PhotoStockNOTES
Interactive23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
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Happy Holidays !
The next edition of
PhotoStockNOTES comes out on
January 8th 2009
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Happy Holidays !
The next edition of
PhotoStockNOTES comes out on
January 8th 2009
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23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
Portraiture in 2058…
Is That
Really Grandpa?
WHAT’S REAL IN PORTRAITURE? Digital photos may be pretty, but will vanity airbrush our memories too? “Those are not your dad’s hands!” she shrieked. And she was right. They, most definitely, were not. It seemed that our overeager photographer had taken the art of doctoring his photos a little too far.
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081217/OPINION/832378618/1080
TAKEAWAY: 100 years from now, will our great-grandchildren be able to trust that the portrait of us is really a portrait of us? What are your thoughts on this?
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The above news item printed in PhotoStockNOTES in December brought a lot of attention to the way the commercial portraiture industry is evolving. Like the add-ons to your computer or new car, the digital era has brought a new profit center to portrait photographers: PhotoShop
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Digital magic can take out wrinkles, slim you down, un-bald you, fatten you up, and best of all – make you look twenty years younger.
Are we victims of phoniness in a world of slim-down artists, or, as other responders to the blog PhotoStockNOTES put it, “Let’s face it, Abraham Lincoln wasn’t a pretty guy. Painters depicted him the way the public wished him to be, and the reverse happened to Italy’s Mussolini.”
My thoughts: The present is more important to us than the future.
Photojournalism of the 50’s established an “ethic” that is no longer viable today.
Most 'baby-boomers' see photography as a method of depicting reality. However, if photography is to be art, it has to be subject to the magic of imagination.
Photography in the 1880’s first tried to be ‘paintings,’ but then with perfection of cameras like the LEICA, evolved to photojournalism.
Photojournalism still remains (although somewhat bruised and battered) as “real” in the minds of most people who grew up in the 40’s to the 80’s.
However, before photography in the 1800’s, we had drawing/art/painting that knew none of the limitations and constrictions that the photojournalism of the 50’s introduced.
The portraits of George Washington, Henry the VIII, Louis the 16th – did they really look like that? The busts of Plato, Aristotle, or Socrates – were those real likenesses?
And to take it a step further, what would a portrait of Adolph look like (or the statue at the Reichstag) if the Nazis had won the war? Probably not much of a faithful likeness.
Ask the question: “Who’s paying for this portrait?” The son, daughter, wife, husband? The taxpayers, foundation director, the Republican Party?
And what about instances such as school portraits – should the student be ‘helped’ to look his/her best? What if the child has a disfigurement, or a birthmark? What about teen-age zits? Where do we draw the line?
"Real" does not work when it comes to depicting people you love, or admire and hold up as hero.
Photojournalism can be tweaked somewhat, but it’s a truth that few want to view, when it comes to portraiture.
Rohn Engh is the best-selling author of “Sell & ReSell Your Photos” and “sellphotos.com.” He has produced several eBooks including, “How to Make the Marketable Photo.” For more information on how to sell stock pictures and to receive a free eReport: “8 Steps to Becoming a Published Photographer,” visit his website, PhotoSource International, 800 624-0266.
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
When the Defendent declares Bankruptcy . . .
Wilful Copyright
Infringement
By Joel Hecker, Esq.
We all know that these are uncertain economic times. Photographers may be faced with clients, or others, who fail to pay outstanding bills or who just use photographs without consent.
When the photographer pursues the matter, there is a good possibility that some of these entities will wind up in Bankruptcy Court. A recent case has clarified when the debtor will not be discharged in Bankruptcy Court when the photographer has a claim for wilful copyright infringement.
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“To prove wilful infringement, the Plaintiff must
prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the
Defendants knew that they were infringing the
Plaintiff’s copyrights or that they acted with reckless
disregard as to whether they were doing so…”
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Defendants knew that they were infringing the
Plaintiff’s copyrights or that they acted with reckless
disregard as to whether they were doing so…”
The case, In the Matter Barboza, was decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on appeal. The case involved the distribution of Spanish language films. After a trial, a jury found the defendants guilty of wilful copyright infringement, awarding statutory damages of $75,000 for each of ten videos, plus costs and attorney’s fees, in all totaling $893,077.
