Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Getting the Word Out

So, how do those buyers know that the Digital Railroad Marketplace even exists? They, of course, have a blog. They also are making outreach to photo editors with stories of fresh/unique content via their marketing resources which go out multiple times a month – their August Buyer Newsletter can be seen here. They also have a Buyer Benefits section of the site so that buyers know how the Marketplace can work for them.

In addition, their Railmail gets you “a quick overview of a recent selection of requests”, including:

• Caribbean Islands: Martinique and Trinidad/Tobago
• Las Vegas
• Pench India Tiger Reserve
• Editorial images: Cairo people and location
• Winter and Christmas images; contemporary and vintage (for French agency)
• Health Care: Adult in hospital bed with grieving family

…and so on.

This is a similar type of list I used to get from my agency which let me know where holes were in the library that I could fill, if my creativity so inspired me.

What hasn't, heretofore been known (atleast it's not been promoted as a marketing channel by them) is, for example, this search for the search term "/drr.net" yields some interesting results about their marketing strategy. They're investing in Google Adwords, not on specific Google page return results, but rather, on content-relevant pages. Definately stealth marketing of images. So, for example, on "Les Celebrites.fr", a French site about celebrities, their index for "Michelle Yeoh" contains Google Adwords for images of Michelle Yeoh at Cannes, as noted at right.

On this cached page of Liens de ma Ville, for "MAILLY LA VILLE" yields the results below:


On a much more public note is their sponsorship of the Aperture Users Professional Network Road Tour, which sold out in NYC a few weeks ago, has been to Boston, just wrapped here in DC, and is enroute to San Diego, For Lauderdale, LA, New Orleans, SF, Chicago, Dallas, and Seattle.

So, it is working? Check the client and photographer experiences for more on results.

Digital Railroad – All Aboard?
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Overview
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Getting the Word Out
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Client Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Photographer Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Summary

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Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Client Experience

I wrote previously about Digital Railroad being the provider of the back end capabilities for the New York Times digital archive in my article on July 30th ("Reelin’ in the Big Fish”), and that trend seems to be continuing.

For nearly 60 years, DDB has been at the forefront of the advertising game, and I have had the privilege of working with them on a couple of the Milk Moustache campaign pieces, and they are also responsible for the “Hey, let’s get Mikey to try it. He’ll eat anything” cereal ads; The infamous Gorilla with Tourister luggage ads that lead to our common notion of today that airline baggage handlers are gorilla-esque; and the “Did Somebody Say McDonalds” campaign. You get the point – they’re the real deal, and, as one of the bigger ad agencies, they’re one of the many clients that peruse and license from the DRR Marketplace. Tracy Guza is a manager in their Seattle office. Tracy says, of her initial licensing from DRR “…We have been asked to use more varied and unique imagery in our direct mail and Digital Railroad is one vendor that offers an alternative to the norm…”.

Frommers, the highly regarded travel guides (which have safely guided me on assignments around the world over the years), also has hopped aboard Marketplace. One of their Senior Photo Editors, Ricard Fox, said of DRR, “ I look at thousands of photos that are used on book covers and interior photos, for over 200 books a year. Digital Railroad appealed to me for their edgy and fresh imagery… having this resource in my arsenal is a huge bonus.”

So, it seems that clients are happy and satisfied, and, more importantly, now that it's built, they are coming. While DRR is closed-lipped about how fast and how much exactly (and that's the million dollar question - literally) the answer remains to be seen.

Digital Railroad – All Aboard?
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Overview
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Getting the Word Out
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Client Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Photographer Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Summary

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Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Photographer Experience

When they launched, I was a believer in the concept of paying a monthly fee to have my images online, and downloadable. As with my website, which was originally designed not “to be found”, but rather, as a URL I could provide to prospective clients to look at my work, rather than ship my portfolio. It worked great, and I got many a job from that. It wasn’t until later, that my site began ranking on the search engines, which brought in a huge amount of unanticipated assignments. As with my website, I kicked off my subscription to DRR before the Marketplace launched, to be able to serve my clients who wanted downloadable, secure access to the images I had shot on assignment for them. It is also important to note that at the same time, I also signed up with PhotoShelter, which I maintain today, as well. Whenever I was asked if I was making money off of having my images on DRR, I’d respond that that wasn’t where my sights were set – I was using them to service client review needs, and that was working great, and since that service is a part of my billable post-production workflow, the costs were covered and it was a profit center for me. Yes, there was a learning curve for the clients (and to some degree, there still is), however, it does work, and they are learning. As I was trying to get away from my aging transparencies and negatives, I began the arduous task of scanning and keywording them. I bought David Riecks’ Controlled Vocabulary’s software, which worked great, and made keywording not only so much faster and more efficient, but also, through the process, taught me to think in keywording terms. However, I just didn’t have the time or staffing, to scan in medium format images, so I outsourced that, as well as the keywording and analog-to-metadata caption transfer to Jaincotech’s Gautam Pai, who’s team did a fine job, and for a remarkably good price (which, by the way, is actually much lower now than what I paid even 9 months ago!). I uploaded those results, as well as the in-house produced 35mm imagery, which I could justify doing myself. When Marketplace launched, I had a solid collection of images, but I had no idea as to potential buyers. Sure, there were promises about a broad buyer base by DRR, but would the press release even come close to reality?

