Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I’ve been working hard to increase my contributions and sales over the last 18 months, and to some extent this is working. I have now exceeded my all-time record for sales in 1 year (which is not huge, but I’m encouraged). I’m sending in more news images, and also responding, where I can, to #Alamypicneeds. I've contacted Contributor Services to ask if they might be able to offer more information for some requests, such as “Woman Eating Doritos”, for which I have uploaded 23 images, yesterday. I’m an experienced commercial and advertising photographer and know that when fulfilling a brief like that, as much information as possible will help to give the client what they require. As it stands, it’s just hit and miss as to whether the brief is met as “Woman Eating Doritos” is a very wide brief. My view is that If they were able to post other details, perhaps on another page it could help (not just for this request but many others). For example, how old is the woman; what shape and size; what colour hair; where is she eating the Doritos; what kind of Doritos; what size pack; is the pack in the shot; what facial expression is she using…etc, etc. I wondered what others thought of my suggestion...(runs to hide behind the couch, eating a large pack of Doritos). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 7 minutes ago, geogphotos said: ...but also need not to cross the line encouraging multiple unpaid photographers producing speculative 'non-commissions'. My point is that if you're going to attempt supply images for the picture needs (which is a speculative non-commission), then it would be better for the photographer, and the client for there to be as much information provided as possible. If you don't want to do make a submission on the grounds that it's odds-on that your image won't be chosen, then you may not be suited for stock photography; because that's the nature of it. Contributor services have just let me know about a new tool coming soon, that will allow you to keep the picture needs on your dashboard and tick off which ones to which you have responded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starsphinx Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I would imagine its more a case of Alamy want as wide an image coverage as possible - they would rather have as many different types of women eating as many different types of Doritos in as many different ways and places as possible than have every photographer contributing women in their 40s eating plain Doritos from a bag on the sofa. I mean that may well be what this client is looking for this week but next week the next client might want young women eating flavoured Doritos while out walking with friends. Also, I believe (but could be wrong) they build the briefs from multiple searches by multiple clients. It's not one client saying they want woman eating Doritos its ten clients saying they want women eating 10 clients saying they want Doritos - so an overreaching brief is formed out of all the clients Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 12 minutes ago, Starsphinx said: I would imagine its more a case of Alamy want as wide an image coverage as possible - they would rather have as many different types of women eating as many different types of Doritos in as many different ways and places as possible than have every photographer contributing women in their 40s eating plain Doritos from a bag on the sofa. I mean that may well be what this client is looking for this week but next week the next client might want young women eating flavoured Doritos while out walking with friends. My view would be that the next client should specific how they want their client to look and act when eating their Doritos, or fries, or burger or cheese salad. That way they have more chance of getting the shot (and so do we). 13 minutes ago, Starsphinx said: Also, I believe (but could be wrong) they build the briefs from multiple searches by multiple clients. It's not one client saying they want woman eating Doritos its ten clients saying they want women eating 10 clients saying they want Doritos - so an overreaching brief is formed out of all the clients Contributor services said this... When we post vague picture needs like this it’s usually because this is the only information we have. We collect data from customer searches so ‘woman eating Doritos’ would have been a search term used by the customer so we don’t have any other information than that. In these cases, it’s worth uploading a variety of options if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 8 minutes ago, geogphotos said: On the contrary once you have the lead you interpret it and produce stock images. That way not everybody will be producing the same images. If that is not what somebody wants to do they may well be better sticking to commissions rather than stock. When I started in stock photography, in the late 1970's, I bought an excellent book on freelance photography by Ed Buziak (I now have a cherished B/W print on my kitchen wall by the great man, and a signed copy of the book). In it, he listed numerous ideas for stock shooting and also suggested keeping an eye on "wants" lists supplied by stock agencies such as Tony Stone. I always interpreted these in my own way and sometimes just used them as a springboard for shooting, when I had otherwise run out of ideas. So, I agree with you that it's useful to interpret such requests. But, I was under the impression that in the case of Alamy Picture needs, the client may have had a specific image in mind. They may, of course, just want to see what comes in and pick the best from the 400 or so submissions. In which case, I'll stick to winning the lottery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Steve Valentia said: My view would be that the next client should specific how they want their client to look and act when eating their Doritos, or fries, or burger or cheese salad. That way they have more chance of getting the shot (and so do we). Contributor services said this... When we post vague picture needs like this it’s usually because this is the only information we have. We collect data from customer searches so ‘woman eating Doritos’ would have been a search term used by the customer so we don’t have any other information than that. In these cases, it’s worth uploading a variety of options if you can. Sounds like you could get similar information from looking at "Alamy Measure" for "All of Alamy" with the advantage that it's quicker, far more extensive, and there will be less competition. