2012 October | evolveimages

Oct

Mobile Image Search: Is It For You?

In the age of iPhones, Instagram, Facebook, etc. all of us are making greater use of our handheld devices for capturing and sharing images. And according to a 2012 report by ComScore more than 50% of smartphone users in the US are also using their devices for comparison shopping in retail stores. These trends therefore lead us to wonder: For those of us with mobile devices who are interested in buying images, how often are we using a mobile device to search for and purchase images? If you do choose to use a mobile device to search for images, under what circumstances are you doing so? What features are most important to you when doing an image search on a mobile device?

Evolve Images mobile optimized website focuses on the following use cases: (you can access our mobile site from any device via the web browser native to your device– e.g. Safari for iPhone).

EvoRights simplified rights managed pricing model enabled for mobile device allows users to get a price in three clicks.

Browsing: On a mobile device our “home page” has been stripped down to focus on the core subject categories we feature in our collection: What’s New, Lifestyle, Business & Industry, Concepts, etc. As a new comer to the marketplace, to quickly familiarize first time visitors with our offerings, the mobile experience prioritizes quick browsing of our collection via swipes and screen taps.

Searching: If however a user wants to drill down into a specific image search, we also include a traditional search box that allows a user to type in terms and quickly see results. Modeled after Google image search UI, a user scrolls to the bottom of the results page to modify the search results if desired. The screen shot above illustrates results for the term “traffic.”

Pricing: While we expect few clients to complete a purchase from a mobile device, it is important for users to get a quick price for an image when that information is needed. Our EvoRights simplified rights managed pricing model is particularly useful when pricing from a mobile device. In three clicks the user sees a price for the image selected (as per screen shot above). All pricing parameters are populated with drop down menus so no typing is required.

Mobile Image Search: Is it for YOU? Next time you need an image, we invite you to try using your favorite search engine or image licensing service on your mobile device. Please share your feedback in the comments below so others can learn from your experience or send us an email.

Oct

Curator’s Choice: New Work October 2012

New images this month from photographers Jake Wyman, Rob Fehling, Stuart Westmorland, Barbara Kinney, Jules Doyle, Virginie Miramon, Jeff Hornbaker, and Scott B. Smith:

Ron Fehling/evolveimages.com

Oct

Mats Silvan: Chasing Beauty and Truth

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Mats Silvan now “enjoys life and photo’s passion in Switzerland to the South of Europe in the land of freshness in the Swiss alpine landscapes — at least for the time being.” His images reflect the romance he holds for the pursuit of beauty in all the subjects he captures. Says Mats, “I love the old Europe and the centrality that charming Switzerland offers me a range of infinity shots. With an endless curiosity, I embarked on the journey of my life chasing the beauty, cultivating a growing passion for photography which transmit – more than words – dreams, moods, feelings, shape the moments, stop time and recover the memories lived.”

We are delighted to include Mats’ portfolio as part of Evolve and asked Mats to provide the back story on some of his images:

“Imagine being in a perfect place in the right moment of the day like the peaceful warming sunset in Ascona, the unique italian speaking region on the Alps of Switzerland. Fondly referred to as the “Mediterranean’s most northerly”, it not only began to attract more and more artists (Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, …), but also holiday makers and art enthusiasts from all over the world who enjoy this postcard panorama with a seascape view over an alpine lake.

In the background the Brissago Islands, which were covered by a sparse indigenous vegetation and were home to the remains of a convent, after restoring the convent (at present a nice hotel) and planted subtropical plant species, it’s an extraordinary botanic garden on the alps.”

“Ticino’s romantic old town centre with arcades and granite piazzas typical of it’s architecture is ideal for shopping in boutiques, galleries and antique dealers. The old village reminds us of a time when life was marked by the traditional seasonal events. In June Ascona’s piazzas are transformed into a multitude of venues for international music performances featuring jazz and classical music.

