PicScout has announced that 13 more image producers and companies have joined its recently launched Image Index Registry Connection. New Image IRC clients include photographers Michael Friedel, Alfred Molon and Louie Psihoyos and agencies from several countries: Arcangel Images, Blend Images, Blickwinkel, CSA Images, GAP Photos, Hawaii Pictures, Mediscan, PhotoNonStop and Science Faction.
Blend director of channel relations and sales Robert HensonHensen said that the multiethnic agency wanted to ensure its collection was readily available to anyone who encounters a Blend image online. “PicScout's Image IRC has enabled us to connect directly with many buyers and image users we might not have otherwise encountered. The ability, via Image IRC, to make an immediate connection with a new potential client brings new revenue opportunities,” HensonHensen explained. (Corrected Dec. 7 2009.)
Image IRC currently has a 30,000-image threshold for joining. PicScout plans to open the service to smaller collections of individual photographers in the future. ImageExchange, the in-beta tool that makes the metadata from Image IRC accessible via search engines through a free addon, is available by invitation.