There are words and then there are KEY-words. As you know the basis of all image searches is keywords. The importance of keywords cannot be understated when it comes to having customers find your images.
When keywording your images ask yourself: What exactly does this image represent? Look at each image carefully and think of all the words that relate directly to it. Then use those words to keyword your images. Creative keywording is appropriate for some images but not others. Take an image of a heart for example. You can use the keywords Cupid, Valentine's Day, romance, and of course, love. In this case creative key wording works well. Now take an image of a puppy. The keywords dog and puppy fit but 'puppy love' does not. Image searchers in need of love images do not want to come across an image of a puppy in their quest for the perfect image of love.
Thus, you can see how choosing the appropriate keywords is extremely important in landing your images a home. Think about it: Keywords are what lead image seekers to your images. And, once they find an image targeted to their specific keywords, they are more apt to download it.
People will search for your images using specific, targeted keywords. Make sure they find them.
All said and done, it all comes down to the right words for the right images.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Take your ego out…
I’m continually amazed at how artists and their work are so entwined, although I shouldn’t be. Prior to coming to PhotoSpin, I spent 20 years as a commercial photographer and remember all too well those sinking feelings of rejection when I didn’t get chosen for a project or someone didn’t like my work. Let's face it, it hurts both your ego and your wallet.
I find that it's just as difficult to reject artists' work as it is to have my own work rejected. But that's business. It's normal for the artists to take the rejection as a personal front against them, unable to separate the business from the art. Here at PhotoSpin, we can't accept all the images from potential contributors, so you have to learn to ignore your ego and don't take it personally. If we sign you, that means we like your work but that doesn’t mean we are going to accept it all. We need to maintain a certain image quality that our customers have come to expect and your images need to meet that quality in order for us to accept them. If they don't meet our quality standards they will get rejected.
When your work is rejected let it be an inspiration to create even better work. And remember, it’s your work that got rejected, not you.
I find that it's just as difficult to reject artists' work as it is to have my own work rejected. But that's business. It's normal for the artists to take the rejection as a personal front against them, unable to separate the business from the art. Here at PhotoSpin, we can't accept all the images from potential contributors, so you have to learn to ignore your ego and don't take it personally. If we sign you, that means we like your work but that doesn’t mean we are going to accept it all. We need to maintain a certain image quality that our customers have come to expect and your images need to meet that quality in order for us to accept them. If they don't meet our quality standards they will get rejected.
When your work is rejected let it be an inspiration to create even better work. And remember, it’s your work that got rejected, not you.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Why be specific with your image descriptions?
The image description field is a very important tool that contains most of the keywords used in image searches. The descriptions should describe the image as much as possible. When a customer is searching for a specific image such as the New York skyline, the words 'New York skyline' become the key search terms and the description field is the first read field in the search. Thus, the images containing the words New York skyline in the description will be the first to appear in the search results. Many artists try to get cute with their descriptions thinking it will get their images noticed when in fact it does the opposite. In some cases they turn the descriptions into a titles such as "Magic of Broadway" or "It's My Kind of Town" which will cause the images to result in a lower return than if they used image specific keywords. The images will get buried and, in some instances, become the result of a search for an unrelated image . For instance, when a customer performs a search using the keywords "small town" or 'magic', they will be frustrated when the search results in a man performing a magic trick or a barn out in the country instead of images depicting the New York skyline.
Your photos and illustrations deserve specific descriptions to get them noticed. To get the best search results stay away from cute titles and put in descriptions that fit your images. Using cute titles and descriptions not specific to your images will only frustrate you and our clients.
Here are some solutions that will help you gain better search results:
1. Be very specific-If the image is of a young couple embracing describe it 'young couple embracing'. Do not title it 'puppy love'.
2. Use exact descriptions- Name the city or landmark. If the image is of Mount Rushmore then name it as such. Do not describe the photo as 'American Heroes'.
As you can see, descriptions are very important and affect the way your images come up in searches. Thus, the more information you can provide the better. Customers rely on descriptions and keywords when searching for specific images. So, the more specific you can be in your descriptions and key words, the better chance of having your images found and the more chances you will have at getting a sale.
Your photos and illustrations deserve specific descriptions to get them noticed. To get the best search results stay away from cute titles and put in descriptions that fit your images. Using cute titles and descriptions not specific to your images will only frustrate you and our clients.
Here are some solutions that will help you gain better search results:
1. Be very specific-If the image is of a young couple embracing describe it 'young couple embracing'. Do not title it 'puppy love'.
2. Use exact descriptions- Name the city or landmark. If the image is of Mount Rushmore then name it as such. Do not describe the photo as 'American Heroes'.
As you can see, descriptions are very important and affect the way your images come up in searches. Thus, the more information you can provide the better. Customers rely on descriptions and keywords when searching for specific images. So, the more specific you can be in your descriptions and key words, the better chance of having your images found and the more chances you will have at getting a sale.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Rejected Images, Part 2
As our image collection grows, I want to point out several reasons why images get rejected and help our contributing artists better understand our rejection policy. Currently, about 50% of the images submitted to PhotoSpin get rejected, even though they may be posted on other stock companies' web sites.
Here's some reasons why:
- Images that do not serve a purpose get rejected. The images need to serve a purpose beyond being nice photos.
-Images that do not have a good resale value get rejected. The images that sell are ones that have a resale value. In another words, how can the customer use the image? Good lighting, composition, and design increase the resale value of the image. Flower close-ups are not very exciting unless extremely well done.
-Vacation images that do not create a statement about a specific location will get rejected. Photos or snap shots that do not create a statement about a location make it difficult for the customer to search for a quality image that shows a sense of place.
