How to Report Keyword Spamming……

How do you report keyword spamming? It’s easy.

In an effort to make our search results the most relevant to what a buyer is looking for we have a "flag this media" button. On every media detail page there is this icon with a flag on it above the photo on the right hand side. All you need to do is click the flag and a pop-up box will appear where you can choose to report the image for Keyword Spamming or Copyright Alert. There is also a “Reason:” box where you can put your concern in if you would like to further explain the flag.

When flagging any media – you as the flagger, remain COMPLETELY ANNONOMOUS! - so you will never have to worry about inappropriate revenge flagging.

By flagging media for Keyword Spamming or even Copyright Alert, you are not only helping Cutcaster weed through the rubble, but you are helping Cutcaster remain buyer friendly by providing the best relevant search results available on the market today.

Thanks for all the help so far from people who have flagged media files and also those who have gone back and re-keyworded. I am going to be putting out a keyword guide for everyone's benefit later on!

HELP!!!

Hey Guys,

I have been working around the clock on the database for the last week, cleaning out the keywords and titles of uploaded files and I am VERY concerned about how big an issue the spam keywording is. I am trying to build the best licensing marketplace out there, and when people input keywords that are totally irrelevant to the corresponding image, it threatens both the integrity and functionality of Cutcaster for anyone looking to purchase your images. If there are a lot of irrelevant search results returned to a buyer they are going to be put off and not want to license content from our marketplace. To re-keyword 100 images, it takes approximately 1.5 hours. Cutcaster is currently averaging 1000 image uploads per day so it is impossible for me to re-keyword everyones' images on top of everything else. I want to be spending all my time getting buyers so this is a money maker for everyone. So I am asking (begging) for your advice and help. I welcome any and all suggestions:

What are ways I can incentivize users who upload content to Cutcaster to make their keywords only relevant to what is in the image? I appreciate all advice!!

Digital Noise - What to look for?

(click on the image to see a larger preview version of the digital noise.)

(click on the image to see a larger preview version of the digital noise.)

Digital noise mainly happens from lack of light. It will be apparent in the shadows of your images when viewed at 100%. Setting you ISO too high will also cause digital noise while your camera is trying to compensate for lack of light. In some instances, where the noise is not too bad, you can use certain software programs (Neat Image, Noise Ninja, etc.) to correct the problem – although over-correction can cause your image to become blurry. Photoshop has despeckle and Lightroom has noise reduction also.

Below is the same photo that I have reduced the noise on.


(click on the image to see a larger preview version of the digital noise.)

I personally find the best place to look for noise is:

In the shadows under objects
If your picture is has a blue sky – look in the blue of the sky at 100%. It should be a smooth blue without little dots or other visible imperfections.
If the photo is a mug shot type image, look under the models chin, where the chin casts a shadow on the neck.

Rejections are frustrating and have a tendency to make people lose motivation. I’m hoping this little guide here helps with less rejections for happy contributors and buyers.

Quality Content = Happy Buyers = Repeat Buyers = More Downloads = Greater Royalties.

It’s a win / win situation.

Update to Cutcaster Search coming

Hey Guys,

I wanted to share with you a BIG update as a contributor to Cutcaster.

Our search algorithm and the way we will organize search is being completely re-vamped and introduced in the next week after a month of tireless work. For such a young site, we are going to have an awesome search engine and will help us attract buyers who are sick of irrelevant search results and looking for fresh, unique content.

At this time, I do not have the man-power to go through each image and revise the keywords ourselves, which I wish I could do. I have reviewed some of your images and if you were to tailor your keywords and titles more specifically to each image you will greatly maximize your profitability and where you will show up in search result. It’s not about quantity but quality keywords. I understand it is time consuming to go your keywords for each image, and I am not doing this to enrage anyone or pick on anyone but this is the best way for us to attract buyers with the most relevant search. This will lead to contributors having more sales. It is a missed opportunity for everyone if the images are not keyworded properly and this is an area where we can compete and beat the big boys in but only with your help.