The jury returned a guilty verdict after the judge instructed the jury that the following was the test to determine liability for wilful copyright infringement:
IT PAYS TO BE DUMB
“To prove wilful infringement, the Plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the Defendants knew that they were infringing the Plaintiff’s copyrights or that they acted with reckless disregard as to whether they were doing so. If you conclude that the Defendants were reasonable and in good faith believed that they were not infringing the Plaintiff’s copyrights, then you may not find that they wilfully infringed those copyrights.”
This instruction is a customary one in a copyright infringement law suit. The Plaintiff must prove either that the defendant knew that they were infringing, or that the defendant acted with reckless disregard as to whether they were doing so. The jury in this case did not indicate which of the two grounds led to its verdict since either ground was sufficient.
After judgment was entered, the defendant filed for bankruptcy. The plaintiffs requested that the bankruptcy court have the judgment declared nondischargeable in bankruptcy since they claimed it was a debt resulting from a “wilful and malicious” injury under the statute.
The Circuit Court of Appeals analyzed the difference between the tests to determine wilful copyright infringement under the Copyright Act and for nondischargeability under the Bankruptcy Code. Under the Copyright Act, the test is the one set forth above (knowing acts or wilful disregard). The Bankruptcy Code test, however, is more stringent. It prohibits discharge of a debt for “wilful and malicious injury by the debtor.” Accordingly, there must be a finding of both wilfulness and “malicious injury.”
Want to register as a member?
http://photosource.com/psn-article/wilful.html
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
LET IT SNOW! Winter Photography, 8 Great Tips - Winter is a wonderful time for photography. Here are a few tips to make photography in the cold more successful. http://www.my-photo-blog.com/winter-photography-8-great-tips
IMPRESS YOUR VISITORS. Make a slide show to present to prospective photobuyers who visit your site. Here’s an example. Night and Winter Landscapes. Click on the picture to watch an audio slideshow of night and winter landscapes by photographer Tony Prower, an Englishman who became interested in photography after moving to Iceland and seeing the Northern Lights for the first time.
http://icelandreview.com/icelandreview/feat/?cat_id=16539&ew_0_a_id=317289
STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE. Pogue says, “I keep coming across these important tips and saying to myself, "Man, this is what people REALLY need to know.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/technology/personaltech/18pogue-email.html?em
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
PEOPLE LOVE PICTURES. -- from the Honolulu Advertiser.. -- Newspaper Online photo galleries are a big hit - Readers love online photo galleries, as evidenced by the spectacular increase in page views on our newspaper Web site, from 361,789 hits in July to 3.1 million in November. "Why have galleries become so popular. An easy answer is that more and more people are looking at our online edition. Also, we know that people like to look at images to get their news and entertainment. It's easier than reading."
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081221/OPINION05/812210305/1114/OPINIONFRONT
CAMERA HELPS. Photography project captures images of young patients. Photography project captures moments of struggle and triumph in children's battle with life-threatening illnesses.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20081215/LOCAL/812150371
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
ETHNIC EMPHASIS. California Stock Photography Company Specializes in Ethnic and Minority Pictures. With the current economic landscape affecting nearly every aspect of the stock photography world---and forcing some companies into total bankruptcy---there are still independent businesses staying afloat, and even implementing improvements during the worldwide monetary crisis. PhotoEdit Inc. is one such company. A leader in ethnic, minority, and educational imagery since the 1980's, PhotoEdit continually strives to offer the best photos to its clients, portraying people from all walks of life. You can find PhotoEdit's images in almost any textbook. http://www.pr.com/press-release/122516
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
SEARCHING FOR MARKETS? Attend the publishers’ Trade Shows when they come to your city. Publishers, and sometimes Art Directors, are on hand. Let them know about your stock photography service. Take along your business cards to distribute plus a portfolio or tear sheets of your published pictures.
FOREIGN PHOTOGRAPHERS: When mailing your CD’s or promotional materials (calendars, books, etc.) to USA editors, mark the outside of your package: `No Commercial Value. Photos On Loan Only.'