Images are our business and we want to offer our customers targeted and compelling images. If our images do not keep our customers searching, they'll get tired and move on to competing sites.
Our standards are very high for a reason, we want to keep our customers happy. Thus, we only accept the best. Our customers have come to expect this and we will continue to maintain a strict upload policy to ensure the integrity of the site.
I hope this helps.
Here's some reasons why:
- Images that do not serve a purpose get rejected. The images need to serve a purpose beyond being nice photos.
-Images that do not have a good resale value get rejected. The images that sell are ones that have a resale value. In another words, how can the customer use the image? Good lighting, composition, and design increase the resale value of the image. Flower close-ups are not very exciting unless extremely well done.
-Vacation images that do not create a statement about a specific location will get rejected. Photos or snap shots that do not create a statement about a location make it difficult for the customer to search for a quality image that shows a sense of place.
Images are our business and we want to offer our customers targeted and compelling images. If our images do not keep our customers searching, they'll get tired and move on to competing sites.
Our standards are very high for a reason, we want to keep our customers happy. Thus, we only accept the best. Our customers have come to expect this and we will continue to maintain a strict upload policy to ensure the integrity of the site.
I hope this helps.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Holiday Mad Money
Sorry, I've been MIA regarding writing this blog.
I can blame it on personal problems but, the fact is, I've been distracted with all the current events: the global meltdown, the downturn in the advertising and marketing communities, etc. When you look around it can be very depressing seeing what is happening and, as optimistic as I try to be, I got caught up in the malaise of it all. The gloom was lifted a bit today by a stroke of genius, actually an idea I got from a local hairdresser in my neighborhood.
This hairdresser and her coworkers are promoting themselves by offering Halloween make-up and hairstyles to drum up business. I popped in the salon to see how their promotion was going and found out that they have 40 people signed up to get their make-up done. Not bad. So, this got me thinking: If hairdressers can promote themselves in unique ways so can photographers, make-up artists, and stylists during what is traditionally a slow time in the industry. Why not get a little creative and offer your services during this holiday season?
Here's some ideas:
Make-up artists- Follow the lead of the hairdressers mentioned above and do Halloween make-up and /or offer to do people's make-up for Christmas and New Year's parties, holiday weddings, etc.
Stylists- Offer in-home holiday decorating and holiday 'party' decorating for offices, etc.
Photographers- Shoot stock: Set up a small outdoor studio and as the kids come by with their parents shoot the images and have them sign releases. They may not sell this year but they just might next year. The added benefit is you'll get to know some families that might want to participate in future photo shoots.
So, the next time you're feeling depressed about what's happening in the economy, write down your skills and talents and get creative. There are hidden opportunities out there, you just have to look for them.
I can blame it on personal problems but, the fact is, I've been distracted with all the current events: the global meltdown, the downturn in the advertising and marketing communities, etc. When you look around it can be very depressing seeing what is happening and, as optimistic as I try to be, I got caught up in the malaise of it all. The gloom was lifted a bit today by a stroke of genius, actually an idea I got from a local hairdresser in my neighborhood.
This hairdresser and her coworkers are promoting themselves by offering Halloween make-up and hairstyles to drum up business. I popped in the salon to see how their promotion was going and found out that they have 40 people signed up to get their make-up done. Not bad. So, this got me thinking: If hairdressers can promote themselves in unique ways so can photographers, make-up artists, and stylists during what is traditionally a slow time in the industry. Why not get a little creative and offer your services during this holiday season?
Here's some ideas:
Make-up artists- Follow the lead of the hairdressers mentioned above and do Halloween make-up and /or offer to do people's make-up for Christmas and New Year's parties, holiday weddings, etc.
Stylists- Offer in-home holiday decorating and holiday 'party' decorating for offices, etc.
Photographers- Shoot stock: Set up a small outdoor studio and as the kids come by with their parents shoot the images and have them sign releases. They may not sell this year but they just might next year. The added benefit is you'll get to know some families that might want to participate in future photo shoots.
So, the next time you're feeling depressed about what's happening in the economy, write down your skills and talents and get creative. There are hidden opportunities out there, you just have to look for them.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
To Crowd Source or Not To Crowd Source?
Now that's a question...
Crowd Sourcing – Crowd sourcing is a neologism for the act of taking a task traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people or community in the form of an open call. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
To put this in advertising terms- Large corporations or companies asking designers to create completed works with the hope of a future payoff. For most of the designers contributing works of art designed specifically to the corporation's specs, it's an unrewarded competition as only one designer will become the winner and walk away with the prized paycheck. I see how corporations benefit from crowd sourcing: By getting a large group of hungry artists to develop an ad, logo, or marketing piece for free and only paying the one that actually wins the competition. The rest of the designers walk away with hunger pains and homeless works of art. Crowd sourcing nullifies the idea of proving your value to clients in hopes that they will come back to you for future works. Those clients will more than likely crowd source their next projects. I got a taste of this type of thing first hand. When I started out as a photographer, I worked with an up and coming agency (not to be named). As their client base grew and the work began getting noticed they became inundated with photographers looking to work with them. My good deal was about to come to an abrupt end as these photographers indirectly created a competition of sorts. The agency eventually wanted to see my portfolio and select the best artist for the job. When they realized they were my biggest client they asked me to cut my fees to do them a favor on a small project. Desperate to keep them as my account, I reluctantly cut my fees. Once I let the proverbial Genie out of the bottle, my fees never came back up to the original fees until after I quit doing jobs for them and was asked back by a former client to work on their specific project. There are many reasons why artists might choose to participate in crowd sourcing. They might be trying to break into an industry, attempting to create portfolio pieces, or just striving to stay creative and productive in slow times, as the idea of doing something has to be better than doing nothing all. While these might seem like good thoughts, the fact is there are better ways to make money and spend your time.
