Category: Features
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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/
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.
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
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
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.
