It’s been over a year since Getty Images partnered with Flickr to launch the groundbreaking Flickr Collection on www.gettyimages.com.  We wanted to provide a quick update on how the Collection has grown and some of the exciting new developments in our partnership.

When launching the Flickr collection, our goal was to choose photos that created a commercially viable collection, while preserving the inspirational and unexpected nature of the kinds of images that are so prevalent on Flickr.  We’re proud to announce that today the collection has grown to over 60,000 images, many of which have been license by customers from around the world.

As you may remember, for the last few months, editors at Getty Images has been busy exploring the Flickrverse to find the right photos to be part of the collection.  While we know they’ve enjoyed viewing your work, with over four billion images, it can sometimes be an overwhelming experience!

In the past, the Flickr community could set their account settings to reflect that they wanted to be contacted by Getty Images, but could not proactively present a portfolio of photos for consideration. We know how eager Flickr members have been to showcase their work and wanted to develop a solution.

That’s why, today, we’re very excited to announce a formal Call for Artists, meaning ANY Flickr member can submit their work to be considered for the collection through the Call for Artists group on Flickr.

Detailed guidelines can be found here but a submission should include exactly 10 images that represent what they consider to be the best of their work.  The Getty Images create team will evaluate submissions based on style, subject matter and technical skill.  If some or all of the photos – or other images from that member’s photostream — are selected for the Flickr Collection on Getty Images, they will receive an invitation via Flickrmail.  This invitation will clearly show Getty Images’ initial selection of images and introduce the enrollment process.

When we first launched, we aimed to create a “living collection” — one that mirrored the vibrant Flickr community itself.  Now, with the community’s help, the collection will continue to grow and bring a new flavor of photography to Getty Images and its customers — an authentic view into the daily lives of people around the world.

We at Getty Images truly can’t wait to review the portfolios of the accomplished and experienced photographers that contribute to Flickr. With the community’s help, the collection will better represent, what is, in effect, the world’s image library.

Andy Saunders

Vice President of  Creative Imagery for Getty Images

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Social media has upended the traditional promotional methods of engaging with customers, leaving you left to explore which of the social media channels are best for your marketing and communications plans. Do you engage through a branded Facebook group? A Twitter feed? Or do you create customer awareness through a viral YouTube video or design your own personal page for a fresh look? Whatever your strategy, imagery will continue to remain integral to creating an engaging user experience for any of your social media programs.

Getty Images recognizes that our customers need to be more nimble than ever, and our licensing must continue to evolve accordingly. Today, Getty Images has introduced two new licensing options designed specifically for social media use. When licensing any creative image under our rights-managed licensing model, customers can now select “Other Web & Mobile Uses” category to find:

• Web – Social Media for advertising or promotional use*
• Web – Social Media for non-commercial, editorial use*

* Price is determined on duration of use, territory

Now, you can take advantage of the social networking buzz with the use of compelling imagery from our premium rights managed collections, complete with indemnification.

Let us know what you think about our continued efforts to develop simplified licensing models. We want to help you do your best work.

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LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 06: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates after defeating Oscar De La Hoya in their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 6, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

It was called the dream match up. The world’s pound-for-pound champ pitted against the Golden Boy.
In the end, the pound-for-pound champ solidified his title as the Golden Boy looked like someone who was in his golden years.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 06: Oscar De La Hoya looks on from the ring against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines during their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 6, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao defeated De La Hoya by TKO between the eighth and ninth round. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines defeated Oscar De La Hoya as De La Hoya’s trainer threw in the towel before his fighter could come back into the ring for the ninth round Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Casino in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 06: (R-L) Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines connects with a right to the head of Oscar De La Hoya during their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 6, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

The defeat for De La Hoya will probably follow with a retirement announcement coming this week. The retirement makes sense for someone who has given so much to the sport as a fighter but seems to have nothing left in the ring. De La Hoya has such a bright future as a promoter with his company Golden Boy Promotions and as an ambassador for the sport.

For the fight week, Getty Images had a team of six to cover all the action around Las Vegas and the main event. Staff photographer Ethan Miller covered the fighter’s arrivals to Vegas on Tuesday before staff photographer Jed Jacobsohn arrived in town early Wednesday morning. Jacobsohn covered the press conference on Wednesday.

