25-Humanoid research

Traditional agencies aren't as "hassle-intensive" as they used to be.

There are huge advantages to having a slew of royalty-free discs on your desk. They are there when you need them, 24 hours a day, and are convenient and quick when you need a picture. And, yes, this definitely represents hassle-reduction-- If you can find, on your own, the picture you need.

However, you will be depriving yourself of a significant resource if you discount altogether the advantages of availing yourself, when circumstances are right, of the services of a large army of highly-skilled and trained photo researchers at the traditional agencies around the world. [Learn about: Comstock's Free Custom Research Service]

These are people whose profession is to understand the relationship between imagery and communication. At the best agencies they know the files-- very large files-- inside and out and have a highly developed ability to understand what it is you are trying to accomplish visually and then translate that into a targeted, highly creative selection of photos for you to choose from.

Believe it or not, calling a photo researcher at an agency you trust, and having an intelligent conversation with them about what you are trying to accomplish, and then receiving a package of images geared to your specific project can be easier, faster and more effective than spending a lot of time searching CD-ROMS and then compromising, all the while wondering if maybe there isn't a better picture out there-- if only you could find it.

Yes, many companies are endeavoring to introduce search mechanisms that mimic a kind of "humanoid" discovery process. Sort of. But it's got a long way to go. And until things get a lot better in the "artificial intelligence" arena-- there remain real advantages to dealing with, well, a real human being.