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
Hello from
Rohn and Jeri ENGH.
Here’s a message. . .
http://www.photosource.com/xmascard/
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
UNESCAPABLE? -- A blurry picture - There is not one photo agency or publication that will not be tremendously affected by this economy. Not one. The ones that will survive will do so by pure brilliant instinct, by being ingenious and street-smart. There are ways to navigate.
http://blog.melchersystem.com/2008/12/17/a-blurry-picture/
WANT AD. Breaking In At Red Bull Photofiles - The Photofiles team considers
photographers' portfolios on a rolling basis. Any photographer who is interested in being considered can submit work and a résumé to the main Photofiles office in Fuschl am See, Austria.
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photo-news/photojournalism/e3iaa83ea53feec69593089ce785d31d526
SNEAKY. JupiterImages accused of shaving commissions in Europe. The good ol’ days of being able to charge clients administrative fees for image research and delivery on top of the reproduction charges are a thing of the past within the stock photo industry. But Jupiterimages has recently found a way to re-introduce this fee with all rights managed sales, albeit secretly. With this new variation it is not the clients but the contributing photographers and agencies that pay the fee.
This process takes place after the client has paid the reproduction fee and before the fee is split according to the contract between Jupiter and the contributor. Jupiter simply deducts 20% from the reproduction fee they receive and then splits the remaining 80% with the photographer. The client is unaware of any change in the reproduction fee. But the contributor has just had his share of the reproduction fee secretly reduced. For example, contributing agencies and photographers with a 50/50 split contract with Jupiter have been secretly reduced to a 40% margin without their knowledge. http://www.abouttheimage.com/4012/jupiter_accused_of_shaving_commissions_in_europe/author25
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
PREDICTIONS: Barclays: Ad Decline Twice as Bad as We Thought - Magazines: We estimate magazine advertising revenue to decrease 15.0% in 2009 (vs. our prior down 12.5% estimate) and decline a further 5.0% in 2010.
http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20081218/barclays-internet-ad-decline-twice-as-bad-as-we-thought/
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
ILLEGAL PHOTOS. Website photos of Phil Spector critic is illegal, judge says. A site is linked to the music producer's wife and shows a blogger attending his murder trial critical of his defense. Photography in the court is generally prohibited. The judge presiding over Phil Spector's murder trial said today that photographs on a website linked to the music producer's wife are in violation of court rules. Pictures posted on a site bearing the name of Spector's wife, Rachelle, show a blogger critical of Spector's defense attending the trial. Two of the pictures on www.rachellespector.com seem to have been taken from inside the courtroom where Spector's trial is taking place. A third appears to have been shot in the courthouse hallway. Court rules prohibit photography in the courthouse except with permission from a judge or in specially designated areas for the media. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-spector18-2008dec18,0,7377935.story
FRAUD CASE leads Polaroid to bankruptcy protection. Polaroid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2008, but no, it's not because almost nobody wants its self-developing film anymore. Instead, the company said that its filing, which permits the company to undertake a financial restructuring, is related to a fraud matter involving Petters Group Worldwide, owner of Polaroid since 2005. "Polaroid's financial condition was compromised by the apparent fraudulent acts perpetrated by the founder of Petters Group Worldwide, Polaroid's parent company, and certain of his associates," the Minnetonka, Minn.-based company. "The Chapter 11 process will provide Polaroid with the opportunity to restructure its balance sheet and reduce its debt to ensure the future health and sustainability of the business."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10127289-39.html
NON-DEEP POCKETS. Lawsuits Claim Annie Leibovitz Owes $778K For Photo Services - The renowned photographer is the subject of two lawsuits over unpaid bills totaling more than $778,000 for photography-related services. The suits offer a rare glimpse into the big budgets behind Leibovitz's celebrity portraits.
