FALL STOCK NEWS
The story of stock
in 2002 has been "momentum." In frequency of use. In depth and richness of content.
In delivery and service. In innovation and entrepreneurship. While we humbly recommend
our 16th annual stock visual survey for a more detailed overview (see
Graphic Design:usa, August 2002), the following seasonal news roundup drives
home the point clearly and convincingly.
— The Editors
MAGNUMPHOTOS.COM PROVIDES CONTEXT
New York NY: Magnumphotos.com,
the clean and striking new online library from legendary photo cooperative Magnum
Photos, already includes over 200,000 images. The site, notes Nathan Benn, executive
director of the New York office, is unique in important ways: First, because it
presents Magnum images, which are known for their documentary-based authenticity,
quality and unexpected surprises. Second, because the stock site presents the
photographs in context, with emphasis on the photographers, on information about
the image and related photographs, on where they first appeared, and much more.
Third, the site features a state-of-the-art image search with easy options to
view related pictures, plus dynamic image search filters for efficiency. Simple
online registration opens a world of famous artists and unique pictures.
Contact:
www.magnumphotos.com
MASTERFILE
GOES TO 'SHOOT EXCLUSIVE' POLICY FROM ARTISTS
Toronto Canada: Masterfile
has changed a 25-year policy of representing photographers strictly on an "artist
exclusive" basis. It will now acquire stock images on a "shoot exclusive" basis
from a wider range of artists. The decision is said to enable the company to build
its collection much faster to meet demand. Explains Masterfile president Steve
Pigeon: "This is a profound change in the way we work with artists, but the time
had to come. The stock photo business has changed irrevocably. New technology
has raised expectations and squeezed deadlines from days into minutes. Art buyers
and designers require a greater range and depth of images than ever before, yet
we were turning away brilliant photographers because of their other affiliations.
By initiating a 'shoot exclusive' policy, we'll double the size of our online
collection over the coming year." Pigeon also notes that the recent addition of
the zefa collection and the expansion of its Wonderfile royalty-free company are
steps in the same direction — to meet the growing hunger for quality imagery.
Contact:
800.387.9010 or www.masterfile.com
 |
DIGITAL VISION'S VIE IN TUNE WITH HOW WE LIVE
New York NY:
Digital Vision, a leading royalty-free publisher, has released Vie, a catalog
dedicated to contemporary lifestyles. The collection consists of over 2,000 photographs
and illustrations. With a cast of more than 600 models from every age group, Vie
was shot in 200+ locations ranging from Bali to Britain to Buenos Aires. Kate
Stevens, project manager, says that the catalog has been design-driven from concept
to final layout to its distinctive cover. "Vie's cover captures lifestyle as an
indoor/outdoor theme in a witty and innovative manner. There's an ironic play
on the type of stock imagery prevalent in the 1980s, full of bikini-clad girls
on beaches." Among the 25 sections: Home Truths, a family reunion; Scene, a fashion
shoot in Miami; Flirt, a look at intimate relationships; Real Friends, everyday
people bonding; Down Town, slick and sophisticated characters; and Vida Latina,
Latin lifestyles from Argentina.
Contact: 888.381.9445 or www.digitalvisiononline.com
CREATIVES
HAIL TAXI FROM GETTY IMAGES
Seattle WA: Getty Images recently released
"Taxi," their new large-format quarterly magazine. Taxi is based entirely on research
conducted by Getty Images' team of researchers with the goal of "informing the
creative community about the latest trends and happenings within the visual world."
Images and articles are representative of those findings. The first issue explores
the notion of free time, the new "Super-Solo" and a new generation of couch potatoes,
not to mention new research on society's relationship with food and travel. Getty
officials tell us that the magazine's philosophy is simple — it believes
in the "power of the picture."
Contact: 800.IMAGERY or www.gettyimages.com/taxi
TIMEPIX REDESIGN TIMELY
New York NY: TimePix, which features
archived images from the Time and Life Picture Collection, has redesigned its
web site to improve navigation and implement a homepage that better shows their
images. Representing such a vast photographic treasure, the agency felt that the
previous web site did not suffice in showcasing the Time and Life Picture Collection.
