Acquired by microstock subscription leader Shutterstock in September 2009, single-image micro retailer BigStockPhoto has undergone substantial surgery. Rebranded as simply Bigstock, the Web site has relaunched with a new look and upgraded back end.
Gone is the mom-and-pop, crowded, small-shop feel of the original. The streamlined name comes with a new Web site that is clean, crisp and intuitive in presenting image categories and related information. The site also boasts larger image previews, new contributor tools and an improved search engine, which the company says balances image quality, relevance, popularity and freshness.
Bigstock also has a new blog, The Download.
Bigstock was founded in 2004 and rose to the top of the micro field. While substantially smaller than iStockphoto, Fotolia and Dreamstime, microstock photographers consistently ranked the agency in the top six in terms of earnings.
Insiders have speculated that Shutterstock acquired Bigstock because it provided an easier entry into single-image licensing than adding such an offering to the subscription site. Shutterstock chief executive officer Jon Oringer has also taken the CEO reins of Bigstock.