Live news

[Sally]

26 minutes ago, LawrensonPhoto said:

Nope!

That’s my point. I have had dozens of licenses for same use, same newspaper: $49-50. Now $14. A “variation”.

[Avpics]

3 hours ago, Sally said:

Have you seen $14? 

Yes, and $13. One a suspect vehicle, and one a violent policing situation. Not a great incentive to get in there and do it again.

[ABP]

Good Morning,

 

I have just read 24 pages of the discussion about the recent changes to Almy Live News Feed, and I'm no clearer to why this is happening. I asked Alamy the day it happened and the response was far from a justified explanation, especially if the Live News Feed was your only revenue stream. The only explanation I can think of that a Union has been involved due to the number of photographers/videographers attending breaking news events and Almy have been asked to clean up their contributors? I expect this as if this was in any other industry Alamy would have a Union knocking on there door demanding a detailed explanation. 

 

I, just like many other contributors want a clear defined answer so I can either, learn from this or simply move on, as I have missed almost a months worths of breaking news events, especially around the Extinction Rebellion movement.

 

Best Regards,

 

Andy.

[RedSnapper]

...but then again, the LiveNews rates for print usage are still much healthier than the standard stock rates...just had 5 x $$$ usages reported this morning

 

 

km

[Avpics]

On 28/04/2019 at 10:43, Starsphinx said:

Surely supply and demand has to come into it - are there really that many photographers from other agencies taking the same photos as are available on Live news Alamy?

A number of shooters also supply to other agencies in parallel with what they send to Alamy, in particular to R/S which quantity-wise seem to have more success. I believe their cut was lower than that received via sales through Alamy so it could well be an attempt to compete on more level terms by undercutting pricing

[spacecadet]

On 26/04/2019 at 12:12, Colblimp said:

It's definitely the arse end lol! 😂

 

I'm ready for Hannah - one of the nationals rang me yesterday looking for pics - 'we'll probably run with a front page and 2 or 3 more inside'.  Nice!

Very exciting it was too, next to the Solent- in a tent.

[Russell]

Today 30/04/18 there are some 600 stories in the News Feed. I didn't count them all, but I'd guess that fewer than 150 of these are UK related. Alamy is of course a "goto" UK agency.

 

They will never publish it, but I'd love to know how sales from the news stream have fared since the change.

[Pete Snelling]

On 25/04/2019 at 10:56, MDM said:

 

Do local newspapers actually pay for photography these days? Would they actually license a picture from Alamy or anywhere else? Where I live (Peterborough, population around 200,000), what used to be the local daily paper is now a weekly, everything is now online and the photography appears to be mainly citizen journalism provided free. The local Toys'R'Us burned down a few nights ago which is probably the biggest thing that has happened here since the Fiona Onasanya debacle. You can judge the photography and where it was sourced yourself but I doubt they paid a penny for it.  The quality of the imagery speaks for itself.

 

They do if photographers direct them to Alamy. I was fortunate that Sunday night, Ashdown forest caught light and my LN application had been restored the previous week. All photo enquires, be it Local or National were directed straight to Alamy Live News, Credit leeches were left with no where to go except embedding tweets, I was surprised a number of big players wanted it for free. Just a shame Alamy don't deal with video content yet or their income from sales would of been a lot higher!

[Sultanpepa]

Well that's that then. My application for live news access has been refused. Extremely disappointed and unsure where I go from here. 😥

[Pete Snelling]

32 minutes ago, Sultanpepa said:

Well that's that then. My application for live news access has been refused. Extremely disappointed and unsure where I go from here. 😥

 

Have you contacted Jessica to see if there is a reason. I was tempted to go to SW** but heard mixed things

[Sultanpepa]

38 minutes ago, Pete Snelling said:

 

Have you contacted Jessica to see if there is a reason. I was tempted to go to SW** but heard mixed things

 

I don't see much point to be honest. They obviously don't think my submissions are what they want. That's fair enough. I just wish they had given a road map to achieving live news accreditation.