This weekend and next week, we are going to do a major keyword and title edit to most of your files so they conform more with what we will be searching for on the site. If you have identified your files off the site by title or some other metadata which lets you know which files are on which site please let us know so we can work together. We will be making some changes and edits to your files metadata but we still need your help mostly. Also some of your keywords are not separated by commas. If they are not can you please add a comma into the spaces where it should belong, followed by a space i.e. dog, animal, family pet, pet etc.

Secondly, I want to personally thank you for uploading your photos and vectors to the site. Cutcaster has been a longtime dream in the making and your contribution is invaluable to the site’s continued growth and success! Cutcaster has grown exponentially since we launch it just 8 months ago. I promise to continue to work tirelessly to improve and grow the site which is happening. We are here for the long haul and need your help.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about keywording. I really appreciate you taking the time and wish you the best of luck selling your images on Cutcaster.

Best Regards,

John

P.S. Here are some resources to help you with keywording and titling.


Image titles-How important are they?

Image keywording and describing content.

How much your image and vector description matters at Cutcaster?

What makes Cutcaster's platform so unique?

Cutcaster brings you the unique and value priced royalty free stock photos, stock illustrations, stock images and stock video clips; all sourced from the top emerging creative artist and freelance photographers and graphic designers. Search an immense library of licensed royalty free stock images available at www.Cutcaster.com. You are also always in control.

For buyers, they are getting first crack at unique and premium content. You can find images and vectors that you competitors haven't seen. If we don't have what you are looking for you can request it in the ProjectRequest area or you can ask our lightning quick customer service team.

Cutcaster provides stock images for creative directors, art buyers, graphic design, multi-media, book and newspaper publishing, printer and web design. You aren't required to register to browse or add items to your shopping cart. You can seamlessly buy or bid for content and name your price. Join our community of creative contributors and you can literally turn your creative work into cash. Submit your creative photographs, graphic illustrations, and artwork; selling it as creative royalty free stock content to millions of creative buyers worldwide. All our Stock Photography, Royalty Free & Editorial Stock Photos are licensed by Cutcaster.

As part of our creative community you can share tips and tricks. Profile your latest and best work to associates, friends or customers. You will find all of our images via our fast search engine which is being re-launched in one weeks time based on buyers feedback. Look for royalty-free stock photography, stock photos, stock images, stock illustrations, stock pictures, stock clip art, vector graphics/ digital art and all other forms of royalty-free photographic images and creative stock.

Editorial use only button

There the new "Editorial use" only button is.

We have added an "editorial use" only button to the submit page in the upload area. You should assign this note to any photo that you know can only be used for editorial purposes.

The image will now contain this message for any visitor or buyer. To add it to an image, simple select the image you want to add it to and then click on the "Editorial Use" only button and it will be added.

Release Information: Editorial Use Only. Image not to be used in commercial designs and/or advertisements.

Images that are marked as “editorial use only” are ones that have not been released for commercial use and have also been taken without the consent of the individuals in the photo. Editorial means books, newspapers, magazines, calendars, stuff that is not advertising. Editorial usage would typically be an image used to support an article or broadcast item in pretty much any media (TV, web, print etc) - typically news/features whilst advertising use would be any image used to promote a product or service.

If you have more to add in the comments about what editorial vs. commercial is please add it. If you need more help, just ask us.

John

Is Getty Buying Flickr?

Who knows but this could be some big news. Is Getty buying Flickr? Sounds like a wild rumor but here is to feeding the hysteria.

Passed ५०,००० Photos this week

and we are adding almost 800 files a day on about 1200 uploads. That is just photos and doesn't include over 2,000 vectors and 9,500 video clips. Plus a number of files that are being upload from the backend. We have grown from 12,000 files at the start of August to where we are today.

Here is to breaking 100,000 files by Thanksgiving. And remember our goal is to do break 100,000 by the New Years. You can still place your vote for a Cutcaster t-shirt here.

Life is great and we are growing like a weed. A good weed in Getty's backyard. Move over Getty. There is a new sheriff in town and I am glad to have everyone on board from day 1 and on the ground floor to fuel this growth.