As in years past, artists today are getting squeezed due to bad economic times and crowd sourcing is taking today’s economy to another new low. Don't become a victim of crowd sourcing and walk away hungry. Use your talents to create pro-bono work for community and non-profit needs. Develop projects that you can be proud of for your neighborhood, community and portfolio. If you're looking to create revenue, create generic logos and designs that can be sold as stock. You'll get paid for your efforts and get your name and/or studio out to new possible customers.
Quick recap:
Reasons why artists participate in Crowd Sourcing:
Possible pay check
Ability to break into a new business
Stay busy in slow times
Reasons why not to participate in Crown Sourcing:
It’s a competition with no real winner; the majority of artists get nothing for their work
Damages your reputation: A client isn’t going to reward you with a new project
Time lost in creating artwork without the promise of payment
However you elect to work, consider a long-term plan.
Crowd sourcing is short-term thinking and your chances of winning the prize are slim to none.
Crowd Sourcing – Crowd sourcing is a neologism for the act of taking a task traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people or community in the form of an open call. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
To put this in advertising terms- Large corporations or companies asking designers to create completed works with the hope of a future payoff. For most of the designers contributing works of art designed specifically to the corporation's specs, it's an unrewarded competition as only one designer will become the winner and walk away with the prized paycheck. I see how corporations benefit from crowd sourcing: By getting a large group of hungry artists to develop an ad, logo, or marketing piece for free and only paying the one that actually wins the competition. The rest of the designers walk away with hunger pains and homeless works of art. Crowd sourcing nullifies the idea of proving your value to clients in hopes that they will come back to you for future works. Those clients will more than likely crowd source their next projects. I got a taste of this type of thing first hand. When I started out as a photographer, I worked with an up and coming agency (not to be named). As their client base grew and the work began getting noticed they became inundated with photographers looking to work with them. My good deal was about to come to an abrupt end as these photographers indirectly created a competition of sorts. The agency eventually wanted to see my portfolio and select the best artist for the job. When they realized they were my biggest client they asked me to cut my fees to do them a favor on a small project. Desperate to keep them as my account, I reluctantly cut my fees. Once I let the proverbial Genie out of the bottle, my fees never came back up to the original fees until after I quit doing jobs for them and was asked back by a former client to work on their specific project. There are many reasons why artists might choose to participate in crowd sourcing. They might be trying to break into an industry, attempting to create portfolio pieces, or just striving to stay creative and productive in slow times, as the idea of doing something has to be better than doing nothing all. While these might seem like good thoughts, the fact is there are better ways to make money and spend your time.
As in years past, artists today are getting squeezed due to bad economic times and crowd sourcing is taking today’s economy to another new low. Don't become a victim of crowd sourcing and walk away hungry. Use your talents to create pro-bono work for community and non-profit needs. Develop projects that you can be proud of for your neighborhood, community and portfolio. If you're looking to create revenue, create generic logos and designs that can be sold as stock. You'll get paid for your efforts and get your name and/or studio out to new possible customers.
Quick recap:
Reasons why artists participate in Crowd Sourcing:
Possible pay check
Ability to break into a new business
Stay busy in slow times
Reasons why not to participate in Crown Sourcing:
It’s a competition with no real winner; the majority of artists get nothing for their work
Damages your reputation: A client isn’t going to reward you with a new project
Time lost in creating artwork without the promise of payment
However you elect to work, consider a long-term plan.
Crowd sourcing is short-term thinking and your chances of winning the prize are slim to none.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Copyright Education
It’s come to our attention that several photographers do not understand copyright laws. So by permission from Cathy Aron, executive Director of PACA (Picture Archive Council of America), I have posted a link entitled Copyright Education on the PhotoSpin site. Our goal is to educate not only the photographers we represent, but all photographers interested in selling stock images commercially.
Here is one tidbit of info I feel is most helpful:
As a service, PACA members have compiled a list of properties and objects that may cause problems if shown photographically. Some of the properties and objects are alleged to be covered by trademark, others by contract (i.e. the terms by which a photographer was granted access to the property). PACA does not have a position as to whether the use (either commercially or editorially) is in violation of any applicable laws, but merely advises users to seek advice from their own legal representation to determine if any additional permissions are required under the circumstances. The list is not intended to be a complete listing of all subjects, but merely ones that particular members have brought to our attention.
The Cadillac Ranch (sculpture of Pink Cadillac sticking out of the ground like Stonehenge)
Interiors of the New York Stock Exchange (ok from the street), the Pacific Exchange, the Mercantile Exchange, Commodities Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade
Rolls Royce car and logo/hood ornament
Disney's Epcot Center and Disneyland—including any depictions of the Disney characters
The Lone Cypress tree at Pebble Beach, California
Hollywood Sign
Mystic Marine Museum
Williamsburg and its re-enactment actors/performers
Newport Mansions
Coca Cola World
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The Mississippi, Delta Queen and Natchez paddle steamers
Rockefeller Center – all buildings and sculptures
Olympic Athletes, Logo and torch
Hollywood Walk of Stars, Chinese Theater
Pro Sports teams and insignias
Maserati Car
Porche Car
McDonald's Arches
NASCAR images
Biltmore (Virginia house) and San Simeon Estate
Beverly Hills Sign
Busch Gardens
Sea World (Florida & California)
Universal Studios
Oscar Award Statue
The British Concord
The Louvre & I.M. Pei's Pyramid
Major League Sports
Indy 500 race
The Grand Ole Opry
The TGV (French high-speed train)
Chevrolet logo/hood ornament
Mustang Horse Logo
Thunderbird Logo
Barbie – the dolls, name and any product
Dartmouth College and the "tower"
San Diego Zoo
Eiffel Tower at night (the lighting design is copyrighted)
Japanese Bullet Train
Exterior of NY Stock Exchange (we have heard the exterior is now problematic)
Vehicles with recognizable designs (Jaguar, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc…)
Emmy and Grammy award trophies
Swan Boats in Boston's Public Gardens
The Flatiron Building, NYC
The Chrysler Building, NYC
The New Orleans Superdome
If you’re a working Photographer selling stock images I highly recommend you become a member of PACA. The information you’ll receive about the stock industry will more than pay for your annual dues.