Enter Stephanie. One of DRR’s sales team members. It was 9:12 am east coast time a while back, and an e-mail hit my inbox from her looking for a variation on the image that I had shot for a magazine cover of Jamie Rubin (the one image I had was the one at left), at the time, the spokesman for the Department of State. Who knows what he’s up to now, but apparently, a newspaper in the United Kingdom was interested in what I had, and if I had any more. According to the email from Stephanie, the client “…is really after something more casual / less posed, do you have any other more casual shots…”. Sadly, I had two things working against me – 1) I did not have any casual shots, as it was a very time limited cover shoot, and this was all I had, and 2) the UK was on a tight deadline, and to make matters worse, I was on the west coast packing the family into a minivan for a trek up I-5 enroute middle-Oregon during my vacation. By the time I had called Stephanie to close the loop and tell her that I didn’t have more imagery I could upload, the deadline had passed without a sale. Yet, the effort she made while I was sleeping on the west coast at 6:12 am, was most appreciative, knowing further that at about 4am my local time, someone in the UK was perusing my archive and considering licensing my work while I slept. Nice.

Then, it also cuts in my favor. An image of mine at the end of last week was licensed for $150 for a small use in an educational video – probably not while I was snoozing away this time, but certainly without any additional effort on my part. Double nice!

Here’s a link to some examples of other photographers who’s’ images that have generated licensing revenues.

In addition, here's examples of the images from Marketplace turning up online, here's Clairy Moustafellou's RR credit, for one.

Another is Michele Westmorland's underwater image of a young boy, as the DRR credit is shown here.

The proof is in the credits (or the checks arriving in the mail), and that's happening.

Digital Railroad – All Aboard?
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Overview
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Getting the Word Out
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Client Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Photographer Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Summary

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Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Summary

Digital railroad of course, must serve it self (and it's investors). However, that turns out to be a byproduct of serving up images (mine, and many others) that generate revenue for photographers. And we, in turn, get to serve up services that meet client access needs, as well as serving the secondary market for these images, post-assignment, that is rights-managed stock.

Back in the analog days, I used to consider that whenever I was sending my agent, Black Star, my images, it would be at least six months before I actually saw any revenue from them, sort of like priming a pump. Yet, that point would be arriving in October with an April “opening”, yet it’s months before that and checks are arriving - out of the gate no-less. Controlling which of my images goes on my branded site, as well as out to the Marketplace is important to me.

Am I pleased that DRR also is providing a vehicle for Royalty-free images? No. However, I think that they have to at least say that they offer that, but I hardly think that they will be able to sustain themselves on their 20% revenues from the nominal, one time revenues that RF would bring them.

It seems like this train has left the station and is full steam ahead. If you’re not aboard now, DRR and Marketplace is worth a serious look. I'd expect that, in short order, whether via additional image licensing, or as a mark-up-able service to clients, both the Marketplace and Digital Railroad's services could be a profit center for you too.

Digital Railroad – All Aboard?
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Overview
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Getting the Word Out
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Client Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Photographer Experience
Digital Railroad’s Marketplace - Summary

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Au Contrare Mon Frere! Or, Tip for Microstockers: Don't Quit Your Day Jobs

I have great respect for my colleague Jim Pickerell. So much so that almost about a decade ago, I hired him as an expert witness. Yet, I'm going to have to disagree with his example of a microstock success - Erik Reis: Microstock Success Story, over on Black Star Rising.

