here's a not so inspiring story

[sooth]

https://petapixel.com/2018/12/22/photog-shocked-after-his-1-88-stock-photo-shows-up-on-walmart-goods/

 

person earned $1.88 from a RF stock photo sale at a microstock agency, finds his photo printed on at least 500,000 units of product sold at walmart.

 

[Panthera tigris]

He is monetizing the video about the story :+) I gave him a click.

[Cryptoprocta]

He's a very unfortunate bloke: https://www.gofundme.com/wza5us5p-recovering-stolen-camera-gear

[wiskerke]

26 minutes ago, Cryptoprocta said:

He's a very unfortunate bloke: https://www.gofundme.com/wza5us5p-recovering-stolen-camera-gear

 

You don't think he actually might be from Nigeria? (Ok - not nice to all honest people from Nigeria.)

Anyways he should go back to school.

 

wim

[Cryptoprocta]

7 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

 

You don't think he actually might be from Nigeria? (Ok - not nice to all honest people from Nigeria.)

Anyways he should go back to school.

 

wim

He says he 'randomly uploaded one pic to SS'. Well, his port does have only one pic, but not the one in  question. However the bridge one and others were there at one time, but apparently not now (some of these may not be his): 

https://www.google.com/search?q=michael+stemm+site:shutterstock.com&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwif8KaFk7ffAhUkShUIHeRKAkkQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=1920&bih=966#imgrc=_

 

[wiskerke]

48 minutes ago, Cryptoprocta said:

He says he 'randomly uploaded one pic to SS'. Well, his port does have only one pic, but not the one in  question. However the bridge one and others were there at one time, but apparently not now (some of these may not be his): 

https://www.google.com/search?q=michael+stemm+site:shutterstock.com&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwif8KaFk7ffAhUkShUIHeRKAkkQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=1920&bih=966#imgrc=_

 

 

I did read the story and all the comments on PetaPixel earlier this evening. But hadn't checked him out. (Uncharacteristically - I know.)

The story about the stolen equipment is a year old, so probably is legit.

His current stupidity however is really unbelievable.

He Owns A Business. A Video Business.

He Has A Business Degree (with a major in Marketing from the University of New Brunswick).

 

Him and his team of travel videographers and photographers produce high quality videos with the top-of-the-line camera equipment. Stemm has earned his Business degree with a major in Marketing from the University of New Brunswick. He has had a passion for film making since he was in Elementary school, where he worked after school making PSA videos for the government of Canada. This has given him a strong foundation for video production, attending media courses throughout his studies. Stemm now does contract work for various companies and organizations around Atlantic Canada, and travels the world making films. He created a brand around his video production company that revolves around the travel lifestyle.

(Vimeo but similar texts on Facebook; Youtube.)

 

A Business Degree, but he cannot read.

He should go either back to school or ask his money back.

 

This could have been a plausible story in 2004; 2005. Not in 2018.

I wonder if Wallmart will pay him to shut up. Or just send a nice letter from their legal office directing him to Shutterstock and the company that actually licensed the image.

 

wim

[Cryptoprocta]

10 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

 

I did read the story and all the comments on PetaPixel earlier this evening. But hadn't checked him out. (Uncharacteristically - I know.)

The story about the stolen equipment is a year old, so probably is legit.

I'm not saying it isn't legit.

If he's so business savvy, why wasn't he insured?

[wiskerke]

4 minutes ago, Cryptoprocta said:

I'm not saying it isn't legit.

If he's so business savvy, why wasn't he insured?

 

As my father used to say: only insure stuff you cannot afford to replace.

Then when my mother died, turned out she had had 3 burglary policies ;-)

And never a break-in in all those years, so they worked!

(To her credit: two were attached to other policies and really cheap.)

 

I think this case shows he's far beyond being not business savvy.

 

wim

[cbimages]

I saw this story and thought it read as a bit suss! I reckon the guy is just looking at ways to get more mileage and money from this.

 

Firstly SS require 10 images to pass before accepting a photographer, not just 1"randomly uploaded". 

 

Secondly, as commented all the other things as per Wim's comments. Really, he has a business degree and doesn't read a contract, nor bother to find out what he'll be paid for his product.

 

Thirdly, bad reporting - "It turns out a Newfoundland-based company called Islandwide Distributors (IWD) had licensed Stemm’s photo royalty-free from Shutterstock for just $1.88". This is not correct, the buyer would have paid more, it's just that the photographer only got a pittance for the licence.

 

Fourthly, the text under his video " Walmarts Selling My Picture Without My Permission" is so obviously not the truth. Especially as he'd already admitted it was licenced from SS.

 

Fifth, it may be different in Canada, but the withdrawal amount from SS is $US35, not $US50.

 

Sixth, there is an image taken apparently by this person still on SS - which was shot in August 2018. Seems like he is still uploading there.