Article :: A day in the life of a photo editor
Hot off the presses!
My article was just published in the January 2010 issue of The Picture Professional, a newsletter produced by the American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP). Editor Niki Barrie invited me to write about my typical day as a photo editor, and I decided to take a unique angle.
In this piece, I talk about the broader responsibilities of today’s photo editor and photo researcher within the shifting context of educational publishing. Specifically, I discuss the various hats photo editors must now wear: that of content specialist/visual expert, project manager, mediator between client and vendors, and permissions expert.
Read all about it – download the following PDF: JenniferLim_ASPP_2010
Independent project :: Image licensing at cultural heritage institutions
In the search for obscure and historical images, my work as a professional photo researcher has led me to utilize photographic archives at museums, libraries, archives, and historical societies. These repositories contain unique and amazing images not found in stock photography collections, and provide excellent contextual information in their captions and descriptions. Additionally, staff with a deep knowledge of the collection are a fantastic resource when seeking out images that may not yet be available online.
However, utilizing these unique resources is not always practical in light of the tight deadlines in publication schedules. Where there may only be five days from the time a series of images is found to fulfill a particular request and obtain high-resolution files, typical turnaround times of two weeks (citation) are problematic. Additionally, digitized image collections hidden within the institution’s general website hosted on clunky search interfaces further exacerbate the problem of efficient access.
As I started to speak with curators and archivists regarding the issue, I discovered that these barriers exist for a variety of reasons. This gap in service, it turns out, may be due to a variety of reasons (lack of desire not being one of them).
Broadly speaking, the major challenges to image licensing faced by public institutions include:
1. Complex copyright implications
2. Lack of internal support or political will
3. Lack of technical, administrative, and financial support
4. Lack of expertise regarding image licensing
5. Implications of image licensing on educational/academic use
6. Mitigating inappropriate or unauthorized image use
These are complex issues which have garnered a lot of discussion in the field of library and information science, and the purpose of my research is not to argue for the necessity or validity of an image licensing program. Rather, I am interested in providing guidance on issues of service, marketing, and automation, from the point of view of a professional picture buyer. Image licensing programs cannot be driven solely by the prospect of commercial gain. To be successful is to gain the support of internal stakeholders, generate revenue to cover administrative costs (at the least), and enhance access for photo researchers and the general public.
Click here to read my latest paper, submitted as part of a practicum course at Pratt Institute.
Internship :: Municipal Photo Archive of New York City
From July to December of this year, I have been volunteering my time at the Municipal Photo Archive of the city of New York. Michael Lorenzini, Curator of Photography, was my co-panelist at an American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP) presentation earlier this year (see related post). I originally approached him to see if I could help him in some way to improve the Archive’s visibility and use among professional photo researchers and photo editors.
Some of my tasks included:
Formulating and designing an easy-to-use fee schedule so the Archive’s users and customers can easily refer to image pricing and terms of use.
Redesigning the existing website with a proposed e-commerce functionality to enable online image purchasing/licensing.
Editing the Archive’s Works Progress Administration database (in Microsoft Access) for inclusion into a new LUNA Insight platform.
Providing feedback and insight regarding the needs of professional picture buyers.
It was a rewarding period during which I was able to apply my insights into the stock photography industry, while simultaneously gaining hands-on experience in a photo archive.
To date, none of these projects have yet been implemented, so more information is to come. The photo collection at the Municipal Archives is unique and beautiful, and Michael’s efforts in launching the new online platform is truly commendable.
Graduation!
After three dedicated years of of part-time studies, I have finally completed my Master of Library and Information Science (MLS), with an Archives Certificate, from Pratt Institute.
Broadly speaking, here is a list of competencies I have developed:
Management -
Management of archives and special collections
Information policy
User studies
Conservation and preservation
Web -
Information architecture and interactive design
Web design (CSS, html)
Resource access -
Reference resources and services
Metadata (Dublin Core, MODS, EAD, VRA Core, CDWA)
I’m looking forward to finally applying these skills in the real world!
