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All FilesAll Files Posted Fri Mar 1 8:20AM | Photo Contributor Guide and FAQ Hello, and welcome to the Photography Forum. This is the place where photographers can get together and talk shop. Anything regarding photo gear, techniques or photo software, this is the place for it. iStock can be a little overwhelming for photographers, so we have decided to put some helpful links all in one place. The list below covers many of the questions you may have have when starting out as a photo contributor. You can either browse through this forum thread or click the links in the directory below to go directly to the information you need. Also, if you're new to iStock, please pop into the Welcome New Contributors! thread and say Hello! Have fun! -Photography Administration Team The following links will take you to the specific parts of this thread:
(Edited on 2013-03-18 18:25:32 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 8:56AM | Strange Royalty Amounts - Find answers here! Mysterious balance rises Pretty much every month we see people on the forums reporting mysterious balance rises. If you have seen a balance increase but cannot find a corresponding sale to account for it, it's most likely that you have had sales in the Partner Program or sales on Getty Images, so here's where you can find out more: There are monthly threads in the Partner Program Forum to discuss PP sales and in the Exclusive Forum for people to post and discuss their Getty Images or GI sales. If you click on THIS LINK and see either green bars or purple bars, you have had a PP or GI sale, respectively. Strange or inconsistent royalty rates received Since 2007 the royalties paid to contributors have been based on the original net cost of the credit(s) used. In effect what that means is that a file may earn a contributor different amounts when it sells, even if it sells at the same size, as the royalty paid depends upon the credit package that the buyer used to purchase the credits that were used to license the content. Larger packages of credits offer larger discounts for buying in bulk. Since 2005, all credits purchased have had a one year life span, although extensions to this time limit may be granted at the discretion of Customer Support. However, there may still be a tiny amount of pre 2005 10 cent credits floating about that had no set life span. One important factor to keep in mind is that any combination of credits could potentially be used to download a file, and each credit could have a different net value and result in a royalty not shown on the current packages page. Additionally, it is worth noting that for the very biggest buyers, whose needs exceed even the largest advertised credit bundles, there have apparently been deals that offer larger discounts than those advertised on site. Another cause of frequent head scratching is seeing you have sold and Extended License but then not appearing to receive any money for it. Or you sold an EL but only got a few dollars for it. If this has happened then the chances are that you have had someone buy an Extended Legal Guarantee. Although it appears in your charts as an EL sale, contributors do not receive any money for it, for reasons laid out in the article above. You do still receive the royalty for the size of file sold though. Unrelated to the above, but on the theme of odd royalty amounts, if you should stumble upon an instance where you see a royalty of 0.00 it is the result of someone re-downloading the file after having just paid for it. Customers are permitted to re-download files (without additional credit cost). Since all file downloads are tracked and recorded you may see the repeat download as a 0 royalty. If you have previously downloaded your own image for any reason in the past, this file will now show as being free to download to you, but not to others who have not previously licensed it. (Edited on 2013-04-29 05:40:13 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 8:57AM | File Sizes and Upload Limits Photo file dimensions Size Pixels Approximate Print Size XSmall 300x400 1"x 1.5" @ 72dpi Small 600x800 2"x 3" @ 72dpi Medium 1200x1600 4" x 5" @ 300dpi Large 1920x2560 6" x 8" @ 300dpi XLarge 2800x4200 9" x 14" @ 300dpi XXLarge 3300x4900 11" x 16" @ 300dpi XXXLarge 3700x5600 12" x 18" @ 300dpi Photo and Illustration upload limits Photo and Illustration contributors can upload up to 999 files per week, regardless of canister level or any other qualification. These limits apply equally to exclusive and non-exclusive contributors alike. (Edited on 2013-04-22 16:25:11 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 8:57AM | Model releases First, please read the iStockphoto Photography Standards: Model Releases The article linked above has the most complete information on model release best practice. Model Release FAQs: What is the change in policy that started on September 1 2009? Files needing a model release that have been created after September 1 2009 need to specify a shoot date on the release. Files created before September 1 do not need to specify a shoot date. If you have older shots with older model releases that you haven't uploaded yet, you can still upload them after September 1st 2009. Do I need to specify that they were shot prior to Sep 1 2009? Additional information entered into the Description field is helpful to the inspection team. Please check to make sure it is removed from that field after acceptance. Can I use a single release and just add new shoot dates to it each time? You cannot add new dates to an old release. Not even if everyone signs it again. A new release should be created each shoot. You can use a small date range, so for example 'July 27-30th 2009' in the shoot description. However this has to be a small time frame, where 1 shoot extends over several days. You cannot use this to cover weeks or months of shooting. When can the contributor sign and date the release? Any date before or after the model and witness sign and date. When does the model have to sign and date the release? Any date before or after the shoot date. When does the witness have to sign and date the release? At the same date as the model. The witness must witness the model signing and therefore the dates for the witness and model signatures must be the same. The witness does not have to witness the photographer or videographer signing. Can models in group shots witness each others releases? (not