162 Mixing It with Rights-Managed Stock
SOME USEFUL SPECIALIZED LIBRARY PORTAL LINKS
FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND BUYERS
Below, I list a few useful links to specialized library portals:- Stock Index Online. An online portal with some 330 member libraries. Image
search facility, library details, and more are available. http://www.stockindexonline
.com - PhotoSource International. A meeting place for photo buyers and suppliers.
http://www.photosource.com/ - Fotosearch. Stock photography and stock footage; useful sidebar links.
http://www.fotosearch.co.uk/
Cultural Differences
There are some cultural differences between the microstock libraries
and traditional outlets. To start with, sites like Alamy require images
of a certain minimum uncompressed size. In Alamy’s case, it is
48 MB. Most traditional outlets require images around the 50-MB mark.
Unlike the microstock libraries, you not only can but must interpolate
smaller fi les to this minimum size or the image will be rejected.
This, in turn, means you really need to use a decent dSLR or high-
quality rangefi nder like the Leica M8 to meet the demands imposed
by interpolation, or, better still, a camera that outputs fi les that
are 50 MB or more. But that involves spending more money and
acquiring professional-level equipment. Images from a decent 6-MP
camera can, with care, successfully be interpolated to 50 MB, and
Alamy will accept them but some libraries might not. Standards
are rising all the time.
A few of the top libraries have an approved list of cameras you
must use. Of course, if you shoot fi lm, there will be no Camera EXIF
data embedded in the scan to give away the type of camera used; so,
ironically, for this reason plus the fact that fi lm grain is often less of
an issue with the traditional libraries, fi lm can be a good choice for
them if well scanned and prepared.
Also be aware that the small specialized libraries do not normally
offer FTP or any other form of image-upload facility. Instead, you need
to burn your images to a DVD and post your work to them.
Finally, if you are really sold on the whole “Whoo! Yay!” culture of
some of the microstocks, you may fi nd the smaller libraries a little
more serious. They look to develop a close working relationship with
a small number of photographers. You might fi nd it a refreshing coun-
terbalance to your burgeoning microstock portfolio.
If you are a buyer looking for specifi c images, then you could try
using a search portal like http://www.fotosearch.com/, which allows
you to search many libraries simultaneously.