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photo-news/legal-news/e3i967fdb11c5e1e82685c6fe37846946f2
Is It OK to Copy Contracts from the Web? - It's always risky to copy
verbatim another's work and it's always best to ask your attorney to prepare
contracts that fit your specific needs.
http://rising.blackstar.com/is-it-ok-to-copy-contracts-from-the-web.html
GOTTCHA! --Millions of green card holders will be fingerprinted and photographed every time they enter the United States as part of an expansion of a controversial biometric program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Thursday. It takes effect on January 18, 2009. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10126625-
GETTING SERIOUS. Forest Service clamps down on ski photography in wake of snowboarding death. The Forest Service's Aspen-Sopris Ranger District recently tightened up its rules for commercial photo shoots within ski-area boundaries on Forest Service land, reacting in part to the death of an Aspen man who was snowboarding for a film company in steep terrain just outside Aspen.
http://coloradoindependent.com/17570/forest-service-clamps-down-on-ski-photography-in-wake-of-snowboarding-death
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
BIG SENSOR -- DALSA develops 48 Megapixel Image Sensor. This new device delivers even more of the performance professional photographers demand: higher throughput, exceptionally low noise, unmatched dynamic range, and better color.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/DALSA-Presents-New-48-Megapixel/story.aspx?guid={B07B7493-20BF-421A-90B6-2B3E18FF15B5}
CORRECTIONS COMING. Canon has acknowledged the "black dot" problem that mars some shots taken with its new 5D Mark II camera and is preparing "correction firmware" designed to deal with the problem, the company said.
"We are currently investigating ways to improve and/or mitigate these phenomena. An announcement will be made on the Canon Web site when measures to address these phenomena have been decided," according to a statement dated December 17 that appeared on Canon's Australian support and service Web site.
A later Canon USA service announcement was largely identical, but also said Canon is "examining measures to reduce or eliminate these phenomena by providing correction firmware."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10126868-39.html?tag=mncol
WHITE KNIGHT -- to get your lower-end SLR to stand out in the crowd of options these days, which is doubtless why Pentax on Tuesday announced a white version of its entry-level K2000 SLR and two bundled lenses.
The "very limited edition" model comes with white versions of the smc DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL and smc DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lenses beginning in February, Pentax said. The company won't announce prices until later, but the ordinary versions of those products cost about $800 today.
In the compact camera market, distinctive colors have proved a useful marketing tool, but I'm a crotchety curmudgeon who's generally scorns such superficial gimmicks. So why do I find myself actually liking the look a little?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10124531-39.html?tag=mncol
CONCORD GONE. Concord Camera Corp. (digital cameras) Shareholders Approve Plan of Dissolution and Liquidation. The Plan of Liquidation contemplates an orderly wind down of the Company's business and operations, the monetization of the Company's non-cash assets, the satisfaction or settlement of its remaining liabilities and obligations and one or more distributions to its shareholders. Pending the shareholders' vote on the Plan of Liquidation, the Company ceased manufacturing, except as necessary to complete the manufacture of materials and products remaining in inventory, and terminated certain of its employees.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/hpad/index.cfm?purl=/.site/news/Stock%20News/2097129/
NEW IMAGE SEARCH technology dubbed "Endless Media" now available. Masterfile, a stock photography company based in Toronto with offices in France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, has announced that it has launched a new online image search user interface called Endless Media. The company is touting that it spent more than a year re-thinking how to search for images and waiting for international patents on the unique methodology and its underlying logic. John McDonald, Masterfile's Vice-President of Product Development and the technology's creator, says "Think of it as visual logic for designers with the extreme speed of a desktop application. It's a 'type less and see more' paradigm where users follow their own visual instincts to direct the search. There is nothing out there with its speed and simplicity... and this is just the beginning."
http://www.abouttheimage.com/4009/masterfile_launches_new_image_search_technology_dubbed_endless_media/author2
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY. The days of darkrooms and negatives are mostly behind us, according to Ritchin's exploration of how digital technologies are changing the landscape of news photography.
