Edd Westmacott Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Its a shame but not unexpected, I see predict to further cuts to royalties down the line. Is anyone on here actually in the platinum level? I'm not there yet! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 1 minute ago, geogphotos said: But you can. See what others have written above. See what I wrote above. When the first person said it was possible I did it. Just proves you can't believe what Alamy tells you. Why would I try to do it when they told me I couldn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve F Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Just now, Edd Westmacott said: Its a shame but not unexpected, I see predict to further cuts to royalties down the line. Is anyone on here actually in the platinum level? I'm not there yet! Platinum level is outside the solar system.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edd Westmacott Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Ive just opted out of distribution as well 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayembee69 Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 4 hours ago, geogphotos said: So funny all this talk of the 'core 40%' being maintained as though we should be reassured. Not long ago it was 65% Core 40% being maintained ... well for 18 months and then down to 30%.. by then, if you're on Silver, you'll have to pay Alamy everytime they sell one of your photos. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryD Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Is there a 'league table' of stock sites anywhere? Curious as to what other sites I should consider joining now. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gina Kelly Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 9 minutes ago, Edd Westmacott said: Its a shame but not unexpected, I see predict to further cuts to royalties down the line. Is anyone on here actually in the platinum level? I'm not there yet! If you're not there with over 65,000 images it's hard to imagine that anyone is! 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanU Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 4 minutes ago, BarryD said: Is there a 'league table' of stock sites anywhere? Curious as to what other sites I should consider joining now. All agencies have their catches... The industry is very tricky and you're going to be hard stretched to get favourable rates unless you do it all yourself (which is not really a possibility for most people if you only do stock). 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nathaniel Noir Posted May 17, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 17, 2021 22 minutes ago, Gina Kelly said: Alamy - where is the loyalty to your photographers, especially to those of us who have been with you, and loyal to you, for a long time? To those of us who are providing you with exclusive content year after year? Every year there are fewer and fewer incentives to continue the hard work that goes into being a stock photographer. Every year we see our work being sold for lower and lower prices. I stopped being surprised by these contract changes a long time ago. Why not put the effort into motivating and providing incentives to us to keep at it, rather than slowly beating us down like this? I'm not one of those who is on the forum moaning about every little thing. I've bitten my tongue over and over, tried not to complain about the changes, tried to remain positive and just "work harder!" but I'm losing steam. This has become demoralizing. Agree with you 100%. I've been pushing myself so hard to upload as many quality photos as I can. I have a full time 9-5 and the rest of the time is pretty much Alamy, either shooting and editing. I've denied myself so much thinking if I only put it the extra effort I can get a little better monthly pay out. Every time you think you might be doing a little better in the coming year you get knocked down - same effort, less returns. Very demotivating. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Baker Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I'm never surprised by the methods and frequency that corporates demotivate their contributors (and/or workers ). By the levels of collective discontent, and reading the (already) 6 pages of comments, it's clear that Alamy have achieved this spectacularly. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotbrightsky Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 54 minutes ago, hotbrightsky said: If anyone wants to PROTEST against this move without deleting their entire image collection (yet): Go to Alamy Image Manager Select all images (or large batches) Go to Optional menu Check Restrictions for Personal, Editorial and one other use category! If Alamy decides to reconsider then simply reverse the process. Right, that's all 3K of my images restricted against 'Personal', 'Editorial' and 'Advertising and promotion' use. If Alamy makes a sale in the remaining 'Consumer goods' category I'll retire on the earnings, and they're welcome to claim their 60% commission! Unfortunate but necessary I feel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edd Westmacott Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 4 minutes ago, Gina Kelly said: If you're not there with over 65,000 images it's hard to imagine that anyone is! I think if they halved the platinum level to 12.5K or even 10K then it would still only benefit a few hundred photographers out of the thousands on alamy. