This morning I came across a website called BilderKing which is offering for sale canvas mounted posters of my entire Fotolia portfolio for prices up to 132 euros. See:

http://en.bilderking.com/photo-motive/wh...sheaves,5864159.aspx

I contacted Fotolia about my concerns only to be told that BilderKing is a partner of Fotolia. I was then brushed off with the line that for any sales from either site I would ‘get my share’, that presumably being a percentage of the $10.00 extended licence fee. Not much.
I presume this same deal applies to every Fotolia contributor.
In this way BilderKing has a database of millions of images to choose from and need only pay the small licence fee when an image is sold.
Am I the only person who thinks this practice is at best profiteering and at worst unethical? And also, do any other microstock sites have similar affiliations?
Bill Philpot

I sounds really bad, but the truth is it is exactly the same as anywhere else, or actually more profitable. Depending on the agency license, I could go buy your photo, blow it up and print it and hang it on my wall. You think that just because they are reselling it, you are getting a bad deal, but could you have found that buyer and sold it to them at that price? Materials, labor, marketing etc all go into the deal and you made one more sale than you would have earlier.

Again, I know this sounds cold, but having tried to sell photos without an agency, its eadier to just let them do it, this is just how it goes.

Hi Zooworms,
Thank you for your response.
But my problem is not about anybody buying an extended licence for my image and then marketing it for sale as a poster. They have made a commitment, and that is what I have signed up for. I understand that.
My problem is when BilderKing/Fotolia offer my image (and everybody else's) for sale as a poster without the commitment of having bought the licence first. Until yesterday I had never heard of BilderKing and I have never knowingly entered into any agreement with them.

There has been a bit of discussion on fotolia and MSG about this subject, you should check it out.


us.fotolia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=13664

us.fotolia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=14271

www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?action=search2

There are a few other agencies that have similar deals. StockXpert for one - I don't know that they have prints, but they sell photos on other sites than there own. Canstockphoto also has an affiliate site.


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greener
Microstock Photography - a quick guide

It would be unethical if they bought your photo and sold multiple prints of it of your one license. They are basically doing the same thing that fotolia is doing...they are just mounting the image for the owner. It would be like if I bought your image and went to a local shop and had them spray mount it as an art piece. I would still be buying the image from you, but paying for someone else to do all the other work. Most companies do allow you to opt out of third party deals...not sure if Fotolia is one, but you can always opt out if they are.