Cutcaster is looking for images for St. Patrick's Day. Please feel free to upload. Thanks!

Cupid is at Cutcaster shooting pics: http://bit.ly/5pBmra Valentines RF Stock Photos

Cutcaster is looking for pictures of DUI and TSA check points. If you have some, feel free to upload. Thanks!

Cutcaster is looking for shots of peoples profile or full head and shoulders. If you have shots like this, please upload. Thanks!

"Content is King but Process is Queen" http://bit.ly/6D2W0U Buying images and illustrations at Cutcaster.

Need pictures of the Galapagos for a project. Upload your shots at Cutcaster.

Cutcaster is looking for productivity! We need manufacturing assembly line pictures now!

Cutcaster is looking for underwater images, especially with the scientific names of the creatures there!

Cutcaster is looking for pictures of police work of all kinds for a special project. Submit yours now!

RT @garypageau 6Sight: John Griffin, cutcaster, sets up an demand-based exchange for images. almost like a "stock" market

RT @markipp: Get the right image for the right price: thought leaders from istock, Aurora, Cutcaster, Ozmo, Hunstock http://bit.ly/4sa1i6

Cutcaster year end wrap up- An idea turns into a movement

Cutcaster began 2008 as an optimistic unknown; an innovative idea that was just taking shape and full of potential. Our aim was to develop a dynamic marketplace where buyers could easily find and license fresh and unique user-generated content while content creators worldwide could discover the true value of their work. No one had heard of Cutcaster outside of a handful of people. We had 800 accepted files, fewer than 300 members and I was still trading stocks on Wall Street. At the end of January, I left the stock market to work full time on Cutcaster. What started with a few hundred files blossomed into a community of over 3600 members and 107,393 accepted files on January 1st 2009. (Congrats to both Marburg and Beth Pulsipher for having the closest predictions to our year end total accepted files). What a difference a year makes.

What Happened in 2008 - A few highlights:
1. Buyers outreach program started in mid-September- Email, print and web advertising, Google Adwords campaign, press releases, direct sales calls and email blasts, SEO techniques, joined two affiliate programs, our internal referral program, handwritten introductory letters, onsite Cutcaster demos, participation in buyers’ conferences i.e. Picturehouse, and participating in different forums.
2. Contributor outreach program- Grew from 800 files to over 107,000 by years end. Pretty amazing growth, I’d say, and the quality has been excellent so keep up the great work.
3. Started the year with 300 members and now we are over 3600 members and 1700 members have uploaded a file or more.
4. Numerous site features and enhancements rolled out. We have always been fast to correct things and roll out features that the community needs and things will continue to be like that in 09.
5. New image and vector search algorithm
6. Best customer service in the industry- We roll out the red carpet for everyone.

What to expect in the New Year
1. I’m moving the Cutcaster headquarters to San Francisco at the end of January and you shouldn’t notice any changes except a new address. This is so I can efficiently run Cutcaster and be close to the talent and money that I need to take on our competitors. I’m sad to leave NYC but extremely excited to be on the West Coast.
2. A lot more attention and work on the buyer front i.e. roll out corporate accounts, introduce credit packages and extended licensing, enhanced clipfolders, search algorithm tweaking and re-weighting the results, more direct sales calls, attending more buyer conferences, Cutcaster API’s, promoting more exclusive content on Cutcaster, tiered pricing for different resolution sizes and much more advertising in both print and web.
3. More sales, more data to help you make better decisions, more tutorials to help you know what to shoot and how to shoot it, more image and illustration requests
4. A much faster site

Goals for 2009
1. More sales, more revenue lines for contributors, more ease of use on the site.
2. Surpass 1,000,000 images and vectors
3. Get over 400,000 new images in the marketplace from sources that weren’t in the shallow pool of stock we see today
4. Increase membership to 20,000
5. More fun

Obviously, Cutcaster is a tool to earn money from your content or find outstanding content for the projects you are working on. However, Cutcaster is a community in action and is only as good as our contributors, supporters and buyers. We know we have nothing if we don’t have a strong community and that is why we work tirelessly to best serve our members. A special thank you goes out to Ashley, My family, Justin, Michael B., Zac, Lope, Barbara, Tara, Charley, InSITE, Lita, Dennis, Janie M, Linda, Carolyn, Jeffbeck, Martin, Shaolan, Victoria, Moriya, Dan M, Vasiliy, Jason, the whole Blip.tv team, Gracie, Henrik, Jeff S. and Shawn to name just a few.

There have been more, and I can’t thank you all enough for providing your support and patience as we grow. We know that it is a community in action that accomplishes more than any individual does, no matter how strong they may be. Spread the word, keep up the enthusiasm, and continue to be a part of something from the ground floor.

Here is to a great 2009,

John and the Cutcaster team

New Image Ideas for your new year shoots

At Cutcaster, we have been speaking with more and more with the magazines out there and are hearing from quite a few that they are working on their spring issues. This is a great time to think about upcoming shoots. Here are some ideas we heard kicked around from our calls.

1. Spring Break travel spots/Concepts
2. Kids activities inside or outdoors
3. Fixing up the home/Home Renovation
4. Diet/dieting concepts
5. Upcoming fitness season
6. House/Spring cleaning
7. Home Gardening
8. Moving Season

Lets kick around some ideas here and see what new shots we can come up with. I will make sure it is seen.

New Cutcaster watermark. Better than the old one?

What do you guys think? Here is the old one.



Here is the new one.



Let me know your thoughts.

Top 10 best selling categories of the year

1. people- adults, mature adults, senior citizens

2. business-business tools and concepts

3. objects on white background

4. business people

5. vector graphics and illustrations

6. travel- transportation

7. signs & symbols

8. food

9. sports related

10. architecture & interiors-building exteriors

Thanks for you all your great images and keep up the good work in the new year. We have an exciting year ahead of us at Cutcaster.

