Thanks to all.

Nikon
Aperture

Wanted to email you, but could not locate your email address on the blog. We have 2 cool widgets ( a slideshow widget and a content widget) which can help enhance site interaction and reader’s experience. Please contact me at ashishbaldua5@gmail.com to know more.

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Ashish Baldua

I agree about the URl differences as well. Though my own icon is on the archive URL’s as well so it’s not a total loss. However there is a thing you can do through PhotoShelter to “mask” their URL out and put yours in there but it requires some database tweaking on your server. It’s been awhile since I’ve looked at other websites so I’m not sure how effective that is.

For someone looking into starting down this route, it might be a slightly easier decision to try this just for the fact that it’s very easy from a technical standpoint to get PhotoShelter integrated onto a website and relatively stress-free.

I found this to be an interesting topic.

I agree with what you say about PS Richard – you really can’t beat what they do for the price. When I added search to my site, neither they nor DRR were around, so they weren’t an option.

I believe there are some real advantages to sticking with Lightboxphoto. I don’t know if they are worth the jump in cost to my own server, I’m trying to decide that now.

Some advantages:

We use it for our on-line shopping cart for prints – can you do this with PS ? This has worked out very well.

I like having everything on the wildnatureimage.com url. This may seem minor, but I like the consistent branding. If a client sends image links to my images to other employees etc., I like having my url in the link.

I am a bit of a control freak with this stuff. I like having the control – if PS raised rates, went under, etc. I’m not at thier mercy.

I also believe there are search placement benefits as well, but I don’t think I will elaborate on a public forum – maybe the next time we have lunch.

I have wanted to pursue some other opportunities, screensavers etc. A dedicated server will allow me to do this, and Lightboxphoto could completely automate the process.

I have considered representing other photographers. With Lightboxphoto, I could have the photographers upload images, track their own sales etc. I’m really not sure I want to go that way, but it is an option.

I wish there was a simple way to do stock pricing outside of RF becuase lightboxphoto could do it all, but I don’t see myself going there.

I tried to keep it short, and really I did – I could go on and on, but those are my general thoughts.

As an interesting side note, PS interviewed me recently for thier blog – didn’t ralize I had photos there – they were via Mira. I hope they post it.

I have some photos on DRR, but again Mira does as well so I think I may leave that to them.

I have thought about discussing this on my blog, but I think most my subscribers would say “what?”

Ron

Good point about Frans Lanting. Since he operates that way, I’m sure that he doesn’t have high rez images online as well which would add to the server space costs. For someone as famous as he is though, I would think that making his images available for instant licensing online would be suited for him more than someone of lesser stature. It’s more tempting to want to speak to someone before deciding to buy if you don’t know who they are but since Lanting’s site visitors are likely from those who already know who he is, the unfamiliarity issue is not likely a factor. If they already know they want the penguin picture of the parents looking at the baby, then it’d just be easier to buy it straight off the site than having to talk to someone.

As we discussed the other day my Washington Post image sale occurred while in Maui solely because I had a Digital Railroad account. Both DRR and Photoshelter’s model works well in these situations. I’m not sure how much time would be sucked away by trying to emulate that service. As I investigate Lightbox Photo further I’ll try to find out.

Thanks for the great read.