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Image Keyworder software customised for Alamy Users

Permalink Comments (77)24 June 2008 at 09:46 by Pippa Greig
Posted under Advice and tips

Typewriter Keys - Image AB707P © Photodisc
© Photodisc Annotating your images in line with our requirements is essential if you want to maximise the sales potential of your images. If you submit regularly to us, you might be interested in some new keywording software called Image Keyworder which has been developed by keywording specialists OnAsia.

The Windows-based Image Keyworder software now offers a fully customized “Alamy mode” for contributors. In Alamy Mode the program allows you to annotate metadata fields which have been tailored to precisely match our submission requirements.

It should also help you work faster. Groups of images can be annotated in batches, templates can be created and saved for similar image types and keywords can be selectively added and removed from sets of images.

The software comes bundled with a thesaurus comprising over 40,000 terms. Several relevant terms can be added to your images with a single click, making it much easier and faster than keywording manually. If you can’t find a term in the thesaurus, you can also click to suggest it for inclusion as well as manually adding terms. OnAsia’s keywording team is also regularly updating and expanding the thesaurus.

Image Keyworder has an Alamy Export function that enables you to produce a spreadsheet of metadata in line with our requirements. The programme will error check your export and let you know if you have missed any of our required fields, ensuring you have error free submissions.

Each time you have a batch of at least 50 images which have passed QC (in the “Prepare for Sale" section of Manage images) you can send the spreadsheet to the Image Management team to be applied.

Please do remember that although Image Keyworder is saving metadata directly to your images, we do not currently extract metadata directly from images submitted this way. You MUST send us the Excel spreadsheet created by Image Keyworder’s Alamy Export wizard.

A free 30 day fully functioning trial is available, after which you can purchase a license for just US$79.99, including a 12 month renewable subscription to the Image Keyworder thesaurus valued at US$39.99.

For more information and to download the software visit the Image Keyworder website.

Please note that for specific help regarding this software you should contact Image Keyworder support.

We would like to stress that Alamy does not benefit financially from the sale of Image Keyworder.

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Add your own commentComments (77)

  1. 24 June 2008 at 10:08 Steve w

    Doesn't work with Macs. No use to me.

  2. 24 June 2008 at 11:16 Pete jenkins

    Didn't work well with PCs either. Customer support poor to say the least. Very dissapointing.

    Shame as the idea is very good.

    Kind regards



    Pete Jenkins
    www.petejenkins.co.uk
    www.photographerspro.eu/pete_jenkins/
    www.professionalphotographer.co.uk/blogs/pete-jenkins-blog

  3. 24 June 2008 at 12:41 John La Gette

    Yet again, software aimed at photographers that isn't Mac-compatable! When will they learn?

    John La Gette

  4. 24 June 2008 at 13:26 Elisabeth Coelfen

    I am also on a Mac and run Image Keyworder using Parallels.

    But a Mac version is on my wishlist, too :-)

    Elisabeth

  5. 24 June 2008 at 13:27 Sharon Lowe

    I love that you use an image of a Mac for a program that doesn't work with Macs. Please let all the Mac users know when you develop something for us.

  6. 24 June 2008 at 17:07 Manfred grebler

    It would be much better providing a specification for including all required information into the metadata and reading these data during the import. Than I can use any ITPC/XMP software that fits MY requirements.
    This REALLY should not be much effort! (Assumed Alamy's programmers know their job.)

  7. 24 June 2008 at 17:18 Colin paterson

    macs for photograhers

  8. 24 June 2008 at 17:32 IanMurray

    I would much prefer some decent contributor tools online at Alamy to, for example, bulk edit, search and add/replace.

    I'm not holding my breathe on it though.

