Focus on Photography: EyeEm

EyeEm is a photo storage and sharing site as well as a micro stock photo outlet.

A couple of months ago, I became interested in editing, sorting, and perhaps marketing my photographs. As I was doing research, I came upon EyeEm. I started uploading some of my photos.

Southern California beach 2015

After a while, I read something disturbing—that some pictures might be chosen for the collection, to be marketed by Getty Images (seemed like a good thing), but that I would lose the rights to my images, and to ANY taken in the same batch (! seemed like a very bad thing). I could sell prints, like at an art fair, but could no longer market them to stock and micro-stock.

As I began to receive emails that some of my photographs had been chosen for the Collection/Getty Images, I felt both pleased (validated?) and conflicted that I would no longer have rights and control of my pictures.

Fall Color Blue Ridge Parkway 2015

Fortunately, not too long after I started placing my pictures on EyeEm, the policy changed. Now the message about the collection says this:

EyeEm Market allows you to offer photos from your profile for sale. Photos you upload to EyeEm attract a lot of interest from global brands, agencies, magazines and other creative industries. 

And this:
Market lets you earn money for doing what you already do best: taking real, authentic photography. Photos are made available through licensing. This means: buyers can use your photos and you keep the copyright and ownership of what you decide to sell. You’re always in control.

So:

My kiddo in the Texas Snow

So, woo-hoo! It's been really nice to go through my photos and reminisce. I have had many "likes" and quite a few "follows", and maybe I will get some sales. Who knows.

Back in the technological age and Back to School

I haven't written a blog post in a while, or even been on the computer. Last week Microsoft sent an automatic update, and my poor old and overburdened computer just gave up the ghost. Now, thanks to Edward and Damon (my oldest) working hard into several nights and the addition of a number of Damon's computer part hand me downs plus new stuff, I am back in business with a spiffy new processor that glows neon blue and has lots and lots of room for more art files. And all the stuff on my old drive and the new equipment even seem to be playing nicely with each other.

Thanks guys!

My daughter is very happy to be back in school after her bout of mono. She seems to have had a fairly mild case. She just cannot participate in any strenuous sports or do anything that might result in impacts to her body, because of the enlarged spleen, danger of rupture thing. Dodgeball is definitely out.

I need to get back out and paint some more very soon. And I am finally going to overcome my fears and grout this piece that combines collage, photographs I took in Italy and mosaic. The piecing has been finished for a couple of months. It's very different for me, just hope I don't mess it up with the grout.

Tuscan collage mosaic in progress
photographs and images under tempered glass
(this is before the mosaic piecing was finished)

But right now I am going to take my cat to the vet and go and VOTE.

You must be the change you want to see in the world.

-Gandhi

Photographing Paintings, Diagnosing Mono and Posting Collages

Natura
acrylic on canvas 20x16

I spent a good deal of time yesterday with the tripod set up in the living room taking pictures of a number of paintings...or at least attempting to. I have learned that adjusted white balance and a smidgen of sharpening in an image program (thanks Michelle!) can really help to get the photo to look like the work of art.



This morning I took my daughter to the doctor with a very sore throat and neck and headache and found out she has mono. Now, she's only just turned 11, so I doubt she's been kissing anyone. The pediatrician said it's like the worst sore throat in your life, and that it would probably get worse before it gets better, but she is in good spirits, if a little bored. She was asking this afternoon if certain friends could be asked over to play....uh, I'm not too sure that their moms would be too crazy about that idea!

Needless to say, I didn't get much art or photographing of art done today, but I did post these 2 collages on my Etsy shop this afternoon. Completely without titles! If anyone can come up with some suggestions for me, just let me know...my brain is without ideas right now.

Handmade art collage composed of paper, fabric, highly textured handmade paper, acrylic painted papers, found and repurposed images. 10x8

Tuscany Pictures and Photrade

A few weeks ago, Edward sent me an invitation to Photrade, a new site for photo storage, sharing and possible sales that he was trying out.

So, I signed up and took the opportunity to begin sorting through all my pictures from my trip to Italy with Michelle 2 years ago, doing a little walk down memory lane while finally labeling and describing the pics.

Here are a couple of examples:

San Biagio, Montepulciano
with olive trees and a vineyard.
I loved Montepulciano.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence,
and its reflection in the Arno.

I have several pages of photos in my Italy gallery on Photrade so far, and about that many more to go.