Guest Blog Post- From hobbyist to professional artist

Whenever the microstock business receives a mention in the media, it is usually accompanied by the common description of microstock artists as amateurs, hobbyists, and stay-at-home moms or dads who have a consumer-level digital camera and some vacation photos they hope to make a quick buck off of. While those descriptions may accurately represent many artists working in the microstock field today, there are many others who consider microstock their profession. A number of things can factor into why the amateur title may be a fitting description for many microstock artists, but this does not mean that amateur status is permanent and are a few things that you can change today that will elevate your position in the stock imaging world. Changing your outlook on your microstock work and how you approach your craft can help to turn a hobby into a job.

There is a frequently used phrase in self-help and confidence-building circles: “Act as if.” You may have heard some slightly different versions of this saying, but in all of them the underlying principle is the same; How you conduct yourself has a direct effect on what you become and where you end up, in all aspects of life. In microstock, acting as if you are already a professional may spur you on to truly becoming one. Take a look at your typical microstock day and think about how an outside observer would regard your activities. Do you conduct yourself in your daily life like a hobbyist or a professional?

One of the quickest and easiest ways to transform your microstock hobby into a job (part-time or full-time) is to re-assess your work-flow and make changes that shift that work-flow into a more efficient, business-oriented process. If you are working in a cluttered area, with many distractions and very little organization, clean up your workspace and create an environment that is more like an office. Create a schedule for yourself, and stick to it. If you only have an hour a day to devote to microstock work, make sure that you put in that hour every day, and around the same time each day. Finally, make decisions based on good business choices, not personal preferences. Don’t limit your choice of agencies to work with based on your personal feelings about them. If you are only working with one or two agencies because they are your favorites, you are restricting your earnings potential and making an amateur decision. If you start to think and act like a pro microstocker, you will quickly transform your hobby into a job and your income will reflect this change.

Contributing writer Mike McDonald. Thank you so much, Mike. See Mike's Cutcaster studio here and his website here. Come on Mike. We want some more of your awesome work here at Cutcaster.

Testimonial from user on how they used their Cutcaster payout

From: Fern
Subject: Be out for a while
To: john@cutcaster.com
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 2:46 PM

Hi John,

Just so you know - the check really came in handy. I used it to help with Hurricane Ike evacuation. We got hit hard. I have damages to my home, carport and fencing. We are without power, water, ice, and gas (only 2 gas stations open and lines are 2-3 hours long). Power should be back within 2-6 weeks so it may be awhile before I can upload more photos.

Fern


Just to give you a little background on this email I just received. Fern is one of our members and requested a payout by check from Cutcaster about two weeks ago after she sold over $220 in photos. Little did we know how handy that check would come in.

One thing I have to say about this tragedy is that, living in NYC, I thought I wouldn't really be affected by Hurricane Ike outside of watching the utter devastation on TV and giving to the Red Cross to help the victims in a time of need. But starting Cutcaster has opened up my world in ways I could have never predicted and formed friendships with people all over the map. Some of whom were affected by Ike.

This is an almost surreal email for us to get to see how "We", as an entire Cutcaster community, could help someone evacuate from danger's way from a single payout on Cutcaster. I am glad to see our payout go to such an amazing use. I hope you all will take a moment to say a prayer for all the victims of Hurricane Ike and visit the Red Cross to donate anything you can spare.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by Ike.

Interesting Blog links

During our short time blogging at Cutcaster, we have have stumbled across, been fascinated by and educated by other blogs that might be of interest to you. We have collected links on the right hand side of the blog that we feel are interesting, educational, cool and informative. If you would like your blog to be added to our list please send us an email and tell us why. We invite you to also link to Cutcaster and our blog. The blog will be moving over to wordpress and the address for now is http://cutcaster.wordpress.com/.

The PhotoShelter Collection will discontinue stock photo licensing.

Sad to see but just saw this post at Photoshelter. It's never good to see a competitor in your industry close it's doors and there were many things to admire about Photoshelter. Paul Melcher once compared us in a pretty weird way to one another on his blog. I'm not sure they mentioned all the reasons for closing the licensing wing of their business but I wanted to add the update to our blog for anyone interested. I hope members of Cutcaster will relay their stories to members of PS about their experience so far at Cutcaster and that PS members will move their valuable images to Cutcaster for licensing and let us go to work for them. All we ask for is a chance to prove ourselves.

