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Welcome note and rules of the jungle...

Permalink Comments (78)23 January 2007 at 10:23 by James Allsworth
Posted under News

Girls Playing with String and Can Telephone - Image AKCAY5 © Corbis Premium Collection
© Corbis Premium CollectionWelcome to our new blog!

We’ll be posting breaking news, event reviews, picture needs and plenty more tips and tricks that we hope you’ll find useful as a contributor to Alamy.

Now that we’ll be telling you things as they happen, we won’t be publishing our bimonthly newsletter, Contributor Source, anymore. Sorry. However, we’ll be covering all of the subjects that were in the newsletter in the blog. We’ve also archived Photographer Tips, a worthwhile feature from the newsletter, in a new resources section which will grow in time.

We’re sure you’ll find our blog informative and useful, and we want you to contribute too. So, if you do comment on anything posted, please note these general rules:

  1. Please, no spam. Any comments unreleated to the topic will be deleted as will any advertising of your web site or plugging of your latest book.

  2. Please keep your comments fact based and free from school yard insults. No matter what someone else has said.

  3. Please use common sense when adding comments. Do not post personal contact information, and refrain from mentioning anything illegal.

  4. We take no responsibility for the comments or opinions posted by individuals outside of Alamy. We reserve the right to delete any comment as we see fit.

Many thanks!

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Add your own commentComments (78)

  1. 23 January 2007 at 17:55 Dave Pattinson

    Great idea!!! A blog I find is the best way to get information out to the masses!!! Keep up the great work!!!

  2. 23 January 2007 at 18:05 Greg Reinacker

    The blog's RSS feed is broken...specifically, it's not well-formed XML. More details here:

    http://feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alamy.com%2FBlog%2Fcontributor%2FRss.aspx

  3. 23 January 2007 at 18:08 Allen Russell

    I have just spent time on your new blog site and appreciate this effort to better inform contributors.

    I have a question regarding keywording and plurals. Two statements (see below) in your comments seem to contradict each other.

    1. It (The Search Engine) also deals with pluralisation (e.g. ‘dog’ also finds ‘dogs’) and stemming (e.g. ‘think’ also finds ‘thinking’).

    2. Finally, if the plural and singular applies to your image, then contributors should add both.

    My Question – Do we just keyword dog and rely on the example #1 to find plurals?

    OR

    Do we follow example 2 and keyword both dog and dogs?

    To date I have only used singulars because I understood the search to cover pluralisation.

    Allen Russell

  4. 23 January 2007 at 18:10 Craig Llenwood

    Great idea, allows us to share input and ideas with Alamy and other contribs. Very useful.

  5. 23 January 2007 at 18:12 Allen Russell

    I have just spent time on your new blog site and appreciate this effort to better inform contributors.

    I have a question regarding keywording and plurals. Two statements (see below) in your comments seem to contradict each other.

    1. It (The Search Engine) also deals with pluralisation (e.g. ‘dog’ also finds ‘dogs’) and stemming (e.g. ‘think’ also finds ‘thinking’).

    2. Finally, if the plural and singular applies to your image, then contributors should add both.

    My Question – Do we just keyword dog and rely on the example #1 to find plurals?

    OR

    Do we follow example 2 and keyword both dog and dogs?

    To date I have only used singulars because I understood the search to cover pluralisation.

    Allen Russell

  6. 23 January 2007 at 18:15 Jeff Greenberg

    Roses are red
    Violets are pink
    I'm adding this blog
    To my favorites' link

    regards jg

  7. 23 January 2007 at 18:26 idmurray

    Re: Singular and Plurals

    Alan Russell asked about adding singular and plurals. I assume that this is necessary when they are different from normal plurals that just need an 's' added 'child + children' ( rather than 'childs')

    Ian Murray

  8. 23 January 2007 at 18:38 Jared

    Anyone ever sell more than one or two photos and if so how many photos do you have at Alamy?

  9. 23 January 2007 at 18:39 Joe

    Awsome! I've been waiting for this and some more features (uploading) I'm glad Alamy is working towards their goals! Thank you!

