Anyone heard from Picsastock?

[viewfromthenorth]

Got this message left on my website yesterday:

From: Jenna Childs
Sent: 30 Oct 2013
Subject: PicsaStock and your photos
Message:
Hi xxxxxxxx, I contacted you today as I am an artists scout for PicsaStock and I wanted to let you know that I have been following your work for some time now. I am interested in licensing your whole gallery non-exclusively for PicsaStock. (Please note this is not a spam email, I couldn't find your email address and apologise for doing this through a contact form). If you are interested in the above I can send you a starter package on how it all works. Thanks for your time. All the best, Jenna xxxxxxxxxxxx@picsastock.com PicsaStock Berlin

They appear to be some kind of new microstock agency, which doesn't interest me, nonetheless I thought it interesting that they are pro-actively going out looking for photographers (and even made the effort to find and use my name, which isn't exactly prominent on the site). Anyone else had an approach?

 

[TurnipFarmer]

Yes I have heard of them, had about 6 emails from them. All from different people but generically the same email. I don't think the return is great from them.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

$3 per download... before commission. Please say 'NO'

 

[markmullen]

I've had the same thing, not responded yet.

 

[damianmkv]

as above - had the email, googled them. Thought "no" and didn't do anymore

 

[viewfromthenorth]

$3 per download... before commission. Please say 'NO'

I'd already decided no, but I did see that on their website! I normally sell image usage and prints for a lot more than that.........

 

[Canon600D]

Are there websites that ARE worth giving some of your shots to in the hope of making some return?

 

[pragmatist]

Are there websites that ARE worth giving some of your shots to in the hope of making some return?

Give Alamy a look, not quite as hard as Getty to get submissions into.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Give Alamy a look, not quite as hard as Getty to get submissions into.

If you are shooting a fair volume of easily accessible subjects and newsworthy material it could be worth a go. I would not invest much money into the shoots, including travel expenses or long editing hours.

Corbis seems to be a bit better priced but I can't really comment about them.

Either way I don't see people buying from stock agencies to make some prints for their wall even if Alamy or micro route now is cheaper than dedicated galleries (and they are missing out on quite a bit of sales there by not offering a art print store front...)

I decided to have a little play with etsy.com It is not exactly for photos, but by chance there could be a couple sales a year. I'm thinking big metallic frame print or some else pretty special they can't do at high street.