. I'll not be buying an Iphone, but if I come across a news story and my trusty compact is not close to hand I'll shoot it on my mainly-telephone-but-with-a-camera device, Bluetooth it to my Mac and upload it to News and send it all-round to Nat and Provincial Press - it is not what you've got - it is how you use it - isn't it ? The only drawback I can see is that the tag-line for the image lacks the trendy name, but then my images are targeted for their markets and not reliant on someone chancing across them...... Dinosaur - probably, still selling well, definitely !

Second that - many of these schemes seem important but it is vital to see a few numbers backing up the hype - I know of one '$20,000' client of one agency who actually produced end sales that totaled in the hundreds after negotiating the 'deal' of the decade paying the photographers absolute peanuts. Facts are often hard to come by.......

Don't see the point, would it actually add to your sales potential ? Large numbers of image searches result in zero zooms because the customer has hovered and seen the larger image - so I suppose a 'Hover' box would also be needed...... Basically it ain't broke so why complicate it - the information has a limited value until the client actually buys the image license - and even then it can be refunded ! As a frequent critic of some of the things that Alamy gets up to I would guide you to their advice recently regarding the BHZ stuff - it was a breath of fresh air......

Thanks for the two 'green arrows' awarded in the few minutes before the Alamy 'Blue Pencil' removed my posting - shall I word it in a more politically correct manner...... In my opinion, Alamy should concentrate on its core business more and protect the interests of its contributors before - not instead - of entering into promotions of this sort. I did win a major contest (the only one that I have entered) a couple of years ago and that image went viral on the webimagenetthingy with more than a thousand unassociated infringements in just a couple of months - so the danger IS there and censorship of opinions will not remove it........I am delighted to see a thoughtful and constructive response from anyone on the forum - especially the Administrators..... 5-4-3-2-1 !!!

He's a veteran of some nine years - just does not spend/invest (!) much time here......

Very much +1 !!!!!!! Also Telegraph and all News Int titles.....

In Alamy 31 'Sales' - three largest refunded - $1327 (GROSS) Infringement SRA's* have topped £5,000 for a full year - this is NET after the license compliance company and weasels have taken their cut. My advice remains, chase infringements but do not hope to get paid by (most) bloggers or news recycling sites (who often have syndication arrangements agreed by Alamy with the first publisher) - and do not expect quick results - offenders often are tardy in their responses and weasels are as usual pretty longwinded. *Settlement Release Agreements - documents legally laying out the damages and conditions - signed by all parties. No sign yet of Alamy rethinking their Scheming Newspapers Arrangements in spite of more Online editions becoming 'Paid for by Subscription'. ..or syndication elements.... or Website creators being allowed to sublicense images to any number of their clients.....

Best of luck Robert - but if you offer the same images on those two micro sites you will find that potential customers will always find the cheapest one and it would be nice to think that it wouldn't be Alamy.....I find that 'horses for courses' is the best policy.....

Distributor sale in March 2013 is outstanding - many take ridiculously long times to appear as paid - I'm afraid you answered your own question regarding losing the sale - if they can't/won't pay then you have had it - Alamy won't pay you until they have been paid themselves. Your only chance is to treat it as an infringement and pursue it yourself - if you can find a contact address for the infringer - and I doubt that Alamy will tell you to whom they made the 'sale'.

Come on The Administrators - this Mocking of the Afflicted must be stopped - absolutely Off Topic - and cruel as well.......

Quiet old day up there is it Paul ?

Exactly, the caption should contain the 'Who, Where' Why' What and When' and be clear enough to stand alone, but given the bones for expansion - many 'reporters' never leave their desks being re-writers for others copy - backed by a couple of phone calls - this of course explains much - 'the men in shiny shoes' have a lot to answer for.......

OK Mr Dingo and Sheila - let's hear it for the Ladies - I understand that a rather severe operation is planned for a number of members of the current England Lacrosse Squad who were mistakenly sent down under with cricket bats........

Kick back ! Write a good comprehensive caption - the Subs (sub-editors) can knock it up into an article - do away with reporters all together !!!! When doing show biz features (years ago) I would always introduce the reporter as "My caption writer......" - on the whole it went down well with the celeb - not quite so with the scribe......

:-) I acknowledge daily the origin of Mr Murdoch (although here in the West we don't necessarily agree that being born in Melbourne necessarily means a lot) , just as I acknowledge of late the origin of the current international LaCrosse side touring Oz . . . . . . consequently I have an abundant supply of hair-shirts, but I mostly draw the line at self-flagellation. It's ironic in a way, Australians in general are always looking for the most tenuous link to claim someone as Australian (much to the bemusement of our New Zealand cousins), but in the case of the most successful (business-wise only I add quickly) we strive for the exact opposite :-) dd You know full well that the Alamy moderators have banned all mention of the England Cricket team because it causes such distress in the old country - and any attempt to deny the hero status of the Dirty Digger down there will be met with derision - we know you really love him.....

Mr Dingo throws a little soot into this matter - the way that newspapers choose to present the news is biased in whatever way their proprietors desire - just have a look at the front page of the Daily Star (UK) if you must, who consider that a TV "Reality" programme is all that matters in the world - the manipulation is by content and placement. However Narciso knew the rules on image manipulation, but chose to remove an offending artifact (don't know why he bothered the image was fine, and the 'camera' detracted nothing). I'd far rather have the line that must not be crossed than allow wishy-washy interpretations of what can - and cannot be done. ....and another thing Mr Dingo, your tirade against the Murdoch empire fails to reveal the the fact that your boy was home grown - albeit that he has since had a couple of nationality changes for convenience since you exported him. I feel that you should take some personal responsibility for his shortcomings.......

"Job's comforter" = Alamy search 28 results..................

It is the Alamy/Times/News International arrangement which seems to be the big problem - I self-marketed an image of a butterfly all round to UK nationals when a story was current about the state of the butterfly world. It was used four times - The Times received it on 26th November, 2013 used it on 27th November, sent me a remittance advice three weeks later (16th December, 2013) and the money appeared by bank transfer into my account the same day. This has been the pattern of all self-marketed images used in both the Times and The Sun during the past year - three weeks......all items are paid by self-billing and include VAT. I am convinced that the Alamy system needs a damned good shake up - - and while they are at it perhaps the promised look at the Scheming Newspapers Arrangements could actually be activated ........

I think that you have also thought about wall-art - that would seem to be a good use which has probably not been explored by the images previous owner - good luck !

I seem to remember, without going back, that you have bought the rights to a whole load of motor related images from a retired professional photographer - you have a whole can or worms to contend with as you probably won't know the history of those images in any great detail - i.e. whether they have been licensed in the past, who to, and for what period of time. Some looked as if they were taken as 'Press Release' images which historically were issued 'free' to magazines and newspapers by the manufacturers and their PR consultants - with the photographer working on commission having signed away publication fees for the commission fee - check very carefully before you try a legal route it can be expensive - and in your case a minefield.....

The reason that I suggested that you ring them and ask for the name of the responsible person is that an e-mail to a general e-mail address manned by a number of people runs the risk of being ignored by them all ! best of luck

Daily Mirror direct line to Picture Desk is 0207 293 3851 (+44(0)207 293 3851 Int) - not sure who deals with missed payments now, but ring them (best before 10am GMT - and not near deadlines !) ask who deals with missed payments and for their e-mail address. Send them the details.