http://www.abouttheimage.com/ news for the stock photography industry en will@abouttheimage.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-16T14:21:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4503/cepic_congress_2012_open_photos_and_reports_uploading_now/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/cepic_congress_2012_open_photos_and_reports_uploading_now/#When:13:21:00Z The London CEPIC Week is in full flow today after an opening party last night. If you were not able to make this stock photo industry networking event a full programme of events and seminars are available here and PhotoArchiveNews.com will be updating with the congress news as it happens here 2012-05-16T13:21:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4502/fotolia_lands_150_million_growth_equity_investment/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/fotolia_lands_150_million_growth_equity_investment/#When:06:41:01Z New York, May 16 – Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (together with its affiliates, “KKR"), today announced a $150 million growth equity investment in Fotolia. In addition, KKR, TA Associates and Management worked with KKR Capital Markets and a number of relationship banks to put in place a $150 million senior financing for the Company. Founded in 2005, Fotolia offers its users over 17 million digital images and videos. Fotolia is the leading microstock platform in Europe and is ranked among the top stock photography websites globally, providing a unique marketplace for photographers to sell their images. Every day, photographers and designers upload thousands of new images and videos onto Fotolia’s platform. Photographers receive commissions from each image that is licensed via Fotolia. Fotolia therefore provides a benefit to both photographers and buyers by protecting intellectual property rights and generating commission income for photographers, while offering quality images at affordable prices to its buyers. Oleg Tscheltzoff, co-Founder and CEO of Fotolia, said: “After only seven years, this investment is a testament to our rapid progress as a company. We are extremely proud to have KKR, one of the largest and most reputable private equity firms, join Fotolia as a lead investor. KKR shares Fotolia’s philosophy of growth through innovation and will be contributing valuable entrepreneurial capital. Our new partner offers operational capabilities and a deep network that will help Fotolia accelerate its growth. The extensive worldwide network of KKR will enable us to cement our global leadership in the stock photography industry and further our goal of being the global source of inspiration for designers and buyers of creative content.” Philipp Freise, Head of European Media Investments for KKR, commented: “We are very excited to partner with the team that has built Fotolia from a startup into one of the world’s leading microstock platforms with a strong leadership position in Europe. The Company has grown significantly since 2005 and has consistently demonstrated the kind of innovation and leadership that we look for in our digital media investments. Today’s investment is about fueling even more growth and fostering a new phase of development, to which we will contribute the whole suite of KKR’s capabilities.” Fotolia received its first growth investment from TA Associates in 2009. Jonathan Meeks, a Managing Director at TA Associates, added: “We have enjoyed being associated with Fotolia over the past three years and partnering with Oleg and his team to foster the company’s continued growth.  We welcome KKR as a new investor and look forward to working closely with them and management to further build value in Fotolia.” Barclays acted as sole financial advisor to KKR, while NOAH Advisors acted as sole financial advisor to Fotolia and its shareholders. 2012-05-16T06:41:01-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4501/corbis_offers_two_new_stock_photo_collections/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/corbis_offers_two_new_stock_photo_collections/#When:03:42:01Z Corbis are offering a couple of new stock photo collections in thier premium commercial offering. The collections, which feature over 70,000 new images, include Minden Pictures, which encompasses key aspects of natural history, ecology, biodiversity and endangered species, and Eureka, a selection of documentary images further enhancing Corbis’ extensive offering in science, technology and medicine. “The ‘Minden Pictures’ and ‘Eureka’ collections offer a diverse library of images – from natural wonders and wildlife to science, medicine and intricate technology,” said Edie Tobias, senior vice president of commercial products at Corbis. “The collections are representative of the unique offerings we provide our customers to help solve creative and storytelling needs for all projects.” 