PhotoSourceBOOK

Q: When is the deadline for my 600 words to be entered into the PhotoSourceBOOK 2008?
A: December 15, 2007

Q: I don't have my listings of my photo descriptions written up yet. Can I sign up now and enter my listings later?
A: Yes -- In the box where you enter your photo descriptions, type in something like "will supply later." Only your first 600 descriptive words are due before the deadline, as that's when we prepare the book pages for the printer. Your first 600 words are entered in the index in the PhotoSourceBOOK. If you are a member of the PhotoSourceBANK your remaining photo descriptions for the PhotoSourceBANK, up to 3,000 words, can be entered any time, and you can add to them or change them throughout the year. The sooner you enter your listings, however, the more page views from buyers you can expect.

Q: Can I use an older browser to access my page?
A: Your browser (Explorer, Mozilla, or Netscape) must be at least version 4.0 or higher.

Q: Once I sign up, is there a time limit for submitting my photo descriptions?
A: You don't have to compile and send all your photo descriptions immediately. DO fill out the information form with your address, bioinformation, etc. and your first 600-word list of photo descriptions . This is needed to get you included in the PhotoSourceBOOK directory. If you are aPhotoSourceBANK member, you can take your time sending your remaining listings (using up to 3,000 words) for PhotoSourceBANK; they can be entered at anytime during the year. It's to your advantage, however, and gives you the chance for more sales, to get the rest of your listings entered in the PhotoSourceBANK as soon as you can.

Q: Can I see an example of what my page will look like in the directory?
A: Yes. Click on http://www.photosourcebook.com/pagesize.html. Also, once you have submitted your page, we will check it out and re-submit it to you for your final approval. Keep in mind that when a photobuyer searches for a specific photo, the search engine highlights the photo description words entered by the photobuyer -- the buyer does not have to read all the other descriptions for their search.

Q: What size is the PhotoSourceBOOK directory?
A: 7" x 10"; The directory includes an index, plus photographers listed also alphabetically in the "Blue Pages," and by geographic location.

Q: How will my profile page be listed in the book -- alphabetically or by number?
A: Alphabetically by last name. If you prefer to list by company name, let us know and we will list you that way.

Q: To be listed by company name, how do I enter it?
A: Put your company name on the lines for "First Name" and "Last Name" -- then put the contact person's name in the box for "Company." Double check with our webmaster if you have questions.


Q: If I choose to have a page in the PhotoSourceBOOK directory -- how will it benefit me?
A: The print directory is sent free of charge to the desks of 3,000 photobuyers. Most of these buyers have worked directly with us and trust our quality of services, assuring interest in and usage of the directory. Your print directory page gives direct referral to your personal website. Quite often, a photobuyer is in a pinch to find a particular photo fast, and on those occasions, presence in a book on the photobuyer's desk can mean the difference between a sale or no sale. Your page in the PhotoSourceBOOK directory promotes your work all year long.

Q: Photobuyers have dozens of source books -- why will this one be different?
A: Buyers have dozens of picture books, the majority focussing on generic, general images. The PhotoSourceBOOK , featuring specific-content photos, text-listed and indexed, goes to editorial photobuyers who need specific photos. And PhotoSourceBOOK gives both photobuyers and photographers the added advantage of its powerful Internet co-feature, the PhotoSourceBANK, when a photographer chooses to list their photo descriptions in the PhotoSourceBANK, also.

Q: I subscribe to the PhotoDaily -- will this marketletter still be useful to me?
A: Yes. With the PhotoDaily, you gain new contacts each week for sales, plus receive leads to markets you can take the initiative to contact. The PhotoDaily, and the exposure you gain by being in the PhotoSourceBOOK directory, both benefit you.

Q: Should I indicate which of my images have model releases?
A: No. Not necessary. Most images used for editorial purposes do not need model releases. The publisher will let you know. For commercial use, a release is required. But the publisher will ask for the model or property release if he/she makes a decision to use your image for a commercial use.

Q: If I have a personal webpage on the Internet, should I mention it in my listings?
A: Yes, and a hyperlink to it will be listed prominently on your PhotoSourceBOOK page.

Q: What if my Internet connection "times out" before I finish my photo description listings?
A: Before you start, create your own text or word processing document. Enter your listings on that page when you've got plenty of time. Save it. Then, when you are on-line, fill out the rest of the form for the photo listings using the "copy and paste" functions to transfer the listings into the sign-up web form.

Q: How do I know my PhotoSource International webpage's address?
A: Your address will be automatically assigned to you when you sign up. At the very top of your browser is your website address. As you're viewing your PhotoSource International home page, it will read: http://www.photosource.com/ plus your unique number. You will also be assigned a password. If you happen to lose your password, we can easily generate a new one for you immediately. Call 800 624 0266.