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1867320,00.html?xid=rss-arts
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
PHOTOSHOP-UGH! Leibovitz Picture Declared "Worst Photograph Ever Made" We swear this isn't supposed to be pick-on-Annie week, but we have to share this: Mike Johnston, on his site The Online Photographer, has written a critique of what he calls "The Worst Photograph Ever Made." It's an image shot by Annie Leibovitz for the 2009 Lavazza espresso calendar. How bad is it? We'll let the picture speak for itself:
http://www.pdnpulse.com/2008/12/leibovitz-picture-declared-worst-photograph-ever-made.html
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
VISIONARY. "The rich have their own photographers," he liked to say. "I photograph the forgotten ones." Milton Rogovin had optometry for his day job. He loved photography. His ambition with a camera was to “correct vision, too.” In 1957, Rogovin (roh-GO-vin) appeared before the House Committee on Un-American Activities as an unfriendly witness. "Buffalo's Number One Red" a headline in the local paper called him. Thirty-nine years later the city gave him its Citizen of Distinction Award. Apparently, righteousness is good for the body as well as the soul: Rogovin turns 100 on Dec. 30.
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/12/20/of_the_people_for_the_people/
FINE ARTIST. A one-time aspiring film director who lost an eye in a car accident has found new inspiration and has launched a career in fine-art photography. In one corner of the four-by-four-foot canvas, green and orange blend and swirl like tie-dye. In another, San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts floats on a cloud. The old Key West Bridge stretches across blue bay waters. Its vanishing point lies behind Rome's historic Fountain of Triton: a half-man, half-fish blowing into a conch.
Called The Reason Travel Inspires Me to Create, it's the singular artistic expression of a photographer who sees the world in a singular way -- literally.
Lorraine Boogich was 17 when a car wreck all but sheared off the right side of her face.
The one-time aspiring film director, a 2007 Barry University graduate, is launching a career in fine-art and commercial photography while working at Gallery Art in Aventura.
''Sharing the way I see the world has been a desire of mine,'' said Boogich, who especially likes travel and architectural photography. ``Do I see things differently? I always have.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health/top-story/story/819066.html
FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE. Aida Muluneh: Reshaping our global image through photography. Photographer Aida Muluneh's ambitious new project to reform the African continent's long history with negative imagery. Through photography, Muluneh has found a medium of transformation.
Incorporating natural light from a crisp, dawn Ethiopian morning, or that of a sentimental sunny afternoon, http://www.tadias.com/2008/12/18/aida-muluneh-reshaping-our-global-image-through-photography/
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
“People with drive get more done than people with talent…” – H.T. White
23 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
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Happy Holidays !
The next edition of
PhotoStockNOTES comes out on
January 8th 2009
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Happy Holidays !
The next edition of
PhotoStockNOTES comes out on
January 8th 2009
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17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
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December 18th 2008
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17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
An open letter to fellow stock photographers…
Does An Economy In
Down-Turn Mode Affect
Stock Photographers?
by Rohn Engh
Read on for comments from a stock photo marketer who has survived handily through four recessions. And yes, this is the big one we’ll all tell our grandchildren about.
That’s for sure.
But – this one also could be the biggest boon to your independent stock photo services that you have ever experienced.
Here’s why:
FACT: Companies that employ staff photographers to produce the many images they constantly need, are starting to cut employees. They attempt to reduce costs where they can. In the case of their photography department, they cut the in-house staff (the pros), and delegate picture-taking to the remaining staff member who has a point ‘n’ shoot and is known as a good “picture-taker.”
FACT: The company limps along for awhile with inadequate images, missed deadlines, embarrassing situations (like a copyright suit), improper captions on images, even wrong images, and not least of all, when the picture-taker soon loses his/her job they have to recruit another in-house volunteer.
FACT: Photography seems to the layman such an easy task to perform that volunteers are always happy to offer to help. Even the boss’s wife. Reality: If you’ve ever worked with volunteers, you know their staying power is usually in inverse proportion to their enthusiasm.
FACT: In the absence of a staff photographer, a knowledgeable photo editor will turn to a professional stock agency. Two problems here: 1.) the fees of a major stock agency don’t fit the budget of the company. 2.) A general stock agency does well in supplying ‘exquisite-cliché’ images, but many times falls far short when targeted, specific-content pictures and knowledge about the content area are needed.
FACT: During a downturn in the economy – a smart picture editor looks for images from an independent stock photographer, or specialty stock agency, that focuses on the subject area that the editor’s company deals in. Only a decade ago, this kind of accelerated research into outsource services would not have been possible. Today, thanks to Google and other search engines, the smart editor/photo researcher knows where to look.