As Ascona offers openness and freedom, discover at night the narrow streets of the peaceful town, the mysterious fog surrounding the ancient cobbled alley: a display of shadows that highlight the silhouette of the ancient buildings. The quiet little village is mirrored on Lake Maggiore which was once a fishing village. In the early 20th century, it was discovered by numerous artists who spontaneously adopted it as their home returning there, time and time again. Ascona quickly became a well-known “artists’ village”, with different artistic genres (Hermann Hesse, Paul Klee and many others) influencing and inspiring one another.”

“Europe’s equestrian elite also gathers here every year in July to take part in the CSI Tournament. Bucefalo? Marengo? No, just a foal in a day of mist and high humidity in the air that you can well appreciate with the blonde curly bangs of this curious young horse.”

“Not only beauty and poetry, but also daily business. I present to you some of my staff that always accompanies me in my photographic adventures. Hereby the incomparable assistant and choreographer SPINDEX, busy with the housework but only after payment in cookies. Do not think he’s doing the laundry, his successful visit to the washing machine is a technical inspection: he could smell his favorite cookies in the pockets of my pants inside the wash machine …. and did not want to miss this tasty chance.”

“Spendthrift! Authentic expression after she learned that her credit cards have been confiscated during the mad seasonal sales.”

See more of Mats Silvans images available exclusively on Evolve.

Oct

Ben Welsh: Positive Creative Energy

With more than 20 years experimenting with photography, Ben Welsh has a wide dynamic range of techniques to handle different photographic challenges. From shooting fashion campaigns in Amsterdam to lifestyle on the sand dunes of Punta Paloma in Tarifa (Spain) where he lives. We love the positive energy that radiates from all of Ben’s work and asked Ben to share his insights on the creative process that drives the inspiration behind his images:

” This image of the woman jumping in bikini towards the sea was photographed to give the feeling of the positive energy that you get when on a holiday. The model was asked to run and jump right over me, creating all the sand to fly in the air (and on me…).”

“This model is actually a bodybuilder who asked me to photograph him in different “muscle poses”. After a while I realized that the sea looked so peacefull and I asked him if he would like to “chill out”. I think he loved the feeling of just floating and relaxing his muscles.”

“This young ballet dancer was photographed in a very simple way, using window light and a big white reflector. This way I don’t have to worry about flashes or light modifiers and I can fully concentrate on your model.”

See more of Ben’s creatively positive images on Evolve.

Oct

Rob Tilley: Less Is More

I had the pleasure of meeting photographer Rob Tilley through our mutual association with ASPP. When I first had the opportunity to review Rob’s work, I was immediately impressed with his elegant compositions and clean aesthetic that are a hallmark of all his images. We are delighted to have Rob be part of Evolve and asked him to share his thoughts on this recent submission of his images:

“When searching for photographic subjects I am often drawn to vivid, vibrant colors. Strong colors have an emotional pull which helps to create a bond between the viewer and the image. I am also a firm believer that “Less is More”. Photography unlike other visual arts does not start with a blank canvas. Adversely, a photographer’s greatest challenge is to create order out of chaos. I strive to include only those elements which are absolutely essential for a strong image. When creating images often what is excluded is just as important as what is included.”

“I love to travel and wherever I go, I try to capture a sense of place. I am drawn to subjects which are unique to a particular place and I strive to capture the essence of a place in my images. Finally, timing is everything. For most images there is a right time and a wrong time to capture a particular mood and sometimes the photographer must capture a decisive moment to make an image work.

Before I visited Maui I knew I wanted to shoot sunrise from the summit of Haleakala because it is one of the “must do” tourist activities . We were staying on the opposite side of the island so I had to get up about 2 hours before sunrise to make it to the summit in time for sunrise. When I arrived I was pleased to see cloud cover just below the summit with clear skies above. From experience I knew that the “decisive moment” would be when the sun started to peek above the cloud cover.”