Q: How will photobuyers contact me?
A: By phone, or if you list your e-mail, fax number, or Web address, they might contact you that way. If you change your address, phone or e-mail, fill out the "changes" form. click here

Q: If I already have a website, can buyers click through to my site?
A: Certainly. Just be sure to list your personal site's complete URL.

Q: What happens if I move?
A: Photobuyers prefer to contact you by email. If you have a national e-mail address, ISP name such as AT&T, EarthLink, AOL, HotMail, etc. or an 800-number, those remain the same wherever you move, and photobuyers will still be able to contact you. Generally speaking, the post office will forward your first class mail to you, free-of-charge, for about ninety days (the regulation actually reads 365 days but very often it isn't honored).

Also, if you are a PhotoSourceBANK member, put your new address and phone number on the PhotoSourceBANK as soon as you can so you don't miss out on sales or assignments. Check out the "Update" section in the PhotoSourceBANK. Click here to see an example.

If you use your local "Yellow Pages" to find a specific product - then you know how important a "Yellow Pages" is for photo researchers.

PhotoSourceBANK
for PhotoSourceBOOK members who choose to be included in the PhotoSourceBANK (Cost: $59 per year.)

Q: Are you using the same search engine for the new PhotoSourceBANK that you were using in the original PhotoSourceBANK?
A: We have developed a new search engine, "PhotoQuick," for the PhotoSourceBOOK and now use it in the PhotoSourceBANK. This new "PhotoQuick" software provides a quick search feature that rivals any search service on the Web. You can test it out at http://search.photosource.com. Of course, don't enter a generic word such as tree or river; photobuyers can easily find such pictures elsewhere. Try entering a specific, hard-to-find picture, such as Mount Mckinley covered in clouds. This is the type of photo that photobuyers use our PhotoSourceBANK for.

Q: As I understand it, I can enter 300 to 3,000 words describing my photos?
A: Yes, that's right. And, if you are a member of the PhotoSourceBOOK, your first 600 descriptive words on your PhotoSourceBANK web page will also appear in the PhotoSourceBOOK "Yellow Pages." You might initially have only 300 or 600 photos that you'd like to enter. Go ahead and enter them. You can use as many words as you like to describe your photos. Examples: boy with sister; happy puppy; rainy night; windy, quiet beach; wet road at night; cold winter day; Heidleburg; Heidelberg.

Q: Why should I, as an editorial stock photographer, use PhotoSourceBANK when I can get my images up on a webpage for free with AngelFire, Tripod, GeoCities and others?
A: This one's easy: Number of hits from photobuyers per day. Photobuyers actively search PhotoSourceBANK pages for special interest images by professionals. Our website gets an average of 42,000 hits per day -- four times as many visitors as all other stock photography sites COMBINED. Wouldn't you rather have four times as many buyers visiting your web page on the PhotoSourceBANK? Also, AngelFire, Tripod, and other free websites require you to allow advertising banners on your site, which can be an irritant to photobuyers. A poorly designed website gives an unprofessional impression of you to the photobuyer.

Q: Why is a photobuyer more likely to flip through a book to find a photographer in a specific geographical area, than search the Internet for the same thing?
A: A matter of preference and a time saver for many buyers. Like the telephone book, or a Rolodex, a directory is still a popular tool among photobuyers.

Q: What if I enter only a few photo descriptions now-- can I enter more at a later date?
A: Yes. Our system is designed so that you can add to or change your 3,000 words at any time. You can also change such things as area code, street, apartment address, etc.Tip: Enter your full 3,000 words ASAP. It will assure more page views of your page by photobuyers.

Q: Why all the specialized categories? Can't I just list "Nature," "Scenics," "Sports," "Agriculture," and be done with it?
A: Magazines, brochures, websites, CD-ROMs, multi-media, textbooks, and books are highly specialized today because their readers/viewers have highly specialized interests. Photobuyers don't want to contact 50 photographers who are "sports" photographers -- when they can find four photographers who have listed "indoor soccer." Also it stands to reason that a "soccer" photographer probably knows more about the game (and this will reflect in his or her photographs) than a generalized "sports" photographer. Photobuyers are interested in pleasing their discerning (and often critical) viewers.

Q: How should I list my scenics and landscapes?
A: When you type in your entries, resist the urge to enter your prize-winning collection of landscapes. Photobuyers generally go to their own favorite stock photo agency or staff photographers for these easy-to-find generic pictures. If you do list a landscape, pick out some specific aspect. Here are some examples: Appalachian Trail in winter, Painted Desert at sunup, petrified wood, White Grass Ranch in the Tetons, Seals at Monterey Bay.

