Pure Reviews

123RF launches two new features to their site.  First up Audio is coming to the site and they will allow you to set your price points per a chart.  See below for how to upload your stock audio and the royalty breakdown.  Second they have announced a new image size of ML which will push everything up 1 credit from the Large price point.  A full chart is listed below.  Sign up for 123RF look for the link on the right size. Adding 'Audio Stock' to its list of endless digital creative content, 123RF is inviting Audio Composers and Authors to send in their audio clips, sound effects, music tracks and compilations to be included in its all-encompassing collection. You'll be able to access a worldwide clientele via the 123RF.com platform. 123RF can now be viewed as the ideal launch pad for audio professionals looking to market their projects to the creative industry. Contributors get 30% to 60% of the selling price. And the best part is, you get to decide how to ...

Press release from Shutterstock that now allows downloading images directly to your tablet or cell phone on apple products.  Check out the release below. We know our contributors are always interested in getting their work seen by as many customers in as many ways as possible. With that in mind, here’s an update on what we’ve been doing to help you promote and license your images on mobile devices — and let you track your results on the go, too. The Shutterstock App for iPhone and iPad — now with downloading! We recently updated our award-winning app to make it available on iPhone as well as iPad. Both versions let users search and explore images, scroll through a seamless mosaic of options, add selections to Lightboxes, and share them with colleagues. The apps have been a huge hit with customers — to date, over 300,000 users have downloaded and begun using them! This month, we released version 2.5 of the app, giving customers the ability to download images straight to thei...

iStock continues to upset their core contributors by devaluing their work and opening their images up for possible free use on Google drive.  This whole ordeal spurred a massive movement of removing images to their site.  This action has spurred a response from the corporation owned by Getty images.  See the report below that basically says they are just working on it, but don't plan on providing changes right away.  Will you close your portfolio on iStock ? Google Drive You may have already read our last update in the forums but once again, we'd like to thank you for your continued patience. To reiterate from previous posts, royalties have been paid in connection with the Google Drive usage based on all consideration received by Getty Images under the licensing agreement. We understand your concerns relating to the deal and we are making progress in a productive dialogue with Google about these concerns and potential solutions. As many...

Shutterstock updates their royalty rate for referrals.  Payout will increase by once sent and a referred person will be active for 2 years.  See the info below and if you wish to join Shutterstock click here .  SS is consistently one of the highest respected stock photography sites.

So Bigstock has announced that they are going to start doing subscription sales this year.  Joining what seems to be a new industry standard they are setting their royalty base at only $0.25.  Sadly this seems to be more and more common ( Fotolia , iStock , 123RF , etc).  The odd part of this announcement is that Bigstock was bought by Shutterstock so they could have pay as you go style site.  So this begs the question of why start moving your site to the SS formula with lower royalties.  How do you feel about the changes, comment below. As you know, we already offer Bigstock customers the flexibility of pre-paying with credits. Next week, we’ll be offering our customers an increasingly popular way to buy images:  subscriptions. How will this affect me? Subscriptions can generate higher download volumes, which can increase your total earnings from Bigstock. Here’s how you will earn royalties from Bigstock subscriptions: Eve...

  Fotolia did some minor tweaks this month that gives you two options for your portfolio.  First up you can now exclude video files from subscription sales.  Second they have changed the pricing for extended license files that now requires a minimum of 20 credits.  It also can't be lower then your highest price offering, so you cant have a 24 credit Standard XXL license and get the Extended License under 24 credits.  Log in and check out the changes.

CEO of Pocketstock launches an initiative to stop the race to the bottom on royalties for subscription sales to stock photographer.  See his write up below and join the 2ten petition if you support its ideals.  I have just arrived in New York City and was in Starbucks very early in the morning a day after the latest 9/11 anniversary. Having parted company with $2.85 for a coffee for a colleague, I was further reminded how expensive coffee is compared with the best images as sold by stock agencies - in particular as part of a subscription plan. 95% of subscription sales are made by these companies, in order of power: Shutterstock 33 cents per image iStock 31 cents per image Fotolia 33 cents per image Dreamstime 32 cents per image 123RF 29 cents per image Depositphotos 24 cents per image Veer 38 cents per image I thought to myself, I’ll see if I can get a similar deal from Starbucks. “Look,” I said “someone from our company will be back in here every da...

We brought you the word that VEER would be launching subscriptions last month.  Well as of this week that Subscription service is now live on Veer's website.  You will now be able to buy high quality commercial images for your needs via their subscription services.  To see the breakdown of pricing or to sign up at Veer click here .  This is another step in bring Veer into line with standard micro-stock practices and further way for the older legacy stock site ways.  A few months ago, we let you know that we’d be launching a new subscription offering for customers this winter. That time has come, and we’re pleased to announce that Veer Subscriptions , featuring your high-quality commercial images, is now live and open for business. Veer was already making it easier to be creative by offering customers an uncomplicated shopping experience using cash or prepaid credits. Now buyers also have the option to use convenient monthly or yearly subscription plans to ...

Veer makes good with their contributors after a large outcry on the very low subscription rates they announced in September.  They have gone back to the drawing board and raised the rates to a more industry standard with some extra bonuses compared to the other guys in town.  Below is there full write up on how the royalties brake down for contributors.  Veer Subscription Royalties Update Last week Veer announced its plan to launch a subscription service. Though we expected the response to be positive, we offered contributors the opportunity to opt out of the program if they so desired. The response from contributors has been loud and clear. Obviously we missed the mark. We’ve asked for your feedback and have been listening carefully over the last few days as we went back to the drawing board to revise our royalty model. Two key issues were raised by contributors: 1. Basi...