2012-05-12T03:42:01-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4500/reuters_photographer_recounts_covert_op_with_the_president/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/reuters_photographer_recounts_covert_op_with_the_president/#When:16:31:00Z Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque recounts his recent trip to Afghanistan with President Obama… ‘First there is the phone call. It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon in Washington when the phone rings. “Can you be at the White House for a meeting in four hours? I can’t tell you why, but we need you to be there.” Read on here: Reuters Blog 2012-05-09T16:31:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4499/getty_images_upgrade_the_watermark/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/getty_images_upgrade_the_watermark/#When:15:43:01Z Getty Images newly appointed branding agency R/GA in London have reworked the ‘Watermark’ On PhotoArchiveNews.com Getty Images 2012-05-09T15:43:01-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4498/100000_royalty_free_sound_effects_online_now/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/100000_royalty_free_sound_effects_online_now/#When:06:30:00Z AudioMicro.com announces the addition of the Sound Idea sound effects library, adding over 100,000 professional royalty free sound effects to its online archive.  Headed by Brian Nimens, an audio veteran with more than 35 years experience, Sound Ideas offers an immense variety of contemporary and vintage sound FX keeping its ears tuned to the current and future needs of sound designers and producers.  “We are pleased to make our sounds available through AudioMicro, a real innovator in the marketplace,” said Nimens. Categories within the Sound Ideas collection include ambience, animals, impacts, guns, production elements, science fiction, whooshes, and everything in between.  The addition of Sound Ideas brings AudioMicro’s total file count to over 300,000 stock music and sound effects tracks, all pre-cleared for use in creative audio-visual productions. In addition to the 100,000 new sound effects from the Sound Ideas library, AudioMicro has launched a new version of its website, targeted at purchasers of royalty free music and sound effects, including YouTube users, iPhone/iPad app developers, and film/TV producers.  New visitors to AudioMicro.com will find a completely revamped user interface and design, making it a rich and simple destination for discovering and licensing stock audio. Visitors to the new AudioMicro experience improved utility and design, including: • A slick HTML5 audio player which allows users to more easily browse the archive and locate the perfect cue or effect for their projects • Pay as you go, dollar based pricing – the credit based purchasing system has been retired • A simplified end user license agreement that allows tracks to be purchased once and used over and over again in multiple projects by the same buyer • Embeddable Tracks - embed your favorite tracks on websites, blogs, Facebook, etc. • Customizable Favorites Lists – create multiple favorites collections to preview your favorite tracks on the fly, before you buy • API Integration – the AudioMicro API allows approved partner platforms and resellers to create highly customizable applications utilizing the AudioMicro library.  Early API partners include SlideRocket, Hark, and Amana Images (Japan) • Brand new content and features to be announced over the coming months 2012-04-30T06:30:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4497/50_free_stock_media_files_pond5/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/50_free_stock_media_files_pond5/#When:04:45:00Z Creative stock media agency Pond5 have selected 50 media files from their collection for free download - They say: ‘Set your Creativity free with 50 Free Stock Media Files, in time for the NAB Show 2012-04-13T04:45:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4496/free_stock_photo_download_thinkstock/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/free_stock_photo_download_thinkstock/#When:14:53:00Z This image is free to download from photo agency Thinkstock - this week only register and download it now! 2012-04-12T14:53:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4495/watch_behind_the_scenes_credit_suisse_ad_shoot/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/watch_behind_the_scenes_credit_suisse_ad_shoot/#When:05:07:00Z Bennie de Grasse at New york based artists management agency Vaughan Hannigan sent us this behind-the-scenes video documenting a shoot by Erik Almås for Credit Suisse and Euro RSCG London.  In the video you can see how Erik “builds” the final visual using many elements, carefully crafting fantastical landscapes and surreal imagery. The shoot involved traveling to Arizona, Hawaii and Los Angeles to include gorgeous landscapes, set building, and CGI dinosaurs.  Here is the finished result; 2012-04-12T05:07:00-05:00 http://www.abouttheimage.com/4494/venus_stock_flirtiest_spring_images/author43 http://www.abouttheimage.com/venus_stock_flirtiest_spring_images/#When:04:52:00Z Los Angeles based premium beauty, health, fitness, and Lifestyle stock photo library Venus are online with a selection spring inspired images. View their ‘flirtiest spring images’ gallery here. 2012-04-12T04:52:00-05:00