Image licenser Corbis has launched a beta version of a new microstock Web site. SnapVillage lets photographers of any level upload images to the site and price them at any of five price points between $1 and $50, with no exclusivity requirements. Photographers can also elect to make their images available to buyers who purchase a monthly $199 subscription that includes up to 750 downloads. Corbis will pay SnapVillage photographers a royalty rate of 30 percent for all flat-price image sales, and 30 cents per download on all subscriptions sales.
SnapVillage allows photographers to tag their images with keywords, and site visitors can save pictures as favorites, share links to photos via e-mail directly from the site, and comment on images. Each image receives a dynamic В“snappyness” rating that reflects the number of times it has been viewed, downloaded, saved as a favorite, commented on, shared, or purchased.
Corbis expects the new site to function as a gateway for developing photographers to the company’s professional services. According to Corbis, its editors will scout SnapVillage to find photographers who show the potential to sell their work on the Corbis professional site.
All SnapVillage buyer payments are conducted via credit card, and photographer royalties are distributed via Paypal. SnapVillage does not require an application or approval process for photographers, or any preliminary payment commitments from buyers.
While in beta, SnapVillage is soliciting customer feedback to use as a basis for site enhancements. A small selection of free content is available on SnapVillage to allow users to experiment with the site.
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