Panelist :: What’s new in workflow (April 29, 2009)
In late April of 2009, I was invited to give a demonstration of EXOImage (see related post) to members of the American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP) New York chapter. My co-panelists included Antonio M. Rosario (freelance photographer), and Michael Lorenzini (Municipal Photo Archive of New York City).
Antonio’s presentation involved a discussion of the photo workflow within the context of two applications: Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture. Michael addressed the Municipal Archive’s ongoing efforts to digitize its two million images for inclusion in a new visual database. My presentation involved a tour of the system and some discussion about its main features.
To view a video of my portion of the evening’s presentations, click here: What’s new in workflow
AMNHimages.com
AMNHimages.com Home
AMNHimages.com is a proposed image licensing website designed for the Division of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History.
These webpages were designed as part of a final project for Information Architecture and Interaction Design (IAID), a Library and Information Science course taught in the fall of 2008 by Professor David Walczyk at Pratt Institute in New York City.
The original challenge of this project was to redesign the Division of Anthropology’s website: http://anthro.amnh.org. To do this, we undertook several steps including building personas/profiles for the AMNH’s users, analyzing and reorganizing the existing content of the site, conducting a paper prototype of our initial designs with AMNH staff, illustrating a site map, and creating wireframes.
To view a small portion of the wireframes for the redesigned Division of Anthropology website, click here to view the PDF: AMNH Division of Anthropology
As a further benefit, our group proposed the inclusion of AMNHimages.com – a URL separate from AMNH.org – to collectively showcase all of the AMNH’s image collections. Inspiration from the site is drawn from my many years of experience searching stock agency websites. It enables precise searching and browsing, and features an e-commerce system for image licensing. The site is geared towards professional picture buyerswho are looking for efficiency and automation in research, ordering high-resolution files, invoicing, and payment.
Download the PDF of wireframes here: AMNHimages
• These wireframes were created with the use of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Photo shoot production
Engineering complex photo shoots in a tiny photo studio requires the help of many talented folks. My work in producing photo shoots for Bill Smith Group involved contracting a photographer, hiring stylists, casting models, purchasing props, and working with designers. From scheduling to wrangling kids and parents, executing a successful session involves a keen eye for detail while staying focused on the big picture aesthetic.
Below are some tableaus from the past three years.
Photo research and editing
I’ve spent the past seven years working with book packagers Pronk&Associates and Bill Smith Group (specializing in educational publishing) as a Photo Researcher and Photo Editor. This work entailed 1) image research [finding beautiful and content-appropriate images for publications] and 2) clearing copyright for image use.
In the process, I’ve built a solid knowledge of the stock photography industry, copyright issues, and content management systems (CMS).
The images below are samples of some projects I’ve worked on these past four years. Subject matter have ranged from chemistry, state-specific social sciences, astronomy, geology, literacy, and French language instruction. Reading levels ran the gamut of elementary, ESL, high school, and tertiary education.
What can’t easily be shown is the expertise I’ve built in navigating complex image rights issues. I’ve contacted artist estates, publishers, and independent and Creative Commons photographers to clear the use of their images for publication. It’s a complex and ever-changing landscape, but ultimately enlivening.
Article :: Supplying imagery to educational publishers
Newsletter cover
An article I co-wrote with Jacqueline Lissy Brustein entitled “Supplying imagery to educational publishers” was published in the January 2009 issue of The Picture Professional, a newsletter produced by the American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP).
Written from the perspective of a professional photo buyer, the article’s goal was to shed light on the constraints faced by major educational publishers, and how these impact their image licensing habits. The text provides guidance to photographers and photo providers in three key areas: content development, strategic pricing, and automation via content management systems (CMS).
To view the article in its entirety, download the following PDF: ASPParticle_BSG_0109
