Tip: Using the Lightbox

The Lightbox at xcavator.net allows you to store images you are interested in. Those images will still be there when you come back to the site later, as long as you are using the same web browser. Additionally, the Email It function allows you to send the agency links to anyone you wish for collaboration on selecting images. You can also use Email It to send these links to your own email address!

Transition in Stock Photography Search

In the last ten years I’ve worked with a large number of stock photography websites. For my clients, I would not particularly enjoy the task of finding the perfect image for their company website home page. I would typically visit Corbis.com or Gettyimages.com in Firefox and execute possible searches. Each search would be opened in a new browser tab for later drill down. One out of twenty searches would find that amazing image I needed. Utilizing advanced search rarely worked faster, usually pulling up zero results based on my request. Sometimes the search for the right image may take an hour or two if for a huge website with specific needs.

It has been a pleasure working with Xcavator.net. If this tool had been around many years ago, I would have certainly saved a lot of time. I also would have found more of the right kind of images I was looking for to choose from.

It does take a couple of minutes to get used to the power behind the Xcavator.net search tool. Once a person acclimates to the strength of this tool, it is truly a pleasure to search for stock photography. I find it amazing how much time the right tool can save.

Why I love visual search - Top Ten List

1. I can start searching the way I think – by design elements as well as words.

2. Sometimes I need to match photo colors to a creative piece, and it has to be pretty exact.

3. I find the right stuff a lot faster than by trying 15 or 20 text searches.

4. The xcavator traces function allows me to specify photo composition or key features.

5. It’s a lot more fun! Like a toy or a game.

6. The color wheel on the Advanced Search page is really precise – really helpful.

7. I also sell photography through agencies – I can quickly check out which one needs what I have using visual search at xcavator.net.

8. The xcavator.net site gives fast results, and I can quickly look at 40 images at a time.

9. Big databases of images aren’t overwhelming anymore.

10. I can find stuff CHEAPER that still works for a project.

Submitted by Jen Hanover, Freelance graphic artist – Web, Print, and Video