Archives: May, 2005
EditorialsFeatures
It’s all about the image!
It's all about the image! That's what one of my college professor's would say over and over again. I thought of course that he meant that if you could make good (cool) images then the rest would fall into place. Later on I learned a new definition of what "It's all about the image" could mean. After working as a Commercial Photographer for several years and working in the stock photo industry I found out the hard way that it is not enough to be a photographer capable of amazing feats of imagery. It's about looking at the image as a product and marketing that image using much of the same business practices required to make a living from any product. As with other products you need to start with a good quality product to sell. You need to find a way to consistently produce your product at a manageable cost. You need to find a buyer for that product and/or set-up a distribution network willing to stock (no pun intended) your product and find new customers. You need to sell that product to your customers and distributors as if you were selling tires or some hot new electronic gizmo. You need to step back as an artist and from time to time stop looking at your images like a jealous artist and start looking at these images as your most valuable resource to be exploited in order to make a living.
I have known many many great artists who have spent years developing their creative skills only to find themselves barely making ends meet. It is the marriage between the artist and the businessperson in all of us that is the key to finding success as a professional artist. The saying is true - It is all about the image, but as a professional artist, it's also about making a living with that image.
EditorialsFeatures
Getty And Wal-Mart Are Soul-Mates!
I recently caught wind of a practice that (if it is true) paints a very bad picture for anyone looking to submit images to Getty images. Many people in the industry know that Getty has been courting new agency contributors for some time now and it makes sense that Getty would have a preference to work with an agency that could supply images by the thousands rather than an individual photographer who struggles to submit hundreds of images per year. What we didn’t all know is that Getty has been encouraging these contributors to submit thousands of images in order to build up revenue for the contributor and then after the contributor is hooked, Getty has been forcing the contributor to convert to a more lucrative deal (for Getty) or else risk jeopardizing the relationship with Getty and all future sales. This is something that Wal-Mart has also been accused of doing and is one of the many gripes put forth by suppliers and activists alike.
I suppose it shouldn’t be a shock that Getty is pushing its contributors to work harder for less money, but there is also a claim that Getty is pushing contributors to sign exclusive deals that won’t allow contributors to work with its two biggest threats, Corbis and Jupiter Media. This type of deal is typically for Rights Managed (RM) images and not Royalty Free (RF) images but it makes me wonder how long it will be before Getty pushes it’s RF agents to sign a similar deal. If that happens, artist’s who wish to contribute photos and illustrations for stock will basically have to choose between working with Getty or, everybody else.
The sad thing is that unless the small to mid-sized agencies begin to work together and accept both RM and RF images non-exclusively so photographers can offer the same images through everyone who isn’t Getty, most photographer’s will have no choice but to bend over and take a deal on Getty’s terms. The simple fact is that an exclusive deal with Getty will generate 100 times the revenue of an exclusive deal with anybody else. It’s time for the smaller kids in the school-yard to band together and stand-up to the Bully who pushes the little guy simply because he can.
It may be too late to stop Wal-Mart but perhaps Getty can be pushed into doing the right thing.
EditorialsFeatures
Your Assignment: Trades People
I am
frequently asked… What type of image are stock agency’s looking for? This can
be a very difficult question because it is nearly impossible to predict what an
art-buyer’s needs will be in the future and what type of image is most needed by
each individual agency. However, I do come across a glaring need occasionally
that would make for a great assignment to any artist looking to create new
images to offer as stock.
Your
mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create current images of Trades
People.
If you take
a minute to search any of the major sites for Plumber, Electrician, Carpenter,
Etc… You will see that even Corbis and Getty Images have few current
images to offer. Many agencies will have at least a few images to offer but many images are old or simply poor quality. It seems that most stock
agencies need to update their files. For those looking to create new images I have
compiled a list (I know it’s not comprehensive – that’s what Google is for). I would suggest you spend a few minutes searching
for one or two of the trades listed below on your favorite stock websites
to see what is currently offered. Then create a list of what images you can create
that will stand-out in these collections. If you can fill a need with a good image – you
stand a good chance of generating a fair amount of revenue with that image.