Fotolia rolled out their new website layout.  Shortly after announcing their price drop in royalties coming with the new site.  The site does have a cleaner and more user friendly look, which several buyers and contributors should both like.  Some of the new features include refined searching, which now lets you search by price point.  Also they have changed their subscription plans for buyers.  So log in and check it out . ...

Stock photography sites continue to race to the bottom when it comes to royalty rates.  Fotolia has announced they are working hard to lower your earnings by dropping the royalty rates.  They are now aligning themselves with iStock , which had a large number of complaints when they lowered their royalties and became one of the more hates sites.  However iStock did not see the large fallout that was talked about and it appears that Fotolia has noticed that.  The biggest hit was to vectors, who royalties dropped almost 80%.  This also marks the second time in one year for contributors to drop in royalties at Fotolia , as they changed their ranking settings in the spring, which dropped several users down on earnings. We've been hard at work for the last few months adding features to make the site more convenient for both contributors and artists. With this latest release, we're also revising our subscription plans to align with what's happening in the marketplac...

123RF has launched a few new features on their site over the past month.  First off they now allow you to log in through your existing facebook or google accounts.  Second up they now offer a auto suggest feature, which shaves seconds off your searching and helps with spelling.  After all, we know a lot of us can use help in that department.  Other things they have improved is better algorithms for image searches, a subject cluster which allows better organize the images you are searching for.  Finally they announced changes to their rewards and loyalty program will be forth coming on August 18th of this year.  New to 123RF, Join Here

iStock did some minor tweaking to their site and added some new features.  First up you can now search by price range.  The fewer the dots the cheaper the images and this will make it easier for buyer to get exactly what they need for the price point they have in their mind.  Second you can now filter out editorial images or creative images...allowing you more tailored licensed content.  Final features, you can refine your searches by color, copyspace and image orientation.  So go checkout the new features and happy searching.  Join iStock here .

Shutterstock is building bridges to Bigstock as a way increase image submissions.  They are starting to roll out a test program for their most active Shutterstock users that will allow them to just upload once to Shutterstock and have the images avalible for download also at Bigstock.  The idea is to save photographers type on submissions and increase the image volume at Bigstock.  This is currently in test phase only and is not open to everyone yet.  Right now Shutterstock still plans to keep the sites indpendant as SS is marketed to subscriptions and Bigstock is marketed pay per image uses.  See the write-up below . We’re excited to tell you about a new program we’re offering to a select group of Shutterstock contributors. We’re calling it the Bridge to Bigstock . Here’s what we’re doing and why we think it’s a win for everyone. As you may know, Shutterstock and Bigstock are two stock image sites owned by Shutterstock. They’re run as separate bran...

Fotolia is getting their members an option to send e-cards with a 1 week free premium subscription to their site.  This is a great opportunity for new members to check out what Fotolia has to offer.  If you are not a member of Fotolia then sign up here .  If you ware a member and want to send those free e-cards click here . Hurry offer ends December 31st, 2010

Sadly after two years of work, iSyndica has chosen to close their doors.  The reason if vague, but I am sure its simply boils down to volume - "Unfortunately, we have, for many reasons, decided to discontinue the service, with an effective last day set to October 10, 2010."  They had a great concept, but with the economy and ever shrinking earnings, more and more photographers are doing the uploading leg work themselves.  Currently they have shut down all upload options, leaving all ftp access for users to download their online portfolios.  Also a key and important fact is if you still have credits they will retro pay you the value left.  For additional information check out the FAQ page here.

German stock photography site Zoonar has added the Alamy power house to their growing list of partners.  If you have not heard of Zoonar they have both Micro and Macro stock photography options.  Currently their other partner lists are: Polylooks, APIS Network, and Fotofinder.  After your photos are accepted they become Rights Managed images, but you can click edit and choose Royalty Free images if you wish.  Sign up at Zoonar here .

At the end of July VEER launched with a new streamlined look and feel.  The combined several of the confusing aspects of their site such as multiple locations of types of image.  Everything is in one search now, woot woot.  To kick off the celebration you will notice 25 extra credits in your account when you log in...but hurry, those credits will vanish on Aug. 31st, 2010.  Other new features are listed below. Affordable new fonts There are now over 12,000 fonts to choose from at Veer, with individual fonts starting at just $10. Exciting new releases from some of the most talented designers in the world are added every month. Two ways to pay, new ways to save Use a credit card every time you check out, or save time and money by loading your account with Veer Credits – a prepaid option that helps you save up to 56% ...

iSyndica launched a new flashy website a few weeks back, be sure to check it out.  They also have a great tour of all the features on there website, check it out here .  If you upload to more then one stock site this survive is worth checking out. *A new feature will be also coming soon that will show you how well each image is performing across all your sites you upload to...stay tuned for that update.

iSyndica turns 1 year this week and to celebrate they are offering from May 1st to May 7th free distributions on their site to members.  There service is free, but if you want to sign up for a subscription then you can get 30% off right now, just enter " HAPPYBDAY " at checkout.  (subscriptions start at a low 19.95 for a whole year). For those who don't know how iSyndica works or what it is here is the break down. Instead of uploading all your stock photos to each service through a FTP program which takes time...iSyndica lets you upload just one time and distributes to all your stock photo sites for you.  Other features include: Secure data storage starting at 5GB Secure backup and export functions Included base credits starting at 1000 uploads Social Network Promotion (free for everyone) Sales and revenue reporting Custom FTP/SFTP channel No Advertising Check the sites you wish to upload per batch Choose your size to upload, full size to some sites wh...