SOPA And PIPA Legislation Postponed

By Jim Pickerell | 221 Words | Posted 1/20/2012 | Comments
Earlier today Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he would delay a cloture vote on the Protect IP (Intellectual Property) Act (PIPA) bill and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) announced he will postpone further action on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). On January 14th the White House’s announced its refusal to support the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

Fine Art Photographers Take Aim At Commercial Market

By Jim Pickerell | 877 Words | Posted 1/19/2012 | Comments
Fotolia has added 3128 fine art images from the deviantArt (dA) collection to its offering.  (Click here to see the images.) The images are available exclusively at Fotolia.com.

ASMP Submits Comments On Copyright Small Claims

By Jim Pickerell | 418 Words | Posted 1/19/2012 | Comments
The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has submitted its comments on “Remedies for Copyright Small Claims” to the U.S. Copyright Office. The Office asked for comments related to a study it is undertaking at the request of Congress to assess whether and how the current legal system hinders or prevents copyright owners from pursuing copyright infringement claims that have a relatively small economic value. The Office also asked for potential alternatives to improve the settlement of these claims.

Adapting To Changing Business Ethics

By Jim Pickerell | 1539 Words | Posted 1/17/2012 | Comments (1)
It seems to me that 30 or so years ago photographers could have verbal agreements (a handshake, if you will) with others in business and both sides would feel an ethical obligation to honor the agreement.
Today, honoring agreements is often secondary to maximizing profit.

White House Speaks Out Against SOPA

By Jim Pickerell | 1619 Words | Posted 1/17/2012 | Comments
The White House says the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) goes too far. "While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet," leaders from the Obama Administration officially responded Saturday morning on whitehouse.gov. "We must avoid creating new cybersecurity risks or disrupting the underlying architecture of the Internet."

The Changing Photography Business

By Jim Pickerell | 2328 Words | Posted 1/13/2012 | Comments (1)
The photography business has changed dramatically -- and at a very rapid pace. Kodak is near bankruptcy and trying to sell off its photographic patents. Most of the photo labs that used to process film and make prints have long since gone out of business. Locally, Penn Camera Exchange the largest photo equipment supplier in the region is closing 5 out of its 8 stores. Professional photographers aren’t the only ones who are hurting.

Giving Creators Control Of Pricing

By Jim Pickerell | 1099 Words | Posted 1/11/2012 | Comments (2)
After reading my story on “Who Controls The Price” Terri Petrie of Greenhighlander.co.uk asked, “How could a stock agency allow for more creator control of prices?”

Stock Footage Market Estimated At $394 Million

By Jim Pickerell | 537 Words | Posted 1/11/2012 | Comments
The Association of Commercial Stock Image Licensors (ACSIL) and Thriving Archives have released the results of the ACSIL Global Survey of Stock Footage Companies 2 (AGS2). The AGS2 is a comprehensive examination of current business conditions within today's footage industry, providing strategic, action-oriented information and insights to footage industry leaders.

Continuing Your Photography Education

By Jim Pickerell | 1059 Words | Posted 1/9/2012 | Comments (1)
Not too long ago the primary way to keep up with new trends in photography and what the industry leaders were doing of thinking was to attend industry events. This often meant traveling to New York, Chicago, Las Vegas or New Orleans (in the U.S. – I’m not sure where all in Europe) and fitting into the schedule of the event organizer. Now, it is becoming possible to participate in such educational programs while sitting at your desk and often at your own convenience in terms of time. This story offers a few examples.

What To Shoot

By Jim Pickerell | 1460 Words | Posted 1/6/2012 | Comments
After reading "Licensing Images in Today's Market" a reader asked, “What are the right photos to shoot? What subject matter sells best in today’s market?&rdquo. This story will help you decide what to shoot if your goal is to make money selling your pictures.

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