Website picture exchange?

[Knife's Wife]

I have been bouncing this idea around in my head and trying to work out how it might well, work out. I thought I would throw it out here and see if anyone is interested.

With so many here getting their own websites and trying to move away from the wire service sites...

What would you think of a seperate gallery, where pictures could be placed and shared by other members on their website.


Of course, I am not thinking of this as a free for all where some give and others just take. I was thinking more on the lines of maybe a pay for use.

Something like the pics would have to be evaluated for composition, lighting design and if approved they would go into the exchange gallery. There you could chose a pic that you would like to use and then pay a one time fee or a monthly use fee to have rights to display that pic on your site only.

I know that I would be willing to share some of my pics and would not mind if a member here altared backgrounds to suit their style website.

There are aspects that would need to be worked out such as,

Is Flowerchat capable of doing something like this?
Price that would be charged?
Would you also need to contribute in order to be allowed to purchase use of pics?
How would payment work and how would I get paid each time, or month that someone uses the pic?

Opinions please!!

Joan

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

I would not be willing to do this.

 

[Dorothy]

Joan, I think this is one of the greatest ideas I've heard in how to expose and make a bit of $ for real florists - there are stock photo sites all over the internet..... I'm looking forward to everybody's suggestions on how this could evolve into a working website. I don't think it needs to be done through FC....

 

[Dazeal]

As I have always said, any of my images on my sites are free to use by any real florist. Free.

The better you do, the better I do.

 

[felicityflowers]

Joan,

I know that Cathy (CHR) brought this up once before but I didn't search for the thread. I think it's a wonderful idea but the logistics of it are hard to nail down and especially hard to get everyone to agree, obviously.

 

[CHR]

There needs to be a digital, easy-to-use and fair way to get the sharing done. Marks Smith (Boss) has also mentioned image sharing in the past and I believe at least one member was looking into software that would make it possible.

But in the mean time, I'm offer to give away rights to two photos for Mother's Day. Just need some feedback here.

 

[Knife's Wife]

Sorry I did not know this was brought up.

You are right it would be hard to get everyone to agree to, but we don't need everyone, only those who want to be involved in setting it up have to agree on everything, the members here could have input as to suggestions in how it might benefit the majority of people.

An opportunity for those who just can not photograph well to get pics and the ones who do to make extra money.

Many great ideas never get implemented because people think that everyone has to agree, but we would still be living in the stone ages if that was the case.

Thanks Danzeal I did not realise that you had ever offered this.

Shannon, I understand why you would not want to sell or purchase pics, if I did not own my shop I am not sure I would either. Perhaps, Amy would like to participate in this?


Joan

 

[felicityflowers]

Sorry I did not know this was brought up.

Joan,

I'm glad you brought it up, just thought that the info there might work for this thread, too. I think it's a great idea and it would definitely get my arse in gear to shoot more photos. I just don't want to see the idea die, again.

 

[Dazeal]

I love it when she calls me Danzeal. /blush


HEATHER!!! HAVE MY BABIES!


Yeah I have lots of images, slowly putting them up. Maybe my site will be done sometime this decade.

Here is something I added the other day, take em if you want:

 

[wildflowerschicago]

I would be interested in doing this as well. If there is anything on my site that anyone wants to use, just let me know.

I tried to put an image library together a few years ago but could not figure out the logistics.

 

[theRKF]

I've been toying with this idea, of a stock photo type site (similar to iStock) that is based on a credit system. Members get credits by submitting images or by purchasing credits in bundles. This way, members can benefit by contributing to the inventory.

Upload an image - get enough points to download an image.

Images would "cost" various number of credits based on the quality of the image (small web, large web, print quality, etc).

Just looking into the programming costs. We'll need to sell a few more F20 sites to fund that project.

Ryan

 

[felicityflowers]

HEATHER!!! HAVE MY BABIES!

*MUAH* You are crazy...that's why I love ya! But, you've got enough babies already!!!

The texture in that rose cube is fieeeeeeeeerce, girlfriend! I just want to touch it! (I bet you hear that from all the girls

You're a rockstar but, you already knew that.

Okay, it's seriously too late for me to be posting...gotta go to bed.

 

[Eric S]

Back in the day I offered it here.

But it seemed that there wasn't very much interest.

Well I should say no one wanted to pay for them or something. Who knows. But lets look at what John Henry Offers.

