| It seems to be the way of the future. Most | | | | top-of-the line digital camera are in an excellent |
| everyone who uses the Internet is familiar with | | | | position to fit into the way photobuyers are |
| Google. They have found Google is an easy way to | | | | electronically searching for specialized photos for their |
| get specialized information quickly just by typing in a | | | | books, magazines and various periodicals. Stock |
| few choice search words. (We've come to call these | | | | photographers can use a Chamber of Commerce |
| keywords, or keyphrases.) This development has not | | | | brochure or city website to list on their own website |
| escaped the notice of increasing numbers of | | | | the local tourist highlights, public buildings, historical |
| photobuyers, who are using Google to locate highly | | | | highlights, museums, churches, synagogues, temples, |
| specific photos that they know are not available on | | | | mosques, restaurants, sports arenas, schools, |
| the trendy micro stock sites. | | | | recreation spots, nearby lakes, rivers, mountains, and |
| In the past years, photobuyers were used to putting | | | | so on. This could amount to 5,000 - 6,000 words and |
| little effort into trying to find photographs such as | | | | phrases. The photographers wouldn't have to actually |
| 'University Benemerito, Puebla, Mexico', or "Sod | | | | take the pictures; just list them on their website. |
| homes in Custer County, Nebraska". They knew in | | | | Then when they get a photobuyer call for a specific |
| most cases it would be counter-productive for them | | | | photo listed, they can arrange for an assignment, or |
| to pursue searching for such photos, having | | | | volunteer to take the picture for consideration, |
| experienced that the law of probability was not on | | | | knowing they have a good chance to sell the photo |
| their side. The textbooks, magazines and | | | | to the buyer, or to a buyer elsewhere on the net. In |
| documentary films of the past reflect this absence of | | | | this case, the photobuyer has served as a free |
| suitable photos. | | | | marketing suggestion guide. (If one photobuyer |
| It's not that the photos did not exist; -- only that a | | | | wants the picture, no doubt the picture will sell |
| workable, time-effective method of finding them | | | | multiple times in the future.) |
| wasn't available. | | | | Seasonal pictures, or certain weather conditions, |
| The digital epoch has solved all of this. With Google | | | | might prevent the picture-taking, to be sure; |
| search capabilities available, I see more and more | | | | however, not enough to discourage the tactic of |
| photobuyers going after highly-targeted photo needs. | | | | listing picture possibilities. |
| They know chances are good they can locate a | | | | For the photographer, the only effort involved would |
| source of such a photo by matching a description of | | | | be the time spent amassing a list of keywords and |
| their photo need with the keywords and phrases a | | | | phrases describing area highlights within ten to |
| photographer, or a tourist department, historical | | | | twenty miles (an afternoon trip) from the |
| society, medical school, or stock agency, may have | | | | photographer's headquarters. The digital photos can |
| posted on their website. | | | | be taken and delivered electronically, hi-res, if need |
| We will no doubt begin to see photobuyers digging | | | | be -overnight. Otherwise the photographer could |
| even deeper into the Internet to find sources for the | | | | deliver a lightbox of a dozen views for consideration. |
| pictures they need. | | | | Is this sci-fi stock photography? Ten years ago, yes. |
| LET THE PHONE BOOK BE YOUR GUIDE | | | | Today, Google has changed the landscape for stock |
| In editorial photography, it's known that buyers | | | | photographers and photobuyers. You're at the cutting |
| seldom need a picture the next day (unlike ad | | | | edge. |
| agencies). This means that photographers who own a | | | | |