Articles by Author

Press Releases 25

By Jim Pickerell | 2213 Words | Posted 10/6/2006 | Comments

Included in this issue: Kai Chiang Announces The Launch Of Golden Pixels; Corbis Acquires Australian Picture Library; iStockphoto Localizes Site For French, German & Spanish Buyers; NPPA Partners With Digital Railroad; Photo Industry Association to Collaborate On Areas of Mutual Interest; The Virtual Picture Desk Expands Into Europe

Randon Thoughts 125

By Jim Pickerell | 1308 Words | Posted 10/6/2006 | Comments

This edition contains items on: AP Takes Aim On Editorial Stock Users; Industry Slowdown; Attitude of Many Micropayment Sellers; Online Ad Revenue Grows 37 Percent; Art Directors Speak Out; Alamy Changes Rate Structures; Corbis To Handle Veer's Solus Imagery; Corbis Outline Senior Staff Move; Corbis Names Brotman VP Licensing Ventures and What's A Photo Worth?

Monetizing The Crowd In A Web 2.0 World

By Bruce Livingstone | 2292 Words | Posted 10/3/2006 | Comments

Bruce Livingstone, CEO of iStockphoto, gave the following keynote address at the German Multi Media Congress, in Stuttgart, Germany last month. He discussed how iStockphoto got started, how online communities work and "the real possibilities that come from massive groups of seemingly disconnected people, working together, for different reasons."

Orphan Works Bill Dies In Committee

By Jim Pickerell | 307 Words | Posted 9/28/2006 | Comments

The Orphan Works bill (the Copyright Modernization Act of 2006, HR 6052) has been withdrawn from committee for this year but there is a great likelihood that something similar will be introduced in the new Congress beginning next year.

Starting Your Negotiations At $4 Million

By Roger Ressmeyer | 2400 Words | Posted 9/26/2006 | Comments

Roger Ressmeyer tells of a usage currently in negotiation for one image where the starting price is $4 Million and why that price is justified. He also offers suggestions as to what photographers and agents need to do in general to push prices up.

Random Thoughts 124

By Jim Pickerell | 1807 Words | Posted 9/21/2006 | Comments

This edition has short items on: What Are Photographs Worth?; Some Thoughts About Microstock; GDUSA Survey; Other Micropayment News; Magazine Closing and Getty Images Adds AP Video.

Is There A Future For Stock Agents?

By Jim Pickerell | 4772 Words | Posted 9/20/2006 | Comments

Pino Granata of Granataimages in Italy, has circulated a letter to agency owners in Europe and the U.S. lamenting the trends the stock photo business has taken and questioning the future potential. I agree with his concerns and have responded to many of the points he makes in his letter.

Where Are Pricing and Volumes Headed?

By Jim Pickerell | 4739 Words | Posted 9/14/2006 | Comments

Recently a reader pointed out, "In the past you've been negative on the potential for stock photo industry growth in terms of pricing and volumes. Currently, are you seeing any likelihood of improvement in these areas?" This story outlines why I see little to no chance for improvement in the short or long term.

History Of The Stock Photo Industry

By Jim Pickerell | 8178 Words | Posted 9/7/2006 | Comments

This is a brief history of stock photography examining how it started and how it got to where it is today. I have tried to chronicle the key events and changes that have taken place in the last 80 years, in hopes that understanding the past will enable us to avoid repeating some of the same mistakes in the future.

Volumes, Prices, Revenue Up At Corbis

By Jim Pickerell | 1376 Words | Posted 9/1/2006 | Comments (1)

Corbis has reported its revenue numbers for the first half of 2006 and CEO Steve Davis told Wall Street analysts that we have "just had the best two quarters in history." The company generated approximately $127 million up from $111.6 million in the first half of 2005. Projecting first-half revenue forward for the full year Corbis should gross in excess of $254 million for 2006, up from $228 million in 2005.

About Michael Masterson

Michael Masterson has a broad range of experience in marketing, business development, strategic planning, contact negotiations and recruiting in the photography, graphic design and publishing industries. In addition to his long experience at the Workbook and Workbookstock, Masterson owned and was creative director of his own graphic design firm for several years.

Masterson has been a speaker or panelist at industry events such as Seybold, PhotoPlus Expo, Visual Connections and the Picture Archive Council of America (PACA) national conference. He is currently the national president of the American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP). He also serves on the board of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in his Los Angeles community. He chaired the marketing committee for the Los Angeles Conservancy, a historic preservation advocacy group, for many years.

He currently heads Masterson Consulting, working on projects ranging from business development for creative companies and sourcing talent for them to promoting and marketing industry events as well as providing resume and professional profile services for job-seekers. He can be reached at zvpunryqznfgrefba@tznvy.pbz.