    Joe

  10. 23 January 2007 at 18:45 Joshua LaCunha

    The blog is great, as well as comments. I would love to see a traditional forum implimented as well.
    -J

  11. 23 January 2007 at 19:14 Frank Naylor

    Please, no spam. Any comments unreleated to the topic will be deleted as will any advertising of your web site or plugging of your latest book.
    I read this and the first two bloggs I read had links to ther web sites.
    Whats the point of Rules!
    Fen



  12. 23 January 2007 at 19:15 Ben Plewes

    This blog is a great idea. Very cool to be able to read other contributors views and ideas on what would have otherwise been a closed newsletter. Looking forward to reading future posts. Thanks for a great service.

  13. 23 January 2007 at 19:18 Frank Naylor

    Ah well maybe I missunderstood it.
    I'ts all new to me
    Fen

  14. 23 January 2007 at 19:23 owen elias

    Any body using the new software to process images and speed up processing at alamy central. This is available to buy from third party and any results at a cost of about £100

  15. 23 January 2007 at 19:26 Arthur Gebuys

    Excellent idea, I think this could help to create shorter lines of communication between us (contributors) and Alamy staff.

  16. 23 January 2007 at 19:27 Cris Haigh

    It's a good idea this blogie thingie, but does anybody get any answers to their questions?
    Will I ever find out, if not, point proven....

  17. 23 January 2007 at 19:28 Jason Doucette

    I am most interested in the online uploads and also the information to see what the best selling images or themes are on Alamy.

    cheers,

    Jason

  18. 23 January 2007 at 19:31 Carla Maio

    Big changes, good improvements! Congratulations!

  19. 23 January 2007 at 19:38 Tony Cordoza

    When will we be able to upload our images vis the internet?

  20. 23 January 2007 at 20:12 Nichola Salvato

    I'm new to Alamy.....only a week, would be interested in knowing from other photographers what kind of sales volumes they get, any anwers much appreciated. Thanks

  21. 23 January 2007 at 20:27 Clive Sawyer

    As regards to Jared question "does anyone sell more than a few images" ,I had 370+ image sales in 06'.These were through PCL

  22. 23 January 2007 at 20:49 Yuri Afanasiev

    Thanks good idea! It will help to hear different opinions on different questions.

  23. 23 January 2007 at 21:19 Luc Novovitch

    I find interesting that the first posting on this blog has one illustration, and it is signed Corbis.
    I must have missed the information, but could someone from Alamy explain the relation between Alamy and Corbis.

  24. 23 January 2007 at 21:37 Matthew Mawson

    Great idea.

    When an image is rejected as being too 'soft' what does this mean exactly. I sent a series of pics that were intentionally meant to be blurred with movement in low light ie boxing pics which were all rejected. I presumed them to be 'conceptual' for want of a better word.

    Many thanks

  25. 23 January 2007 at 21:41 Marcus

    I would also be interested in hearing about the amount of annual sales people get, and also what percentage or ratio to total pictures uploaded e.g. 1000 photos uploaded and 100 sales =10%.

  26. 23 January 2007 at 22:28 Per Karlsson

    Maybe this will finally create a bit more dialogue between Alamy and (remote) contributors. But you will have a full time job managing it...

  27. 23 January 2007 at 22:38 Juris Sorokins

    Great news
    Communication always good

  28. 23 January 2007 at 22:39 Marcus

    I am about to start contributing to Alamy.
    I see that On-One's Genuine Fractal Solutions seems to be a popular option for interpolation as apposed to CS2.
    I have recently downloaded a trial copy of Benvista Photozoom pro 2 which uses S-pline XL interpolation technology. I am considering purchasing a full working copy. Have any of you existing contributors found this software satisfactory in getting passed QA. I would like to know before I spend my hard earned cash.

  29. 23 January 2007 at 22:56 Cris Haigh

    Hi Marcus. I use Photozoom pro and have never had any problems having my images accepted. Seems slow, bit much much better that upsizing in PS2.