List of Trades
- Auto
Mechanic
- Boilermakers
- Bricklayers
& Stonemasons
- Building
Inspector
- Burglar
Alarm Technician
- Bus Driver
- Carpenters
- Carpet,
floor, and tile installers and finishers
- Cement
masons, concrete finishers, segmental pavers, and terrazzo workers
- Certified
Court Reporter
- Construction
and building inspectors
- Construction
equipment operators
- Construction
laborers
- Cosmetology
- Drywall
installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers
- Electricians
- Elevator installers and repairers
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Factory Worker
(General)
- Flight
Attendant
- Floor &
Carpet Layers
- Funeral
Service Worker
- General
Contractor
- Hazardous
materials removal workers
- Highway
Maintenance Workers
- Insulation
workers
- Land
Surveyor
- Landscape
Worker
- Machinist
- Massage
Therapist
- Painter
- Painters and
paperhangers
- Pilot
(Airline)
- Plumber
- Plumbers
& Pipefitters
- Roofer
- Roofers
- Security
Guard
- Sheet Metal
Workers
- Structural
and reinforcing iron and metal workers
- Tile
Setters
- Waiter/Waitress
- Welder
News
Lighting Lessons from Photoflex
www.photoflexlightingschool.com
A nice sight offering quick concise lighting lessons. Even seasoned professionals can afford to bone up on the fundamentals from time
to time.
Photoflex Offers Free Lighting Lessons
Photoflex Lighting School has been established as a new and immediately popular website offering free lighting lessons for digital imaging and traditional photography, it was announced today by Photoflex Inc. President Sharon Reeves.
"Proper lighting stands out as a critically important part of good photography," Reeves states. "As a leading manufacturer of lighting equipment for two decades, Photoflex understands that there's a lot for photographers to know. Now all levels of photographers, from beginning to advanced, can benefit from the instant and practical online learning we've created at http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com."
The new website already attracts significant attention on the Web. According to Adam Maitland, a computer consultant who helped develop the site, Photoflex Lighting School records an average of 21 page views per visitor, far more than the industry average of about 10 pages.
More than 60 step-by-step, easy-to-understand lessons have been posted on the new website under three categories: Lighting Principles, Equipment Lessons, and Lighting Lessons. Dozens more will be added to these categories in the months to come. And to help photographers select the lighting equipment most appropriate to their needs, a comparison of different products will also be offered.
Whether they use digital or traditional cameras, photographers who buy Photoflex products such as reflectors, backdrops, umbrellas, softboxes, and tungsten lights will find specific equipment lessons that quickly help them make the best use of their investment in lighting. Other photographers also will benefit from the wide array of lessons that, as the website says, "explain the dynamic principles of light as they relate to photography." Lesson content includes photographs that show not only results, but also how equipment is set up and used.
The new website represents a major expansion of Photoflex's long-standing commitment to increasing photographers' knowledge and effective use of lighting equipment and techniques. A subsidiary company, Web Photo School (http://www.webphotoschool.com), is the world's largest resource for digital-imaging and traditional photography lessons. Its library includes more than 200 lessons available at modest cost, as well as 15 that can be accessed for free. Web Photo School lessons incorporate lighting information, use of various cameras, other photo equipment, and software.
Photoflex's main website (http://www.photoflex.com) features many photographs that show impressive results achieved from the use of its products. It also provides easily accessible links to the websites for Photoflex Lighting School and Web Photo School.
In addition, Photoflex disseminates its lighting and photography expertise via interactive websites with digital-imaging lessons specifically tailored to the customers of strategic partners such as Olympus America, Lexar Media, Bogen Imaging, Quantum Instruments, and Dedolight. It also offers a Dealer Support Program to its retailers that includes interactive website lessons developed specifically for customers of major photography retailers such as B&H Photo-Video, Adorama Camera, Glazer's Camera, Penn Camera, and Samy's Camera.
Photoflex Inc. (http://www.photoflex.com) manufactures and distributes high-quality, versatile lighting equipment for the worldwide photography, video, film, and digital-imaging industries. Based in Watsonville, Calif., it also offers photoflexlightingschool.com as an online resource for free photography and digital-imaging lessons for all levels of photographers. And its Web Photo School is the largest online resource for paid lessons, with many taught by leading professional photographers.
EditorialsFeatures
Does Kodak have what it takes?
As many people know Kodak has
had some hard times in the past few years and is struggling to find a way to
survive the digital revolution. It seems the past 7-10 years everybody has been
asking “what is going to happen to Kodak? “ Can they find a way to offer
products that appeal to consumers as they abandon film and start using digital cameras?
Today Kodak took a step in the right direction by announcing a successor to its
current CEO Dan Carp. The new CEO Antonio Perez will officially take the reins
in June. Mr. Perez has his feet firmly
planted in the digital age having worked for Hewlett and various other Hi-tech
companies and is likely to lead Kodak in the direction of offering digital
products to consumers including cameras, printings, an online photo sharing. It’s an uphill battle but many on Wall Street
seem to think that Antonio Perez is up to the task and will be well suited to leverage
the 111 year old Kodak brand.