Then on Thursday Jacobsohn met with the MGM Grand Garden Arena team that was in charge of hanging the lights above the ring. Jacobsohn wanted to put a remote camera that he would be firing from his ringside position up there. The shot that he was looking for was a picture of the whole ring and hopefully he would be able to fire the remote at the right time to capture a knockout. Unfortunately, that knockout never happened but it still made for some nice photos.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 06: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates after defeating Oscar De La Hoya after De La Hoya lost by TKO between the eighth and ninth round in their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 6, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

On Friday the rest of the Getty Images team arrived, including myself. I got there Friday to edit for both Miller and Jacobsohn for the much anticipated weigh-in. The weigh-in would finally show the world if De La Hoya could get down to 147 and Pacquaio would be able to beef up to 147. Pacquaio had never fought a fighter that weighed more than 135 prior to facing De La Hoya.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines stand face-to-face during the weigh-in for their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 5, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. De La Hoya fights Pacquiao December 6th. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The best part about the weigh-in was that De La Hoya asked his close friend comedian George Lopez to host it. Lopez was hilarious as he ragged on pretty much everyone on stage.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 05: Comedian George Lopez hosts the weigh-in for the Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 5, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. De La Hoya fights Pacquiao December 6th. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

On the day of the fight our team got to the arena hours before the fighters themselves even showed. We wanted to make sure our game plan was set. We had two photographers (one ringside, one overhead), two editors and two runners. Having the two runners would be helpful as the time to get to the photographers to grab their cards is very short.

We covered four fights on the card including the main event. The thing about working a boxing match is trying to keep up the edit, watch the fight to gauge who is winning as pictures are coming to me and editor Robert Meggers practically every round.

Between the two photographers shooting the main event, nearly 4,000 pictures were taken in a span of like 30 minutes for the eight round bout. Out of those 4,000 we sent out 75 or so to www.gettyImages.com and directly to our clients.

All in all, the week went very well for team Getty Images. I have a feeling the next time I see De La Hoya back in the ring it will be in a suit as a promoter.

LAS VEGAS – DECEMBER 06: (R-L) Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines connects with a right to the head of Oscar De La Hoya during their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena December 6, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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The local dogs barked all night (again) but Chris still got up at dawn to watch the students practice for the big anniversary of TCV celebration coming up on Saturday.

I woke up two hours later and joined everyone for our usual breakfast of Tibetan white bread and milky chai tea. This is going to be a big day and I am now over halfway through my Getty Images‘ trip with Bridges to Understanding and we still have a lot of work to do to create our digital story.

Luckily, “Team Compassion” works quickly! We finalized the narrative with Lhakpa and he recorded it in just a couple of takes. I had given the team some homework to do – they had to write out how they would put compassion into action. We video taped each student speaking in turn and wrapped up our audio. Check it out!

Picture by Chungdak

Image by Phunima

Chris worked with the students to complete the shot list and shoot any gaps we were missing, including their portraits. Lhapka loves taking conceptual photos and he has earned the nickname “Mr. Implicit.”

Picture by Chungdak

Picture by Tenzin Dadon

We finished our work for the day, pleased with the progress we had made, and headed into town to do some shopping behind some unconventional traffic.

I bought a Tibetan singing bowl and a black and white woven bracelet that Chungdak has told me is called a “Chime Giltoo” (Tibetan for immortal with nine eyes). These are made by Tibetan political prisoners as a symbol to remember their plight. I buy them in bulk.

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Ricky Berens of the United States poses with his gold medal in the NBC Today Show Studio after winning the Mens 4×200 Swimming Relay event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

The other day I had one of my better days at work so I thought I would share it with you. I went down to the NBC studio with Kristian, a Getty Images photographer, as the US women’s gymnastics team was coming in. They came in all glum and miserable as they got silver, but as soon as he said smile they became pageant girls!! Hysterical!!

BEIJING – AUGUST 13: (L-R) Alicia Sacramone, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Samantha Peszek, Chellsie Memmel and Bridget Sloan of the United States pose together with their silver medals in the NBC Today Show Studio after placing second in the Women’s Gymnastics team event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

And then we had a swimmer: I didn’t know who it was (I only know Phelps from the US team, sorry!) and this guy comes in, wearing a sports shirt, so we’re like “hi, come in.” Kristian sets up the shot and then says “Can you take your shirt off?” and he says “What?!” and Kristian says “You’re a swimmer, right? Can you take it off?” So we start laughing and he takes it off, hands it to me – and his medal – and then I give him his medal back to wear.