The new version has a homepage featuring galleries and streaming images, a new
gallery section that displays images through various themes, a better search screen
to improve users' results, the application of cookies to eliminate log-in for
every visit, and a new navigation bar. Sales and operations manager Jeff Burak
explains that, in addition to improving functionality, "this execution was also
vital to... better communicating to photo editors and picture buyers who we are."
Contact:
212.522.4800 or www.timepix.com
PACA
HERE 'FOR THE LONG HAUL'
Chatham NY: The Picture Agency Council of America
is back. The non-profit trade organization representing stock image companies
has reorganized its executive committee as well as reevaluated its role in the
industry. The changes were forced by two major setbacks: the drastic fall-off
of conference-based revenue following September 11; and the resignation of the
president due to a severe health condition. Moving up from vice president to president
is Cathy Aron (Photo Network Stock), who notes that "it's not one of the easiest
transitions we've ever had, but I am committed to the success of our organization
and so is the wonderful group... working with me." Rounding out the leadership
team are vice president Jeffrey Burke (PictureArts), secretary Dexter Lane (Peter
Arnold, Inc.), member-at-large Roger Ressmeyer (Getty Images), and treasurer Jeff
Schultz (Alaska Stock). The group has moved quickly to address core issues, shifting
to an all-volunteer organization, concluding a successful capital campaign, developing
a newly-formatted e-mail newsletter and planning for a revamped web site. Says
treasurer Schultz: "PACA is here for the long haul."
Contact: 518.392.3967
or www.stockindustry.org
CORBIS PACKS UP EVERYDAY GEAR
Seattle WA: This fall has
seen the release of Gear, a new catalog that focuses on the utilitarian items
that people use in their everyday lives. The project was inspired by Corbis vice
president Patrick Donahue, who "tasked Corbis picture editors with tracking everything
they touched in a day. Surprising results revealed that virtually everything around
them is considered a 'tool,' enabling the participants to fundamentally live their
lives more enjoyably or easily." A subtext of the catalog: in the tools, "utility
is valued more than ever before and simplicity trumps complication," while, similarly,
in graphic design, "a growing number of image customers are using simple items
or actions to communicate more complex ideas."
Contact: 800.260.0444 or
www.corbis.com
CREATAS
INSTANT CD DOWNLOADS
Peoria IL: Creatas, a major provider of royalty-free
photography, footage and illustration, wants designers to "get right to work as
soon as you buy." Accordingly, they have instituted a new policy whereby when
a CD collection is purchased, all of the images may be downloaded free for up
to five days. The company is also fast expanding beyond its more than 100,000
media assets with the addition of 4,000 exclusive new Creatas images, tens of
thousands of new PhotoDisc and Stockbyte images, and interesting new "Western
Lifestyle" footage that takes you through the mountain trails. A new catalog is
on its way, note officials of parent company Dynamic Graphics.
Contact:
800.255.8800 or www.creatas.com
COMSTOCK PUBLISHES NEW RF CATALOG
Mountainside NJ: Comstock,
which prides itself on providing the range of licensing options — traditional,
royalty-free and an interesting hybrid called Flat Rate — is releasing a
new royalty-free catalog this month. It encompasses six timely discs, including
Real Estate, key concepts in building, renovating and home improvement; Music
from a broad range of genres; Go Wireless, with edgy images of wireless technology
in action; Just Folks 2, real people in natural poses; Faces Too, multiethnic
portraits; and Christmas 2, with deck the halls tree-trimming favorites.
Contact:
888.356.2630 or www.comstock.com/newdiscs
SUPERSTOCK REDESIGNS WEB SITE
Jacksonville FL: SuperStock's
newly revamped web site took flight this summer. The new site, written with advanced
Microsoft.NET technology, has been fully redesigned to incorporate recent improvements
which provide customers with more versatility while searching. Highlights include
an improved search interface that allows users to search by image number and keyword
within the navigation bar available on every page; a new pop-up search window
that stays open while users browse and features advanced search options; fast-loading
pages; and the viewing of comps and photo information with a quick click of the
image thumbnail. In addition, the site has been streamlined and features various
frequently updated photographers and galleries. Enthuses vice president of sales
William Topaz: "We are very excited about the possibilities the new site offers
to our growing customer base."