  30. 23 January 2007 at 22:57 Ben Ng

    Like this idea a lot; but you sure are giving yourself more work maintaining it!

  31. 23 January 2007 at 23:12 Joe

    Yes I agree, nice idea. Also nice to see what everyone else is thinking. Although it might be constant job answering all the questions - Like why haven't I made a 20k sale...yet.

  32. 24 January 2007 at 00:48 Stephen Power

    This willl help me feel even more connected to Alamy. Well done on another great innovation! I'm having trouble linking to the blog via an RSS feed, though - keep getting error messages.

  33. 24 January 2007 at 03:14 Yoel Harel

    it is nice that by using the blog we can see and appreciate the works of the other contributors.

  34. 24 January 2007 at 07:52 Barrie Smith

    In reply to Nicola Salvato, my volume sales are low, zero! I have given up trying to send pictures to Alamy as they are all rejected! Really good images, right size nice and crisp, so I have given up. I do have 100.000 images on my own library so maybe that is the reason, I would like to retire and let someone else look after my pictures but it will not be Alamy.
    Barrie Smith

  35. 24 January 2007 at 08:40 Nichola Salvato

    Oh dear Barrie, sorry to hear that, out of interest can I ask how many images you have with alamy?.....perhaps you could try another library? I'm with Gettty also and make fantastic sales so they might be good to try.

    Clive Sawyer......sorry, what is PCL? thanks

    Luc Novovitch......as I understand it Corbis is an image library within itself that also markets its photographers work via Alamy

  36. 24 January 2007 at 08:42 Trevor Merriott

    The Blog is a great idea. I don't feel as isolated now that I can see other people with similar problems. This shows Alamy is leading the way with online agencies.
    I am with Matt Mawson on his question - how do you get deliberately soft focus images into the collection - Alamy may be missing out on some great images?

  37. 24 January 2007 at 09:10 John Joannides

    Got to love blogging. I find it fascinating that questions unrelated to the topic of the posting are presented in the comment section rather than being directed to member services by email.

    ADBW20, if you like.

  38. 24 January 2007 at 09:32 Clive Sawyer

    NICOLA PCL PICTURES COLOUR LIBRARY

  39. 24 January 2007 at 09:53 Kumar Sriskandan

    I started in Alamy with a few photos under the "Licensed" selling agreement, but since then I have put most of them on as "Royalty-Free". I understand the difference, but which have people found to be the better way for selling their photos? Licensed sales seem to bring in less money, but maybe as they are cheaper they sell more frequently??
    Comments please!

  40. 24 January 2007 at 10:28 Ian Murray

    Dear Dr Kumar and others,

    Please would you kindly consider joining one of the online Alamy Yahoo groups to discuss thess sort of specific matters. Dr Kumar, I suspect that you know that it is a highly contentious topic. I hope that this blog does not get involved in the sort of RF vs RM slanging match that you can find so easily elsewhere.

    This blog should be for raising matters with Alamy not a peer to peer dialogue or data exchange. Shouldn't it?

    Regards,
    Ian Murray

  41. 24 January 2007 at 10:34 Stephen Power

    I think it might be a good idea to have the comments listed by latest entry first, it'll avoid having to read the same 50 messages repeatedly.

  42. 24 January 2007 at 10:35 Nick Lewis

    I agree with Ian this is not meant to be a forum and there are indeed plenty of places for this.

  43. 24 January 2007 at 10:49 Gary Were

    It may be self evident, but stock libraries and contributors have a symbiotic relationship. The creation of a blog is a great first step in recognising this. It will be successful for both parties only when each respects and acts upon the needs of the other. I look forward to improved success for both!

  44. 24 January 2007 at 11:33 Len Deeley

    Hi
    I have some images with Alamy but these are limited due to the postal method, which is a bit of a pain. Looking forward to the online option. When is that likely to be?

  45. 24 January 2007 at 12:25 Mark Azavedo

    To take up a couple of streams so far:

    1. You can't have a discussion of monetary return against stock hold without looking at the type of stock supplied. For instance the world is awash with travel images, so chances of a sale are relatively low. Equally, if you had a deep specialism in illegal drugs the market to purchase such images is relatively small.

