Photographer Dimitri Vervitsiotis, a contributor to Heritage Images (Imagestate Media Partners Ltd), has started a blog – https://imagestatecomplaints.blogspot.com/ documenting his struggle to get paid by the picture library. UPDATE 31 Jan 2012 (that blog has now been removed)
I am a photographer and have had several hundred images with Imagestate for some years. In the beginning all was good until I heard they were having financial difficulties.
I was offered a new contract that I had to sign if I was to be paid what was owed, an unusual offer, I accepted. Since then I have been sent cheques in spite of asking 4 times for bank transfers. I also asked for statements to be sent to me by email, I haven’t had one for at least 18 months and no payments either. I have tried to contact the accounts department endlessly, only to be told that they are not available. Finally I was contacted by Nathan Grainger and told he would look into it but that it would take a few days. I haven’t heard back for a month. I have since written to him twice telling him of my intention to start this blog, still no reply.
Dimitri intends the blog to be a sounding-board for other contributors with similar issues. He told PhotoArchiveNews.com via email: “Not wanting to cause a fuss but this is my livelihood and I worked very hard to produce the images on the site”. “The last time I had a bank transfer from them was 6/6/2008 and absolutely no news or contact since then”.
PhotoArchiveNews.com has put a call into Heritage Images – someone took a message and telephone number – mine – 07802 437827….. we are just waiting for a call – more when we get it.