Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic - Does anyone else scrape the barnacles off their portfolio?

darla · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 888

I was just deleting images from my portfolio that had gone for five years without a sale, and I was wondering if anyone else here does that.

Most of these are images that would not be accepted in the first place, if I tried to submit them now.

I figure, it gives me a better looking portfolio, and is nice for the site to clear these out, as well.

If you think about it, SS has over 35,000 contributors, and among them, there must be tens of thousands of dud images. (I deleted 31 today) My thinking is, it can only be good for sales to weed them out.

What do you think?

Mike Price · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 2919 Location: South Wales

I never delete any accepted images. I cannot see how it will help sales by deleting images. I dont think buyers go through all of anyones port to check quality, and there is alway a possibility of sales. You never know what a buyere is looking for.

MIke

ruxpriencdiam · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:41 am

warrenprice · Joined: 15 Dec 2009 Posts: 419 Location: Central Texas

Mike Price · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 2919 Location: South Wales

hhltdave5 · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:27 am

This has been talked about many times. I never have deleted any image. I have had shots that hardly ever sold then one day I had 5 ELs on them. As someone said in the other thread on this about a week ago (I think it was Mike Price) a deleted image will never sell.

warrenprice · Joined: 15 Dec 2009 Posts: 419 Location: Central Texas

I probably should not have stated that "I busted my butt." Actually, I've taken a pretty laid-back approach. But, I am glad that I finally reached a thousand. :-)

Anyway, I'm not in a hurry to delete the non-sellers; even though there is an over-abundance. :-)

darla · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 888

I figure, in the five years these haven't sold, better images of the same concepts have been uploaded, maybe even by myself.

I can look over the original files, and see if I can do a better edit, and resubmit an updated version.

subarashii21 · Joined: 12 May 2011 Posts: 433 Location: Czech Republic

I do this regularly, I delete my worst vectors, then try to improve them and submit again. My oldest vectors had many flaws, like too many anchor points, rough lines, radial gradients broken into hundreds of circle shapes etc.. - the flaws I didnt see months ago when I submitted them. I didnt want customers to come across such old technically flawed vector because it might discourage them from buying the newer stuff.

I think it pays off for vectors to clean up the portfolio from time to time.

peteklinger · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:44 am

Sometimes when I get "inspired" I go back and check the keywords on old files.

Some I see have words that shouldn't be there and others are lacking because I uploaded them four years ago, and they need adjustment and improvement.

I still believe only words that are actually IN the image and prominent. Lying to buyers, or trying to trick them, just makes them angry at everyone including the agency.

Non-sellers, like others have said. They are here, they were good enough, maybe someday, someone will need it?

barnabychambers · Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 264

Here is why I haven't considered trashing pics that haven't sold. One or two gallery views a week is normal for me. I also figure they would almost all just look at the first page or two anyway. Best leave old stuff there incase it pops up in somebody's search.

iggy1965 · Joined: 15 Jun 2011 Posts: 114

triceratops · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 7851 Location: The other Nevada

jmci · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 2379 Location: Northern Ireland

I agree with Russell, I don't like offering images for free either, especially after all the work I've put in processing, keywording and uploading them! Although in fairness, the ones that don't sell on DT are among my least popular on SS as well. The difference being that they've at least sold a few times here.

rinder99 · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:14 pm

My experience is. don't delete anything. we aren't the best judge of what sells. leave it to a buyer. Our job is simply to do the work. Let someone else determine it's value.I also think DT's decision on doing this is stupid.