iStockphoto requires you to delete images in your portfolio. Otherwise…

Are you done crying that one or two of your images are getting the boot, ProStockMaster? Need a tissue?

I think their “attitude” is very professional. If you want some of your less than desirable images to have a chance to be sold. Sell them on Fotolia where crappy images and copyright issues run free.

I got the same message from iStock. I wasn’t offended as they were all old files that had never sold. I don’t blame them really. Besides, they have done a lot worse stuff than this. I have my ups and downs with them but they remain my best source for sales.

The largest area of issue I have seen at Fotolia is in the images of cars. Do you think Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes etc. would appreciate people selling/profiting from images of their very expensive copyright cars? Is this not in violation?

I’m with David here,
My main source of income-and has been for the past 20 odd years – as a Management & Training Consultant specialising in Marketing. Photography has always been a second string.
If I had to work with iStock, and the above was an example of how the management team handled their communication with their contributors, I would be seriously worried. There can be no excuses for such ‘so called’ errors of communication, quote “the email discussed in this post was sent out by a mistake and they apologize for the misunderstanding.”
First impressions normally will account for 90+% of the recipients perception at that time. If I had received the email, I would have cancelled my account with them immediately, based upon that email, and I’m sure that many photographers will. (Unless they are the great unwashed suppliers of digital diarrhoea that is being thrown up by the digital revolution).
iStock need to get a grip and start acting like a ‘professional company’ you know the type, the sort of company that has managers who know how to manage and how to train their staff etc. And how to communicate effectively. Does anyone remember the Gerald Ratner story of how he single handily demolished his company by calling their product ‘crap’ in a speech he was giving at a private dinner?

I finally decided to remove all my images from Istock, and also not to buy anymore images. Allthough I never got any rejected files, I wasn’t happy with the ranking in their searchengine and the royalties they pay to contributors, it’s a shame.

Since Istock became part of the Getty Images, they only became more expensive for everybody who buys images. So, that isn’t it worth either.