[spacecadet]

8 minutes ago, Sultanpepa said:

 

I don't see much point to be honest. They obviously don't think my submissions are what they want. That's fair enough. I just wish they had given a road map to achieving live news accreditation.

Road map? Nah. Just one of those chuffing great concrete barriers with a "No Entry" sign on it.

[Matt Ashmore]

1 hour ago, spacecadet said:

Road map? Nah. Just one of those chuffing great concrete barriers with a "No Entry" sign on it.

 

For some reason I more imagine Sir Ian McKellen wearing grey robes with a large wooden staff... YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!! 🙂

 

[Avpics]

1 hour ago, Matt Ashmore said:

 

For some reason I more imagine Sir Ian McKellen wearing grey robes with a large wooden staff... YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!! 🙂

 

Or Tommy Smith. You can pass, but don't expect to still have both legs

[DJ Myford]

I was thinking more of the Vogon bureaucracy myself.

[spacecadet]

Finger down the throat. Resistance is useless.

[Mr Standfast]

5 hours ago, Sultanpepa said:

Well that's that then. My application for live news access has been refused. Extremely disappointed and unsure where I go from here. 😥

 

Sorry to read that.

 

[rgfoto]

Does this qualify as a news worthy print? (https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/650644.html)

 

 

Edited May 2, 2019 by rgfoto

[Sultanpepa]

19 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Finger down the throat. Resistance is useless.

 

I've been removed from the hive and resistance is futile. ;) 

[Mr Standfast]

23 hours ago, Sultanpepa said:

That's fair enough. I just wish they had given a road map to achieving live news accreditation.

 

 

I guess they just don't see that providing  a road map is part of their business. They are a conduit for the finished product.

However...they do provide a forum, may I quote line one of the rules... The Alamy forum is for contributors to spark debate and find answers from each other. 

I have also heard that KM's course is good value.

 

So come on you clever people, if you were going to provide a road map, what would you do?

 

Here's mine...

 

1. Give up now.  Well it's an option, it will give you the time to buy that Gold Mine in Guyana that Todd Hoffman ran, if not for you then...

2. Keep shooting stock, but look for topical subjects. QC is quick these days , something shot on monday  is available and at the top of the queue for a "New" search by the Sundays on friday. I've sold two stock pictures of Debenhams this month,  they were both just about a week old. Your feedback will be stock sales.

3. Keep repeating 2, until you are ready. For me, these stock pictures sell better than my general stock.

4. People make a mistake when submitting their first 3 pictures to QC of submitting what they think of as "Great Photographs" or their "favourites" and not something that demonstrates the basics of focus, exposure and composition. Your goal is to practice getting  "good news photographs" into your stock portfolio.

5. When you are ready, get set up to submit some pictures very shortly after you take them. Within the hour works for some markets. Get your captions right, the syntax is important, it is a tangible item you can be measured on as is speed of delivery. Most other items are subjective.

6. Shoot your pictures, email Live News with what you have.

7. Repeat 2 through 6 untill rich.

 

 

I have people waiting for me so this is a bit scribbled.

 

James

 

 

[John Richmond]

4 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

7. Repeat 2 through 6 untill rich.

In programming circles this is known as an infinite loop 😊

 

 

[IanDavidson]

18 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

 

 

I guess they just don't see that providing  a road map is part of their business. They are a conduit for the finished product.

However...they do provide a forum, may I quote line one of the rules... The Alamy forum is for contributors to spark debate and find answers from each other. 

I have also heard that KM's course is good value.

 

So come on you clever people, if you were going to provide a road map, what would you do?

 

Here's mine...

 

1. Give up now.  Well it's an option, it will give you the time to buy that Gold Mine in Guyana that Todd Hoffman ran, if not for you then...

2. Keep shooting stock, but look for topical subjects. QC is quick these days , something shot on monday  is available and at the top of the queue for a "New" search by the Sundays on friday. I've sold two stock pictures of Debenhams this month,  they were both just about a week old. Your feedback will be stock sales.

