Hey folks - I saw there was another post relating to cushy stock on here, but it doesn't really detail what cushystock actually does. So I thought i'd write a little mini-review on here, because I use it, and I think its great, and the more people that buy it, the more money the guy making it will have and the more time he'll invest in making it even better! (some of the proposed new features look amazing.)

Cushy-stock is a program for stock photographers. It does a whole bunch of useful stuff, which you can read a full list of at their website here - www.cushystock.com - But there are a few things I wanted to touch on myself because I think there are people out there like me dying for a tool like this

1) Keywording - a lot of programs let you keyword your images, but cushystock has a really neat, easy and fast way of doing it. Its so nice to be able to quickly and neatly keyword things, moving through your list and getting the 'boring bit' done so that you can move on to getting the uploads done and back out to shoot more photos!

2) Uploading - once you've entered your details into the software, cushystock will let you add a batch of photos to its database on your computer and then *upload your photos to ALL the agencies you're signed up with INCLUDING keywords* <-- this is MAJOR and very very handy, as you will know if like me you're signed up to a bunch of places

3) TRACKING - here's where it just keeps on getting better - the software keeps track of which images have sold, and at which sites, so you can really manage your portfolio and see where you're being successful and where you're not - you can spot emerging trends and create more images in that theme, or you can ditch a proposed shoot and see that 'hey, those santa playing golf shots arent selling this summer, maybe I shouldnt spend money taking more of them..' etc.

So there you go. Those are my 'big three' reasons why I think cushystock is brilliant, they have a freeware lite version if you want to check it out at the address I gave earlier (www.cushystock.com) and the full and pro licences arent expensive either, they'll pay for themselves.

And just before anyone says, I don't work for cushystock, this isn't an advert, I'm just publicising a product I think is good because the more people buy it, the better it'll get, and thats good for everyone!!

Best,

Neil

Woah very informative! I've been wondering what to use, as I've justed started micro and between cushystock, prostockmaster (which looks like it's falling apart...) and isindica (I think that's how it's spelled) I have no clue.

The latter seems nicer though because I can access my images at work and continue my work whenever/wherever.

Neil,

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I have been thinking for a while that I need to start a section for reviewing the "support software" that can go along with selling stock photography. It used to be that every just used Photoshop and a camera and that's pretty much it (I know thats an over generalization). I have always thought that the best way to be sucessfull is to submit to multiple agencies and from what you say this would really help with that.

The whole reason I started this site was because some agencies where worth submitting to and others were just a waste of time (and money in some cases).

Anyhow, CushyStock looks like it is worth a look and I hope to put together a review and rating section for software like this soon. What other software and accessories do you use in producing great stock images?

This is an excellent app. I have used it for 3 months and wish I had found it earlier.