Sympathy Images $49.95
Wedding Images $49.95
Prom And Homecoming $49.95
Flowers By Design $125.00

So this would be a price structure to look at before diving into this.

How many image would be expected for $49.95?

I don't think anyone here would be intrested in paying a monthly user fee since most here complain about monthly WS webhosting fees, monthly membership fees that both contribute to pay for development of new products and those preatty images they get to use.

I would love to contribute some images but I really do feel that most would not be willing to pay for them.

But I'm all ears!

 

[Dorothy]

I've been toying with this idea, of a stock photo type site (similar to iStock) that is based on a credit system. Members get credits by submitting images or by purchasing credits in bundles. This way, members can benefit by contributing to the inventory.

Upload an image - get enough points to download an image.

Images would "cost" various number of credits based on the quality of the image (small web, large web, print quality, etc).

Just looking into the programming costs. We'll need to sell a few more F20 sites to fund that project.

Ryan

Please explain further how your idea about this would work. And what exactly is in it for you? Just so it's known up front....
Is there any way this idea can work without "more F20 sites to fund this project"?
Thanks Ryan.

 

[Knife's Wife]

I think there are some that would be willing to pay as well as the ones that are offering use of pics to members here for free.

I have heard enough times in private conversations that for some the only tie left to wire services is the use of website pics. If that is truely the case for some then one would think that paying for pictures here is no different then paying wire service each month.

We could also look at the contribute to receive aspect, I think that what what Ryan was talking about. If you can't contribute you pay and if you can they you earn points toward downloads.

Correct me if I am not on the track of what you were thinking Ryan.

Thank you Eric for what you had offered in the past. If the link is still available I will take a look.

Joan

 

[felicityflowers]

I think that Ryan's idea of selling credits is an awesome one. Dreamstime does this fantastically. Their images are about $1.00/each web ready image print images are usually more.

The contributor would get paid and I would expect a portion would go to the development and maintenance of the site.

I'd be very interested in participating. I promise I won't submit photos taken with my crackberry

Just one more comment:

Back when I posted a link to my site when I added the JH selection guide images I kind of got "poo-pooed" because they weren't my own, original images. Isn't this kind of the same thing? Personally I don't care if they are purchased images from a selection guide, taken in my shop, or by another florist. If they are current and professional then I want to display them to my customers.

Here's the link to that thread: http://www.flowerchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16754&highlight=felicityflowers

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Sorry I did not know this was brought up.

You are right it would be hard to get everyone to agree to, but we don't need everyone, only those who want to be involved in setting it up have to agree on everything, the members here could have input as to suggestions in how it might benefit the majority of people.

An opportunity for those who just can not photograph well to get pics and the ones who do to make extra money.

Many great ideas never get implemented because people think that everyone has to agree, but we would still be living in the stone ages if that was the case.

Thanks Danzeal I did not realise that you had ever offered this.

Shannon, I understand why you would not want to sell or purchase pics, if I did not own my shop I am not sure I would either. Perhaps, Amy would like to participate in this?


Joan

I doubt it, but you can ask. She doesn't even really want TF images on there. But some do sell. And right now we have 2 websites. TF template and our own. It's a long story... My stories usually are.
The one time I try to be brief, I get groaned at..... such is life.:dunno:
Seems I can't win these days.

We are trying to create a brand that is all our own. Have our team of designers work on there, and no one else's. To be truly unique.
And own our uniqueness.

I think your idea is a good one, just wont work for the shop I work for I don't think. But I could be wrong.

I've taken hundreds of pics in approx the last 3 years. I'm still waiting for those to get up on our site.
She's working on it.

I have nothing to do with the website except to make arrangements and take pics.

 

[Palms]

If anyone wants to use any pics on my site, pls feel free to ask and the answer will be yes... Although some of mine are TF.

I would maybe swap for a vase arrangement, they dont really sell over here but i would love to try one on my site.

Great idea Joan!!

 

[lori042499]

Not really sure how this will work...in terms of y'all always complaining about pictures being the same and original content....


Wouldn't this be making our own originals into cookie cutters, when 1000's of florists have access to the same pics?

 

[SpringCity]

I'm totally up for this and would love to share images too! :walking: It's not the "ideal" of tons of my own images but it would be nice to beef up the site especially for brides.

You guys make a good point about the JH images, but I use those too, in addition to my own.