Contact: 800.828.4545 or www.superstock.com
ICON IS NEW RIGHTS-PROTECTED CATALOG
New York NY: ImageState,
a worldwide provider of rights-protected and royalty-free digital content including
images, footage, music and sound effects, continues to grow. Among the recent
additions to their collection are the libraries of John Foxx, Images Colour Library,
Zephyr, Adventure Photo & Film, West Stock, International Stock and Pictor. These
bring their royalty-free collection to over 250 CD titles and thousands of single
images, while the rights-protected side now has more than one million images.
The agency has recently released ICON, a new rights-protected catalog, which features
466 pages, in color-coded sections, of major contemporary categories ranging from
agriculture to business to lifestyle to sports to travel, and more.
Contact:
800.821.9600 or www.imagestate.com
 |
BRAND X DONATES IMAGES TO MADD
Culver City CA: To help stop
drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage
drinking, Brand X Pictures has donated two thousand dollars worth of images to
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Orange County, California. The image donation
allows the group access to high-quality pictures of their choice for use in public
service ads and materials. Both sides are excited about the potential. "This is
a very worthy use of royalty-free pictures," says Jeff Burke, who heads the stock
agency. "A non-profit organization with a humanitarian mission blending their
words with high-impact images to create a message that can eventually save lives.
We are very proud to be a part of this." Comments Sheriff Deputy Daryl Alison
of MADD: "Having the opportunity to partner with Brand X Pictures enables MADD
to develop the ultimate in impressionable value images, providing us with the
ability to send powerful messages to ever-changing communities."
Contact:
www.brandxpictures.com
FOODPIX SERVES UP CATALOG
Culver City CA: FoodPix recently
released FoodPixV5, a print and CD catalog available to qualified buyers of stock.
The 150-page book is divided into 11 meal-related chapters capturing more than
1,100 appetizing images. An accompanying CD-ROM features the entire FoodPix library
in 25,000 low-resolution watermarked image previews that can be imported into
layout software for comping purposes. Each image has direct links to the FoodPix
web site where larger comps of the images are available. All images in the FoodPix
library are available for traditional licensing for advertising, marketing, display,
editorial, design, packaging, corporate and multimedia.
Contact: 310.837.1341(fax)
or www.foodpix.com
INDEXED
VISUALS SITE FACILITATES DIRECT RELATIONSHIPS
Cleveland OH: Creative professionals
can now buy stock art directly from the artists that created it through IndexedVisuals.com.
Through the site, art buyers deal directly with illustrators to purchase existing
stock art, modify stock art, or commission a new illustration. The site features
a user-friendly search engine that retrieves thumbnail visuals that can be viewed
individually or in a lightbox as well as a convenient e-mail function that lets
the art buyer contact any number of illustrators with the click of a button. Indexed
Visuals is already one of the largest online sources for stock, custom medical
and natural science illustration, and it recently expanded to offer all forms
of commercial illustration.
Contact: www.indexedvisuals.com
PHOTONICA ADDS 'CONTENT CAVES'
New York NY: Photonica, known
for its highly individual image collection, has added two subsites to its online
offerings for creatives. The first subsite is for the CSA Plastock collection,
the brainchild of Charles Spencer Anderson, whose photographs of plastic figurines
have been popular for advertising and design use. The second is for a group of
3,000 images from Special Photographers Company, a premier offering of fine art
stock photography that has its roots in the gallery scene. Photonica's David Neilson
describes the subsites as "content caves" where the agency can "present a collection
in a 'natural habitat' all its own." The overall Photonica web site has over 70,000
images on display.
Contact: www.photonica.com/plastock
or www.photonica.com/specialphotographers
WORKBOOKSTOCK.COM RELEASES FIRST STOCK IMAGE CD
Los Angeles
CA: This spring, Workbookstock.com, the stock image web site from the renowned
Workbook & Company, began distributing its first CD — appropriately named
CD1— of stock imagery to thousands of qualified designers, creative professionals,
and art buyers throughout the United States and Canada. The CD, available to creative
professionals, contains nearly 7,000 rights-protected images that hint at the
breadth of Workbookstock's online collection as well as innovative software providing
interactive web links, pricing, and downloading of images online. At presstime,
the company also announced release of a second print catalog, Book 2, which, explains
principal Alexis Scott, "presents great images selected from our image-exclusive
Co/Op Service."