their own)? Yes. Do all releases, even non-istock ones require photographer signatures and shoot dates? Yes. Is the date of birth field required? Yes. For those models that are obviously over 18, a DOB such as 1956 or May 76 is acceptable. Are any of the fields on the release optional?? The email, ethnicity and visual reference sections are optional. Everything else is mandatory. Can we use the Getty release? Yes. Can I replace the iStock info at the top of the release with my own name and logo? Yes, so long as no changes are made to the other wording on the release. Self Portraits Do I need a release for self-portraits? Yes. Do self-portrait releases require a witness? No, witness is not required for a self-portrait. Do self-portrait releases require a shoot date? No, catch all releases for self-portraits of you (the contributor) are OK. Please help the inspector realize they are looking at a model release of the contributor by adding: Self portraits – catch all date release allowed Into both the Shoot Date and Shoot Description fields. Please resubmit the release if it gets rejected only for not having a shoot date. Reminder: Self portrait release do not require a witness either. If you have any questions about MRs which are not answered by the linked article or the summary above, please open a new thread in the HELP FORUM, and we will try to assist you. (Edited on 2013-03-06 16:48:09 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 9:00AM | Useful Articles Photo Submission Articles Lighting Standards Focus Standards Noise and Compression Standards Model Release Standards Editorial Standards Photo Technique Articles Shooting Concepts Shooting RAW vs. Shooting Jpeg Think like a designer Working with a Ring Flash (Edited on 2013-03-06 15:52:48 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 9:00AM | Below are the 2012 Redeemed Credit targets for iStockphoto contributors. We are happy to announce that there is no increase in any of the RC targets over the previous year's revised targets — all redeemed credit targets for all file types will stay the same for 2012. These targets will determine your starting/minimum royalty rate for 2013. If you reach a new target during the remainder of 2012 you will move up to a higher royalty rate, otherwise your current rate will remain in effect until the end of the year. For reference, below are the revised 2011 Redeemed Credit targets for iStockphoto contributors. Here are the new targets. Revised numbers are in blue. (Edited on 2013-03-18 18:24:10 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 9:15AM | Uploading and Inspection FAQs Why was my application image rejected from the collection? Are the standards different? What are the upload limits? If I re-submit a file, does it cancel out the previous rejection? How long does it take to have my files inspected? Why was one of my later submissions inspected before an earlier one? What can I do if I disagree with or don't understand a rejection? Who or what is Scout? Pending executive? What does that mean? Searching, Sales and Promotion FAQs Why can't I find my image in the search results! Why has my account balance increased when I don't seem to have sold a file on iStock? How long will it take to get my first download? Yay! I got a download! What is Best Match and how does it work? How do I link similar files? What are private lightboxes? What are public lightboxes? iStock Collections and Exclusivity FAQs What's exclusivity? How do I become an exclusive contributor? What is the Photo+ collection? What is the Exclusive+ collection? What is the Vetta collection? What is the Agency collection? What is the Value Collection? Miscellaneous FAQs Is there a list of things we're not allowed to upload? What is a Creative Network? What's with the acronyms? BME? WMTY Huh? How much do you make in a year? How can I buy iStock content using money I earned here? How do I change my site username? When will I receive tax forms for my iStock earnings? How do I request a payment of earnings? How do I deactivate a file? How does the view counter work? (Edited on 2013-05-01 05:08:03 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Fri Mar 1 9:27AM | Why was my application image rejected from the collection? Are the standards different?? This is one of the most asked questions by new contributors. Essentially the application process is to see if you have the right tools to contribute here and the inspectors are looking for that specifically. However, once you are accepted as a contributor, your images then get viewed for their technical merit (rather than your potential), and sometimes they are not up to the quality standards of iStock. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 7:54AM | What are the upload limits? Photo and Illustration contributors may upload up to 999 files per week (168 hours). Video and Audio have lower limits, see the dedicated forums for more details on those. The clock for a particular "slot" opens up exactly one week after you submit. So if you upload 50 files on a Monday night, those 50 upload slots will open up again one week later, regardless of whether your files have been inspected or not. A resubmitted file also uses up an upload slot. (Edited on 2013-04-22 16:30:40 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Sat Mar 2 7:58AM | If I re-submit a file, does it cancel out the previous rejection? In short, no. Every submission counts towards your acceptance rate. If you resubmit an image that was previously rejected, it will affect your rate. For example, if you upload 15 images and get 5 accepted, 5 rejected, and 5 rejected with an option to resubmit. Your current acceptance rate will be 33% (5/15). If you resubmit the 5 with that option and they are all accepted. Your acceptance rate will now be 50% (10/20). |
