Similar Images now on Media Details page

It was a busy weekend but some of you will notice at the bottom of the media details page that we have created a area for similar media files. Take a look and let us know what you think and if you have any suggestions or different ways we can do this or highlight the images. The similar images will be a collect from all different contributors so it won't be from just one person and should result in more views of your images.

We can also add in a selection of thumbnails for images with the same model or properties if that is something that buyers would use and want.

We are also going to be making your keywords, links, so that buyers will be able to click on them and see search results based on those keywords. We have a lot of improvements coming out shortly with regards to the search process and also how we describe our files. I will as always keep you updated.

How can I buy stock photos and stock footage at Cutcaster?

Here are 4 Easy steps to help you buy stock photography and stock footage on Cutcaster.

Anyone can buy and all are welcome. Buying stock photography and footage on the Cutcaster website is very simple however some new users have been asking about the best way to buy stock images and videos on Cutcaster. I'll explain a little more.


* Step 1. Create a Free account. That is step number one. The first thing to buy images and stock video from Cutcaster is to create a free account. Simply click here or visit www.cutcaster.com and click on the Join Now button on the Cutcaster homepage. It takes only a few seconds to put in your user name, password, and contact information.

* Step 2. Browse our premium and newly uploaded collection at Cutcaster. We are growing by leaps and bounds and have many exclusives that you cannot find on other stock photo agency sites or stock footage sites.

* Step 3. Now that you have your account, you can add an image or clip of footage to your shopping cart or ClipFolder, which is our version of a lightbox. (I recommend adding the images to the ClipFolder if you are not ready to purchase the photograph or video. You can send these to colleagues or clients.)

* Step 4. Select the images and video that you need and click the checkout button at the top of the screen. The next page will display different image and video files you have chosen. Checking out is a breeze and we accept all major credit cards.


That is it, just 4 easy steps!

If you still have questions please contact John or Victoria at 215-688-2751, call us on skype at johnnywgriffin or email us at john @ Cutcaster.com.

The Cutcaster Algorithm- Helping you get the most out of your photos and videos

I'm adding some additional information on how the pricing algorithm can help you get the most value out of your photographs, still images, stock videos and archival footage. I have an interview that we posted a while back which was done by Photopreneur which explains in detail what variables we look at when pricing content and how the algorithm can help people find the correct market price for photos and videos.

What is the Cutcaster Pricing Algorithm?
Cutcaster’s proprietary pricing algorithm takes the work out of determining and maximizing your content’s revenue by changing its price to match the demand in the marketplace. All you have to do is set an initial price or allow us and then let the algorithm do the rest – the price of your stock footage or hi-res image will then fluctuate based on a set of market variables.

How does it add value?
Just like how the price of a stock on an exchange is set through the interaction of buyers and sellers, we wanted to create a similar effect for a photograph or stock video. If you set the price too high and nobody buys or views your content, well, the price will come down. If there is a high level of demand for your content, you as the seller should be able to charge a higher price for it, so the price will move up. What the algorithm tries to do is automate this process across your entire inventory of content, so with very little effort you can feel confident that your work is being sold at the right price while still being very secure. At Cutcaster, we want our content producers to spend their energy being creative, not managing digital inventory.

How does it work?
It’s actually pretty simple. First, you need to determine the starting price for your content. We don’t really want to tell you this because you the best at determining the cost that went into the production of the photo or video and in addition you know how valuable your time is. You can either set the start price yourself or use the algorithm which will start the initial price at $75 for videos and $20 for images. The formula is flexible and can be modified, so feel free to let us know if you think there’s room for improvement or other variables we should consider when evaluating your prices.

What is Stock Footage and Photography?

Stock footage and photography is a set of ready video and images where you purchase the rights to use the image rather than assigning your own cameramen or photographers to shoot.

The main benefits of digital stock footage and photography include getting to see the final piece of content before you license the rights to use them and they can be licensed immediately.

Additionally, the cost for stock footage and photography, specifically Royalty Free content are much lower compared to assignment or commissioned work. This saves you the cost of hiring the model(s), photographer, location, props, art direction and editing costs.

Fotolia Moves away from Micro-Stock, Incorporates Traditional Collections

Fotolia has debuted what it’s calling the “Infinite Collection.” This is a set of 15,000 agency-distributed photographs that would normally be found on expensive stock photography sites but are now being sold for as little as $20 on Fotolia. http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Will this force higher end stock photography sites to lower their prices? Is this a form of price discrimination because Fotolia won't list the collections they are getting the photos from? Are the photographers whose photos are being sold aware that they are being sold this way by ?

I'll be watching this development closely to see how well they can incorporate this offering into their business model and client base.

Interesting Reports

The NYT reports that Corbis receives more "than 85 percent of its revenue from licensing images at an average price of $250 each". I'm not sure how they will sustain that over time. I'd like to see how that is trending and how fast it is moving.



The WSJ said recently after the acquisition of Pump Audio that images "costing more than $500 each accounted for about 40%" of Getty Images´s total revenues from the previous year. It goes on to point out that demand is dropping as I type this. Well, it doesn't include me in the article.

Big News in Stock Photo Land

Big news out of Flickr today and 123RF media. Using a Flickr API, Inmagine's stock brand 123RF will now allow its users to license their photos to potential buyers. This is a giant move and big surprise. Ill be interested to see how Flickr members will use this service but i think it is step in the right direction for selling photos and eventually video in the future. This is a win win for the sellers and buyers. Yahoo owns Flickr fyi.