Contact: www.workbookstock.com
RETROFILE SHOWS GROOVY PICTURES
New York NY: Retrofile.com,
a growing resource for vintage images, has gathered a comprehensive collection
of authentic vintage photography from many of the major vintage libraries in the
United States. Included in the offerings: black and white photography from the
early 20th century through the 50s and 60s as well as color imagery from the 50s,
60s and 70s. The historical collection is intended to capture the essence of American
optimism and growth throughout the early and middle parts of the past century.
It also chronicles major social movements of the latter half of the century, including
the styles of the Mod, Flower Power, and Disco generations.
Contact: 800.209.2709
or www.retrofile.com
MAP
RESOURCES ADDS FOUR
Lambertville NJ: Map Resources, a royalty-free map
supplier since 1986, continues to build upon its collection with the addition
of four new maps: a large-format world map, an upside-down world map, a U.S. physiography
map, and a U.S. Biomes map. These join a comprehensive offering of Terrain Maps
that provide designers with high-resolution shaded relief images of physical features
such as mountains, rivers and lakes. The maps are also customizable as users can
add political features such as cities, highways, state lines, and country borders.
Contact:
800.334.4291 or www.mapresources.com
BRIDGEMAN FINDS 'OASIS OF CULTURE'
New York NY: Often described
as an 'oasis of culture' in the Arizona desert, the Phoenix Art Museum is an important
regional museum that spans the major artistic movements from the Renaissance to
the present. It is also one of Bridgeman Art Library's newest collections. The
Museum houses modern and contemporary art that includes works by Rivera, Kahlo,
Picasso, Appel, Rothko, Calder, O'Keeffe, and Rodin. Other works available include
fine examples of decorative arts, historic fashions, Asian art, Spanish colonial
furnishings and religious art. The Museum has also assembled a fascinating collection
of nearly 900 paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints that focus on the landscape
and history of the American West.
Contact: 212.828.1238 or www.bridgeman.co.uk
 |
TOP SPINNER AWARDS FOR 'UNSUNG HEROES'
Rolling Hills Estates
CA: PhotoSpin's first annual Top Spinner Awards are over and the winners, announced
at Seybold San Francisco in September, are: Alex Manfredini in the illustration
category for "African Skyline"; Jennifer Childress in the print category for her
"Medical Brochure"; Meg Murphy in the web grouping for her entry, "The Animal
Doctor"; and Kerry Gavin, for "American Pig," which received the People's Choice
Award. The contest covers print, web, and illustration design, with the only requirement
being that a PhotoSpin photo, illustration, font, film or sound clip was used
in the work. Contestants were judged by a panel of graphic arts experts —
Helene DeLillo, Ben Willmore, and Jeremy Sutton. Comments Stephanie Robey, PhotoSpin's
president: "A lot of designers get projects on a small budget or tight turnaround
and are expected to create miracles. Often, they choose to use royalty-free images.
PhotoSpin wants to recognize these unsung heroes..."
Contact: www.photospin.com
VEER
ENTERS AS CREATIVE ALTERNATIVE
Vancouver CAN: Stock has become a mainstay
among those creating visual communication but, say officials of Veer, a new visual
content company founded by former employees of EyeWire and Getty Images, with
so many choices and such mixed quality, finding the right image is more challenging
than ever. Accordingly, Veer is positioning itself with a focus on quality and
originality, "filtering out the mundane, predictable, and redundant, aiming for
a more useful breadth and depth of imagery." The result is an interesting combination
of products from leading brands and "boutique shops," featuring exclusive offerings
such as Charles Spencer Anderson's royalty-free CSA Images, and world premiere
releases such as ShinnType's newest font, Morphica. Similarly, the company strives
for originality in its catalog and web site. A monthly "Veer Visual Elements"
catalog features themed showcases, everchanging image spreads rather than cookie-cutter
grids, and type showings that seek to display fonts to their best advantage. The
web site is a close online companion to the catalog where customers can search,
purchase and download content.