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 2 hours ago, M.Chapman said: Sounds like you could get similar information from looking at "Alamy Measure" for "All of Alamy" with the advantage that it's quicker, far more extensive, and there will be less competition. Mark In this particular case you would see a low number, but not zero. Only when you actually click on Woman Eating Doritos, you would notice the horrible quality and .. OMG they are pouring in! Well maybe clients look for a whole different quality. ;-) My money is on the Stockimo one. However he/she seems to have given up after the first upload. Why just Woman Eating Doritos? There have been 2 searches for the rolling year for WED and 1 for woman doritos. There have been these quite specific: Doritos truck drives along 14th Taco Bell: Doritos Quesalupa Crunch Doritos Cool Original Tortilla Chips and of course this one, which must be very easy for every red carpet photographer or anyone who watched the Superbowl: Morgan Freeman Doritos (In the ad it's the other one who has the Doritos btw. Morgan has the icy stuff.) wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyD Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 just did a search....I will forever see that blonde woman as the dorito lady now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 20 minutes ago, MandyD said: just did a search....I will forever see that blonde woman as the dorito lady now Which one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 3 hours ago, M.Chapman said: Sounds like you could get similar information from looking at "Alamy Measure" for "All of Alamy" with the advantage that it's quicker, far more extensive, and there will be less competition. Mark I totally agree, except I was assuming (maybe wrongly) that when Alamy Content put out a request, that the client is prepared to wait for the images to come in (maybe not). I also assumed that they won't be looking to pay for a shoot (maybe they will). Searches in Alamy measures strike me as being too late to do anything about, as the client won't be doing another search (but maybe they will). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyD Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 6 minutes ago, Steve Valentia said: Which one? I give you Doris...Queen of the Doritos. P38612 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 6 minutes ago, MandyD said: I give you Doris...Queen of the Doritos. P38612 Her name is Marj. She's my partner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyD Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 4 minutes ago, Steve Valentia said: Her name is Marj. She's my partner alter ego for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 1 hour ago, wiskerke said: Only when you actually click on Woman Eating Doritos, you would notice the horrible quality and .. OMG they are pouring in! How very dare you. Of course, the best way to improve the quality is to submit your own images. Let me know when they're up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I had to google Doritos (my tooth is sweet, not savoury). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarsierspectral Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Where do I find Alamy's picture needs list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 25 minutes ago, tarsierspectral said: Where do I find Alamy's picture needs list? On your dashboard, Alamy Content Tweets are on the right hand side. On Twitter, go to #Alamypicneeds to see them all in one place. Also, see my post above about a forthcoming change to the dashboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Those picture needs tweets are just scheduled posts (note how they go out when nobody is in the office, for example) from a generic list. A lot of photographers respond by emailing Alamy, thinking they're helping out with some sort of commission, but really it's just social content to engage contributors, most likely based on past searches or even just gaps Alamy have noticed. If anyone really needed that image imminently they'd have found it elsewhere or compromised and used something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Katie said: Those picture needs tweets are just scheduled posts (note how they go out when nobody is in the office, for example) from a generic list. A lot of photographers respond by emailing Alamy, thinking they're helping out with some sort of commission, but really it's just social content to engage contributors, most likely based on past searches or even just gaps Alamy have noticed. If anyone really needed that image imminently they'd have found it elsewhere or compromised and used something else. The Lady Doritos have been all over the news and the webs in the first week of February in case you've missed it. I have. Obviously Alamy has. Google Images. The Sun actually did use two Alamy images in February to illustrate the story. ARYWGM and CC1051. wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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