Q: I plan on using all 3,000 words -- can I condense my photo descriptions by eliminating non-essential words?
A: Yes, for example, in the above paragraph, you could eliminate all prepositions such as "in", "at", etc.

Q: What's better, to use a few words to describe my photo, or a lot of words?
A: Use a lot of words, but use a telegram style. Example: for "a cat sleeping with a puppy," instead use: "cat sleeping with puppy."

Q: Should I list in the PhotoSourceBANK page my image format, image resolution, film type, ID numbers, -- those sorts of things?
A: No need to list these in the PhotoSourceBANK. You can detail these when you are contacted by a photobuyer.

Q: Is this a website I'm building?
A: Yes, it's what's called a PhotoSource International Home Page, and it's yours. You can list your unique web address (URL) that we provide you, on your stationery and your business cards. If you've already subscribed to PhotoSourceBANK, our program has given you a URL (website address).

Q: What if I've already subscribed to PhotoSourceBANK, and my old URL is on my stationery, business cards, etc.?
A: No problem. Our software will automatically redirect any inquirer using your former website address, to your new one. Just let us know.

Q: Why do you want us to put text descriptions of our photos in the PhotoSourceBANK, and not put the photos themselves?
A: Through our surveys and extensive feedback with photobuyers in the multi-media industry (books, magazines, and other publishing entities) we've learned that editorial photobuyers want highly specific pictures, not generic photos. They prefer to first locate a source who has photo coverage in that subject area, before they start looking at actual photos. With this in mind, the PhotoSourceBANK allows photo editors to easily research and find who has a collection of pictures in the subject area that they're looking for. They then contact the photographer to view a selection of targeted photos. Another reason we list text descriptions rather than actual photos: Disk space. In the space it takes to store one photo, you can fit brief word descriptions of hundreds of photos! Plus, there's also a time factor at work. It's been said, "A picture is worth a thousand words," -- but to call up a text description of a picture on the World Wide Web is a thousand times faster than searching for and calling up the picture itself. Photobuyers know that to get pictures up on a computer screen is a slow process, and they don't have time for it, unless they are pulling up a specific picture they've selected. They would rather first find out who has pictures in the category they're seeking, and then contact the photographer for a selection of targeted photos to look through. The PhotoSourceBOOK and PhotoSourceBANK serve as channels to help photobuyers locate you and your photo specialties. BONUS: If you are a member of the PhotoSourceBANK, FOLIO, or BOOK, you have free access to your own personal PhotoSourceLIGHTBOX where you can place an unlimited amount of images to exhibit to a photobuyer.

Q: When a photobuyer refers to 'content-specific' pictures, what does it mean?
A: The term means the 'content of the picture' is highly specific. For a story on different breeds of cats, for example, a photobuyer would need photos of specific types of cats (e.g. Siamese, Angora, etc.) not "cats" in general.

Q: What about general scenics, landscapes, that sort of thing?
A: Put yourself in the photo editor's shoes. If you were looking for a picture of a sunset in the Painted Desert, or snowfall on the Missouri River, or a particular canyon in Wyoming, you would narrow your search by entering two or three words when you start the search mechanism (Death Canyon Tetons Wyoming; sunset Painted Desert; snowfall Missouri River). Take this clue and enter one or two extra identifying words for your general scenics and landscapes. Many editors do this by using Google. They type the photo need, a space and then the word: photosource. Try it.

Q: Should I enter listings for B&W's? How about color prints?
A: Yes, you should list all pictures you have: slides, B&W's, color prints, no matter the format. No need to group them a special way unless you want to. The search engine highlights a buyer's specific search words when they appear in a group of listings, so listings don't have to be grouped in any categoreis or listed in any order.

Q: How do I enter a listing? I mean, is it just like a caption on a photo?
A: Yes, very similar but shorter. Whenever you enter a photo description on the PhotoSourceBANK keep in mind that a photobuyer comes to us not for generic pictures of any animal, airplane, or a zoo, but for a specific picture, of a Siamese cat, a Piper Cub, or the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The more specific you are in your photo listings, the greater the chance that a photobuyer will be contacting you to get details about your photo collection. Reminder: You have up to 3,000 words to describe your photos on the PhotoSourceBANK. One picture may be described several ways. To illustrate, a senior citizen might be tending a cabbage garden in a rural setting and his antique airplane is in the background. That one photo can be listed: rural barn, cabbage garden, senior citizen, antique airplane. All of these elements must be prominent in the picture. For example, the antique airplane can't be partially hidden, or the cabbage garden be in the seedling stage.

Q: Should I use "bold face" in my photo descriptions?
A: Not a good idea. The search engine will highlight a "find" for the photobuyer. If you bold face items -- it would be confusing for the photobuyer who lands on your page for a specific search.