Contact: 877.297.7900 or www.veer.com
RAW
TALENT PHOTO SPONSORS SYMPOSIUM
Santa Barbara CA: The Jackson Hole Symposium,
generally held in the Grand Tetons, made a detour this September to the balmy
beaches of Santa Barbara. The biannual Symposium offers the most valuable perspectives
on both the making of natural history programming and on advanced technologies,
emerging trends and new horizons in the digital media market. Seeing the event
as important to the local film and creative community of Santa Barbara, RawTalentPhoto.com,
a new and innovative stock visual resource for graphic designers, served as a
sponsor, joining local companies such as Lobo Media Productions and national organizations
like Canon USA, Sony Electronics, and WNET.
Contact: www.rawtalentphoto.com
FLOWERPHOTOS GROWS IN NORTH AMERICA
London UK: Flowerphotos,
a British-based purveyor of plant, flower, fruit and vegetable imagery, is busy
planting seeds in the North American market. While the company does not have a
physical office here, founder and managing director Carol Sharp promises responsive
customer service for clients on this side of the pond via a fully functional web
site and the availability of high-quality CD collections. Recent activities include
improvements to the web site's search engine, easier-to-use CD technology, and
the recent U.S. release of the latest CD collection with more than 12,000 images.
Sharp contends that "the concept of having offices around the globe is passť,
thanks to the internet. We have a very easy-to-use web site, and any American
or Canadian customer who needs to talk to us directly is always welcome to dial
us up."
Contact: 866.359.7749 or www.flowerphotos.com
STOCKFOOD RELEASES SIGNATURE CATALOG
Kennebunk ME: StockFood
America, a leading source for food photography, debuted a new catalog during the
summer of 2002. The catalog, named Signature Edition, focused on StockFood's best
photographers and their most stunning imagery. There are hundreds of beautiful
food images showcased in the Signature Edition catalog, whose audience is the
advertising industry. StockFood holds offices throughout the world and has a collection
that currently boasts more than 350,000 images from over 300 photographers.
Contact:
207.967.5776 or www.stockfood.com
MINDEN CATALOG IS WILD
Aptos CA: With its dramatic animals
+ earth catalog and a fresh new web site, Minden Pictures is showcasing its world-class
collection of wildlife, nature and environmental subjects to the creative community.
All the imagery is rights-protected and exclusive to the collection. The online
archive represents a small portion of the overall library and the catalog, available
to creative professionals, includes 1,607 of the best images in the collection.
Contact:
831.685.1911 or www.mindenpictures.com
ABLESTOCK
LAUNCHES MEMBERSHIP MODEL
Quebec CAN: Last month, royalty-free provider
Ablestock.com introduced its new Membership model. The new program allows designers
to download and use as many images as they need, in any resolution, for one price
which is said to be roughly the equivalent to the cost of two or three high-resolution
image purchases. Says the company: "This model brings designers the creative freedom
they need, without having to worry about purchase restrictions — they can
even use pro-quality stock images in comps so they can afford to let their creativity
soar." There are six-month and one-year membership packages. AbleStock is a product
of Hemera Technologies.
Contact: www.ablestock.com
NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY UNLEASHES WEB SITE
Bristol UK: While
picture editors and art buyers have been using Nature Picture Library in England
for years, the miracle of the internet is now allowing the company to expose the
North American market to its online offering of 15,000 rights-protected and royalty-free
images of animals, habitats, mammals, reptiles, marine life and indigenous peoples.
The online database is fully searchable, selected images can be saved in lightboxes,
and downloading of low and high-res pictures is doable. A supporting collection
of 100,000 additional images can be searched by the staff. Says managing director
Helen Gilks, "We've experienced solid, steady growth in our home market since
NPL was founded in 1995. And now, thanks to a terrific web site... we intend to
become a valuable resource for North American picture buyers, too."
Contact:
866.350.6744 or www.naturepl.com
LAUGHING STOCK TURNS TEN
Southboro MA: Reflecting the changes
in the stock image industry, Laughing Stock's 10th anniversary illustration catalog,
released in September, has been repositioned to become a dynamic WebSampler. Explains
Laughing Stock creative director Carol Ross: "Over 80% of image searches are done
online, and the old concept of large print catalogs doesn't make sense anymore."