A TURN OF EVENTS
This is why it’s important, more than ever, to focus your marketing on companies that you can be sure are going to be looking for you for two reasons:
Want to read more of this article?
http://www.photosource.com/psn-article/economy.html
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
Firefox Add-Ons
If you’re using Firefox ( http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ ) as your Internet browser, you probably already know that there are a host of add-ons available. If you, like me, use lots of tabs while browsing, Colorful Tabs is a nice addition, as is the Undo Closed Tabs button, for when you accidentally close out the wrong tab. Installing Showcase converts the AList all tabs@ feature into a windowed feature that shows all your open tabs as small versions of the viewable webpage. For those websites that seem to only work in Microsoft Internet Explorer, installing IE Tab makes it simple to open a tab using Firefox’s built-in IE engine, or to switch between Firefox and MSIE rendering of a webpage.
Another one that’s fun is Flagfox. It puts a little flag representing the country where the website is based, and it will alert you if a website is hosted in a country that does not match the website’s domain name. Useful to help detect possible phishing schemes.
And for those bargain hunters out there (and aren’t we all–- in these times?), there’s an add-on called RetailMeNot, which will alert you when you’ve landed on a site that has online coupons, and tells you about them. It uses a weekly downloaded database to help track all those coupon codes. And we can’t forget the eBay Sidebar Add-on, useful for you eBayers out there. There is also an Add-On to emulate Netscape 4.8!
To see the available add-ons in Firefox, click on Tools, Add-Ons, and then the link for Browse All Add-ons.
Another Reason To Use A Different Browser
Recently, another serious security flaw has been observed in Internet Explorer, allowing crooks to gain control of your computer. Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/6mprb4 Apparently this zero-day flaw has been around a little bit and Microsoft is considering fixing it via an emergency patch outside their regular monthly updates. So, maybe it’ll be resolved by the time you’re reading this, IF you keep your system patched.
Digital Fingerprints In Your Digital Photos
Digital cameras have built-in demosaicing software which translates each pixel into a usable color and brightness signal. Nasiar Memon of the Polytechnic University in Brooklyn has discovered how to work backward and identify the camera model used to create the image. In early tests, he and his team were able to identify the camera model with 90 percent accuracy. While they can’t identify an individual camera, narrowing it down to a particular model can have great forensic benefits, especially given that the typical digital camera has a shelf life of about 18 months.
More On Phishing
Phishing: The art of getting someone to give you their confidential financial information. Just a reminder, during this recession, to be even more alert to phony email and websites that purport to be from Ayour@ bank or financial institution and requesting confidential info like passwords and account numbers. Due to the great many mergers and acquisitions happening lately, this warning is especially critical. And remember, most of these bad guys and gals are very good at creating email and websites that look exactly like the real thing. Best advice: Always contact your bank using known good sources, like the website and phone numbers on your statements, rather than clicking on a link in an email. Same applies if you received an unsolicited phone call from your bank and/or credit card company.
Happy Holidays!
Bill Hopkins is the Webmaster of PhotoSourceFolio* ( http://www.photosourcefolio.com ) and a regular contributor to PhotoStockNotes. Send comments via e-mail to wh[at]photosourcefolio[dot]com. (*Display 6 of your own images for photobuyers to view on your own page on the PhotoSource website.) For on-line questions, contact Bill on the Kracker Barrel at http://www.photosource.com/board
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
“What Photobuyers Expect From You.”
Thanks for becoming a sustaining member* of PhotoStockNOTES. . .
Just as each photographer you know is different, each photobuyer you work with in stock photography will be different.
Their work styles will be different as well as their requirements for submitting your work to them. Here’s an excellent opportunity to hear the thoughts of 2 photobuyers, one in Oregon, and the second in California.
Once you hear the interviews by our publisher, Rohn Engh, you’ll know more of the “business etiquette” you can expect when you deal with a photobuyer. Some of their ‘rules’ are different, some are the same. Good listening!
Bruce Swenson, Operations Manager, PhotoSource International.