Q: How many daily visitors do you get to the PhotoSourceBANK?
A: Hundreds of photobuyers per day, at a minimum, come to this section of the PhotoSource International website looking for specific images. Altogether, our site is the most visited stock photography site on the Web, with all sections of our site totalling more than 42,000 hits per day. It's important to list as many of the subjects you have coverage of as possible. Here's an example: One of our subscribers had visited Iraq when her husband went there on a business trip several years back. When Reader's Digest needed a picture of the Al Rashid Hotel in Baghdad, and they checked for it on our PhotoSourceBANK, Tina Manley happened to have taken a picture of that hotel, which was where she and her husband had stayed. She had it listed on her PhotoSourceBANK site. She sold one-time rights to the picture to Reader's Digest for $800. This is a reminder that photobuyers buy pictures "not because they like them, but because they need them." Look at the editorial (not advertising) pictures in the books and magazines in your library. They are not necessarily award-winning photos, but they are the photos the photobuyer needed. The real judge of the worth of a photo is the photo editor who writes the checks.

Q: Can I submit picture categories even though I haven't actually taken the pictures yet?
A: Photobuyers are always interested in picture "availability." For example, if you live next door to a silver mine -- one of your listings, at least, should read: silver mining. (Also list it as: silver mine.) If a relative is a dentist, your entries could read: dentist, toothache, cavity, and dentistry. However, for practical purposes, have photographs available of many aspects of a subject, so that you have a variety of photographs on hand when a photobuyer queries you. Otherwise you'll find the buyer will ask in July for a winter scene of the silver mine, or for a dental situation when your dentist cousin is on vacation.

Q: What about geographical listings?
A: Photobuyers very often request pictures by specific geographical area. It's important that you list your nearest national park and your nearest tourist attraction(s). These geographical categories are only suggestions. Expand them to include anything a photobuyer might be interested in -- even though you do not as yet have a picture of it. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce for brochures. Buy post cards from your local newsstand. The locations depicted will give you ideas of what you should list. Be sure to list your closest city, your state, and any nearby landmarks.

Q: What if I have photos older than ten years, can I list them?
A: Yes, photobuyers often need non-current photos. For images older than ten years, list them like this: Pittsburgh 1987, Ethiopia 1920, Syracuse NY 1979, University of Pennsylvania 1982, Tokyo 1946, Homer Alaska 1966. Note: For timeless scenics no need to list a date, but be specific (i.e., not just "waterfall," but "Oak Glenn Falls TN, sunset blooming dogwood").

Q: My stock photos are of people, not places. How can I enter them?
A: Magazine photo editors always are seeking "people" pictures. So are book publishers in the areas of education, medicine, sociology, psychology, etc. Here at PhotoSource International, we get many requests for stock photographers who can supply pictures which show people, their relationships and emotions. Here are some of the most asked-for categories: Helping, discussing, thinking, smiling, sleeping, crying, anger, concentration, sadness, joy, love, surprise, loneliness, cooperation. Employ these often with your 'people pictures.' Here's an example of how you would list these kinds of photos: Angry parent, student thinking, lonely child.

Q: And inanimate objects, how do I list those?
A: Same way. Here are some examples: burning house, church dawn, sunlit steeple, rainy cobblestone street.

Q: Listing all my photo descriptions in one long unbroken paragraph seems to defeat the purpose of photo research. How can the photo editor ever find a specific word?
A: Our search engine, "PhotoQuick," on the PhotoSourceBANK, automatically locates and highlights any word(s) the photo researcher is looking for. The buyer does not read through all the listings for his/her search.



PhotoSourceFOLIO

Q: What does the PhotoSourceFOLIO cost?
A: You are able to display 6 of your images for $59 per year. (There is an extra charge for scanning if you are unable to e-mail us jpegs of your six photos.) You can put six photos and captions on the PhotoSourceFOLIO by paying $59 per year, or $4.95 per month. If you subscribe to both FOLIO and the PhotoSourceBANK you are entitled to have your images displayed in a rotating format on our PhotoSource International Home Page.

Q: How do I submit my photos to my web page?
A. You have several ways to submit your pictures: 1.) If you already have photos posted on the Web, let us know the URL and which ones you would like posted (use our handy order form). 2.) Have a local service bureau scan them for you (300 k) and e-mail them to us. 3.) Have us scan -- the fee is $25.00. Send your CD-ROM via postal mail.


One last thought: PhotoSource International is an equal-opportunity website. It is an open database for novices and semi-pros with qualified photos, as well as for professionals. Let us know if we can be of further assistance to you. Our e-mail address is info@photosource.com.