Here is one tidbit of info I feel is most helpful:
As a service, PACA members have compiled a list of properties and objects that may cause problems if shown photographically. Some of the properties and objects are alleged to be covered by trademark, others by contract (i.e. the terms by which a photographer was granted access to the property). PACA does not have a position as to whether the use (either commercially or editorially) is in violation of any applicable laws, but merely advises users to seek advice from their own legal representation to determine if any additional permissions are required under the circumstances. The list is not intended to be a complete listing of all subjects, but merely ones that particular members have brought to our attention.
The Cadillac Ranch (sculpture of Pink Cadillac sticking out of the ground like Stonehenge)
Interiors of the New York Stock Exchange (ok from the street), the Pacific Exchange, the Mercantile Exchange, Commodities Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade
Rolls Royce car and logo/hood ornament
Disney's Epcot Center and Disneyland—including any depictions of the Disney characters
The Lone Cypress tree at Pebble Beach, California
Hollywood Sign
Mystic Marine Museum
Williamsburg and its re-enactment actors/performers
Newport Mansions
Coca Cola World
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The Mississippi, Delta Queen and Natchez paddle steamers
Rockefeller Center – all buildings and sculptures
Olympic Athletes, Logo and torch
Hollywood Walk of Stars, Chinese Theater
Pro Sports teams and insignias
Maserati Car
Porche Car
McDonald's Arches
NASCAR images
Biltmore (Virginia house) and San Simeon Estate
Beverly Hills Sign
Busch Gardens
Sea World (Florida & California)
Universal Studios
Oscar Award Statue
The British Concord
The Louvre & I.M. Pei's Pyramid
Major League Sports
Indy 500 race
The Grand Ole Opry
The TGV (French high-speed train)
Chevrolet logo/hood ornament
Mustang Horse Logo
Thunderbird Logo
Barbie – the dolls, name and any product
Dartmouth College and the "tower"
San Diego Zoo
Eiffel Tower at night (the lighting design is copyrighted)
Japanese Bullet Train
Exterior of NY Stock Exchange (we have heard the exterior is now problematic)
Vehicles with recognizable designs (Jaguar, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc…)
Emmy and Grammy award trophies
Swan Boats in Boston's Public Gardens
The Flatiron Building, NYC
The Chrysler Building, NYC
The New Orleans Superdome
If you’re a working Photographer selling stock images I highly recommend you become a member of PACA. The information you’ll receive about the stock industry will more than pay for your annual dues.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Why, oh why did you reject my image??
Recently I’ve had several artists question why our rejection rate is so high with certain collections. The simple answer is: We have very high standards for what we accept and offer our customers.
It is important for all contributing artists to remember that just because they shoot a photo, it doesn't mean we will automatically post it. Our editors evaluate each image for quality and content before they accept an image to the site. Once the image is accepted and makes its home on our site, it is PhotoSpin's customers that ultimately determine the image's worth.
The following are simple tips to insure a more successful shoot and higher acceptance rate:
People shots:
*Do the models work together? Are you thinking ethnic diversity?
*What are you trying to say with your image?
*Does your model fit the theme of your image (sticking a crystal ball in front of a model doesn’t make her a fortune teller)?
*Does the wardrobe, styling, hair, and make-up work with your theme?
*Is the location and lighting appropriate for the situation? Try not to force a shot just because you have a model (i.e. don’t just stick a hat on your model and call it a graduation photo).
*If you are a product photographer don’t try to shoot people as a still life. They will look stiff and the photos will reflect it.
Food for Shots:
*Did you hire a food stylist to prep your image or are you just shooting what's in front of you? The photographers that are getting a higher return for their images are using a food stylist to prep their shots. Even a large restaurant chain will hire a professional to prepare their food for an advertisement.
*Are you using the right utensils, plates, and stemware that fit with your image (i.e. crystal stemware with a black tie dinner)?
Product/Still life Shots:
*Did you remove the labels?
*Consider the lighting: If you are using candles as a prop do not over light. Create a mood, not just record an image.
*If you are not a studio photographer don’t force it. Work with what you know. As you learn studio lighting then shoot for our collection.
These are just a few basic suggestions. Most importantly, remember who is using the image. Our customers deserve the best and we intend to deliver it to them.
For more information on becoming a PhotoSpin contributor please visit: www.photospin.com/contribute
It is important for all contributing artists to remember that just because they shoot a photo, it doesn't mean we will automatically post it. Our editors evaluate each image for quality and content before they accept an image to the site. Once the image is accepted and makes its home on our site, it is PhotoSpin's customers that ultimately determine the image's worth.
The following are simple tips to insure a more successful shoot and higher acceptance rate:
People shots:
*Do the models work together? Are you thinking ethnic diversity?
*What are you trying to say with your image?