I responded, in parts:

• "microstock photographer Erik Reis is happy with his results." You cannot equate this individual's being "happy" with their results, as someone who's an example of a success story. Just as people can be successful and not happy, so to, can people - especially hobbyists - be happy and not successful.
• Jim then writes about Reis, that he "acknowledges that only about 10 percent are good sellers." Ok, so, out of 1,338, only 133 are good sellers. That's not so good for a year's work. Even worse for two year's work. My advise to Reis - don't quit your day job.
• Then Jim goes on to reveal "As is the case with the majority of the more than 70,000 microstock photographers, he has chosen to put the same images on many different sites."...Every stock agency (including Getty and Corbis) specifically preclude you by contract from placing the same images with them, because it's been proven to be bad for the agencies, and, as noted by clients - it's been proven to upset clients when they find the same images in searches at many different places.
• The one shining point is the insight that iStockPhoto is not a satisfactory revenue producer, and that other smaller sites are better for them.

(Continue Reading At Black Star Rising)

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Thanks for the Tip Amazon - But Where the Hell is Nikon?!?

Amazon.com let slip the details of the latest Canon, which thanks to this thread over at Fred Miranda, we can now peruse:

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Price: $7,999.99

Product Features and Technical Details
Product Features

* 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor
* Large 3.0-inch LCD display with Live View and seven brightness settings
* 5 fps at shutter speeds 1/500 second or faster (for bursts of up to 45 Large/Fine JPEGs or 15 RAW images)
* sRAW mode; 35-zone metering system; 45-point AF; integrated Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit
* Powered by LP-E4 lithium-ion battery pack; stores images on CF, SD, or some SDHC memory cards

