Free Images

[John]

Some of you may have noticed a free image section that appears at the top of the category list.

Why offer free images? Well, anyone that visits the site is likely to look and see what free stuff they can get. If one of your images is there, then they may well take a look at your portfolio and buy further images. It increases your exposure.

At the minute there are 3 of my images there, however, if anyone would like to volunteer a free image then all you need to do is let me know via the support page. Then go to your photographer area and add the category 'Free images' to your image.

I will then change the image price to a free download.

I am placing a 1 image per photographer limit on this and will remove 2 of mine from the category when there are a few more added.

[Pierdelune]

I am sending you a mountain tulip for your free section. Is it matter if this pic is for sale on other web site ?

amically

[John]

No it doesn't matter.

[Clivia]

John, will there be a time limit on how long the image if free, or will you have a free archive?
I would like to see a limit of say, a month.

[Pierdelune]

Thanks Clivia, I was on my way to make this suggestion too.  But, I think one month will be too long.  As John web site will increase, many photographers will maybee like to have one picture on the free section.

I suggest about 10 to 15 days depending on John wishes and later on, one week only. After that period the pic shall go back on sales and the same photographer could be put at the end of the rank if he or her ever want to put another pic on the free section.   So, everybody will have his turn.  

It is only a suggestion  

[John]

I think I can accommodate any length of time for any person.

You can decide for yourself how long it stays there. All you need to do is go tour photographer area. Find your image and deselct the 'free image' category.

This will remove the image from the free image section and restore the price.

If you want to add an image add the free image category to your image and then inform me via support and I will adjust the price to free download.

Also, I don't intend to have more than 6 free images on offer at anyone time.

[Pierdelune]

It is a good deal John..
I suppose that when we remove our free image, we can put another one
You meant 6 altogether on the site.  That is good too and enough.

salute

[John]

Yes that's right. You decide how long you want it to be there and remove it when you want to. In the absence of submissions for a free image I'll use some of mine.

When you add or remove the free image category, the file goes back into the  pending queue. This is more important for additions to prevent everyone from simply adding images to the gallery.

If there is a queue for images then I'll replace existing images on a regular basis.

[Ice]

Sorry John, I have made I think 3 of my Images free but in light of what has been discussed I would rather give you a better Image for the free section. The Cat one you can use but I would like to replace it with a more provitable image.

[John]

You can't make your images free. You can put them in the free image category but that doesn't alter the price on them. if you want to make it free then you need to let ne know via the support page first letting me know which image you want to make free and then I can alter the price on it.

You can however remove your image from the free category at anytime and the price will revert back to $2.00. Bear in mind that each time you alter the category, it will go back to the pending queue.

[elvinstar]

I wonder if it is a good idea for it to go back in the pending que and also when you make changes to categories in any photo this happens too I believe. I remember at shutterstock if you made changes to keywords then they went back into the pending que. I didn't like that at all because then the image is not for sale  for the duration that it takes to approve it. It is also creating more work for the approver. When you get a lot more submissions from joining photographers, it really takes up a lot of time. When I was approving submissions for our site after awhile I felt like I had no time to photograph my own stock. I think you may want to cut down the amount of time you have to invest in approving because there will be a thousand things you have to do to run the site besides approving.

Just my two cents of course.  

[John]

2 cents are always welcome

[icefront]

This thread makes me put a few images on 'Free' category. Yes, it is a good idea to change anytime the status of an image between 'free' and 'commecrial'.
Also, I think, that more free images will make visitors to come back frequently, so I want to make more images free, let's say 10.
Can be this process automated?

[John]

The temptation is for people to submit their 'not so good images' for free. The result of this is that it creates a bad impression since it's the area a lot of people will go to to get a free sample.

The rest of the images on thes site will be judged by the free downloads. So yes it could be automated but it's not going to be.

I think the current 8 images is adequate but people are welcome to submit new 'free images' whenever they like. If it gets approved as a free image the I simply delete the oldest one that's there.

But.... don't just categorise your images as free, that won't work. If anyone wants to submit an image for the free category then email me with the image details and I'll do the rest.

[soundsnaps]

another good, flexible idea from this very promising site !