Easy and Safe: the New Partner Network of ImagePoint.biz

Enormous Advantages for Photographers and Distribution Partners

Zurich, Switzerland, Feb. 19, 008. ImagePoint.biz, one of the largest German-speaking suppliers in the digital picture market, is launching a worldwide partner network. With this step the Zurich-based company is entering new and uncharted territory. A step that will bring valuable advantages for both distribution partners and photographers.

Many stock photography agencies collaborate and pass photographs and entire selections on to their partner agencies. Due to this praxis, countless selections are available in many different places. A lot of agencies are therefore not really in a position to offer truly unique and constantly up-to-date images. In addition, the photographers affiliated to the agencies lose control over how their image material is being used.

ImagePoint’s new system now eliminates these drawbacks. Instead of passing on original images, the web interface developed by ImagePoint merely delivers the preview pictures with the corresponding image data and keywords. The intelligent image network solely serves to synchronise the documents. In short: until they are sold, the original images remain in the system of ImagePoint and are not accessible to partners.

As a first result, laborious uploads or the despatch of expensive data carriers are made redundant. Secondly, data for new images, notifications of deleted images as well as meta data belonging to the documents can be updated and synchronised among the partners by the ImagePoint system in real-time. Thirdly, image sales are also transacted in real-time. Fourthly, photographers can check how their high-resolution image material is being used at any time. Moreover, photographers can adapt keywords and even delete their images.

All these indications are immediately taken over by the system and synchronised with the partner agencies via the network. Photographers can obtain an overview of their sales through their existing web interface at any time and can specify through which partner channels they would like their images to be offered.

In terms of technology, the connection works via a web service that exchanges the image data over a standardised interface. The image data is located on the central ImagePoint server, which synchronises new images, updates and alterations.

ImagePoint has already incorporated different partner portals. In the English-speaking world www.topimages.com is active - an international platform run by ImagePoint. Topimages serves customers worldwide - namely in the United States, in Great Britain, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Further, ImagePoint has already signed contracts with partners who use and distribute the 400.000 ImagePoint images in addition to their existing stock. The partner network is to be further expanded over the next few months. The corresponding negotiations with potential partners are already under way and new talks are constantly being taken up.

 

About ImagePoint.biz

ImagePoint Inc. was founded in 2002 and today has its offices and data centre in Zurich. The Swiss company is fully owned by Managing Director Felix Brunner and further founders.