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Diane Austin is a 20-year veteran in photo research. She started her career in New York City and eventually migrated to Oregon. She works mainly with textbooks.
http://www.photosource.com/ecourse/interview1
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Gary Crabbe is a photographer, but he is also a photo researcher. (He used to work for the Galen Rowell team in California in research). Because Gary is a photographer he also shares some good points with you about dealing with a photo researcher.
http://www.photosource.com/ecourse/interview2
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Want to register as a member?
http://photostocknotes.com/psn/createaccount.html
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
Planning on traveling abroad in 2009?
LET US KNOW YOUR DATES AND THE ITINERARY AND WE'LL BROADCAST YOUR TRAVELS TO OUR AUDIENCE OF PHOTOBYERS.
Kindly let us know your itinerary at least two months in advance of your departure.
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
Building Your Network Through Volunteering - Too many individuals allow themselves to become isolated in their jobs. Volunteer. Networking builds communication skills. Volunteering improves skills in service roles and leadership positions.
http://rising.blackstar.com/building-your-network-through-volunteering.html#more-1518
TAKEAWAY: Volunteering = networking.
LESS THAN $40. Top 10 DIY Photography Tools. As productivity thinker Merlin Mann recently wrote, getting better at photography can be a long-haul test of willpower and humility. It doesn't have to be expensive, though. Whether you're rocking a digital single-lens reflex model or a reliable point-and-shoot, there are a lot of different shots and gear you can experiment with, and important lessons to learn, that cost less than $40, if anything. Read on for our roundup of ten cheap or free DIY projects and lessons for aspiring photographers.
http://lifehacker.com/5108706/top-10-diy-photography-tools
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
A PHOTO COMMUNITY. -- The Mindful Eye . “We are here to help and inspire each other in the pursuit of our passions, happiness and the unlimited potential of our dreams as photographers and as human beings. The contributors to The Mindful Eye believe that the simple act of sharing your joy with your camera can change the world for the better. On the TME home page you will always find links to the three most recently released articles and/or videos. http://www.tmelive.com/index.php/pages/index.html
THEY ARE WATCHING. -- iLOOKABOUT Corp. today announced a trial Services Agreement with Westminster City Council, London, U.K. to provide iLOOKABOUT StreetScape ("StreetScape"), street-level view, location-aware, digital images, of all properties, parcels and lots within the City Borough of Westminster and iLOOKABOUT Virtual Tour photography of the Marble Arch tunnels. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Westminster-City-Council-Pictures-Their/story.aspx?guid={FA417F90-E191-476C-9517-867899AA0D37}
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
ASK THE BOSS FOR A RAISE. If you’ve contributed images to a publication or client on a fairly regular basis, it is suitable to ask for an increase in fees based on your consistent dependability. Your reliable service to a photobuyer saves them expense and time consuming search tasks and administration.
A Good Living from selling stock photos? As a result of the sales and market contacts from PHOTOLETTER and PHOTODAILY, will you have a Rolls Royce in your driveway? No, you might have two. Or you might have a Moped. It's up to you. As a stock photographer, aim not for a good living, but a good life.
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Information in PhotoStockNOTES is obtained from sources considered reliable, and we do our best to insure accuracy. Be advised that no statement or listing is to be construed as a recommendation or endorsement for a particular firm, product, or periodical. PhotoStockNOTES welcomes your constructive comments and suggestions that can contribute to smooth working relationships between photobuyers and photographers.
Information in PhotoStockNOTES is obtained from sources considered reliable, and we do our best to insure accuracy. Be advised that no statement or listing is to be construed as a recommendation or endorsement for a particular firm, product, or periodical. PhotoStockNOTES welcomes your constructive comments and suggestions that can contribute to smooth working relationships between photobuyers and photographers.
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
WATERMARKS, er uh, FINGERPRINTS. - The PhotoshopDisasters blog has a collection of actual ads made from images that are overlayed with the iStockphoto watermark.
http://www.pdnpulse.com/2008/12/are-people-scoffing-at-your-watermark.html
TAKEAWAY: Who knows, in the future, maybe watermarks will become designer symbols like an NIKE check mark or “AS SEEN ON CNN.”.