  9. 24 June 2008 at 17:49 Paul Collis

    The only way to ensure appropriate and relevant keywords is for contributors to assess each image individually. Any attempt to make it easier with software will probably just add to the millions of software-generated irrelevant and frustrating 'keywords' already accepted by Alamy.
    Why doesn't Alamy concentrate on introducing their " and ^ annotations? You announced it a year ago, told us to follow your rules, and so far... nothing.
    Accuracy would also increase substantially if you fell in line with other libraries and used 'word defining' panels in the search bar area. i.e.: 'light' = visible electromagnetic spectrum? or daylight? or light-source? or weight? etc.
    Please, Alamy, after the 'Novel Use' fiasco, you need to reassure us with an announcement of something positive.

  10. 24 June 2008 at 18:18 Ed Book

    How did the image provided in this post get by QC without a soft rejection?

  11. 24 June 2008 at 18:40 Lourens Smak

    Also 100% Mac overhere...

  12. 24 June 2008 at 19:09 Errol Sawyer

    I am working from a Mac platform.

  13. 24 June 2008 at 19:31 Pearl bucknall

    I too use a Mac so not much help. Ironic that you illustrate the blog with a Macbook

  14. 24 June 2008 at 19:32 Xof

    Mac user... useless!

  15. 24 June 2008 at 19:32 Oleksiy Maksymenko

    Yeah, batch editing would be awesome. Like add certain keywords to a batch of images into selected keyword fields, or remove selected keywords from a group of images. I'd like to see that tool on Alamy.

  16. 24 June 2008 at 19:33 Tony Watson

    May I reiterate Paul's comments; I too have followed your guidelines and spent many, Many, MANY days 'individually' rekeywording my collection in readiness for the long promised 'annotations' system.

    James West estimated that it would go live in March (Nov meeting).

    However, time is ticking on and my increasingly incorrect views to zoom ratio... due to following your guidelines is rather frustrating.

    Any chance that we might be informed as to when 'annotations' goes live?

    Or how about... the promised premier 'safe' collection?

    Please Alamy give us something to hold onto.

    Tony Watson

  17. 24 June 2008 at 19:41 Todd muskopf

    A plug-in for PS CS2 and above would be nicer than a standalone software app. *OR* What if Alamy decided that it would use the existing IPTC fields supplied in CS2 and designate "instructions" as "Essential keywords". I believe there are places everything else, Alamy would just have to set up their software to pull the info. Alamy now only pulls the description (caption) and keyword (comprehensive keywords) fields. It seems like perhaps they could get creative with what already exists in CS2 and make our lives easier without us having to buy more software.

  18. 24 June 2008 at 20:16 Larry Manire (DigitalVues)

    I have been using Image Keyworder (on a PC) for a couple of months for, so far, three batches of between 50 and 60 images each. I reported a couple of Alamy related errors to the vendor which they promptly fixed and the program automatically downloaded a new version after they were fixed. The program has saved me an enormous amount of time because of the ability to apply selected data to groups of images. Also the thesaurus helps add spelling variants and related keywords that I often miss. It also has a verification step that checks for missing data in the spreadsheet before you send it off. This is a wonderful program. I would say it has cut my preparation time in half at least and I don't have to add any data online at all.

  19. 24 June 2008 at 20:17 Paul wasserman

    Ditto and likewise to using the standard IPTC fields and/or Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperature plug-ins so that Alamy can be part of my workflow instead of vice-versa!

  20. 24 June 2008 at 20:25 Thyrsis

    The license agreement on this software says free for 15 days, NOT 30 days;
    Evaluation - You may evaluate this Software without purchasing a license for a maximum of fifteen (15) calendar days (the "Evaluation Period").

  21. 24 June 2008 at 20:57 Pablo jeffs

    Bad program, and almost bad only for PC. It's not god for my workflow.