3. Keep repeating 2, until you are ready. For me, these stock pictures sell better than my general stock.

4. People make a mistake when submitting their first 3 pictures to QC of submitting what they think of as "Great Photographs" or their "favourites" and not something that demonstrates the basics of focus, exposure and composition. Your goal is to practice getting  "good news photographs" into your stock portfolio.

5. When you are ready, get set up to submit some pictures very shortly after you take them. Within the hour works for some markets. Get your captions right, the syntax is important, it is a tangible item you can be measured on as is speed of delivery. Most other items are subjective.

6. Shoot your pictures, email Live News with what you have.

7. Repeat 2 through 6 untill rich.

 

 

I have people waiting for me so this is a bit scribbled.

 

James

 

 

Sadly Keith’s course was cancelled this year which is a pity.  

[Jools Devon]

10 minutes ago, IanDavidson said:

Sadly Keith’s course was cancelled this year which is a pity.  

 

Yes - I when I called to book my place they were not sure if it was running....... that was about a week before the Live news changes... I was on the waiting list, but didnt hear anything else, so assumed it had been cancelled.

 

I wonder if it was due to the changes Alamy were planning?

 

I'm still waiting to hear if my application to be let back in has been accepted - If I don't get my permissions restored, I would like to know what the criteria is to get accepted into Live News.

 

I have sold video footage to ITN, but am relatively new to Alamy. I had submitted some Live News, all properly tagged. One sold as stock, but I don't know where it was published.

 

I'd still be very interested in doing a course with Keith - especially to learn the workflow of fast publishing via mobile now this seems to be one of the criteria - and learn what type of pictures sell!

 

Julian

[IanDavidson]

2 hours ago, Jools Devon said:

 

Yes - I when I called to book my place they were not sure if it was running....... that was about a week before the Live news changes... I was on the waiting list, but didnt hear anything else, so assumed it had been cancelled.

 

I wonder if it was due to the changes Alamy were planning?

 

I'm still waiting to hear if my application to be let back in has been accepted - If I don't get my permissions restored, I would like to know what the criteria is to get accepted into Live News.

 

I have sold video footage to ITN, but am relatively new to Alamy. I had submitted some Live News, all properly tagged. One sold as stock, but I don't know where it was published.

 

I'd still be very interested in doing a course with Keith - especially to learn the workflow of fast publishing via mobile now this seems to be one of the criteria - and learn what type of pictures sell!

 

Julian

Keith has published in detail, on this forum his excellent workflow.  I am a bit puzzled, however as I was told his course was cancelled due to a lack of interest: yet there was a waiting list.  This does not seem to add up.  It has been suggested that Keith knew about the changes before most of us (allegedly he posted on another forum before the announcement, but I do not know if this is true.).  That would, maybe, be an explanation.  

 

There are are many ways to “fast publish”.   Keith uses a phone with preset IPTC data. (No doubt he will correct me if I am wrong)  I use a laptop with photo mechanic, again with prepopulated  IPTC data.  I have a mifi which means I can send from any location.  

 

As to what sells, no one knows the answer to that.  Keith has a particular niche, as do I.  (In my case cabinet ministers, if they stand still long enough).  Keith is far far more successful than most on Alamy.  But, he has a particular niche/style (look at his portfolio).  .  If you look at the topics of “images found “insert month” “. You will see a vast variety. Alamy gives a lot of guidance as to picture demands, trends etc, an excellent service.  

 

My personal view is that I need to put in a lot of research as to current news trends etc and try (normally not successfully) to take and market  photos that match.  However, as I often discuss with other London news photographers there is a big chunk of luck along with another chunk of experience (knowing where to be when) and pure hard work, long hours and perseverance that can lead to sales.  Everyone’s experience is different. All the togs I speak to are frequently surprised by what sells.  I guess the big step is not to think about “your photos” but about client’s photo requirements.  

 

Just my personal view...  

[Phil Robinson]

Not sure how photos of Frank Sinatra in 1974 or Tom Sellick in 1996 deserve a place on the Live News feed today - even if they have added today's date to the caption.