*Does your model fit the theme of your image (sticking a crystal ball in front of a model doesn’t make her a fortune teller)?
*Does the wardrobe, styling, hair, and make-up work with your theme?
*Is the location and lighting appropriate for the situation? Try not to force a shot just because you have a model (i.e. don’t just stick a hat on your model and call it a graduation photo).
*If you are a product photographer don’t try to shoot people as a still life. They will look stiff and the photos will reflect it.
Food for Shots:
*Did you hire a food stylist to prep your image or are you just shooting what's in front of you? The photographers that are getting a higher return for their images are using a food stylist to prep their shots. Even a large restaurant chain will hire a professional to prepare their food for an advertisement.
*Are you using the right utensils, plates, and stemware that fit with your image (i.e. crystal stemware with a black tie dinner)?
Product/Still life Shots:
*Did you remove the labels?
*Consider the lighting: If you are using candles as a prop do not over light. Create a mood, not just record an image.
*If you are not a studio photographer don’t force it. Work with what you know. As you learn studio lighting then shoot for our collection.
These are just a few basic suggestions. Most importantly, remember who is using the image. Our customers deserve the best and we intend to deliver it to them.
For more information on becoming a PhotoSpin contributor please visit: www.photospin.com/contribute
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Recession or Depression?
Depends on who you ask. Ask someone who is unemployed or about to lose his/her job the answer will light-years different from the person who is living large. No matter where you stand on the employment scale PhotoSpin offers a way for you to take control of your destiny and use your creative juices to help others: Our MySpin Directory.
Our Directory allows you to:
Advertise your talents www.photospin.com/directory
Create a free listing.
Create an ad and post it to the site.
Post your portfolio and showcase your talents.
What's more? If you're good with a camera and/or can illustrate, you can also post your work to our site and get paid for your downloads: www.photospin.com/contribute
We're growing fast and need your help to double our collection within the next few months.
So, go ahead and take control of your destiny at PhotoSpin.com
Our Directory allows you to:
Advertise your talents www.photospin.com/directory
Create a free listing.
Create an ad and post it to the site.
Post your portfolio and showcase your talents.
What's more? If you're good with a camera and/or can illustrate, you can also post your work to our site and get paid for your downloads: www.photospin.com/contribute
We're growing fast and need your help to double our collection within the next few months.
So, go ahead and take control of your destiny at PhotoSpin.com
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Happy New Year!
It's a brand-new year and we have some great opportunities for designers and artists at PhotoSpin.com
For the designer and image user, it's all about the images and we're adding thousands of fresh, new images per month from a talented group of commercial artists. In fact, we expect to double our collection by the end of the year. And if price is a concern, no worries, we are committed to holding down our low prices.
We didn't forget our contributing artists, either! We are now offering a 40% revenue split on all of our non-exclusive agreements.
So, stop on by and check out our new image collections: www.photospin.com You'll see why we've been leading the way in the subscription market since 1999.
For the designer and image user, it's all about the images and we're adding thousands of fresh, new images per month from a talented group of commercial artists. In fact, we expect to double our collection by the end of the year. And if price is a concern, no worries, we are committed to holding down our low prices.
We didn't forget our contributing artists, either! We are now offering a 40% revenue split on all of our non-exclusive agreements.
So, stop on by and check out our new image collections: www.photospin.com You'll see why we've been leading the way in the subscription market since 1999.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas? Bah Humbug!!
With the recession in full swing, our last minute shopping spree has us speed racing the driver next to us for that coveted parking space just so we can be the closest to the main entrance to our local mall. And, why do we do this? So that we can walk in to hear our favorite Christmas carols being played in the background of a crescendo of crying children being dragged from store to store by their overzealous parents looking for that perfect gift to place under the tree.
Sound all too familiar? Before your frustration and stress reaches its final boiling point, I thought I would share what our family is planning to do this Holiday Season: give a gift to someone in need. For the last few years we have stopped giving gifts to one another and, instead, gave a gift to a needy family or organization in someone's name. If you are so inclined, here is a list of charities you may consider supporting or, better yet, make up your own list.
The Salvation Army International Home Page
Contains information about the mission and work of The Salvation Army in over 110 countries
American Red Cross
Meets the humanitarian needs of the people in your area
Los Angeles Mission
Serves the homeless living on the streets of downtown’s Hope Central (known as Skid Row)
Feed The Children™
Helps poor, hungry and famine-stricken children worldwide
Children of the Night
Rescues America's children from prostitution
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles California
Grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
Donates a new toy or gives a donation to help make Christmas a little brighter for a needy child in your community
ShareFest Community Development, Inc. - South Bay, Los Angeles, CA
Creates lasting change in underserved neighborhoods and cities, serving residents and creates lasting partnerships and communities of care
World Relief
Responds to major disasters throughout the world
During the Holidays, take a little time out of your busy schedules to realize how truly fortunate you are.
I wish you all a Happy Holiday.
Sound all too familiar? Before your frustration and stress reaches its final boiling point, I thought I would share what our family is planning to do this Holiday Season: give a gift to someone in need. For the last few years we have stopped giving gifts to one another and, instead, gave a gift to a needy family or organization in someone's name. If you are so inclined, here is a list of charities you may consider supporting or, better yet, make up your own list.