  22. 24 June 2008 at 21:24 Keith pritchard

    Paul Collis has hit the nail on the head:
    "The only way to ensure appropriate and relevant keywords is for contributors to assess each image individually. Any attempt to make it easier with software will probably just add to the millions of software-generated irrelevant and frustrating 'keywords' already accepted by Alamy."
    I, and presumably many others who have tried that over the years, and even formerly sold quite well, are now paying the price, thanks understandably, to the 'new' system. I could just about justify the time spent revising the keywords on every image (c3000)... but then splitting them all up into THREE different keyword boxes! No way. It doesn't matter which and how many companies believe they have latched on to a market niche here, from a photographer's point of view, software is NOT the answer. From where I'm sitting (and as an alamy contributor since 2001) it's a 'no brainer': the current alamy keywording input requirement is simply TOO COMPLEX Where this has been completed it may well greatly assist client image location. That's all very well and good - but it'll never be the success that some may have hoped for, whilst it's a KILLER for 'those on the ground'.

  23. 24 June 2008 at 21:36 Michael

    Doesn't this "Keywording software for Alamy contributors" (PS: It's not Alamy software, it only works on Windows and it costs $80) basically qualify as Spam?

    Cheers, Alamy; I didn't sign-up for Spam, but then I didn't sign up for an agency that wants to sell my images for 50p each, either.

  24. 24 June 2008 at 22:05 Matthew Ashton

    isnt it a bit misguiding or bordering on illegal that you are selling something for only PCs yet advertise with a mac...

    again mac through and through would not dream of using a PC

  25. 24 June 2008 at 22:06 Ben Plewes

    Mac + Photographer = No Brainer!

  26. 24 June 2008 at 22:11 Beta tester

    I was better tester for this application
    After waisting hours trying trying to get it work for me I uninstalled it

    They did help me with a few issues I had but I could never get it to work well for me

  27. 24 June 2008 at 22:13 Will

    Everyone is so god damn critical. It's not like Alamy has forced anyone to use it. AT least the extra option is there!

  28. 24 June 2008 at 22:33 Jeff morgan

    A plugin for Photoshop that will input the "file info" data directly into the Alamy fields would be far better than yet another standalone application. Isn't there anyone out there developing such a plugin?

  29. 24 June 2008 at 22:45 Craigb6

    @Pearl bucknall

    Sorry to be pedantic, but its an iBook, not a MacBook. Important to know what you are kewording!

  30. 25 June 2008 at 00:23 Chris Potter

    I was a beta tester too...gave up even trying to work it out...life is too short!!!!

  31. 25 June 2008 at 00:23 Richard wayman

    This whole keyword thing is getting out of hand.
    Why not limit keywords to a max of , say, six words after the initial caption of 'when' . 'where', 'what'.

  32. 25 June 2008 at 00:26 Richard wayman

    Oh Yeah, I'm a Mac user too.
    This software advertised by Alamy ain't no good for our family.

  33. 25 June 2008 at 00:52 tiger

    not only do you use a photo of a Mac for this non-Mac-compatible software, but your blog entry indicates that you're unaware that there's more than one computing platform at all - and that most people working in the graphic arts don't use the platform of which you are aware.

    is Alamy run exclusively by artistically-oblivious businesspeople? not the best plan for a stock photo agency...

  34. 25 June 2008 at 03:03 Penny

    It seems like a good idea, but not much thought has been put into it considering that the majority of photographers use Macs, including myself.

  35. 25 June 2008 at 05:16 Rick edwards

    Tried it but it is no better and is possibly worse than what is already available in CS3.Having three boxes for keywords on Alamy is crazy to me,why can't Alamy use the the information embedded in the image by CS3 as other agencies do?

  36. 25 June 2008 at 08:23 Cees van leeuwen

    Since the IPTC files are a world standard. The XML used by ADOBE works with it as most of the professional editing and archiving software.
    Why is Alamy trying to invent the wheel again?

  37. 25 June 2008 at 08:54 Colin cadle

    Most 'professional' photographers use Macs. Why have you used a Mac to illustrate this information when the program is only available on PC?