Then Kristian asks me to hold the reflector so I’m on my knees in front of his hips, holding this rectangular reflector board, trying SO hard not to smile!!!!! Then the door goes open and his manager/trainer whatever says “oh my god!” when she sees that his shirt is off. I told her not to worry and that all the shots will be “above board” and Ricky couldn’t stop smiling – hence the pics below.

Ricky Berens of the United States poses with his gold medal in the NBC Today Show Studio after winning the Mens 4×200 Swimming Relay event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

He was lovely. A tough day at the office.

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A cyclist passes an Olympic billboard in Beijing on July 23, 2008. (Photo credit should read PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images)

In just about four days the majority of the 78 member Getty Images Olympic team will head to Beijing for 30 days for the Games. These next four days will be spent gathering equipment, packing, repacking, running errands and most importantly spending time with family and friends. For me, I also have to deal with moving out of my condo that I have lived in for a couple years and putting all my stuff into a storage unit. So, it has been and is going to be, a couple stressful days. However, once I find my seat on the 14-hour flight from LAX to Hong Kong and the subsequent 3-hour flight to Beijing, hopefully some of that stress will fall away.

This will be my first Olympic Games and will also be my first time to China and I couldn’t be more excited to see how it all goes down. Between the exhilaration of covering the Olympics and the experience of living in a new country for a month, the anxiety over the last month has been unreal. I’m sure times will be tough – long days, dealing with being away from loved ones, China – but in the end I’m sure it will be an experience that I will forever treasure.

Being that we will be away from home and our loved ones for 30 days I asked some of our experienced Getty Images team members what they bring with them to remind them of home or an item they can’t live without. Here is what they said:

Streeter Lecka (Photographer) – I can’t sleep without a fan so I always bring a little fan with me to have in my room.

Mary Ciecek (IOC editor) – Whenever I have long trips, I make sure to bring my favorite soap and my favorite shampoo and conditioner so it feels like I am still at home and I don’t have to use the free stuff. I have also brought my favorite picture of my brothers and sisters in a frame and put it on my nightstand during my past two Olympics and I will bring it to China as well as a picture of me and my boyfriend.

Chris Graythen (IOC photographer) – I’m going to be a bringing a Team Waffle House shirt given to me by our NASCAR photographers to remind me of what I get to shoot once I get home from Beijing (“They are just jealous.”), I’m also going to bring a video camera so I can chat with my wife.

Scott Halleran (IOC photographer) – I always try to bring two different kinds of vodka, one of them flavored and the other original.

Rebecca Butala-How (Editor) – I’d say my top three are my travel mug for my herbal teas, speakers for my two IPODS (a nano to workout with and a video 60gb which has my full library) and my neck pillow for the plane. And finally, my husband Harry How (sports photographer).

Al Bello (Photographer) – Pictures of my family.  My webcam so I could see my family.

Harry How (Photographer) – I ALWAYS bring a Lonely Planet  guide of the city we are visiting for quick facts, restaurant suggestions, maps and carry it with me the whole time.

Myself (Editor) – I am going to bring the care package my girlfriend is making me for the trip.

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Team Getty Images

The U.S. Open golf was held just north of San Diego the second week of July and the Getty Images golf crew headed west for the week. A group of six photographers, three editors and four runners will cover the year’s second major at the Torrey Pines Golf Course.

The week started with a celebrity made-for-TV round on the Friday before the start of the event featuring the Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo, Justin Timberlake, NBC’s Matt Lauer and amateur John Atkinson who was selected by Golf Digest. The goal was for all 4 players to break 100 on the Torrey Pines course playing the course from the same tees as the pro the following week. Both Romo and Timberlake managed to break 100 with Lauer and Atkinson shooting far more.

LA JOLLA, CA – JUNE 06: Justin Timberlake walks off the first tee with his caddie Butch Harmon during the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on June 6, 2008 in La Jolla, California. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

The balance of the team started arriving on Sunday from all points. Ross Kinnaird from Leicester England, Harry & Rebecca How alongside Jeff Gross from LA, Donald Miralle from Carlsbad and Doug Pensinger from Denver. Travis Lindquist and myself set up our trailer behind the press center and made the coverage plans each day. We stumbled upon a rather nice house that will house our team for the week just south of the course. This will allow us to avoid the southern California freeways for the most part. Our pictures this week will be used on numerous websites, magazine and newspapers all over the world. We will also do work for several golf companies throughout the week.