Technical Details

* Effective resolution: Approximately 21.1 million pixels (total pixels: approximately 21.9 million)
* Recording pixels: 5616 x 3744
* Sensor type: Full-frame CMOS sensor, with primary R-G-B filtration (28 x 18.7 millimeters)
* Pixel size: 6.4 microns square
* Lens focal length factor: None (1x)
* Imaging processor: Dual DIGIC III image processors
* Maximum frames per second: 5 frames per second (fps) at shutter speeds 1/500 second or faster, in all recording modes
* Drive modes: Single; silent (single-frame); high-speed continuous (5 fps; adjustable 5 to 2 fps); low-speed continuous (3 fps; adjustable 4 to 1 fps)
* Maximum number of frames / burst: JPEG: 45 (full-resolution, Level-8 fine compression); RAW: 15; RAW plus JPEG: TBA
* Flash sync speed: Up to 1/250, with EX-series Speedlites
* Shutter "lag" time: Approximately 55 milliseconds (from half-way to fully depressing shutter button)
* Start-up time: 0.15 seconds
* Image type: JPEG, RAW (14 bit); improved A/D conversion to 14-bit processing for 16,384 individual tones
* Highlight tone priority: Improve tonal range in highlight areas by approximately 1 stop (C.Fn II-2)
* Noise reduction: Long exposures 1 second and longer (C.Fn II-1); high-speed ISO images (C.Fn II-2)
* Storage media: Compatible with two card slots and external storage media; CompactFlash (Type I or II, including MicroDrives); SD card slot (SDHC-compatible for 2GB higher SD cards); USB external hard drives (requires optional WFT-E2A wireless transmitter)
* Recording options: Multiple media recording options: record to only one memory card; record the same image to both SD and CF card; record RAW image to a CF card and JPEG image to a SD card
* New additional features: Files can be automatically written to another media if card beomes full; select different image sizes and save to different media (example: different JPEG sizes); record same image using all three media options, including external hard drive; copy files manually from one card to another, or to connected USB hard drive
* Image format options: JPEG (compression adjustable in 10 steps on menu); RAW ("CR2" RAW file format); RAW + JPEG (selectable on rear LCD panel); sRAW ("CR2" small RAW file format; 1 /4 file size of full-resolution RAW, approximately 5.2 megapixels)
* Resolution options: Large: 5616 x 3744 (approximately 21.0 million pixels); "Medium 1": 4992 x 3328 (approximately 16.6 million pixels); "Medium 2": 4080 x 2720 (approximately 11.0 million pixels); "Small": 2784 x 1856 (approximately 5.2 million pixels); "RAW": 5616 x 3744 (approximately 21.0 million pixels); "sRAW": 2784 x 1856 (approximately 5.2 million pixels)
* Data recording format: DCF 2.0 and EXIF 2.21; EXIF 2.21--applies "Adobe 1998 RGB" color space tag to images
* Sound recording: Maximum 30 seconds per sound clip (more than one clip can be assigned to each image)
* Folder settings: Create new folder and select on memory card
* 3-part approach to dust reduction: EOS Integrated Cleaning System; self-cleaning sensor unit--low pass filter in front of the sensor vibrates at a very high frequency for about four seconds to "shake" off loose dust and dirt; occurs on start-up and shut down--can also be activated by user or totally disabled; Dust Delete Data: a test shot is taken and any dust spots are "mapped" and added to each image's text data; automatic removal possible in Canon DPP software; manual: user can lock up mirror to blow off any dust or have service technician wipe sensor clean
* LCD monitor: 3.0-inch (diagonal) TFT color; approximately 100% coverage; approximately 230,000 pixels
* Playback options: Single image; single image with info and histogram; 4-index or 9-index image; magnified zoom display
* Live View type: Electronic viewing of scene, directly off imaging sensor, on LCD monitor
* Coverage: Approximately 100%
* Metering: Real-time evaluative metering (off CMOS imaging sensor)
* Grid display: Two vertical and two horizontal lines; can be turned on or off by user
* Aspect ratio: Masking for 6:6, 3:4, 4:5, 6:7, 10:12, and 5:7
* PC live view: Enabled using EOS Utility (v.2.0) (use computer monitor as viewfinder)
* Shutter speed range: 30 seconds to 1/8000, plus bulb (1/3, 1/2, or full-stop increments when user-set)
* Maximum flash sync speed: 1/250 second
* Anticipated shutter durability: 300,000 exposures
* ISO range: 100 to 1600, in 1/3-stop increments; ISO 50 and 3200 can be added via ISO extension on menu; new ISO safety shift (camera shifts ISO in Tv or Av mode if needed to preserve exposure)
* Exposure modes: Manual, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, Program, Bulb
* Metering: 63-zone metering linked to 19 AF points; Evaluative metering (63-zone, linked to active AF point); Center-weighted metering; Partial metering (approximately 8.5% of the picture area); Spot metering (approximately 2.4% of the picture area); Options: Center only; linked to any of 19 AF points; and Multi-spot metering up to 8 readings
* Metering range: EV 0 to 20 (all patterns; at normal temperatures)
* Exposure compensation: Possible in any Auto exposure mode; up to +/- 3 stops, in 1/3-stop increments
* Exposure bracketing: 2, 3, 5, or 7 shots (selectable with C.Fn I-6); up to +/- 3 stops, in 1/3-stop increments; Standard Auto bracketing, via aperture and/or shutter speed
* Compatible flashes: Canon EX-series Speedlites (TTL flash not possible with non-EX speedlites)
* E-TTL II: 63-zone metering with EX-series speedlites; evaluative E-TTL flash metering (can be averaged over all 63 metering zones); distance information now used from compatible Canon EF lenses for flash calculations
* Flash metered manual: Possible with flash in Manual mode, via FEL button
* Flash exposure lock: 2.4% Spot metering of pre-flash illumination
* Flash exposure compensation: Possible on body for certain speedlites (up to +/- 3 stops, in 1/3-stop increments)
* Flash exposure bracketing: Possible with 580EX II, 580EX, 550EX, MR-14EX, and MT-24EX (set on Speedlite)
* Hi-speed flash speed: Possible with EX-series Speedlites, up to 1/8000 second , normal maximum x-sync is 1/300
* PC socket: Standard; sync line voltages up to 250v are OK through PC socket or hot shoe
* Number of AF points: 45 (inside of ellipse area of focus screen); 19 high-precision cross-type points (require f2.8 or faster lens for cross-type coverage); 26 assists points (require f5.6 or faster lens)
* Number of cross-type points: 19 points--any of these can be user-selected with manual AF point selection (high-precision type points; require a f2.8 or faster lens; center point requires f4 or faster)
* Focus modes: One-Shot AF (for stationary subjects); AI Servo AF (for tracking moving subjects)
* Manual AF point selection: 19 AF points ( default); inner 9 AF points (via C.Fn III 9-1); outer 9 AF points ( via C.Fn III 9-2)
* Automatic AF point selection: Possible in both One-shot and AI Servo AF modes
* AF On button: AF button on rear of body executes AF and metering; AE Lock button can switch functions with AF On button via C.Fn IV-2-1
* Viewfinder coverage: 100%, vertically and horizontally
* Eyepoint: 20 millimeters
* Magnification: 0.75x
* Focusing screen: Ec-C IV (new standard focusing screen); interchangeable with Ec-series screens from all previous EOS-1 series cameras
* Diopter: -3 to +1.0 (user-adjustable); further adjustment possible with Eg series diopter lenses
* Mirror lock-up: Possible via C.Fn III-14; new: option to have mirror remain up for multiple pictures, until SET button is pressed
* Eyepiece shutter: Built-in; activated by lever to right of eyepiece
* White Balance modes: Auto (WB is read off of CMOS imaging sensor only); Pre-set (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash); Custom (reading taken off 18% gray card or white object; up to 5 custom readings can be stored); Color Temperature (range 2500k to 10,000k; 100k increments); Personal WB settings--PC-1 to PC-5 (up to five, created in computer and uploaded into camera)
* White Balance compensation: Alter white balance in amber-blue direction, and/or magenta-green direction +/- 9 levels
* White Balance bracketing: Alter White Balance in amber-blue direction or magenta-green direction, up to 15 mireds
* Picture Style: Allows user to easily adjust the "look" of JPEG images, or RAW files processed with Canon software; six presets: Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Monochrome, Faithful; adjustable settings: Sharpening, Contrast, Color Saturation, and Color Tone
* Digital terminal: USB 2.0 Hi-speed (Type B port)
* Video output terminal: NTSC/PAL
* System extension terminal: 15-pin terminal (connects new wireless file transmitter WFT-E2A)
* Remote control terminal: N3-type terminal
* Custom functions: 57 Custom Functions (personal functions built into Custom Functions)
* My Menu: Up to six menu settings can be stored separately for quick access
* Battery: Lightweight LP-E4 lithium-ion battery pack
* Battery information: Current power source in use (battery, AC adapter, etc.); remaining capacity (displayed in 1% increments, on camera's LCD monitor); current shutter count on this battery charge; recharge performance (displays when battery should be discarded; 3 levels)
* Main switch: Three settings: Off, On, and On with Quick Control Dial active
* Camera body exterior material: Magnesium alloy
* Chassis material: Magnesium alloy, including mirror box
* Operating temperature range: 32 degrees to 113 degrees F (0 degrees to 45 degrees C); 85% or lower relative humidity
* Dimensions (W x H x D): 6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 inches (156 x 160 x 80 millimeters)
* Weight (without battery or CF card): 41.3 ounces (1205 grams)