The Salvation Army International Home Page
Contains information about the mission and work of The Salvation Army in over 110 countries
American Red Cross
Meets the humanitarian needs of the people in your area
Los Angeles Mission
Serves the homeless living on the streets of downtown’s Hope Central (known as Skid Row)
Feed The Children™
Helps poor, hungry and famine-stricken children worldwide
Children of the Night
Rescues America's children from prostitution
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles California
Grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
Donates a new toy or gives a donation to help make Christmas a little brighter for a needy child in your community
ShareFest Community Development, Inc. - South Bay, Los Angeles, CA
Creates lasting change in underserved neighborhoods and cities, serving residents and creates lasting partnerships and communities of care
World Relief
Responds to major disasters throughout the world
During the Holidays, take a little time out of your busy schedules to realize how truly fortunate you are.
I wish you all a Happy Holiday.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Jupiter has fallen from orbit
The sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling!!! Well it’s that time again when the stock photo industry is in an uproar over Getty’s acquisition of Jupiter images for 96 million dollars. To add insult to Jupiter's injury, Getty acquired them for less than a third of last year's asking price. Jupiter entered the market with lofty goals, spending approximately 200 million acquiring companies over the past several years.
With one of the heavy hitters striking out, what does it mean for the industry? Less choice, that’s a given. Currently there are two major players left, Getty and Corbis, and several smaller companies all competing for content and clients. Personally I see this as a great opportunity for the customer. Smaller companies, like PhotoSpin.com, take the time to offer a great service, quality images and attentive customer service. They not only want your business, they care about you as a customer.
With all the changes going on in the industry what will happen to the photographers? These are the individuals whose sweat equity made the product the stock companies sell. Sadly, many will get dropped. Some will be lucky to have their collections consolidated into other collections. But all will feel the impact. As a result revenue will drop for the photographer because there are less companies selling their images.
Jupiter may have fallen out of orbit because of their devalued market share, but the images you, the photographer, produced still have value to the client who needs them. Most of you will just need a new stock house before you’ll start earning the money you deserve. This is a great time to consider alternative image distributors like PhotoSpin.com. If you are looking for a new home for your images I encourage you to check out www.photospin.com
If you prefer not to have your images distributed through a subscription service then check out PACA ( Picture Archive Counsel of America) http://www.pacaoffice.org/ They have a list of agencies that will be happy to integrate your work.
With one of the heavy hitters striking out, what does it mean for the industry? Less choice, that’s a given. Currently there are two major players left, Getty and Corbis, and several smaller companies all competing for content and clients. Personally I see this as a great opportunity for the customer. Smaller companies, like PhotoSpin.com, take the time to offer a great service, quality images and attentive customer service. They not only want your business, they care about you as a customer.
With all the changes going on in the industry what will happen to the photographers? These are the individuals whose sweat equity made the product the stock companies sell. Sadly, many will get dropped. Some will be lucky to have their collections consolidated into other collections. But all will feel the impact. As a result revenue will drop for the photographer because there are less companies selling their images.
Jupiter may have fallen out of orbit because of their devalued market share, but the images you, the photographer, produced still have value to the client who needs them. Most of you will just need a new stock house before you’ll start earning the money you deserve. This is a great time to consider alternative image distributors like PhotoSpin.com. If you are looking for a new home for your images I encourage you to check out www.photospin.com
If you prefer not to have your images distributed through a subscription service then check out PACA ( Picture Archive Counsel of America) http://www.pacaoffice.org/ They have a list of agencies that will be happy to integrate your work.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
"A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Our photo stock industry is in its own downward spiral as Lucky Oliver closes their doors and PhotoShelter announces they are closing down as of October 10, 2008. To add to the downward spin, Getty Images' last public report was that sales are down. And, Corbis Images announces they are lying off approximately 15% of their staff.
More grim news reports that overall sales within the photo stock industry are down and photographers and artists are becoming disillusioned with the general lack of return on their investments for creating images for stock. On the bright side, the industry is seeing a larger community of people using images and they are looking for more than a single source to buy their images from. It should also be noted that now, as in the financial stock market, is not the time to panic. I believe that all artists currently working in the stock industry or looking to get in the industry should consider the following:
- Look to diversify by offering your images to more than just a single source for distribution.
- Ask how long the company has been in business. New businesses run a greater risk of failure within the first 3 years.
- Look at the other collections the agency represents, how your work compares.
- What is the pay per image? I would look for Stock images to be a part of your income, not your entire revenue. This is the hardest adjustment for those whose income has been solely dependent on stock image sales. Not all agencies pay the same rate. Not all customers shop at the same sites. You may get pennies per image from one agency and get hundreds of sales, verses a single image sale for a few hundred dollars. The bottom line is revenue for your work.
- Look to have the stock agency promote you as a working professional. They have the traffic and customers to allow you to get identity branding with each of your images.
- A non-exclusive agreement. This will put you in front of more image buyers and give you a greater opportunity to sell your images.
Be patient. The industry will rebound. People always need fresh new images. Products are being made, services need to be filled and as a saying goes “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Or, as a photographer friend of mine used to say “A picture is worth a thousand bucks plus expenses”.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
May the best man (or woman) win!
May the best man (or woman) win. And we're not talking about the Presidential election!
They say slow and steady wins the race but that is not always true. In the voting world, the vote determines who will win the race, whether slow and steady or fast and furious. When it comes to politics and contests, the majority vote crosses the finish line and crowns the winner.
Speaking of voting, we just opened voting for our 2008 Spinner Awards contest. The contest allowed PhotoSpin subscribers and visitors to upload their ads to our MySpin Directory for all eyes to see, and yes, to try to get the majority of votes to cross the finish line. These Spinner Award entrants will get the added benefit of promoting their businesses and showcasing their portfolios.
The contest always attracts a diverse group of artwork, both simple and complex, and always interesting. From straightforward logo designs that tell a story with a single image to complex ads that reveal their story through many pages, there are many winners in the 2008 Spinner Awards contest. However, only two entrants can take home the prizes.