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Will Alamy change images from "Exclusive" to "Non-exclusive" on request once the contract changes take effect? When the last change was made, I asked Alamy to change all but a handful of my images to "Exclusive", and they helpfully obliged. I have no hope of reaching Platinum. There will, therefore, be no ongoing benefit to me to having images marked as Excusive to Alamy. Indeed, the reverse is true. Even though I will have no less commission deducted for having the images marked as Exclusive, Alamy will be able, in principle, to recover from me costs of enforcement action it takes against infringement, even if I do not request or agree that action, if any image proves not to be exclusive. Unless there is a realistic prospect of achieving Platinum, there is no longer any point in warranting that any images are Exclusive. Clauses 2.7 and 2.10 of the new terms can never benefit any contributor who will not reach Platinum, they can only operate against the contributor (for no additional reward to the contributor). The fair way forward would have been for the new terms to limit the effects of clause 2.7 and 2.10 to contributors who are in the Platinum band (because they are the only ones who can benefit from the lesser rate of commission deducted for Exclusive images). Perhaps Alamy would be good enough to confirm that they will make the change to non-Exclusive portfolio-wide on request, or confirm that the clauses dealing with Exclusivity will be amended so as to apply only to contributors within the Platinum tier. Graham 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalkansCat Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 of course, an amaizing change that actually will be worse for almost everybody... I just remember a time not that far away when everybody was getting 50%... You are just lying. There are no reason to take more from us, especially if sales are increasing as you are saying. Is it legit to insult you, at this stage, like all the other thief agencies in the microstock work, because you are microstock as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 2 minutes ago, Paul J said: Having been absolutely roasted yesterday for moaning about Alamy - look at all my red arrows!! I’m chuckling away here. Really? What a strange reaction to bad news. Yes I've given you a red arrow. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) I read in the blog about the increasing importance of building partnerships and distribution networks. In which case making it less attractive for contributors to participate seems to be rather perverse. Edited May 17, 2021 by geogphotos 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 With infringements my hunch is that before long the incredibly helpful staff at Contributors will be instructed not to give out information about downloads and licences. Just as happened when Alamy got wind of money to be taken from contributors through DACS. Does it continue to regard itself as an ethical company, the photographer's friend, occupying the high ground? I hope not. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NomisH Posted May 17, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 17, 2021 Kinda liberating. I was totally exclusive to Alamy but obviously they don't give a s**t. I'm off to investigate Shutterstock, etc :) 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilkopix Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 7 minutes ago, Graham said: Perhaps Alamy would be good enough to confirm that they will make the change to non-Exclusive portfolio-wide on request, or confirm that the clauses dealing with Exclusivity will be amended so as to apply only to contributors within the Platinum tier. I'd second that. I've just changed a bunch to non exclusive and in the process of uploading them to other libraries. Not something I want to do but the economics of Alamy's new contract means that many contributors are left with very little choice but to start supplying other agencies. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotbrightsky Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 15 minutes ago, Graham said: Perhaps Alamy would be good enough to confirm that they will make the change to non-Exclusive portfolio-wide on request I don't see why they wouldn't since they've made it clear that Exclusivity is worthless to them (and us). They will also apply Restrictions to entire portfolios on request in my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Paul J said: Thanks, gratefully received - red is my favourite colour actually. (which you will have seen from my business logo when you had a google snoop yesterday) Snoop? You were banging on about yourself rather a lot if I remember correctly. If you have a website you really shouldn't regard it as snooping when you get a visitor after telling us all about yourself. Edited May 17, 2021 by geogphotos 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imageplotter Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 3 hours ago, geogphotos said: As I said at the time I had a terrible suspicion that this 'exciting' new copyright initiative would turn into another DACS style money-grab from contributors. I guess the answer is to declare all images as non-exclusive. But I have a bad feeling about their next move after that..... Yep, exactly. And I have the same bad feeling re. rushing into non-exclusivity, as far as their next move is concerned. If, however, this contract remains the way it is, I think that may be the only viable option. Which then simultaneously constitutes an open invitation for infringers (if they know the image is non-exclusive on alamy, they know they're unlikely to be chased). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) Why did this Bonnie Tyler song come into my head? "It's a heartache Nothing but a heartacheHits you when it's too lateHits you when you're down It's a fool's gameNothing but a fool's gameStanding in the cold rainFeeling like a clown" Edited May 17, 2021 by Cryptoprocta 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Clemson Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 15 minutes ago, NomisH said: Kinda liberating. I was totally exclusive to Alamy but obviously they don't give a s**t. I'm off to investigate Shutterstock, etc I'm in the process of deleting my (video) portfolio from Shutterstock because they imposed a new commission structure which makes even the new Alamy contract look positively benign. There may be a better world somewhere out there, but I doubt SS or any other microstock agency is part of it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imageplotter Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 1 hour ago, Harry Harrison said: 'Platinum, Gold & Silver'. Please? Del Boy could do better than that The look and feel of this is more like cheap non-recyclable plastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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