    2. I find Alamy's stock overwhelmingly traditional. No doubt that mostly reflects the nature of submissions, but I think there is a quality control issue over sharpness, blurring, lightness and darkness, etc. As best I understand quality control works within very set parameters; and perhaps there is a need for a subjective view/override to be allowed, so easing the way for creative focus, exposure, etc. Trouble is, would there be photographer complaints when subjectivity - which could be seen as editorial control - creeps in?

  46. 24 January 2007 at 12:35 Andria Massey

    I know much has been made about correct keywords but I have just done a search on "Ashness Bridge" which brings up numerous images of the bridge but also a beach in Australia and a number of images of a broken down car. The only reason I can see for these appearing is the keyword "Ash" This can't be helpful for picture buyer. A search on "Ashness Bridge Cumbria" only brings up the correct images. I would really like to know why this happens.

  47. 24 January 2007 at 12:41 James Allsworth - Alamy content team

    Many thanks for all your comments so far, we are reading them all and taking everything on board but we wont be answering specific questions here. Please have a look at the blog post entitled "Blog comments – The floodgates open!" for more information.

    To those of you not wanting to scroll through all the comments to reach the bottom, simply click the "Add your own comment" link at the top of the comments list.

    Also just a friendly reminder - please keep your comments relevant to the post title.

  48. 24 January 2007 at 12:53 chris

    Hi
    I just wondered why Alamy cancelled its GREAT Newsletter. It really could do together with this blog, You have not had to cancel it
    Another case is the Latest Imagery Showcase. I think more and more photographers could benefit, if Alamy changes this Showcase, and if they use ind. photographers images new every 2-4 weeks. Now I can still see the Showcase showing work of the same well established photographers for over 2 months now. How can those looking for new talents can really look for them?

  49. 24 January 2007 at 15:44 Luc Novovitch

    Nichola,
    I know what Corbis is, and I had gussed that Alamy was distributing some of the images from the Corbis collections. May question was, since things needs to be spelled out:
    What is the relation between Alamy and Corbis.
    Which means: is it reciprocal? Will the pictures I send to Alamy also end up in Corbis files? If it's the case, if I wanted to work with Corbis I would send my pictures to Corbis, and avoid getting 30 or 25% of the sales after everybody involved takes his cut.
    When Alamy title this posting 'Rules of the Jungle" they right on topic.
    But I wish they would also abid by their own rules, and stay on topic and answer this simple question.

  50. 25 January 2007 at 09:15 Nichola Salvato

    Luc...... I don't think Corbis are one of alamy's distributors

  51. 25 January 2007 at 13:32 Jerome Yeats

    Re ranking, it would be good to have editors from the start then so much bad stock would never have been accepted. With 7 million images this is now far too late to hope for and may only get worse.

    To those asking for the return of Pippa, yes indeed. I have given up on member servoices as is

    alamy is very good at many things but I wish it were a traditional photo agency. The Ranking system will never work and good work will be so far away from the front runners it will never sell.

    I too think the Newsletter should still be in existence. This blog is no subtitute.

  52. 25 January 2007 at 18:00 Luc Novovitch

    Jerome Yeats wrote:
    "Re ranking, it would be good to have editors from the start then so much bad stock would never have been accepted."With 7 million images this is now far too late to hope for and may only get worse."
    --
    Maybe Alamy could take a clue from Corbis (see pix at top) and start a 'Premium Collection' or whatever they should call it. At this time editors could select the best of the crop and feed a rights managed collection of exclusive images. Such a collection would certainly command a premium, and bring several benefits, including not having quality pictures shown to potential clients next to poorly executed ones, giving the photo researchers the opportunity to review the best that Alamy has to offer, giving an incentive to professional photographers to give their best images to Alamy. Such a department should not be too difficult to set up, providing top notch editors are in charge of it. Instead of accepting anything and everything, they could select what they think would fit in the collection from targeted submissions, and simply give the opportunity for the photographers to put their non-accepted (to not say rejected) images in the general Alamy stock, to continue feeding the multi-million images collection.

