Linda Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Alamy Contract & Goodbye....I just can't sign it....After discussing the Alamy contract and discussions on the epuk site in regard to this contract with those in the legal field I've been advised,at least for my business , to sign it for various reasons. One being chasing retro licenses,sales being made after termination. The other is the low rates here. I'm still determining my own licensing fees and sell for many many times more than the fees here. These low fees benefit the buyers and the owners of the agencies that are making the money in large bulk purchases. That doesn't benefit the photographer that has to buy pricey equipment,transportation,health insurance,business insurance,telephones,computers,mortgage,etc. While I feel Alamy had started out with great intentions I feel that the bigger they got,they just lost sight of where their own livelihoods were coming from. And that would me you and me. Every one is different,but my stock goes back 35 years and I just can't abide by some of the things in that contract.With that I am sure Alamy will be deleting my posts here when my images vanish.So,it's been great knowing all of you.Some of you are my Facebook friends but I've maxed out at 5000 friends(most are friends and clients)I can't add any more at this time there,but feel free to contact me thru either of my websites,Twitter,Linkedin or Facebook messaging. I can add if you add me first and I delete someone which happens every now and then.Good Luck to all of you!Best,L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Linda, really sorry to hear that, but can't say that I'm surprised. I fully understand your stance here. I was hoping that the comments by Alamy on the EPUK post we're going to be converted into some B&W changes to the contract wording, but apparently not. I don't do FB, but I've got your location on Twitter and will add you to my new biz account once I get that up and running. All the very best, DannyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Ciao, Linda. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I have your email EDO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Alamy needs to wake up Linda. It's losing it's most able contributors. Either that or they just use it as a recycling depot for stuff that can't be placed elsewhere. Personally I don't care too much about pricing, providing an agency can reach markets that really do pay and that I can't reach. But the RPI situation is a disaster, as Jules, Don Smith and others have pointed out, only to have their posts removed. If you can sell your own work for good prices, go for it. And don't look back. Crowd sourcing is a dead end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Quist Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Sorry to hear, Linda, but can sure understand. Good luck... Niels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 As far as pricing goes here.Let's just say on one sale I did last week,it was more than I made in a whole year on Alamy with more than 4700 photos. It's gone down every year for me here while my own licenses have gone up. A lot!L PS-Passing out +1 as long as I'm here. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 But the RPI situation is a disaster, as Jules, Don Smith and others have pointed out, only to have their posts removed. Personally, I don't think it makes much sense to measure success on Alamy in terms of RPI. The Alamy collection is now too large and the market is too unpredictable. What counts (to me anyway) is total income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Bonne chance, Linda. I'll miss hearing about your camera equipment adventures. Perhaps you should write a book about them. Could become a bestseller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 All the best Linda, I have your contact details so hopefully the conversation can continue elsewhere. Good luck, I may not be far behind you as the benefit of staying is not justified by the return - one infringment last year paid more than 3+ years here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cribb Visuals Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Bravo, Linda. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TABan Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Good luck Linda. Maybe I'll run into you here in the Big Windy sometime. I wonder how long before this thread disappears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Hawkins Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Good luck Linda, see you on FB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 But the RPI situation is a disaster, as Jules, Don Smith and others have pointed out, only to have their posts removed. Personally, I don't think it makes much sense to measure success on Alamy in terms of RPI. The Alamy collection is now too large and the market is too unpredictable. What counts (to me anyway) is total income. Did I say I think Alamy is a failure? I don't think so. It's very successful at what it does, which is to harvest a huge quantity of images without much expense, otherwise incur light overheads, and make a good percentage profit year-on year. It's a very clever model. But not necessarily so for contribs. I'm referring to RPI that is achievable, not average RPI. There is quite a lot of hard data that Alamy has fallen a long way behind its competitors here. Achievable RPI determines whether it's possible to draw a salary, or