10th February, 2010 - Posted by admin - No Comments
credit: www.vivozoom.com/Trinette Reed
The only difference between “ordinary” and “extraordinary” is that little something “EXTRA”. Whether you are a photographer, illustrator, writer or designer, today’s creatives need to step up their game to remain competitive. Hopefully these postings motivate you and ignite a creative spark.
Let’s start our courtship discussing the upcoming holiday of love thanks to the beloved St. Valentine.
For decades the public has criticized poor Cupid, that plump, arrow-wielding cherub of consumerism. Cupid doesn’t rely on Twitter, Facebook or texting to reach the masses. Cupid, armed with his cherished, mass marketing arrow, can coerce millions of people to spend billions of dollars every year on heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, bouquets of roses and mushy greeting cards. Yes, I said billions! I think we all would want a piece of that “billion dollar pie”, but do we need to sell our creative souls to get it?
Initially, Valentine’s Day was created to symbolize an individual’s personal affection for his/her loved ones. So, why are so many consumers bound and determined to fork over all that cash for mass-produced and gift-wrapped amore? How many times have we viewed shot after shot of a man standing in the doorway, holding a box of chocolates behind his back. We all know the shots, because they flood the stock websites. Well, maybe it’s time to think outside that heart-shaped box and get creative.
Take a field trip to a local chocolatier and witness first hand some of the mouth-watering confection creations. The colors, textures, designs and don’t forget the aromas are stimulating. Before you leave don’t forget to sample a few chocolates (they are said to release endorphins, so consider it research). Don’t have a local sweet shop in town – then watch one of the …And The Chocolate Factory movies (Willie or Charlie – it really doesn’t matter). A psychedelic fairy tale is just what you need to break out of the stock mold and create something unexpected.
To the right of this posting you will see a few examples of how these vivozoom contributors escaped the ordinary and created EXTRAordinary.
Stacey Goldberg, Creative Director of the microstock company Vivozoom (www.vivozoom.com)
9th February, 2010 - Posted by admin - 1 Comment
We took the path less travelled when designing vivozoom. We wanted to simplify the search and buy experience and felt that the time was right to offer just two resolutions, print and web. We offer these in essentially three packages, pay as you go, subscription and an ‘Enhanced License’ booster that removes traditional (May I use that adjective for such a young industry?) Microstock restrictions on prints runs, prominence etc..
Other sites had spreadsheets for a pricing page and it was daunting to try and figure out if you were getting a good deal or not. We wanted to avoid permutation melt-down.
Until this week, however, we had not offered a resolution option on Subscription plans. We have now completed our pricing picture with the addition of a web-only subscription model starting at $99 for 30 days at 15 images a day. At a time when choice is fast disappearing and sites appear to be sneaking in price changes, we hope simplicity will be welcomed like a breath of fresh air.
Lawrence
8th February, 2010 - Posted by admin - No Comments
When designing the technology on our website for accepting image uploads, it was clear we’d have to handle images from many contributors who were submitting JPEGs with embedded color profiles. Embedded profiles are great news as they allow you to experiment with the image by removing the profile and applying a different one and contrast the before/after effect.
These days many images are used on the web and many browsers do not honor embedded color profile (yes yes… Safari does I know, I know..). But even if all browsers did honor the color profile, embedding the thing into every thumbnail results in bloated image sizes. So what to do?
Throw it away like 123rf?
123rf jpg of Pasta Sauce by Ed Bock
And Dreamstime?
Dreamstime jpg of Ed Bock's Pasta Sauce
Or how about (and I know this sounds crazy) we show the image as the photographer intended..
vivozoom's color corrected version as the Photographer intended
The colors are vibrant, the ingredients look appetizing rather than anaemic. Download the high-resolution from vivozoom and you will have access to the color profile to swap out or modify as you please. Download the web resolution from vivozoom and you get the real deal. Not a washed out version.
If you purchase web-resolution images, make sure you buy from a business that knows images… vivozoom. We convert color profiles on all images that are destined for web display to sRGB in the working space.
All images are not equal.
5th February, 2010 - Posted by admin - No Comments
So long, we'll miss you. A true innovator.
Word reaches us that StockXpert is to be shuttered. Less choice for buyers is rarely a good thing.
A true innovator, they used free images and social media as a springboard to launch a force in the early years of Microstock.
We hope that if you are (were) a client of theirs that you’ll accept our offer of 50% off your first purchase at vivozoom.
To take advantage of this offer:
- Register on vivozoom
- Email your vivozoom account name and a copy of a stockxpert invoice to us at stockxpert@vivozoom.com
- When you receive your discount e-coupon via email, choose your images at this address and use your e-coupon code at checkout (remember to click ‘APPLY’)
You’re assured of a warm welcome to vivozoom, images you can trust.
Lawrence
CEO
Note: Offer expires 31 March 2010 at midnight EST