  53. 25 January 2007 at 18:57 colinspics

    l agrre with the aspirations but WE have to pay for it i.e. less commission

  54. 26 January 2007 at 19:27 jean brooks

    I much prefer a Newsletter to a blog. The Newsletter contained lots of interesting/useful information. i really don't have the time or the inclination to plough through a load of comments/complaints. Life is too short!

  55. 29 January 2007 at 22:16 Geoff Kidd

    Jerome,s comment; it's never too late to edit. However the primary person to edit must be the contributor-too many send in unnecessary lookalikes that probably won't increase sales but simple clog up the searches for clients. I have been lucky that my sales have increased in the last few months without having to con the Alamy Rank system. Why can't the QC process include a edit or star rating of an image that would affect it's position in the search, I suppose we all want our pictures in and everyone elses out.

  56. 30 January 2007 at 12:53 Quentin Bargate

    I realise this is a blog, but I can't help feeling a lightly moderated forum would be a better idea. I also agree the old newsletter was useful and should be brought back. The really interesting Alamy generated comments get lost in all the noise on a blog or forum.

  57. 31 January 2007 at 13:11 idmurray

    I've only just realised that this blog is open to anyone not just logged in Alamy contributors. Anything written is open to anyone on the internet and presumably will be permanently stored by Google. Am I wrong?

    I would prefer that this was a place for private discussion between Alamy and its contributors.

  58. 31 January 2007 at 13:24 chris

    I AGREE!!!

  59. 01 February 2007 at 05:20 Craig Ellenwood

    I also agree that the blogs should be a feature viewable by contributors only.

  60. 01 February 2007 at 08:11 Jinny

    I agree - these Blogs are a great idea, but please make them private to allow a free and frank exchange between contributors and Alamy.

    It can't be good for customer relations for everyone to witness the nitty-gritty of contributor's angst. And yes non-contributors will look, if only out of curiosity.

    Well spotted, Ian.

  61. 01 February 2007 at 16:03 Richard

    I have started get problems with "quality control" ever since Alamy switched to JPEGs and never had this before. I use photoshop CS2 for interpolation as before. What file size should one aim for after compression? Do I need to get some special interpolation software? Help please!

  62. 02 February 2007 at 09:31 Chris Elsdale

    The purpose of a blog is to share information and gather feedback. They are public places.

    Alamy won't post info that is private and actually shares info like trading figures openly and honestly with contributors. Who else does that?

    If you want to go private then use Member Services, if you want to discuss then join one of the forums.

    This blog is not cloak and dagger stuff is it?

    Finally buyers don't care a hoot about contributors angst only about obtaining the right image at the right price.

  63. 02 February 2007 at 09:32 Michael Juno

    I'm more than happy that these blogs are accessible by all. Perhaps this very openess of Alamy will encourage other potential contributors. Or maybe that's what worries some people.......?

  64. 02 February 2007 at 11:39 Dave Reede

    There is very little discussion about sales here. I am assuming the main reason for submitting images is to have a monetary return on them. I have been a stock shooter since 1979 when almost anything was accepted into agencies and those images, no matter how poor, would actuallly sell. The changes in the stock photo business in recent years have been unlike those of any other time. I call it the democratization of stock photography. Anyone with a camera and a bit of photography knowledge can provide images for sale. It has created huge pressures as well as opportunities within the industry. For those of us who make a living at this, we are always looking at the return per image per year as a basis for income on our images. At most of the agncies that have, or are currently marketing my work, the return per image has ranged from about $10-$30 per image per year. This seems to be the the norm but some high profile agencies give an even better return, with others giving much lower. Of course there are many factors such as uniqueness of subject matter, number of images online and creative shooting methods of the photographer that factor into this return. What I find with Alamy is there are so many images available, that the chances of having any meaningful sales is very slim and getting a good return is almost nill. An agency that represents my work has put some of my work on Alamy and I have had a couple of very low paying sales over the past few years. The material I have put on the site remains saleless. What is everyone else really making here?