    I think this program will generate thousands of unnecessary keywords. Manual is best, maybe with the help of a Thesaurus.

  38. 25 June 2008 at 09:07 David Spurdens

    80% of photographers I know in the Northern Hemisphere work with apple mac so not providing a Mac version is a bit strange! It would be more efficient to use the embedded keywords in CS3 for everyone.

  39. 25 June 2008 at 09:11 BetteR

    "You MUST send us the Excel spreadsheet...!" No innovation, no timesave, no help. But thanks for the hint. Innovative would be: 1) Alamy would extract the correct IPTC directly from the images: with IPTC standard it's possible! - just define how to allocate the fields for Alamy keywording and program a routine for extraction 2) Image Keyworder would give the opportunity / Thesauri to keyword in multiple languages. 3) or: like IanMurray suggested: better Alamy online keywording!!!: bulk edit, search and add/replace. All this I can do with my sofware. Greetings

  40. 25 June 2008 at 09:11 Gail W

    Surely a Mac version would have been more sensible... or is the target the 'semi pro's/amateurs' for novel use?

  41. 25 June 2008 at 09:19 Lawrence Garwood

    As per most of the comments on here... a picture of a mac but it only works on a windows platform..

    Presumably the mac shown is an intel one and is running windows.?????

  42. 25 June 2008 at 10:01 James

    Gail - I don't think you can assume only Semi pro's use PC's... I have a PC set up and it works just fine.

    Still - I can't see how this software will be any use to me.

  43. 25 June 2008 at 10:07 Alamy

    Apologies to you if the picture containing a Mac caused confusion. We used the image to illustrate typing on a keyboard but have now changed it to something a little more generic.

    Recent surveys have told us that over 50% of Alamy contributors use PC's. We thought some of these PC users would find the tool useful which is why we have bought it to your attention.

  44. 25 June 2008 at 10:16 Isabelle

    If there was a way to extract the imbedded metadata from our images, all our problems would be solved. You can easily batch process in Bridge or in Photoshop.

    *Why has nobody so far come up with a solution. It can't be that hard.*

    I can't imagine using this software only to end up with a spreadsheet that then has to be somehow "glued" to the right image.

    Also on a Mac.

  45. 25 June 2008 at 10:52 Scottie

    In #43, Alamy said, "Recent surveys have told us that over 50% of Alamy contributors use PC's."

    I didn't realize that so many accountants were Alamy contributors.

  46. 25 June 2008 at 11:07 Dianna Bonner

    I am Mac too and so are all my photographer friends - who in this day still uses a PC if they are serious about photography !!

    You would think marketing teams would research a little before churning out yet another PC program!

  47. 25 June 2008 at 11:42 Jim Laws

    This time in the right place - sorry readers!!
    Recommend a piece of software for use only with a Mac and see how many PC users crawl out of the woodwork. Might surprise a few!!

  48. 25 June 2008 at 11:55 James

    Dianna - Erm, me for a start!

    I don't understand all this PC/Mac snobbery. Your pictures need alot of work do they?

  49. 25 June 2008 at 12:44 Matt

    I've pretty much giveg up on Alamy, because of the unnecessary workload they add by not using IPTC data like every other agency.

    I would really like to see an explanation from Alamy as to WHY they don't just extract the IPTC information and save their photographers endless hours of pointless work (time that could be spent taking photos!).

    I don't want to buy, and learn to use, yet more software. If people are using irrelevant keywords then just reject their photos. Oh, but hold on, that would mean Alamy doing more donkey-work instead of us...

    Why don't you fit in with the industry standards!

  50. 25 June 2008 at 13:52 Susan

    Based on the comments in this blog, I'm not going to attempt to use this software.

    And I wholeheartedly support the requests already made of Alamy to SIMPLIFY their keywording requirements. Three boxes, even two boxes, is so time consuming to work with. Does this system really increase sales?

