A sure sign that camera phone images have become mainstream in the commercial image world is the announcement by Blend Images that it has added
Memento, a new camera phone stock image collection, to its offering. Memento will feature strongly conceptual and illustrative commercial content and will be available for licensing at
www.blendimages.com and stock resellers worldwide in early 2013.
Founded in 2004 by 23 of the world’s leading producers of stock imagery, Blend Images specializes in producing ethnically diverse business and lifestyle imagery for commercial use. The company has always maintained very high standards in terms of quality and currently offers 150,000 images and motion clips in its collection. There is every reason to believe that the quality standards will remain high as they add camera phone images to their collection.
“The quality of imagery being generated by iPhone® and Android™ devices is astounding, and with the ever increasing use of imagery online, we believe the potential for licensing this content is tremendous,” said Rick Becker-Leckrone, CEO of Blend Images. “Thousands of professional commercial photographers are capturing compelling images every day with their camera phones. And image resolution is becoming less of a barrier for commercial licensing. Our goal is to provide new and unique options in visual media to our clients.”
Sarah Fix, VP of Creative at Blend, adds: “Ultimately, art buyers want compelling imagery that visually defines promotional or editorial concepts, regardless of the tool used to create it. In many ways, the camera function on today’s smart phone is the perfect device for capturing relevant, dynamic stock imagery. Both the increasingly exceptional technology of the camera phone and its tremendous portability allow for a spontaneity that often results in the kind of real-world, natural, candid images advertisers seek.”
To get an idea of what Blend is looking for in the way of imagery go to
http://www.blendimages.com/memento.shtml and download the Creative Brief pdf. Some of the subjects that naturally lend themselves to pocket cameras are:
Americana
Quirky, humorous
Voyeur approach to lifestyle
Regional Interest
A day in the life of a person, couple or group
Emotive
Adventures – Road trip, urban, exotic, iconic, recreational sports, vacation
Celebrations & holidays
Being social with loved ones
All 4 seasons / day & night
Food
Nature – environmental concepts, weather (4 Seasons, natural disasters, etc.)
Memento images need to illustrate a clear commercially viable concept or illustrate a subject used editorially (travel, locations, still life, etc.)
Blend Images is now soliciting new camera phone photographers and accepting imagery for Memento through the Blend Portal. Photographers interested in submitting images can find more information at
http://www.blendimages.com/memento.shtml.