The practice of allowing visual media to be embedded on an external site by an anonymous user has seen widespread adoption (thanks, YouTube), so that any site in the business of publishing content uses it. By allowing readers to share the video/photo itself, andContinue Reading
The visual web is here. People discover, share and buy based on what they see online. Photo are fast becoming the number one way people connect with brands. An evolution smart companies like Nike and Red Bull have fast understood, pouring millions into photography. But thanks to a variety ofContinue Reading
Flickr’s recent announcement that it will offer licensing tools to its user base should come as no surprise to the readers to Kaptur. We predicted such a move a while back. At a time when more and more photo tech companies are putting their content for licensing, from 500px to EyeEmContinue Reading
The recent explosion of startups devoted to monetizing photography have revealed certain diversity of approach within the photo tech ecosystem, where business models are targeted largely on accelerated aggregation of imagery and either monetization of the audience (data, app charge, etc.) or of the images themselves (advertising, print on demand,Continue Reading
It ripped the sky open like a lighting in a summer night but we hardly heard the thunder. Yet. A few articles, from the Wall Street Journal to Techcrunch replicating the press release, but that is about it. Which is a little disturbing because a series A investment of $61Continue Reading
If anything, Getty Image announcement that they now offer free embed-able images has put a huge road block in Shutterstock growth path. Ever since the announcement a month ago, Shutterstock has taken a beating on the stock market. From a high of $100, it has now fell below $60, lowerContinue Reading
The traditional image licensing business is a transactional one. Historically, the management of rights was considered to be an ongoing service, but with royalty free models eclipsing rights managed volumes, this is of little to no value for today’s image buyer. All value is wrapped up in the transaction: image rightsContinue Reading
It was just a question of time. We have repeatedly wrote here about how the current photo licensing model is broken and obsolete. We also explained at full length how image data collection and third-party revenue are the new gold mine. Getty apparently heard and isContinue Reading
Listening in to Shutterstock’s financial results feels a little bit like being thrown back in time when Getty Images was a publicly traded company, with the numbers being obviously different. First the main numbers. Shutterstock has reported full year revenue of $235.5 million for 2013, up an impressive 39% (1). WhileContinue Reading