Monday morning starts with Kinnaird, Lindquist and Halleran chasing Tiger Woods and company around the oceanside course. We meet back at the trailer and send pictures of Woods and a few players from Europe to the papers there which are 8 hours ahead. The fact that the event is on the west coast will prove to be a bit of a challenge all week long.

Here are the editors, hard at work, sending our pictures around the world in record time.

Tuesday and Wednesday we will file pictures of the top players as well as a good selection of players from the European Tour. The media and fans are all excited about the fact that Tiger will play with Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott the first two rounds. We also decide who will stay and cover the playoff on Monday, should it happen.

The first day gets off the ground with a large horde of fans and media following this marquee threesome. We files pictures after every few holes of them and for awhile it seems that they are the only players on the golf course. It is a long hectic day and we file over 500 images from the first days play. ESPN also uses a selection of our images in a montage during their televison coverage the first two days.

Our runners stay on the course with our photographers and after every few holes, they run our cards into the editors. This allows us photographers to stay on the course and not miss any of the action while our customers are getting the images as quickly as possible.

We arrive at the course on Friday and set out to chase the first round leader. Kevin Streelman gets off to a very rocky start and we pass him off to chase other players.

The Woods/Mickelson circus get underway in the afternoon and we can see the fans start streaming towards the tenth hole in the early morning. Woods is battling his sore left knee just weeks after his surgery. This starts to become a big story as he battles the course, the other 155 players and his body.

We get a bit more sleep on Saturday morning as the field is cut to 80 players. We arrive at the course just before 9 and get to work chasing the players from Europe. Tiger gets even even more sleep as he does not play until nearly 3pm. We also get a bit of pictures for our Rolex client around the course that morning for a book they will produce as well as pictures of the Golf Channel talent working at the event. The golf will end at 10pm on the east coast, so we have to keep an eye on the deadlines for not only websites but Sunday papers. Tiger battles his way to a one shot lead and will be paired with Lee Westwood of England the following day. Ross cannot wait to see his countryman attempt to win his first major. I head off at 6pm to shoot the Golf Channel set. I get lucky and catch a great sunset behind the set and the ocean looks great behind them. We have a little gathering of other snappers at our house that night and watch the highlights of Woods and his eagles on 13 and 18.

The final day arrives and we learn that Ross and Travis will get a chance to play the course just past noon on Monday. At breakfast we joke about needing the extra meal ticket that is located in the back of our ticket booklet is a Monday playoff happens. We set up a series of remote cameras around the 18^th green for later. The players in the final group get off to a very rocky start and they let a few other players make up some shots. More and more Tiger is hurting and the pain is obvious on his face as he attempts to win his 14^th major at Torrey Pines. He and Westwood are playing just ahead of Rocco Mediate who is trying to become the oldest player to win the event. Mediate looks very steady on the back nine and he finishes one shot ahead of Woods and Westwood at the time. Both players need to make birdie on the 18th hole to join Mediate on Monday for an 18-hole playoff. They each find a fairway bunker and chances for birdie look slim. Westwood hits a shot to 20 feet and misses his birdie. Woods curls in his 18 footer and celebrates like only he can.

SAN DIEGO – JUNE 15: Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO – JUNE 15: Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The three of us cannot wait to see the cards and we send out a large selection of pictures from this moment. Our captioning software allows us to get this set out very quickly. We leave the course talking about all the big moments that Tiger has provided us over the years.

SAN DIEGO – JUNE 16: Tiger Woods stands with runner-up Rocco Mediate after winning on the first sudden death playoff hole during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Doug, Jeff and Ross cover the golf and Travis collects cards and files the early sets of pictures on Monday. Woods once again needs to birdie the 18^th to stay alive and he defeats Rocco on the 19^th hole. We get one of the first looks at the daughter of Tiger and Elin at the trophy ceremony. Jeff gets the front page of the NY Times the next day as well as a Nike ad from the big putt. Doug has the cover of Golfweek and Travis gets a front page with Tiger and his daughter to name a few spots. Not a bad week at the office.

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