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In The Field of Editorial Photography…
Is Thievery a Problem?

Advance Notes: When we hear of photo thievery on the Internet, in almost all cases it concerns the area of commercial stock photography. Very rarely does it happen in the realm of editorial photography.

A photobuyer calls a photographer and says, "We like the photos you sent us and have scanned two dozen of them into our database."

"You what...?" is the photographer's response.

The photobuyer responds, "You have a lot of pictures that we feel we could use in the future. We're building an in-house reference file. Any problems with that?"

The photographer should push apprehensions aside and consider the scanning a compliment. Scanning of photos by a photobuyer needn't be a threatening experience. Twenty-five years ago, when photocopy machines were new, a buyer copying a photo "for the files" seemed tantamount to copyright infringement to stock photographers. Gradually, however, stock photographers saw they were getting sales from the photocopied reference photos on file with photobuyers.

The same is happening today with scanning. The photobuyer scans photos to obtain low resolution (i.e. not reproduction-quality) "thumbnail-size" images to put into their reference "view-only" database. A software keywording program cross-references them.

In the near future, scanning photographer's selections will be commonplace. No need for a fear of thievery to limit the sending of photos to editorial markets. This is a photobuying community where photographers know their buyers and they know the photographers. It's important to remember that to work with the editorial photobuying community makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the issue of thievery. In this arena it's rare to hear of larceny.

In the editorial stock photo field, I've never heard of a photobuyer intentionally "stealing" a photo. There'd be no sense to it. The photo editor has a budget to work with; there's no material profit to him or her to "borrow" a photo on the sly. Besides, the photo will be seen by hundreds, thousands of viewers. Most gangsters say this is not a profitable way to get away with something illegal.

BEWARE THE AD AGENCIES

In commercial stock photography, however, there can be a different attitude and circumstances. The commercial field can brew more reasons and opportunity to "borrow" someone's photo, especially for a local or regional brochure or promotion.

If you're involved strictly in editorial stock photography, the above kind of information might be news to you. If you're familiar with the inner workings of commercial stock photography, it's not a surprise.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photosource.com/researcher/7.html

Advance Notes: Google has come along and made it easier for the photographer who deals in editorial stock. Most editorial photography editors don't have the tight deadlines (like needing the photo yesterday) that ad agency art directors are hampered with. A three- or four-day deadline span is not uncommon. This reality, together with an editor's "Googlbility" to locate the source of an out-of-the-norm picture, enables a stock photographer who may not have the picture already in-house, to leave the studio, take the picture if it's within a short drive, and deliver the high res file (or a lightBOX version) to the editor by the next day.

One way to locate "must find" images with the help of search engines is to utilize the PhotoSourceBOOK and the PhotoSourceBANK.

It seems to be the way of the future. Most everyone who uses the Internet is familiar with Google. They have found Google is an easy way to get specialized information quickly just by typing in a few choice search words. (We've come to call these keywords, or keyphrases.) This development has not escaped the notice of increasing numbers of photobuyers, who are using Google to locate highly specific photos that they know are not available on the trendy micro stock sites.

In the past years, photobuyers were used to putting little effort into trying to find photographs such as 'University Benemerito, Puebla, Mexico', or "Sod homes in Custer County, Nebraska". They knew in most cases it would be counter-productive for them to pursue searching for such photos, having experienced that the law of probability was not on their side. The textbooks, magazines and documentary films of the past reflect this absence of suitable photos.

It's not that the photos did not exist; -- only that a workable, time-effective method of finding them wasn't available.

The digital epoch has solved all of this. With Google search capabilities available, More and more photobuyers are going after highly-targeted photo needs. They know chances are good they can locate a source of such a photo by matching a description of their photo need with the keywords and phrases a photographer, or a tourist department, historical society, medical school, or stock agency, may have posted on their website.

We will no doubt begin to see photobuyers digging even deeper into the Internet to find sources for the pictures they need.

LET THE PHONE BOOK BE YOUR GUIDE

As we mentioned, in editorial photography it's known that buyers seldom need a picture the next day (unlike ad agencies). This means that photographers who own a top-of-the line digital camera are in an excellent position to fit into the way photobuyers are electronically searching for specialized photos for their books, magazines and various periodicals.

