Stock.xchng
Encyclopedia
stock.xchng is a website
providing free-to use stock photography
and illustrations, its name being a reduced version
of "stock exchange" (meaning the exchange of stock photography, and a play
on the term stock exchange
). The site was launched in February 2001 by Peter Hamza, and allows users to contribute, share and download high-resolution photographs and illustrations free of charge. Contributors are encouraged to submit material to enhance their photography career through wider public exposure. In 2009, the site had over 2,500,000 registered users (1,000,000 in the USA alone) and more than 400,000 photos. Until 2009 it operated parallel to its sister site, Stockxpert.com, until the site's parent company, Jupiterimages, was purchased by Getty Images
, and the site is now tied in with iStockphoto
.
site; registered users may set up a personal profile, upload their photographic works to share with other users, write a blog and participate in online forum
s to discuss and critique each others' work.
As a design resource, the site provides a library of high-resolution, royalty-free photographs which may be downloaded free of charge for use in design projects. Although images are free, contributors still retain moral rights and photographs are still subject to usage restrictions.
, but functioned as a commercial microstock photography
site, allowing users, through a system of online credits
, to purchase and download images for a very low cost, often as low as US$1.
On the free stock.xchng website, results from the search engine
would also bring up a sample of five images from Stockxpert to encourage users to purchase images from Stockxpert. Following the acquisition of Jupiterimages by Getty in 2009, stock.xchng now presents search results from Getty's own microstock site, iStockphoto.
Stockxpert continued to operate as a separate website until its closure on February 11, 2010.
, and the stock photo operations of SXC became a joint venture between Getty and Dream Interactive. In December 2009 the founders decided to sell their remaining interest in the sites and later started a similar service, Stockfresh.
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
providing free-to use stock photography
Stock photography
Stock photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses. It is used to fulfill the needs of creative assignments instead of hiring a photographer. Today, stock images can be presented in searchable online databases. They can be purchased and delivered online...
and illustrations, its name being a reduced version
SMS language
SMS language or textese is a term for the abbreviations and slang most commonly used due to the necessary brevity of mobile phone text messaging, in particular the widespread SMS SMS language or textese (also known as txt-speak, txtese, chatspeak, txt, txtspk, txtk, txto, texting language, txt...
of "stock exchange" (meaning the exchange of stock photography, and a play
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the term stock exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
). The site was launched in February 2001 by Peter Hamza, and allows users to contribute, share and download high-resolution photographs and illustrations free of charge. Contributors are encouraged to submit material to enhance their photography career through wider public exposure. In 2009, the site had over 2,500,000 registered users (1,000,000 in the USA alone) and more than 400,000 photos. Until 2009 it operated parallel to its sister site, Stockxpert.com, until the site's parent company, Jupiterimages, was purchased by Getty Images
Getty Images
Getty Images, Inc. is a stock photo agency, based in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is a supplier of stock images for business and consumers with an archive of 80 million still images and illustrations and more than 50,000 hours of stock film footage...
, and the site is now tied in with iStockphoto
IStockphoto
iStockphoto is an online, royalty free, international microstock photography provider operating with the micropayment business model. Images cost between 1 and 150 credits, depending on size and image collection .- History :The company was founded by Bruce Livingstone in May, 2000...
.
Features
The stock.xchng site operates as a hybrid of a picture library site and a social networkingSocial network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
site; registered users may set up a personal profile, upload their photographic works to share with other users, write a blog and participate in online forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s to discuss and critique each others' work.
As a design resource, the site provides a library of high-resolution, royalty-free photographs which may be downloaded free of charge for use in design projects. Although images are free, contributors still retain moral rights and photographs are still subject to usage restrictions.
Stockxpert
Until 2009, stock.xchng operated alongside its sister site, Stockxpert. Stockxpert was designed with a near-identical user interfaceUser interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
, but functioned as a commercial microstock photography
Microstock photography
Microstock photography, also known as micropayment photography, is a part of the stock photography industry. What defines a company as a microstock photography company is that they source their images almost exclusively via the Internet, do so from a wider range of photographers than the...
site, allowing users, through a system of online credits
Electronic money
Electronic money is money or scrip that is only exchanged electronically. Typically, this involves the use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems...
, to purchase and download images for a very low cost, often as low as US$1.
On the free stock.xchng website, results from the search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
would also bring up a sample of five images from Stockxpert to encourage users to purchase images from Stockxpert. Following the acquisition of Jupiterimages by Getty in 2009, stock.xchng now presents search results from Getty's own microstock site, iStockphoto.
Stockxpert continued to operate as a separate website until its closure on February 11, 2010.
Parent companies
The site is a subsidiary of HAAP Media, which was the stock photography division of Dream Interactive. In 2008, HAAP was acquired by the stock photo company Jupiterimages. In February 2009 Jupiterimages was purchased by Getty ImagesGetty Images
Getty Images, Inc. is a stock photo agency, based in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is a supplier of stock images for business and consumers with an archive of 80 million still images and illustrations and more than 50,000 hours of stock film footage...
, and the stock photo operations of SXC became a joint venture between Getty and Dream Interactive. In December 2009 the founders decided to sell their remaining interest in the sites and later started a similar service, Stockfresh.