Stock shooters, much like other folks;  grumble a lot when we don't like something.  We make threats.  Sometimes we follow through, most often we do nothing. 

Our relationships with the agencies selling our photographs is somewhat like a marriage (albeit, often a polygamist one).   - Our agency husbands don't give us enough grocery money or attention and they make us return our beautiful new shoes.  Translation:  miserable commissions, technical tragedies, submission rejections. - They give away stuff that we brought into the marriage.  Translation:  they start subscription plans for purchasers and give our hard work away for (almost) free.  - Sometimes we get angry and withhold sex from our spouse.  Translation:  we refuse to upload any new photos. - Sometimes, we put in only as much as we get out.  Translation:  we send the subscription agencies downsized files, we upload first to preferred agencies and send referrals to Featurpics.  - Very rarely do we ask for a divorce.... Translation:  we rarely pull all our files and close our account.

-  Sometimes we stray.  Translation:  If a promising new agency comes along, is easy to upload to, has a fair commission structure, an opt-out option for subs - we'll join without hesitation.

- To be fair to the institution of marriage - I must point out that you can only marry the most popular boy at school if you promise to be faithful and first give all your other boyfriends the boot.  Translation:  you can be exclusive at Istock, but you can't sell your photos anywhere else.  Not even the photos that Istock rejects. 

-  Those of us who can't commit can still apply to be Istock's mistress.  We will work just as hard as Istock's wife, but we remain his dirty little secret... he will throw us scraps, but we will never be seen on his arm.  Translation:  Istock gives preferential treatment to exclusives, shorter waiting cues, higher search engine placement, higher commissions, better promotion - but we put up with this because Istock's tremendous volume of sales trumps terrible commissions.

- Sometimes we just leave for a better man.  Translation:  (this one is open for interpretation) We've outgrown the microstock model and are moving on to sell macrostock.   

Yes we grumble about our marriages with these microstock agencies.  It's hard to grumble to my actual physical husband because, well, he has no idea what I'm talking about.  My friends equally have no clue.  So, we try to grumble on the agency forums, but our agency husbands are quick step on any criticisms and they close our threads, ban us from the forums or in the worst case, close our accounts and slam the door.

So we have to go to other places to discuss agency specific issues.  Microstockgroup (MSG) is one of my favorite peer-to-peer spots to learn about this industry.  They are approaching 1000 registered members, and some of the major players post comments to the forum.  The past couple days there is a whiff of uprising in the air.  This thread on MSG was started by Yuri Arcurs, one of the uber-sensational-microstock contributors.  Dozens (and counting) agree to opt-out from selling subscriptions when we have a choice.  It's doubtful that anyone would leave a substantial producer like Shutterstock, but we've agreed that it may be a good idea to limit our contributions to 4 or 5 mp in size.  My hat is off to Yuri for starting the post.  I'm sure quite sure his "celebrity status" strengthened the voices of many others who fear punishment or banning from agencies by voicing their concerns.

The moral of the story is, we'll stay married to our husbands, but if they make us suffer - we alone can decide if we will allow it.  I've opted out of subscriptions wherever I can.  Although I haven't uploaded my portfolio yet, I joined Featurepics yesterday, a young agency that pays the fairest commissions in the business, although it's not well discovered by designers... yet, but we microstock brides and grooms are working to change that!

      

Photo Credit: Angry Couple by Jason Stitt, purchased on Lucky Oliver