Marine Themes runs the world's largest web based stock image library dealing with all aspects of marine wildlife. If you have commercial quality images that are relevant to our photographic niche we encourage you to consider submitting your work to us. We accept images from professional and amateur photographers from all countries, no minimum number of images, no ongoing submissions needed, although we do encourage regular contributions to increase your incedences of sales.
What is Stock Photography?
A
stock photograph is one where the right to use the image is sold
to another person or company for a specific and stated purpose. The original
photograph is never sold so that the rights for a particular image can
be purchased many times for a wide array of uses. For example, a photograph
of a leaping dolphin may appear in a brochure for a dolphin watch tour
boat, an advertisement for an environmentally aware corporation, on the
packaging of a product or in an educational book. All are distinctly different
products but all use the one image with the rights granted and fee paid
for each use being different. Many more future sales are possible as the
original photograph is not sold but is kept, like stock in a warehouse,
ready for the next order.
A stock library is where stock images are stored, catalogued and then
submitted to clients. Our stock library receives requests for images,
compiles a suitable selection to fill a client’s brief, negotiates
the fee for use, prepares and delivers press ready files, invoices the
client and collects the negotiated fees. A good stock library also advertises
and actively seeks sales by various means. They also monitor unauthorised
use of images and pursue the collection of subsequent fees and fines through
the courts.
In fulfilling the above a stock library also acts as an agent to the photographers
whose work makes up the library files. Photographers are paid a percentage
of each successful sale.
What
Marine Themes Offers
Unlike many stock libraries, Marine Themes offers a 50/50 split on the
net fee received on all sales. We do not use sub agents so you always
get a clean 50% split. There are no fees to include your images with Marine
Themes. This includes images mounted in the web database catalogue, CD-ROM
catalogue, any printed catalogues and is also free of all RAW file conversion,
scanning, duping and administrative costs. Just a straight no frills 50%
split on all net sums received.
This used to be the standard rate for all stock libraries but now many are requesting 55-60% or more of the sales fee and also charge additional fees for inclusion in web, CD or paper catalogues so that the real split is effectively much higher in their favour. Many libraries also pass on your images to other libraries (sub agents) who may even pass them on to others, each taking a cut of any sale as it is passed back to you so that you, the photographer, often end up with a small fraction of the net sale. Marine Themes does not use sub agents so your images are only supplied directly to paying clients.
What
We Do With Your Images
Images selected are stored on our isolated storage drives in RAW format.
Also, color corrected and optimised files for use on a printing press
are created and stored along with low resolution versions for use on the
web site and any DVD/CD catalogues. When a client orders images for a
commercial project a copy of the files are sized to their required dimensions
and delivered, usually via the internet. The printer operator adjusts
the scans slightly to suit their unique printing calibrations then the
images are printed.
What
It Costs You
Nothing. Zip. Zero. If sending images on disc via post or courier, you
will have to pay for delivery of your images but our services cost you
nothing.
What
We Need From You
We need RAW files from your digital camera with
these minimum requirements:
1/ RAW format only. (i.e. Canon CRW, Nikon NEF, Olympus ORF, etc.) No jpg files unless of rare or unusual subjects but these would be deleted from our database if or when RAW files are later submitted.
2/ Files from cameras with a minimum of 6 megapixels, 8 or more megapixels preferred. We will accept 4-5 megapixel files in some circumstances if the subject is rare or unusual.
The
files must be burnt to either a DVD disc or a CD with CD's burnt in a
cross platform format such as ISO 9660. Your CD burner will have that
option available in it's software. We can also accept web delivered images.
Please contact us for the current software and methods to do this.
Before sending any images please read the submission guidelines below.
Submissions
A submission is where you provide us with images for us to consider for
inclusion in the Marine Themes web database. Only images appropriate for
our specialisation and of suitable commercial quality will be accepted.
All photographs which include recognisable people or property must be accompanied with a model or property release. Sample property and model releases will be supplied on request to photographers who hold a signed contract with Marine Themes. If you do not submit model releases then any issues or problems resulting from use of those images will be your responsibility. We accept no liability or responsibility for model release issues.
Digital
Submissions
The simple method of submitting images is to burn all RAW images to a
disc and send to us. Keep your editing to a minimum. We would prefer to
edit ourselves as modern browser software makes this quick and efficient,
allowing us to select images that you may not realise are very useful
in the stock photo marketplace. As a simple rule: "If in doubt, include
it". With
modern DVD discs, thousands of images can be burnt to one or more discs
which are very cheap to deliver, making it much quicker to send all digital
files without double handling.
If you have images that are digital constructions or manipulations you
may provide them as 16 bit TIFF files along with all of the original RAW
files included in the construction. Please indicate in your captions that
they are such and of which images they are composed. We certainly accept
constructed or manipulated images but we do need to know that they are
adjusted images for our filing system.
If
you have images that you feel must be converted in a particular manner
to produce a specific result, please include a TIFF or JPEG copy with
the necessary adjustments. They will be used as a reference when we convert
your RAW files. In most situations this will not be necessary.
No discs submitted will be returned.
On receipt of your submission you will be contacted by email indicating
which images we have selected. If it is your first submission we will
also forward our standard contract for your perusal.
If you have any questions check the "Frequently Asked Questions" section or go to the "What subjects are needed?" section for information on what sorts of images are required and how to photograph them. Please also feel free to contact us directly by email, phone, fax or mail.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Marine
Themes Pty Ltd
marinethemes.com
info@marinethemes.com
142 Keon Street
Thornbury Victoria
Australia 3071
Ph (61-3) 9480 4451
Fax (61-3) 9480 4452