Stock photographers can use a Chamber of Commerce brochure or city website to find featured subjects to list on their own website--the local tourist highlights, public buildings, historical highlights, museums, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, restaurants, sports arenas, schools, recreation spots, nearby lakes, rivers, mountains, and so on.

This could amount to 5,000 - 6,000 words and phrases. The photographer wouldn't have to actually take the pictures; just list them on their website. Then when they get a photobuyer call for a specific photo listed, they can arrange for an assignment, or volunteer to take the picture for consideration, knowing they have a good chance to sell the photo to the buyer, or to a buyer elsewhere on the net.

In such a case, the photobuyer has served as a free marketing suggestion guide. (If one photobuyer wants the picture, no doubt the picture will sell multiple times in the future.)

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photosource.com/researcher/gen755.html

ON-LINE

By Bill Hopkins

XP Support Life Cycle Extended

Microsoft announced that they are extending the support life cycle for Windows XP Home and Media Center Editions to April 2009 for mainstream support (with extended support lasting five years beyond that, to 2014). This is the second time Microsoft has extended support for XP versions. Normally, their support life cycle is about 5 years. Great news if you have XP and don't want or aren't ready to upgrade to Vista.

Speaking of Vista...

Microsoft's web-based Business Test Drive allows you to test out the various aspects of Vista without having to purchase it, install it, or warm the seat at your local store. Log onto a virtual machine running Vista at http://www.windowsvistatestdrive.com/. There are several caveats, but the most important is this one: "The test drive requires Internet Explorer 6 or later, a browser plug-in, and a broadband Internet connection. A minimum 1024 x 768 screen resolution is recommended." Plus, you have to log in with an e-mail address.

Are You Getting the Speed You Deserve?

High-speed Internet, that is. Sure, you may have a broadband Internet connection, but are you getting the speeds advertised? First, realize that nobody guarantees specific speeds with the typical broadband connections photographers get. Yes, if you have a synchronous (upload and download speeds are the same) connection or high-end business-type connection (T-3, fiber), then the speeds are generally well-defined. Also remember that the Internet is like a major expressway. Just because the roadway is many lanes wide, doesn't mean you always get to be the only vehicle on that road. Even the largest highways have rough spots (some more that others), and often on a regular schedule (like morning rush and evening rush). Thus, even if you have the fastest connection around, if there is lots of traffic, including you, trying to get to the same website, everyone's speed is impacted. Having said all that, there are ways you can check your speed. The best approach is to average the results over different times and days. The same speed test run back-to-back is often different. And these speed tests really only measure the trip between your computer and the testing website. But it's nice to know. Your ISP may offer a specific website to test your connection, and you can try that. Here are some others: www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest, www.speakeasy.net/speedtest, www.2wire.com/bandwidth/initialmeter.php, and a Windows users group at www.wugnet.com/myspeed/speedtest.asp. Some will also test upload speed. Remember, many factors affect the accuracy, including whether you use your computer during the testing (includes just moving the mouse or listening to CDs).

Bill Hopkins is the Webmaster of PhotoSourceFolio* (www.photosourcefolio.com) and a regular contributor to PhotoStockNotes. Send comments via e-mail to wh@photosourcefolio.com. Fax: 1 818 831-0916. For on-line questions, contact Bill on the Kracker Barrel at www.photosource.com/board.

*Display 6 of your own images for photobuyers to view, on your page on the PhotoSource website.

TRAVELERS ABROAD

Photographers: We broadcast your foreign destinations along with contact information, departure date, length of stay, etc. Contact PhotoStockNotes (1 715 248-3800) at least two months in advance.
Photobuyers: Watch this column. For the e-mail address, phone or fax number of the traveling photographer, call the PhotoSource International office and ask for Rohn Engh (1 800 624-0266). For an expansion of this list: www.photosource.com and press the Travelers Abroad button, to learn of past international destinations of our photographers.

Judy Taylor
May 26 - June 9, 2007
Ireland
June 11 - June 25, 2007
England

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