subject: The Lunatics are finally leaving the asylum: Top Microstock earners realise there may be trouble ahead [print this page] Both Yuri Gellar and his sidekick Andres Turner have been at CEPIC making known their ever so important views of bending things and losing millions on property ventures and of course Microstock, which happens to be their common interest.
OK, I know its Yuri Arcurs and Andres Rodriguez really, but I couldn't help
myself with my little joke. Anyway, two of the biggest names in Microstock
production have both been presenting at CEPIC this week and a fine job they
have done of it too.
Andres tells us that he is planning to counter his falling sales in Microstock by producing a conventional RF collection. Well, he might be surprised to know that sales from conventional RF have been bombing for years, so how is that going help? He might revitalise it with Yuri I suppose?
As a side note Andres' sales are also going drop further if his book, being produced alongside Ellen Borough Market' Boughn, about how to shoot Microstock actually gives any secrets away and is read by anyone other than their friends and family.
Anyway, as usual I digress, so back on track. What we have also learnt from the other Microstock superhero, that great spoon bender, sorry photographer, Yuri Arcurs; who of course is really a very good photographer; is that he is fed up with all those other photographers. Those that can't do things as well as him, who clog up Microstock systems throughout the World with their images, making less money that he does and one can only assume helping to keep prices down at the same time.
Now it really does not seem fair that a Microstock photographer complains about creativity not being rewarded. After all if he had put his images through the correct channel, traditional RF, for example, in the first place the industry may not be in the mess it is.
I am sorry but once you start selling your images for $1, don't then start complaining about it not being a meritocracy and how your returns are diminishing by others doing same thing.
Spoons, glorious spoons?
Now, I have nothing against anyone that bends spoons, what I do have a problem with is that amateurs; and I don't include Yuri or Andres in this bracket, as they are both very good at what they do; have been allowed to take over Stock Photography to such a degree it's become painful and ultimately could be fatal.
What other creative industry is so dominated by amateur producers? I do believe both Yuri and Andres are right in what they say, that their images should sell for more money per image, they are quality images after all. Will it happen however? I'm not sure it will and if it does, should quality producers have started down this road in the first place?
That's the point
The point is that they both helped bring the industry to it's knees, so why all of a sudden should it change for them, or any other quality producer, that decides on a new route of action? Now they are not seeing good RPI (return per image) they are crying foul, or so it seems to me.
Where now for the lunatics?
Do a few Microstock shooters, as I am sure there are others that will follow
Andres & Yuri, who decide to produce traditional RF, honestly believe they
will now help change the downward spiral to ever-cheaper images? I hope they
don't, as they will be mistaken.
What does this mean to image buyers?
It's a good thing that these photographers are slowly realising that selling very cheap images is not a good thing long term. Quality production cannot be driven out of RF, be replaced by amateur shooters and clients gain, over the long haul anyway.
There are clearly times when you can find a very cheap image that does the
job, but over time the amount of reasonably priced RF images will
disintegrate. Supply has already diminished substantially.
The Lunatics are finally leaving the asylum: Top Microstock earners realise there may be trouble ahead