“I love to shoot illuminated buildings after sunset and before sunrise. The golden tungsten light on buildings looks fantastic against a deep cobalt blue sky. On our first night in Cordoba I saw the Roman Bridge and La Mezquita illuminated in the evening from a distance, but it was too late to capture the best light. The next night I made sure I was in the right spot to shoot the illuminated bridge and buildings against the twilight sky.”

“Before going to Spain, I knew Alhambra would be one of the highlights of our trip. It was, however, a challenging place to shoot because of many restrictions. Use of Tripods is not permitted, tickets for entry at specific times must be purchased weeks in advance and once inside the grounds are very crowded with other tourists. I chose late afternoon for our entrance time because I thought the light would be better then. As I toured the grounds I took many photos, but my favorite is this view of the water garden through the window of a clipped hedge.”

“I am always on the lookout for interesting subjects for my images. While I tend to shoot more when I am travelling, I am never one to pass up a good opportunity. I found this lily blooming in our front garden and knew I wanted to shoot it. I chose to use a macro lens and shoot very close up because I knew this would make an almost abstract image without any distracting elements.”

See more of Rob’s images on Evolve.

Oct

Sharon Pruitt: Family First

Shortly after launching Evolve, Sharon Pruitt contacted our creative team and shared a link of her images on Flickr. While we’ve received a number of submissions from photographers who use social media to share their work, Sharon’s work offers a distinctive style and voice that really caught our attention. We’re delighted to showcase Sharon’s work on Evolve and she shares these thoughts about her work, her family and her passion for making memorable images:

“I am completely self-taught and enjoy creating unscripted, freestyle, raw and real lifestyle images. I snapped my first digital photo in 2006, and have been addicted to photography ever since. My husband and children are my models, sometimes willing, sometimes not! I occasionally have to work in “stealth mode” to capture unique moments”

“I’ve been able to work from home as a stock photographer while raising our children. My husband was in the U.S. Air Force and we moved a total of nineteen times during his twenty-four years in the military. I have always been able to successfully bring my stock photography “job” with me during each move.”

“My husband finally retired from military service in 2011, and we now have a permanent home in Northern Utah with our five daughters (still at home) and our first grandchild. It is good to settle down and not worry about moving again. Photography will always be a way for me to be creative, and a way to capture and revisit our family moments together.”

See more of Sharon’s images available exclusively on Evolve.

Oct

Good Judgement

This past week saw the passing of newspaper publishing icon Arthur Ochs Sulzberger who, for more than three decades, engineered transformation and rapid expansion while at the helm of The New York Times. Fittingly, today The Times ran a cover story tribute to Sulzberger highlighting his many accomplishments achieved during his tenure as publisher, chairman and chief executive.

Toward the end of his career, in 1997, as Sulzberger stood at the dawn of the internet age, he had the prescience to understand that, in spite of the multitude of “news sources” readers might find on the Web, ultimately they would return to only those sources they trusted most. “You’re not buying news when you buy the New York Times,” Sulzberger said. “You’re buying judgement.”

Marcel Steger/evolveimages.com

This quote struck a nerve with me as it so succinctly defines what we too at Evolve strive to bring to both image makers and image buyers. Exercising judgement is at the forefront of all of our actions. Whether curating images, collaborating with artists or consulting with clients, ultimately the value we deliver is equal to the quality of the judgements we make. If we do our jobs well, we can hope to attract discerning artists and creatives who understand the value of judgement in showcasing exceptional work.

In turn we also rely on the good judgement of artists to document subjects, themes and stories that are compelling and resonate long after the shutter falls. And we seek discerning clients whose judgement drives unique, creative execution of projects for which we hope our images can both compliment and accelerate.

Here’s to good judgement.

— post by Mark Ippolito, CEO & co-Founder, evolveimages.com

Archive for

Mobile Image Search: Is It For You?

Curator’s Choice: New Work October 2012

Mats Silvan: Chasing Beauty and Truth

Ben Welsh: Positive Creative Energy

Rob Tilley: Less Is More

Sharon Pruitt: Family First

Good Judgement

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