Why is the PhotoShelter Collection shutting down?

Despite our unique approach to the stock photo marketplace and progress by our sales team since launching last year, The PhotoShelter Collection was unable to change buyer behavior on a grand scale and generate revenues quickly enough to satisfy our goals for this product line. While image buyers worldwide appreciated our new approach, the size of our image selection and the incumbent player's entrenched subscription relationships were a persistent challenge. As a result, we saw few strategic options for the Collection that would allow us to stay true to our commitment to a better deal for photographers and our desire to change the industry. We have chosen to refocus heavily on enhancing our original product, The PhotoShelter Personal Archive, which several thousand photographers use for bulletproof storage and online image sales directly to their own clients.


This is a call to all Cutcaster members. If you know other Photographers who were using PS as a way to license their photos, I would love your help in asking them to join our mission at Cutcaster but only if you feel that they would benefit from using our site or have great content.

Our doors and arms are wide open and staying that way. We need to increase our collections and I know that many of the photographers on PS had great work that they were licensing. This will benefit everyone by bringing more buyers to the site while still letting photographers set their own price and retain more control.

Finding Images on Cutcaster you just viewed and want to buy

Are you looking for something which you just saw and want to buy?

Remember that image that you loved but just couldn't find again? Did you even downloaded the comp image and you are ready to go back in and buy it? Looking through the database again probably isn't at the top of your priority list so we wanted to shoot over a few solutions.

I have a few solutions.

* One can search by the unique image id – simply enter the image id in the search box like this @987654321 or put it into the url http://www.cutcaster.com/viewmedia/view/987654321 and fill in the numbers with the unique id of the image you are trying to find.


* Search by the title – try and remember the title of the image which will help you narrow down the time it takes to find that image again.

* Search by photographer's name – if you can remember the photographers name you can search their portfolio by entering their name in the search box and clicking off the "members" box so the engine searches by member.

* Search by keyword – you can search by the keyword of the image

September 11th Memorial

Our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone affected by Sept. 11th. No one will ever forget or be forgotten.

Link to Cutcaster from your other sites

On everyone's studio page there is a message that says this,

"Get more views. Post this to your Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, personal site or any webpage: http://www.cutcaster.com/studio/pub/582007626"

That is from my studio page for example. Please don't laugh at my photos as I was a former stock trader and some belong to my brother in law ;-)

This is very important for a few reasons and I highly recommend people trying this and linking back to their studios. One is it helps you get more traffic back to a site where you can sell your images. Two, it showcases your work and a site I hope you guys are proud of. Another reason is it helps Cutcaster get more incoming links which helps us in terms of getting higher rankings in the search engines so we show up higher in queries by buyers.

I'd like to ask you guys to try to link to us on the sites you are apart of so we can build Cutcaster together. I can't do this all alone and your help will really help make this a team effort and success.

Quotes like this from Getty really upset me

"Getty also runs a site called iStockPhoto, where amateurs contribute photos that the company markets at lower rates. The photos on Flickr are of sufficient quality to demand higher prices," Mr. Jonathon Klein, CEO of Getty Images, said in a New York Time's article.

What a way to market one of your companies assets while at the same time pumping up a potential partnership. That is a pretty big insult to any contributor there and will go down as one of the bigger foot in mouth incidents I think I have seen. I hope others are fed up with that type of attitude as well.

Cutcaster survey help

Click Here to take survey

3 minutes is all I ask. If you have a few moments and would like to help us get a better understanding for what you guys want and need, I would love it if you took 3 minutes and filled out this simple survey. It is completely anonymous and is for the good of the whole community. I will publish the results when we are done so you can see what was requested if you guys would like.

Speak now and get your voices heard as we build Cutcaster according to your wants and needs.

You can now search and buy vector illustrations at Cutcaster

We have been slowing rolling out the addition of vectors to Cutcaster and are happy to announce that you can now search for and buy vectors on the site. Searching for vectors will be done in the same way that you search for images on the site now. Thanks for all the input getting this ready and launched and like always feedback for making it better is always needed and welcomed.

Holiday Images needed

Need Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween shots etc. All types of shots. Thanks guys