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What I want to know is - Where the HELL is Nikon's D3 annoucement?!?! It's been promised and rumored for some time, and I am going to be excited to see it's specs, but what the hell? How can Canon produce the Mark II, and then the !d Mark III, and now the 1Ds Mark III, and you boys at Nikon are still seeminly asleep at the switch!

While I am a dual system shop right now, using Canon and Nikon systems, I am looking forward to the new D3, but it should have atleast been announced by now. Grrrrr.

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My Phones and E-Mail Are Working

Dear OnRequest -

Recently I spoke with a second person who reported that you have said to them that you have tried to get in touch with me about my reporting about your failed business model(s), and my otherwise critical position about how you're trying to generate enough revenue to be: a) profitable; b) a takeover candidate, or c) ???

So, I checked, and my phones work. I looked back in all my e-mail from pre-blog launch to present, and no correspondence. And, since I actually archive my junk/trash, I checked there to. Nope. Zip. Nada. I got nothing from you.

Apparently, when you were talking to a few photographers who have expressed reservations about your business model and manner in which photographers can generate revenue from a relationship with you, your folks have come back and said things like oh, you mean that Washington DC photographer? We've tried to reach out to him, but he's not interested in talking to us. Now, that's not a direct quote (otherwise it'd be in quotation marks) but the gist of what was said to them.

If you want to get in touch with me, and provide a cogent response to what has been written and reported, please do so. However, going around and suggesting that you have done so without actually doing so is disengenuous, and quite possibly dishonest. If you'd like to respond and take apart what I've written and provide an e-mailed point-by-point response, feel free to do that too. I'll review it, and be happy to provide a follow-up piece that includes it, with any applicable commentary on my part.

The last word I heard from OnRequest was when David Norris responded to another questioner in the audience at the Microsoft Summit, who was challenging the figure Norris cited (which was somewhere above $20k if I recall) for an entire library for T-mobile to use for their new campaigns, and who was suggesting that that figure was way way too low. Whatever the actual figure, the photographer in the audience doing the challenging knew whereof he spoke when he responded that the figure was a low low low amount.

Soon I'll be reviewing what your staff has referred to as your latest contract. Supposedly, it's better this go 'round, as nothing there jumped out at the person who was kind enough to provide it. However, a contract is a form of 'the price of admission'. It gets you in the door. Next will be - how fair is what you're paying for what you're providing. Are you treating the creative talent as day laborers - paid once and never again? Or, are you paying them 50/50 or all licensing revenues as an agency, or 80% to them and 20% to you when acting as their rep? I look forward to reviewing it, and, if you actually wanted to contact me, rather than just pay that act (of picking up the phone or e-mailing me) lip service, feel free to do so. If you have concrete examples of how your business is not just serving your clients, but also acting on behalf of the photographers and creative talent that you will rely on for any longevity, I am happy to review it.

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