  65. 04 February 2007 at 20:23 idmurray

    What a surprise...the spam starts.
    This is another reason we need to be behind a log in. I don't understand what posts 62 and 63 are driving at. Having a private members' blog would have nothing to do with being 'cloak and dagger', (no more so than a Members' only newsletter?) or trying to deter potential contributors. What's that all about?

  66. 06 February 2007 at 01:12 Diane Macdonald

    I'm posting this in reply to Nichola Salvato, #35. I'm new to Alamy. Don't have anything uploaded yet - waiting for QC. I too shoot for Getty and have made a great income over the years. My return per image was around $153 until this last year when it dropped to around $65. Photographer's Choice is helping me pick up sales again though, so I expect this year to be back on track. Although I just upload between 20 and 40 images per quarter, they start selling immediately. Have you had any success yet at Alamy? I'm curious to know how those who make a living at this get on at Alamy.

  67. 06 February 2007 at 23:03 Screen_Name

    I'm with idmurray on this. The link on the myalamy page says, "contributor blog". It should be viewable only to contributors. Alamy in my opinion should look professional at all times and to give the buyers and potential buyers somthing distracting is counterproductive. My 2 cents... and yes, I used a screen name. I wouldn't want potential image buyers to be offended by posting my real name.

  68. 07 February 2007 at 08:39 Michael Juno

    So Screen_Name (blog 68) wouldn't want potential image buyers to be offended by posting his/her real name ?

    Just what planet is he/she attempting to sell pictures on ?

    On second thoughts, don't tell us, it's obviously a secret.

    Oh, and by the way blog 67, I don't need any viagra.

  69. 09 February 2007 at 16:12 Frank Naylor

    Jean Brooks has hit the nail on the head I agree! Its always been a needle in a haystack and Alamy is a big haystack! Stop moaning and keep shooting

  70. 09 February 2007 at 17:47 Screen_Name

    I would like to ask the moderators of the board to remove Michael Juno's post #68 as he refers to my post (#67) in a way that is vulgar and doesn't make any sense at all. Viagra? How does one draw that conclusion from my post? I was continuing a dialogue in aconstructive way.

  71. 09 February 2007 at 18:04 Michael Juno

    I was referring to an earlier spam post advertising Viagra that was subsequently removed by Alamy. Your post then became No 67.

    Michael Juno (real name).

  72. 09 February 2007 at 18:42 idmurray

    Perhaps that spam/ post numbering point raised by Michael Juno would be worth considering a bit more in this discussion about open access.

  73. 10 February 2007 at 21:09 Howard Stapleton

    I'm new to stock selling. I've read here recently that using more than one "pseudonym" may increase chances of having images appear higher on the list. I suppose that's true if the best offerings are under one name and the rest under another.
    Here's the question: With sales records being broken how many of you have made sales from images which appear more than 100 pages down the list and how often does that happen?

  74. 16 February 2007 at 11:49 James Allsworth - Alamy content team

    If you wish to comment please remember to stay on topic. For any specific questions please email memberservices@alamy.com, we will be happy to help you.

    Many thanks

  75. 18 February 2007 at 19:23 AndyB

    I sold two images last August and am still waiting to be paid. How long have the rest of you had to wait?

    Also, can anyone tell me if I'm allowed to submit the same pictures to other libraries?

    Cheers

  76. 20 February 2007 at 02:47 Nige

    Great idea to have a blog page to share ideas etc.
    I'm still very new to Alamy but hope to get some sales eventually =)

  77. 20 February 2007 at 21:59 Itani

    Andyb # 75
    I can't help about the sales part i'm still waiting for my first one :)
    as for the submissionAlamy is a non exclusive agency so you may submit the same pictures elsewhere hope this helps.

  78. 22 February 2007 at 21:20 Adrian B

    Andy, you're not alone. Had to wait nearly six months myself last year. Will vary I'm sure, for all kinds of reasons. Location of buyer, number of sales transactions involved, banking inefficencies in some countries (not excluding the UK) - I'm guessing.

    Adrian

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