  51. 25 June 2008 at 13:53 robert mulder

    Pretty arrogant these MAC users. It's the photographs that count. A real professional photographer would not work with Alamy, anyway.

  52. 25 June 2008 at 14:16 Carlos newman

    Good idea but not to me.May be when one or more pictures mine to be sold in the future.
    Best regards.Carlos
    La Serena-CHILE

  53. 25 June 2008 at 15:40 Jacky parker

    All of the above, Another MAC user

  54. 25 June 2008 at 19:44 Linda

    What ? No Mac version ? Wake up!

  55. 25 June 2008 at 20:44 Marco Brivio

    I am a Mac user, like many other contributors of Alamy and I am disappointed I cannot try this software, but in any case I strongly believe that personal experience and a good Thesaurus are the only key elements to keyword an image.

  56. 25 June 2008 at 22:42 Clyde

    If it doesn't work with a Mac (and Aperture), it's not for serious photographers

  57. 26 June 2008 at 09:08 Nathan

    I thought if they made there sytem copatable with the photoshop like other sites. The we would not habt to buy any more software.

  58. 26 June 2008 at 09:19 COLIN molyneux

    As others have said If your a professional in the graphics industry your more than likely to be using a Mac

  59. 26 June 2008 at 14:07 kev.b

    Mac here as well! getting really fed up of being left out because of being a mac user - They are the best for photographers and designers - so why for PC only!

  60. 26 June 2008 at 17:53 John panton

    Contrary to most of the comments here we have found that Image Keyworder performs very well. The template function is great for repeat images and consistent keywording. The thesaurus function is useful but could be modified to allow manual additions.

    Considering that keywording is almost as important as the image I cannot agree with most people's comments that Alamy's keywording structure is over-complicated. If Alamy are to secure more lucrative commercial usages then the search criteria needs to be precise otherwise clients will choose other sites...

    As for the argument that most photographers use Macs - spending £300 on a PC which will alllow use of Image Keyworder and ezAlamy for uploading metadata seems a no-brainer...

  61. 27 June 2008 at 15:14 Galan

    still doesn't work...

  62. 30 June 2008 at 14:27 Tomas Kaspar

    I work with several stock agencies, and some of them allow me to upload my keywords right from IPTC. I wish Alamy would follow something similar.

  63. 01 July 2008 at 17:27 Carol Hyman

    Hey, guys, I don't have the figures but MAC is it when it comes to images processing; NOT windows.
    Offer the service to MAC users pleaase/

  64. 01 July 2008 at 18:19 Tony Chadwick

    Doesn't work with Macs. No use to me.

  65. 01 July 2008 at 19:49 Mark a. urquhart-webb

    I am disgusted that you display a picture of a typewriter and yet the software doesnt support typewriters - amazingly not even my up-to-date IBM Selectric II is supported. In a recent (1972) poll, almost 95% of photographers claimed that they exclusively used typewriters for their photographic cataloguing and indexing systems. Shame on you, Alamy!

  66. 01 July 2008 at 21:01 Barry webber

    Keywording always seems to be an issue and I have never understood why agencies don't encourage the use of one of the classification systems,like Dewey or Library of Congress.

    Think what the customer wants.
    Wouldn't customers prefer to search with an Internationally recognised subject code than try to guess the many keywords that might apply?

  67. 04 July 2008 at 00:11 Rush

    All the dogs in the Mac adverts go "yap yap yap", all the seals rush out and buy them and go "argh argh argh".

    I'll probably give this tool a go, see if it's any easier.

    I think keywording is a good idea. From personal experiance, filling all the keyword character space does lead to some tenuous/spurious matches and views. Is this a good or a bad thing? I'm not sure, haven't worked it out yet. Will I be getting angry about stuff? Probably not.

  68. 08 July 2008 at 14:22 Galan

    have anyone managed to run the software on PC?