Help us choose the 2008 Spinner Awards contest winner by casting your vote before September 15, 2008: https://www.photospin.com/directory-results2.asp
May the best man (or woman) win!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Catching the wave...
Well it looks like the photo stock industry is finally catching the wave and following what we at PhotoSpin have been saying for almost a decade: that subscription services are the way to go. They offer the best value for the customer that downloads more than a few images per year.
Recently we have seen iStockphoto, Dreamstime and Fotolia launch their versions of the subscription service. But did they get it right? With a limit on monthly downloads and prices well over $1,000.00 (US) per year for the top tier offered, are they really giving their customers what they want? We at PhotoSpin have found that our customers want full access to our entire image library with unlimited downloads in multiple resolutions to fit most, if not all, of their design needs at an affordable price.
So, do yourself a favor and check out PhotoSpin.com. We’ve been doing subscriptions since 1999 and there is a reason we are still leading the way…
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Double Exposure?
Create a company listing in our MySpin Directory and promote it on YOUR site.
In April we introduced our new MySpin Directory: a place where our visitors and customers can create a company listing, upload an ad and even upload a portfolio. We wanted to offer you a unique place to get your company noticed and grow your business.
Now that the Directory is ‘open’ and collecting listings , we’d like to show you a way to gain even more exposure by promoting your company listing through a banner ad on your site:
- Visit http://www.photospin.com
- Click on the 'Post your free ad now' link located in the blue box on the right hand side of the page
- Create your listing, upload your banner, etc.
- Go to the dashboard by clicking on the dashboard link on the left hand side of the page
- Copy the link located below the banner advertising your ad at the MySpin Directory and paste it into your web page
Your company is now doubly exposed.
As the directory grows we will be adding a blog, a community forum and a job board. Our goal is to help facilitate better communication for you, your peers and your prospective clients.
Let’s continue to build a community for creative professionals and the businesses that support our industry.
Friday, May 02, 2008
How To Survive: Part 2
After giving the question "With all due respect, tell us something we don’t know?" some more thought, I wanted to lay additional groundwork for not only surviving rough economic times, but excelling in this new changing market as well. I offer this with one condition: Don’t kill the messenger!
In rough economic times all businesses look to reduce overhead by cutting costs. This is a known fact that has stood the test of time. That said, photographers today need to readdress the whole business of photography and look to the clients that specifically hire them on an ongoing basis: automakers, catalogs, fashions, soft drinks, etc., the products that are made year in and year out. They should also be on the lookout for clients that have new models of products that need to be marketed to the consumer. These clients need a specific product shot for the ad and no stock photo will do. For instance, a new Ipod, a new 2009 car, new fashion, etc.... you get the picture.
The current state of photography today is that more and more people are buying stock / royalty free images and this isn’t going to change. Stock images have become a greater part of advertising than ever before. More and more photographers are contributing to the pool of royalty free images available today, thus, the prices are being driven down by a glut of good images on the market. "Why pay $500.00 for an image when I can buy one for a few dollars?" This has become the mindset of most image buyers. The image history itself isn’t that important for the majority of the projects being done so why pay for it?
So, this sets the table for what I’m about to say. I offer the following based upon my understanding of business now. It is my past mistakes while running businesses that have led me to these conclusions. Remember: Don’t kill the messenger! I do invite disagreement / criticism but not death threats. I believe this is a good model and would look to implement it if I were still a commercial photographer.
Professional photographers need to consolidate their businesses!
Photographers today need to put their egos aside and look to the future. They need to create a consortium of talented professionals, quit being individuals and begin to build businesses apart from themselves. Thus, they need to operate their businesses as businesses. There, I said it. The biggest mistake I made when I was a photographer was I WAS the business. When I quit shooting, I was able to sell a studio and some equipment but NOT the business! Twenty years of good will down the drain. I know of an owner at a local donut shop that just got $250,000 for his rented location, equipment, and GOOD WILL. He sold his BUSINESS.
So, the next question: How is this done?
I would look to large law firms or major advertising agencies as the model.
As a hypothetical, take 100 photographers from around the country all working and billing a minimum of $100,000.00 per year - not much as an individual especially when you factor in expenses-form a consortium and incorporate it. Offer each photographer a base salary and a commission based upon performance, hours worked and dollars brought into the company. The corporation is now billing $10,000,000.00 per year. Now, that’s buying power. The photographers become employees of the corporation receiving such benefits as vacations, options, healthcare etc. If a photographer doesn’t pull his or her weight they can be fired, just like in any other organization.
This hypothetical business now is in a position to get bank loans and lines of credit as well as have a studio in every major advertising city- New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Seattle and Minneapolis ( you pick the cities) - available to all within the firm. No individual photographer is working 24hrs per day so why pay for the overhead as an individual 24hrs per day?
If you take 1% of $10,000,000 or $100,000 per year and spend it on advertising just think of the impact that you could have in the industry. Agencies would like the buzz, art buyers would get one stop shopping and clients would recognize this hypothetical business by name. Why? Because it would be branded as the best, biggest, most complete studio in the world. The company would be able to hire accountants and bookkeepers to do all the billing from one location instead of from the hundreds of individual accountants/bookkeepers that you have now. It also would be able to bring in producers, stylists, reps, and assistants that can work within the company and be pulled into a shoot when needed. As the assistants gain experience, they can be groomed as photographers and become associates, much like associate attorneys in a law firm. The company would also be able to control stock shoots and be their own stock agency. The opportunities are endless. Most important, when you are ready to retire you have equity in the company and you can sell this equity back to the partners or to a new photographer coming into the firm.