As a longtime fan of Kodak innovations and a collector of old Brownie cameras I look forward to watching the transformation and hope Kodak can find a way to survive the years ahead.
News
Need a Stock Photo Site?
I recently was introduced to IPNStock through a friend. I
knew IPN was a good resource for stock images but what I did not
know was that IPN offers a tech solution for photographers and small agents to
launch an e-commerce Stock Photo site. The cost is reasonable at $595 for
the set-up fee and then a monthly maintenance fee of $195 for photographers or
$495 for agents. For more info on this check out www.ipnstock.com/join.shtml.
To see some of the sites currently operated by IPN go to www.ipnstock.com/fs.shtml?/members.shtml.
Features
Sign Here Please.
Ever wonder if somebody actually looks at your signature when you sign a Credit Card receipt. Check out this funny experiment to see how far you can push the envelope. Believe it or not, I once tried to sign the name "John Doe" at a Post Office in Springfield, MA. The overzealous Postal worker ended up going Postal on me and refused to give me the package. Apparently I don't take shipping and receiving packages as seriously as I should.
www.zug.com/pranks/credit_card/
Features
SPL Image Of The Week
For some time now I have been subscribed to receive an image of the week from Science Photo Library. This is one of the few stock photo e-mails that I actually look forward to opening because there is usually a very interesting image to look at.
To subscribe to the image of the week register on the site and check the appropriate box to receive a beautiful new image in your in-box every week. http://www.sciencephoto.com/registration/registerFull.html
Caption: These are templates used to model new limbs on. Photographed at the limb
rehabiltation unit at the Eastern General Hospital, Edinburgh.
Caption:
Damselfly (order Odonata) resting on a leaf. Damselflies
are predators of other insects, often catching prey mid-flight. They spend much
of their life as aquatic larvae, where they feed off other small invertebrates.
Caption:
Assorted bacteria, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM).
Features
Fun with Ron and Joe.
What could be better than a website where you can purchase stock images, fonts, Art Parts as well as a Rubber Chicken and leopard print fez. This site is perhaps the most fun stock photo site to browse that I have seen. You can even find recipe's from Ron's Mom.
Go, Browse, enjoy!
http://www.ronandjoe.com
Features
Like Father Like Son
While browsing my favorite t-shirt site I came across this incredible image that I just had to post. This image was created by Les Sharp from Sydney Australia. To see more designs like this check out www.threadless.com. The site allows designers to upload designs and users can vote on them. The best designs are made into t-shirts that everyone can buy. They also have a great t-shirt of the month club for those interested in giving a unique gift.
This t-shirt is available at http://www.threadless.com
Features
Montage-a-google
I created this montage of Leica images using a very cool montage tool created by designer Grant Robinson. This tool searches Google for images that fit any keyword and creates a montage of 20 images.
Check it out!
http://grant.robinson.name/projects/montage%2Da%2Dgoogle/
Features
Looking For A Local Coffee Shop?
Simply enter your zip-code in the Delocater to find a non-corporate cafe in your area. Know a great coffee shop in your neighbohood? Submit to the Delocator in order to help local small business owners compete with the chains.
News
DxO Optics Pro 3.0 Beta Test
A few days ago I received an e-mail from DXO offering a free download of their new DxO Optics Pro 3.0 for beta testing. After playing around with this tool a bit i have to say that i am impressed with how easy it is to use and I think this would probably be a great tool to for most photographers to process their raw images. I think this is definitely worth the download for any photographer shooting with a digital SLR
www.dxo.com
EditorialsFeatures
iStockPhoto
iStockPhoto is changing how photographer's market images by providing a forum for any artist to submit new and interesting work to test the market.
The scary part for most photographers is that downloads cost as low as $1.00. However, that low download price helps to gain exposure for the artist and the most successful images can show the artist where to focus their future efforts to create some very sale-able (hmmm... is sale-able a word?) images. iStockPhoto site traffic has grown to huge numbers (their Alexa rank of
978 is above Corbis' ranking of 2,288 and not that much under Getty's
586).
I would definitely recommend istockphoto to any artist who is looking for valuable feedback on their RF images.
News
Jupiter Buys Goodshoot
Recently Jupiter Media announced the purchase of their
latest stock photo collection GoodShoot, an image producer from
France.
Stories like this are no longer news as pretty much everybody I have talked to
in the industry who owns a significant collection of images has been approached
by Jupiter Media. I’m sure we will see many more press releases like this in
the future.