  69. 11 July 2008 at 12:07 David

    Between Lightroom and Bridge and a Chambers thesaurus keywording images is pretty slick now. Not only are they useful for submitted images but also for searching within my own DAM database.

    Now if only I did not need the laborious web-based editing after they are submitted to Alamy. For each image I spend many times as long doing just that last step compared with the rest of my workflow. In this respect I wholeheartedly endorse many of the comments addressed to Alamy imploring them to streamline the process and integrate better with IPTC fields.

    I'm also a Mac user, but unlike many am willing to accept that about half the contributors use PCs, although that proportion is shrinking. I have VMware so I could run this application in a VM, but there is no way I'm going to be persuaded to do this because it is just another nasty step in my workflow. And as for using an Excel spreadsheet format. Shiish, I don't even know what that is not being a MS Office user. :-D

  70. 15 July 2008 at 05:40 mik

    It seems the PC users are hiding in the corners of this discussion, most of the photogs I know & work with are mac shops (myself included).
    Biggest beef with the Alamy keywording scheme is that we are photogs so the photo/illustration radio button could, by default have photo selected. Anyone reading this provide both?
    Secondly, those shooting lifestyle/models could, by default, have model release selected.
    The other keyword fields could be populated some other way than us photogs populating these fields for them. Unless this is a torturous method to weed out the less capable photogs.

    just a few thoughts, now, if we could get someone to watch the gates, like Tony Stone, Alamy could be a real moneymaker for a the better contributors.

  71. 04 August 2008 at 07:17 Pete

    Most interesting is the following, July 2008 "Mac should claim 8 percent of the global desktop operating system market by the end of July" yet the under 10% of people who, in the World, use Macs, and they want the world to come to them?

    Aren't you special!

    Look at this blog. Someone might expect 10% maybe 20% of the messages to come from 8% of the people. Instead it's 90% Mac users. :)

    I'd prefer that Alamy read metadata from the files that I painstakingly enter and that for a shoot I can copy a majority of the repeat data, to a whole set of photos.

    I don't care what computer OS it runs on, Linux, Mac os X or the latest MS bloated package, using an external program and then sending in an Excel spreadsheet is the long way around. Plus we are expected to pay for that basic information.

    Alamy, Please read IPTC data, instead of re-inventing the wheel. It's an International standard that works on all brands and operating systems.

    I've worked on an iMac. They are fast, accurate and excellent. However, the tail doesn't wag the dog.

  72. 01 September 2008 at 01:04 Oliver Pumfrey

    Just wanted it be known that I too am a keyword hating Mac user! Currently looking into having someone do it for me.

    How about Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 for Mac too?! Can't afford CS3. :(

  73. 03 September 2008 at 13:35 Ron Elmy

    I informed Alamy that another agent of mine has a button you push which says 'repeat keywording from last image' which is a wonderful feature. Need an 'IT' guy, ...but it can be done.

  74. 16 September 2008 at 12:09 Christopher Cassidy

    Mac here too, a PS plug-in would be much better, especially one which would enable all the Restrictions to be easily applied without having to click "Add Restriction" six times on each image, which takes me hours!
    Anyone know a quicker way?

  75. 24 September 2008 at 15:29 Tom Gardner

    Trust some to turn this into a Mac/PC argument again! They both use the same hardware running the same colour managed software (ie Photoshop), coupled with a decent monitor= same results. Big deal, they are both fine for the job.

    Of course, it is strange not to offer a Mac version of this software. I also agree that it is still not a substitute for simply using IPTC so we can use the software we already have. A PS plugin would be great, preferably a free one!

  76. 02 October 2008 at 22:49 Richard baker

    Yep. A Mac user too. I spoke with the developers during last year's BAPLA show in Islington and they didn't have an answer about a Mac version then but I'd love to know if they're even working on it now. They certainly didn't give me cause to think it was a priority.

  77. 12 November 2008 at 13:35 inga spence

    Any positive comments for PC Users ???

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