Congratulations, you’ve built a company that is bigger than you, the individual photographer! You’re a professional that deserves professional fees and respect.
This is a very rough overview, but it is doable and can be highly profitable. It can be accomplished with as few as 10 photographers in a single city to a few hundred in multiple cities. Again, look at law firms or major ad agencies working under one corporation in multiple cities. To accomplish this it will take a committed group willing to break the mould of what has been and build for what can be. Do you want to survive in rough economic times? More importantly, do you want to change an industry? Here is the road map.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
How To Survive…
In my opinion you need several sources of income to survive in this market.
- Assignment work- Declining in opportunities but good revenues when you get the work
- Rights managed stock- Declining revenue
- Royalty free stock- Single image sales / declining revenue
- Subscription stock- Single annual payment but growing in market share
- MicroStock- Small amounts of revenue for artists but increasing in popularity amongst buyers and artists. Saturated market but good images are getting sold
Sorry for repeating what is the obvious, but I feel this will help lay the groundwork for new ideas for you and showcase new opportunities that we see for PhotoSpin.com. As a distributor of images we too feel the crunch so we look to new possible solutions to differentiate us in a very competive market.
I believe as a professional that you need to see that the market is changing and the client now determines the value of your work, not you as the artist. We all need to get over what used to be and deal with what is now. We are past the "Field of Dreams' mindset which is: "If you build it, they will come". So traditional marketing and a website alone will not get you new work.
The following recommendations may again be obvious but may provide some insight as to what I think needs to happen to build a successful commercial art business in today’s economy:
- First and foremost - meet and greet- there is not an agency in the world that is going to trust a multimillion dollar account on someone they do not know personally or by reputation - the stakes are too high
- Consider a PR campaign to get your name out there. You can do this yourself on the cheap. By writing your own PR with every job, every rep and every stock distributor you sign. Post it to your website in a section titled news or PR and, if the job warrants it, use an online service to distribute it
- If you are not working with reps, get one in every major city- keep in mind that they charge for what they do. Most are commission based so it’s found money to you
- Consider adding a stock option to your site showcasing your work, with links from specific images on your site to your images on your stock agencies site
- Sell your own “New” stock on your site- you do not need e-commerce - you need to give a number to call and be willing to negotiate
- With over 75% of all stock buyers using stock for references or projects, think of your images as ads for your business. Always list your company as the artist that created the image
- Continually shoot new images to keep your portfolio exposed in the searches
- Look to create images that fill voids in the market
- Do not sign any exclusive agreements- too many artists are stuck now in the back of searches with no possible hope of getting sales
- Be creative with your opportunities to showcase your work. When I was a working photographer I sent new promos every month-the best one I sent out was a printed promo and a wadded up piece of paper with my name and phone number on it stuffed in an envelope along with a hand written note saying "I know most promos get thrown away so I don’t care which one you toss out, they both have my number on it!" I got calls and jobs for over a year with that promo. Art Directors and buyers are looking for someone who will bring something to the party. Not someone who will just regurgitate a layout
These may or may not get you work but as working professional you need to continually work to improve your product and services.
Here is what we are currently doing at PhotoSpin to increase our exposure and revenue for us as well as our artists:
- New MySpin Directory - free to all - allows creatives or companies that support creatives the opportunity to post a free listing and advertisement: http://www.photospin.com/directory.asp
- Revenue share with artist based upon size of collection - giving an artist guaranteed revenue
- In development- a new gallery for buyers to set prices and artists to post work and accept or reject the sale -buyers to use images based on terms: 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, etc.
I hope this helps or, at the very least, confirms what you are already know or are doing...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Knock Knock Knock
This new directory will allow our visitors and subscribers to create a free listing and upload a free advertisement for their companies. PhotoSpin subscribers get the added benefit of posting samples of their portfolios to show potential clients a wider variety of the work they do.
As the directory grows we will be adding a blog, a community forum and a job board. Our goal is to help facilitate better communication for you, your peers and your prospective clients.
To learn more about our Directory please visit:
http://www.photospin.com/directory-video.asp
It’s been said that when opportunity knocks you need to be ready and willing to open the door.
So if your ready to get started, click on the link below and open the door to new business opportunities:
Let’s see if together we can build a community for creative professionals and the businesses that support our industry.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Getty Images For Sale: Panic, why panic?
Once I received the news that Getty Images was up for sale my phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Panicked calls from photographers who are represented by Getty Images as well as other stock companies rang in by the numbers. These worried artists were wondering what would happen to the industry if Getty sells. What would happen? Truth be told, I really don’t know. But what I do know, I learned from what I read:
“The auction of Getty Images appears to be in jeopardy.”
Though several bidders, mostly private equity firms like Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Bain Capital and Providence Equity Partners, had expressed interest last month, according to the New York Times, Getty received no offers significantly above its current market value of $1.6 billion”.
So, what does this mean to the average image supplier or user of images? The short answer is nothing. Getty as the leader in the stock image market has a responsibility to its shareholders to explore all possible avenues to gain a high return on the investment. If the company does sell, aside from the possibility of reorganization or of selling off some of their assets, not much will change. Photographers will still get paid and customers will continue to get their images. I suspect that prices will more than likely increase again for some of the more popular Microstock images, which for the customer that uses subscription sites like PhotoSpin, is only a positive gain. Currently, an X large image from iStock Images sells for $15.00 per image while an annual subscription from PhotoSpin sells for $299.00 and allows you to download as many high res images as you need throughout the year. Therefore, whether you need 10 images a month or 100, it won't cost you more than the annual fee.
Getty Images For
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