The new WebSampler highlights the originality of each illustrator so that art
buyers get a taste of the work in print, and can then use the power of the online
technology to see in-depth collections, or keyword search the entire library of
rights-protected illustration. For the web site, new features include a price
calculator, online purchase options, a more efficient homepage, and better navigation.
Contact:
508.460.6058 or www.laughing-stock.com
NEW
PORTAL HITS BULLSEYE
BullseyeImages.com, a recently launched stock portal,
brings together seven companies with seven unique collections and areas of expertise.
The companies appearing are: Grant Heilman Photography, Illustration Works, Photo
Network Stock, Alaska Stock, Retrofile.com, StockFood, and Visuals Unlimited.
The concept is to bring together a wide range of collection-types so as to position
the new portal as a comprehensive resource for advertising and editorial customers.
Cathy Aron, owner of Photo Network and a founder of this venture, explains: "We
want Bullseye to be an ideal vehicle that makes finding the right images easy
for our clients and also helps generate ideas for projects. Each agency is truly
an expert in its field, making for more targeted and appropriate research request
fulfillment." Industry specialist Deborah Free, who coordinated the project from
the beginning, states that "BullseyeImages.com promises new and exciting technological
advances for the future."
Contact: www.bullseyeimages.com
ILLUSTRATION WORKS CERTIFIED COOL
Seattle WA: CoolHomePages.com,
which needs no explanation, has named IllustrationWorks.com "one of its newest,
coolest web sites." Tim Donahue, founder of CoolHomePages.com, praised Illustration
Works for having such a unique layout. "What we look for is design that we haven't
seen before — ideas that we think other designers will enjoy and benefit
from. The Illustration Works look and feel are fresh and unique — especially
within their sector." Sharon Dodge, president of Illustration Works, whose site
is also earning a reputation for cutting-edge illustration and other stock art,
is enthusiastic about the nomination. "We pride ourselves on doing the unexpected
for our clients on a daily basis. This award is just another example of innovative
thinking, even on our own projects."
Contact: www.illustrationworks.com
PICTUREHOUSE/NEW
YORK COMING UP
New York NY/Milwaukee WI: An event that brings stock picture
companies together with New York's professional picture buyers is scheduled for
November 13 at Tribeca Rooftop. At the networking event, stock image sources will
distribute free catalogs and CDs, and demonstrate their web sites. Comments Paul
H. Henning, who co-produces Picturehouse/New York: "In planning this year's event,
my London colleague Michael Brown and I were very conscious of the fact that bringing
Picturehouse to Tribeca could help reinforce the fact that lower Manhattan is
still a great place to do business." Support for the event is being provided by
the Picture Agency Council of America, AdBase and Modern Postcard.
Contact:
paul@stockanswers.com or michael@picturehouse.org
BAKER'S
DOZEN HOT AND FRESH FROM MEDIA BAKERY
Carpinteria CA: The Baker's Dozen,
pre-researched groupings of 13 interesting images organized by popular concepts,
is one of the stylish and fun innovations of the recently launched Media Bakery.
A recent look at the company's web site revealed groupings relating to golf, to
money, to corporate presentations, and even to the color of water. Each month
researchers select "the hottest, freshest and smartest photos, clips and music
tracks" and display them in light boxes. Media Bakery itself is one of the largest
providers of royalty-free photography, footage, music, animation and fonts for
creatives, explains founder and ceo Chad Newell, "who wish to continuously resource
one web site portal for all their royalty-free content needs."
Contact:
www.mediabakery.com
ILLUSTRATION SITE GOES E-COMMERCE
New York NY: Since its
inception almost seven years ago, Theispot-Showcase has emerged as a premier illustration-only
web directory. The site features a state-of-the-art search engine loaded with
the work of nearly one thousand commercial artists, and services include assignment
and gallery purchase as well as stock licensing. The site has been endorsed by
the Graphic Artists Guild for its sensitivity to the needs of talent. Recent technology
additions have transformed Theispot-Showcase into a fully-functional e-commerce
location.
Contact: www.theispot.com
