For Sale!!!!!!

Just got back from shooting another night of fireworks at the Casino Sound of Light, the Italy edition.  This time I only took my Sony RX100 Mark VI, Sony Remote and a little Joby tripod.  I didn’t want to carry around a big DSLR camera, lens and tripod.  I was a bit hesitant shooting fireworks with the Sony RX100 Mark VI.  I’ve not shot fireworks with this camera before.  To say the least, I am not disappointed whatsoever.  Focus was spot on in manual mode.  Colours look just awesome.  No noise whatsoever.  I shot at 2.5 seconds, f9 and ISO 100.  I am truly happy with this little camera that fits right into your jean pocket.  I have no need for a DSLR whatsoever.  I will be selling the Sony a7ii body with the lens and battery grip and I’ll be getting rid of the Canon Vixia HF G40 as well I think.  I just have to wait for the Sony RX100 Mark VII to come out at some point this month.  I’ll only be shooting with the Sony RX100 Mark VI and the VII and editing all my photos on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro 12.9” with the 512GB hard drive.  Once iPadOS comes out next month, I will no long need a desktop or laptop computer.  I’ll be able to do everything on the Apple iPad Pro.  I can’t wait.  I am so excited.  Photography makes feel happy to be alive.

Shutterstock has sunk to a new low

When I say a new low, I mean a new low.  Today I sold a footage clip for a whopping $1.80.  You read that correctly.  A whole $1.80 for a video clip.  What resolution are you going to get.  Less than Standard definition?  A $1.80 for a video clip.  That's more than insulting.  It's amoral to sell a clip for less than $10.  Who in their right mind would buy a clip let alone sell one?  I did not agree to this.  Typically I sell my footage from $14 to $199.  My best sellers typically sell $96 and above.  And that's my profit.  I'm sure Shutterstock gets more than I do.  On Pond5 I sell my footage for $199 and I get $99.50 for each clip sold.  A $1.80 is insulting.  Does Shutterstock not realize they're ripping off the contributor and their client?  I mean really?  How insulting.  My camcorder cost me $1500 before tax.  My Apple iMac cost me $2000.  My editing software cost me $199.  All of course before tax.  So I spent a grand total of $3699 pre tax to sell a video for a $1.80.  It's insulting.  It's immoral.  It's a kick in the nuts.  Shutterstock beats you down and when you think they're done.  They come back and beat you some more.

I have 12,425 photos and 1487 clips currently being sold at Shutterstock as of October 3, 2018.  I've tripled my portfolio in that last 3 years.  Some day I sell absolutely nothing on Shutterstock.  I admit some of my stuff is uninteresting and should not really be up there.  Then again I have photos and footage that I though were crap and have been my best sellers.  But a $1.80 for a 1080p/60fps clip sells for $1.80?  This is the exact reason I've stopped uploading to iStock.  They sell my photography for 2 cents.  2 cents!!!!!  People are pissed with micro stock agencies like Adobe Stock, iStock and Shutterstock.  They are completely devaluing contributors.  They are devaluing photography and videography.  It's an insult to any hobbyist, amateur, semi pro and pro.

The clip I sold for a $1.80 was a 4k clip as well.  The lowest price I see it being sold for is $65 for a standard definition edition.  That's an even bigger kick in the nuts.

Like I stated above, I spent $1500 for a camcorder, $2000 for an Apple iMac, $199 for Final Cut Pro X.  I spent $32 to get into the park to take photos and videos.  I spent roughly $45 for gas.  I probably spent roughly $25-$30 on food during the day.  Plus my time.  In the end, all of that is worth $1.80 for a clip.  

I just have a simple question.  Where and when will the spiral to the bottom end?  Contributors like myself work hard.  We enjoy doing what we do.  You cannot recreate a photo.  Or a clip.  We create memories.  We capture a moment that will never, ever occur again.  The race to the bottom will eventually hit rock bottom.  The question is.  Who will start digging to continue the longer race to a deeper bottom?