Travel Images Requested

Request made - Please let us know if you can help. Just add a note to the upload in the submit area so we know you are sending us material for this.

Thanks.


I am looking for a front cover photo for the books

San Francisco with Kids
500 Places to take your kids before they Grow Up
Travel Guide for Norway
Travel Guide for Ecuador


Both the kids books are horizontal in format. I need to convey San Francisco specifically, so it can't be generic. Happy kids with a landmark, not cluttered.

The 500 Places title-- need to show white kids as tourists in a exotic locale. Turkey, Egypt, something recognizable. I am open to the place. (I showed kids wioth pyramids already, so I am open to other locales.

See what you have in stock. I don't want to limit you.

Ecuador-- need exotic birds, colorful landscapes. I don't want iguanas, they never are picked. Go with colorful birds and exotic scenics. Needs to be VERTICAL with room at top for the title of the book to have space.

Norway-- a great water scenic or people shot, or a not crowded image of Begen. Any of these might work. Needs to be VERTICAL with room at top for the title of the book to have space. Something simple, graphic, and bold.

The Importance of Public Clipfolders, How to Promote Them and How to Make Them….

We have recently been noticing an increasing click through rate on our existing Public Clipfolders here at Cutcaster. This also shows us that buyers are going directly to the Clipfolder area to do their searching. So how can you help them.

Clipfolders are Cutcaster's version of Lightboxes. A Clipfolder or lightbox refers to a folder used on stock photography websites that allows a user to organize digital photos. Photos can be assigned to a public Clipfolder by subject, for later convenience, or used to compile unrelated photos for a specific project layout. Lightboxes also allow graphic designers to show clients options for a project in one simple uncluttered folder.

At Cutcaster, you can make Clipfolders with from your own work or you can take a variety of contributor's work and make a mixed Clipfolder. We suggest using as many different contributors' photos as well as your own in the Clipfolders you create. It is all about creating the best and most diverse Clipfolders from a wide array of contributor's work.

Clipfolders are a way to showcase, share and promote your work and the work of others. This makes is easier for a buyers to find what they are looking for right away, by simply clicking on a Clipfolder that specifies what they are searching for.

Clipfolders can be emailed to a friend or colleague who may be searching for something specific. To e-mail a Clipfolder you simply go into your Clipfolders and choose the little envelope next to the Clipfolder you would like to send to a friend.

Now, I know what your thinking….how the heck to do I make one. So without further delay…..here is the ‘How To’ on creating Clipfolders at Cutcaster:

First log into your account. In the upper right-hand corner of your screen you will see “My Clipfolder” – click on that.


Now, simply click on ‘Create New Clipfolder’ – this should be about mid-screen for you to click on.


This brings you to the Create New Clipfolder section. Here you want to name your Clipfolder, being as specific as you can such as: "Music – Piano’s" or "Woman – Smiling." Seasonal or holiday clipfolders are great too! You just fill in the information ‘Clipfolder Name’, ‘Description’ and ‘Keywords’. Please be sure to use only relevant keywords and no spamming your Clipfolders! Then you just click ‘Submit’. Buyers will search for clipfolders using keywords so they have to be accurate.

Once you click on the submit button, you now need to make the Clipfolder ‘Public’. To do this, click on your ‘Clipfolders’ tab and choose which Clipfolder you would like to make public by clicking on the pencil icon under manage. Then under ‘Sharing:’ – choose Public.


Now all that is left is to put some pictures relevant to topic or concept into the Clipfolder. You can do this by choosing your own pictures from your portfolio or you can do a keyword search and add several different contributors’ photos, as well as your own, by simply clicking on the folder with a plus sign under the photo. Clicking on the folder with a plus sign with give you a pop-up that will allow you to choose to add it to an existing Clipfolder or a new Clipfolder.


Let us know what you think and looking forward to seeing your clipfolders. If you have one that you are particularly proud of let us know and we will link to it from the homepage.

Moneybookers no longer a payment option

I just logged into Moneybookers to make a payment to one of our contributors and saw this message.


Warning

IMPORTANT NOTICE

We regret to inform you that payments between US customers, and US customers and international customers using the Send Money service are no longer supported.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.


We are still reviewing our options but I believe that going forward we will have to pay out international contributors via check. Has anyone else heard of this news?

Come visit us at Picturehouse

Cutcaster is going to be pitching to hundreds of image buyers in NYC and the surrounding areas at Picturehouse this year on October 29th from 10am to 8pm. Here is a list of image buyers who attended last year. If you are interested in visiting us we will be at booth 219 and will be giving away a free iPhone that day to people who come and meet us. If you want more details check out the Picturehouse webpage here.

Speaking about Technology at PACA

For anyone attending the PACA conference this year, I am going to be speaking with a few others in the Industry about the role that technology will play in the future. I guess they like what we are doing with technology that they asked a former stock broker on Wall st. to speak about it ;-)

If you can make it the technology session will take place on:
Sunday 26th October from 3.30pm – 5.30pm
at:
New York Downtown Marriott
85 West St (at Albany St)
New York, NY 10006
Tel: (212) 385-4900

The title of the discussion is: "What Role is Technology Playing in New Business Opportunities?"

The moderator will be Jeff Burke, Former PACA President.

The panelists are: Kevin Goldsmith (Adobe), Oleg Tscheltzoff (Fotolia), Ben London (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), Giles Copp (Version Industries) and myself.

Come one, come all and root on Cutcaster if you have time on Sunday in NYC. Here is a list of other PACA sessions that will be taking place that whole weekend.