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
YES OR NO? -- From the Seattle Times. Travel essay - A tourist on the horns of a dilemma. Reader Ed Peters on balancing the desire to take photos and respecting a stranger's privacy.
“My wife had noticed a man following us about 25 feet back. He seemed nice enough and was wearing a suit jacket; occasionally he spoke into a radio. We asked our Moroccan guide who he was. He said a policeman who was a friend of his, hired to watch our backs for pickpockets and keep the more aggressive street vendors from swarming us.
The tiny alleys were impossibly narrow and dark and I imagined that, if we had no escort, this whole thing might have gone quite differently. At one point, I went to take a picture of a man in a shoe-repair shop that could have been inherited from his great-grandfather. It was a crevice, maybe six feet wide, and filled with old leather and tools, the man's lined face barely visible in back. The shoe repair man saw me photographing him. Hemade an angry noise, and came after me.
Should I have shot that photograph? Sometimes I wonder. Am I being rude, am I intruding, do I have any photographic rights in this interlude that I traveled so far and paid so much money to achieve?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008504787_tressay14.html
TAKEAWAY. Next time you see a handsome coffee table book about Morocco, ask whether the photographer should have taken the pictures –or not.
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http://photostocknotes.com/psn/createaccount.html
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
NEW FOR GETTY. -- Getty has announced the acquisition of the London-Based Redferns Music Picture Library. Founded by British photographer David Redfern in the early 1960's, the Redferns music picture library offers music imagery ranging from 18th century classical composers to the headliners of today. The collection of more than 30,000 images will be incorporated into the Getty Images site under the respected Redferns brand name as soon as February 2009.
http://www.abouttheimage.com/4004/redferns_music_picture_library_acquired_by_getty_images/author2
CHARACTER RULES. NordicPhotos acquires Spegla image agency. “Character over popularity, and self-made more than ready-made. A collection that sticks out rather than fits in.” That’s how Eva Lindblad and designer Niklas Lindblad describe their collection of up north photos from more than 20 photographers.
With offices in Stockholm, Reykjavik and Oslo, they have announced the acquisition of the Swedish image agency Spegla. http://www.abouttheimage.com/4002/nordicphotos_acquires_spegla_image_agency/author2
CHINA -- TAO Images launches RM Collection featuring lifestyle imagery of China. TAO Images Limited, a stock photography production company from Beijing, has announce the launch of a new rights-managed (RM) image collection entitled 'Silk' featuring more than 4,000 images of Chinese culture and travel. Tao Images was founded by by industry veterans Risong Na and Jenny Hu in 2008 "With combined experience in media/publishing industry for over twenty years, we have appreciation in clients' expectations," says Jenny Hu.
http://www.abouttheimage.com/4005/tao_images_launches_rm_collection_featuring_lifestyle_imagery_of_china/author2
GOBBLING THE COMPETITION. -- Getty-Jupiter Deal Moving Ahead - Despite bad economic conditions that saw one stock agency file for bankruptcy last week, Jupitermedia says it still expects the proposed sale of Jupiterimages to Getty Images to go forward next year. The deal is expected to close in early 2009. http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photo-news/stock-and-syndication/e3iea59cb79796a9dff614763ddde0d4622
TAKEAWAY – A Lesson in “Sticking to your Knitting.”
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
iStockphoto: New pricing, a new premiere collection of "best exclusive content" and more changes - Changes at iStockphoto with a new three-tier offering
17 Dec, 2008 | Posted by: psn
GOOD QUESTION. Photography captures spirit of the spirit world. It's a question that's intrigued scientists and theologians -- and nearly everyone else who's ever walked the Earth. That question: Is there life after death? A Minneapolis photographer constantly searches for signs of an afterlife. Instead of looking to science or religion for evidence, though, he turns to his camera.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/08/paranormal_photo/
TELL IT LIKE YOU SEE IT. Everyone's Job Is a Visual Story - Everyone has a story to tell. As a photographer, it's your job to help them tell it visually. http://rising.blackstar.com/everyones-job-is-a-visual-story.html#more-1605
TAKEAWAY: The test of real editorial photography is to approach the story as a storyteller – not as a photojournalist who is handcuffed by news reportage ethics.