simply earn pocket money, if the work is right. If the work is wrong, then Alamy might actually be a better place to be. The best option of all is to make a living by selling directly to clients as Linda is doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sultanpepa Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Good luck for the future Linda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 But the RPI situation is a disaster, as Jules, Don Smith and others have pointed out, only to have their posts removed. Personally, I don't think it makes much sense to measure success on Alamy in terms of RPI. The Alamy collection is now too large and the market is too unpredictable. What counts (to me anyway) is total income. Did I say I think Alamy is a failure? I don't think so. It's very successful at what it does, which is to harvest a huge quantity of images without much expense, otherwise incur light overheads, and make a good percentage profit year-on year. It's a very clever model. But not necessarily so for contribs. I'm referring to RPI that is achievable, not average RPI. There is quite a lot of hard data that Alamy has fallen a long way behind its competitors here. Achievable RPI determines whether it's possible to draw a salary, or simply earn pocket money, if the work is right. If the work is wrong, then Alamy might actually be a better place to be. Yup, it's a clever model alright, and one that is in tune with the times, for the time being anyway. Who know what the future will bring. My crystal ball is pretty cloudy at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 My crystal ball tells me that slowly this business is going to have a big shakeout. Hopefully sooner than later,photographers will have a method to be connected to the same photo buyers as the agencies. A bit like Photoshelter,but much better and cheaper too. Too all those that submit to imagerights and lawyers,etc,see the epuk response comments. Joe Naylor of Imagerights has left an important comment there on what this type of 'licensing' and contract problems will affect you and your ability to use their services. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 ^^ Don't see Joe Naylor's comment there, Linda. Maybe removed now that "Commenting is closed for this article"? EDIT: whoops, sorry - looking at the original article page for comments in error. Got there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 The link to Joe Naylor's comment is toward the bottom here: http://www.epuk.org/news/alamy-responds-to-epuk-s-open-letter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 My crystal ball tells me that slowly this business is going to have a big shakeout. Hopefully sooner than later,photographers will have a method to be connected to the same photo buyers as the agencies. A bit like Photoshelter,but much better and cheaper too. Too all those that submit to imagerights and lawyers,etc,see the epuk response comments. Joe Naylor of Imagerights has left an important comment there on what this type of 'licensing' and contract problems will affect you and your ability to use their services. EDIT: Here is the link to his comment. It's toward the bottom: http://www.epuk.org/news/alamy-responds-to-epuk-s-open-letter L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kuta Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 So long from here, Linda. I hope we'll continue to hear of your adventures over at Darrell's forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Linda, leave one innocuous photo here and you can still post to the forum and keep in touch. ARRGG, don't go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Hi Betty, I think if I tell Alamy to delete my images and not agree to their new contract I'm done here. If I leave an image then I think legally I could be bound by the terms in their contract for my previous work.Not much in that contract I can agree to and I know the world doesn't revolve around me on this site. You're my friend on FB! :-) Anyone can find me online!L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 No one at Alamy seems to be responding to my emails for terminating my current agreement and deleting my images.Am I supposed to go to manage images and delete 50 pages worth?If I have to do that I am just adding all restrictions before a delete. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Carlsson Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 No one at Alamy seems to be responding to my emails for terminating my current agreement and deleting my images.Am I supposed to go to manage images and delete 50 pages worth? If I have to do that I am just adding all restrictions before a delete. L It's been the weekend so I guess any forthcoming response to your e-mail(s) will at the earliest be sent in a couple of hours. Why don't you just give Alamy a few more days to see how it all pans out? Perhaps Alamy will make changes to the contract after all the negative reactions from its contributors? If you are leaving I wish you the best of luck. Always read your posts/opinions with great interest. Added: If you are serious about deleting your images (I'm sure you already know this) the "best" way is to strip them of all keywords (put som jibberish in), move to new (not your name) pseudonym and after that delete tha pseudonym. I think that is the quickest and "safest" way to get them off the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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