Posted Sat Mar 2 8:18AM | How long does it take to have my files inspected? The inspectors at iStock do an amazing job with the number of files they inspect in a day. Typically for a new (and therefore non-exclusive) contributor it takes around a week or so to get your files inspected. However, based on the length of the queue at any given time, this could fluctuate from a couple of days to a couple of weeks and longer. If your file hasn't been inspected within 14 days, it may be worth sending a note to Contributor Relations with the file number and politely ask them to look into it for you. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 8:21AM | Why was one of my later submissions inspected before an earlier one? Inspectors take images from the queue in batches and not on a first in, first out basis. Don't be concerned about the order that your files are inspected in. They will all be inspected in the end. Similarly, don't worry if your file appears locked for inspection and then appears as "Pending" again. This can happen when an inspector downloads your file as part of their batch, but doesn't complete the whole batch, thus you file goes back into the queue so that another inspector may download it. (Edited on 2013-03-02 10:56:20 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Sat Mar 2 10:03AM | What can I do if I disagree with or don't understand a rejection? If you get a rejection notice that you don't understand or disagree with, you have two options. Firstly, if you'd like a rejection clarified, you can ask for help in the Critique Request forum. Post a full size watermarked copy of your image in your thread and include the stated rejection reason. You will get honest feedback from the community, so be prepared to hear both the good and the bad. Make sure that you READ THIS FIRST. Secondly, if you disagree with an inspection decision and would like iStock to take a second look at it you can open a Scout ticket. (Edited on 2013-03-02 18:53:20 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Sat Mar 2 10:13AM | Who or what is Scout? Scout re-inspects files that have been rejected and offers a second opinion. If you feel that your image was rejected in error or if you want to know more about the rejection you received, create a Scout ticket and make your case. You are limited to three Scout tickets a month so use them wisely. If the rejection does get overturned, this will improve your acceptance rate, because the rejection will turn into an acceptance. This process may typically take a month or so. Also, when writing to Scout, please think before you fill out your ticket, as anger and hostility will not help your case. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 10:24AM | What does Pending Executive mean? An inspector may sometimes spot something in your file that requires a second opinion from a colleague. Typically this happens when the inspector requires clarification on a potential copyright or intellectual property issue, but not only for those reasons. If this happens, then the file status on your my_uploads page will show it as "Pending Executive". This means you will need to wait for a decision to be made by a more senior inspector. This process can sometimes take a while, sometimes weeks or months, so please be patient. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 11:10AM | Why can't I find my image in the search results? After your file has been inspected and accepted, it generally takes around 24-48 hours for your files to be indexed and to show up live in keyword searches, lightboxes and in your portfolio. If you can see the file in your portfolio but still can't find it in your keyword search, you may be searching incorrectly. The search only works based on your keywords, the title and description of your file are not searchable. If you are searching for two keywords at once, perhaps try putting quotes around each set. Also, changes to keywords or newly added keywords may not be searchable until the indexing has run again. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 11:45AM | Why has my account balance increased when I don't seem to have sold a file on iStock? Pretty much every month we see people on the forums reporting mysterious balance rises. If you have seen a balance increase but cannot find a corresponding sale to account for it, it's most likely that you have had sales in the Partner Program or Sales on Getty Images, so here's where you can find out more: There are monthly threads in the Partner Program Forum to discuss PP sales and in the Exclusive Forum for people to post and discuss their Getty Images or GI sales. If you click on THIS LINK and see either green bars or purple bars, you have had a PP or GI sale, respectively. All non exclusive contributors automatically have all of their files opted into the Partner Program. You can find more details about the PP in the PP forum . Please read the PP FAQ too. Essentially, these sites are part of the Getty Images family. They pay out a month after the sales happen, so sales in January pay out in February etc. You can see your PP sales on this page: PP Sales. PP sales show up as green bars in your stats charts too. (Edited on 2013-04-29 06:21:14 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Sat Mar 2 11:48AM | How long will it take to get my first download? It varies so much from contributor to contributor. It can take anywhere from a couple days to a few months. It really depends on the quality and commercial appeal of your work and a bit of luck. iStock has over 10 million files, so a portfolio of just a few files will be tough to find. There is a mantra that gets used frequently around here: Shoot, Upload, Repeat. If you do that and upload quality images, downloads will eventually come. Be patient and don't give up. |
Posted Sat Mar 2 11:58AM | Yay! I got a download! Congratulations! iStock has a thread just for this type of thing. The ongoing Woo Yay! thread is for you to celebrate your iStock-related milestones. Share your first download, your first payout, your 2,500th download, that you just got your royalties bumped up, your best photo ever, whatever you like. (Edited on 2013-05-01 04:57:26 by kelvinjay) |
Posted Sat Mar 2 12:47PM | What is the Best Match and how does it work? The Best Match, commonly referred to as BM, is the default sort method used when someone searches for a file on iStock. It ranks the search results based on a number of factors such as newness, keywords, downloads and many more elements. The precise recipe that makes up the BM is not made public by iStock, partly to avoid people trying to game the system and unfairly bias it in their favour. As a contributor, you cannot control where your files appear when sorted by BM. To try and ensure a favourable position in the BM, the best thing to do is to make sure that you only add relevant keywords and don't include spam keywords e.g. not every photo of a random object needs the word "business" adding. Please check the Search and Keywording forum for more details of good keywording practice. |
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