StockPhotoTalk | Special Interest Blog

QuickLinks For 2008-04-30

• Speaking volumes:
  "The top-end of the market is still selling very well. There are times when images from iStock are alright, but if you need something for an advertising campaign, you won´t use us. High-end agencies will still strive. It´s those in the middle that will be in trouble. Our collection is getting so good that it´s squeezing the ones in the middle. They will need to find a pretty good niche to fit into".
  The British Journal of Photography interviews Kelly Thompson.

• Infinite Collection, MediaMagnet, now EVO images by 123RF:
  "123RF will only add 500 to 1,000 images per working day".

• Like in March and April, I will post only sporadically in the next weeks, except for occasional postings in the press release section and the job section.

QuickLinks For 2008-04-22

• OnRequest Adds $8 Million:
  OnRequest Images, a Seattle-based provider of custom imagery, has raised $8 million in additional Series C funding from European Founders Fund, according to a regulatory filing. The company had previously raised a $9 million Series C round led by Menlo Ventures, with return backers Maveron and Frazier Technology Ventures also participating.
  Related:
  
  • OnRequest Images raises $8 million (JC/Seattle Post-Intelligencer):
    Janice Mayo, president of OnRequest, said the company -- now with more than 50 employees -- is on the path to hit profitability this year.

• Augustine Fou, founder of PictureSandbox and Phreetings (Photo + Greeting), introduces Facebook phreetings.

More News on iStockphoto´s New Subscription Service

Late on Saturday evening iStockphoto posted "Important Subscription Notice for all Contributors" and referred to a separate "Contributor Subscription Information" page with FAQs.

PJ. Morley has done some math on it:

"Early indications suggest that iStock will offer 3 month subscriptions with packages allowing subscribers to download images with a value of between 30 and 480 credits a day.

Shutterstock To Launch Footage Subscription

Pricing below and more details over there in the press release.

Midstock? Either Way, It´s The End For LuckyOliver

Good bye, LuckyOliver, and your very special definition of "midstock" and the Sideshow.

All the best for the founder and for the team!

Break

I have to apologize, but there won´t be regular updates here for some weeks, except for occasional postings in the press release section.

Corbis´ SnapVillage Launches Fake Ad Contest

Just in from Corbis´SnapVillage with the underlying thought: "Big ideas are more important than big budgets":

SnapVillage, the innovative microstock website empowered by Corbis, wants to help creatives unleash their wildest creative impulses! Today, SnapVillage launched a design contest in which creatives craft bogus advertisements using images from SnapVillage.com and forget about that pesky "client approval" thing for a change.

Here’s how it works: create a cool (fake) ad using a SnapVillage image, email it to contactus@snapvillage.com and they´ll send you a free SnapVillage t-shirt (be sure to include mailing address and shirt size). But that´s not all - their ad may even be featured in a future SnapVillage ad or on the SnapVillage website.

iStockphoto Subscription FAQ

Following critical responses from its contributors to iStockphoto´s recent annoncement of the soon to be introduced subscription service (posting below from a Silver contributor):

==================================================================================

==================================================================================

 

... iStockphoto posted on Friday a quite interesting FAQ for Contributors on Subscription:

 

Jupitermedia Form 10-K

For the records from Jupitermedia´s recent SEC filing (long version with some general country specific numbers on page 5 and page 57; short version of the long SEC filing):

 

Latest News from iStockphoto´s New Subscription Service And "Pay As You Go"

Earlier today I asked iStockphoto two things:

• Does $99,00 automatically translate to EUR 99,00, or will the Dollar amount be converted to Euros using the effective currency exchange rate?

• Will there be a special brand name for the new subscription product?

The surprising answer:

• The $99 "will be converted to Euros", currently around EUR 63,00.

• iStockphoto plans that "subscriptions will be capitalized and micropayment will be called Pay As You Go".