I'm putting out an official call for any existing Stock Photo developers to start integrating support for Symbiostock. This is not a call specifically to agents, but anyone familiar enough with the business to start integrating creative solutions to Symbiostock network centralization.

More people are asking for solutions in centralization and customer accommodation lately. I had planned to create a "hub" platform for Symbiostock sites to share marketing and delivery, but its pointless to reinvent the wheel, especially since there's a vast group of professionals already experienced in handling the balance between customers and contributors.

As it presently stands, sales on Symbiostock sites vary among people. Some do well, others do not. Often it depends on a number of factors we are already familiar with. As a site owner myself, I've always been pleased with my own sales, but I feel the general consensus / need is growing for centralizing the customer experience, as well as the market "pool".

Simple Integration / Centralization

Let us say you have, or are capable of creating a stock photo site. Whether we are speaking of developers from the Big 4, Middle Tier, or "Low Earner" level, its perfectly simple to integrate centralization to Symbiostock.

Symbiostock offers a special API for delivering unwatermarked images. It can easily be extended to deliver entire, full-scale portfolios. Images, descriptions, as well as Symbiostock site properties themselves are easily aggregated for your own use. You can process images and easily integrate them into your search / delivery platforms.

This means that you will be able to deliver images and take a commission, as well as benefit from the incoming traffic of the Symbiostock network.

This does in fact extend the "Symbiosis" of symbiostock.

What this Means for Existing Symbiostock Sites?

This is being posted due to the fact that people wish for a network centralization that is better accommodating for customers. Technically, 95% of the capability is already there to integrate completely with a hub or stock photo company. Literally, the only change needed is to allow not only the delivery of unwatermarked previews, but also full-scale files. Also this is completely optional, and not by any means a network-wide change or call-to-action. Its just yet another way of doing things based on perceived needs and requests.

Its worth stating as well - any solitary Symbiostock site is fully capable of its own customer accommodation.  This is merely presented as another of many paths to general success in the network. This one particularly is a response to the requests people are making for a more customer-friendly solution to the combined network. Its merely a proposition to extend the Symbiosis of Symbiostock

Main Symbiostock Links:

API Integration:
http://www.symbiostock.com/symbiostock-api-for-developers-and-marketing/

The plugins:
www.symbiostock.com

The community:
www.symbiostock.org
www.symbiostock.net
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Symbiostock/466435486810556?ref=br_tf

Search:
www.symbiostock.info
http://cascoly.com/symbio/symbiostock-network.asp

There's still work to do on the Symbiostock end of the integration (you can see the problems in the Symbiostock forum thread on PicturEngine integration). I am OK with the idea in principle, but it just isn't finished in practice.

In Dutch there is one proverb (don't know if it exits in English but translated it would be)   'Don't run before you can go'

As I see it, the "symbiostock world" is missing a lot of opportunities due to a lack of sound fundamentals.
First of all  symbiostock should become a real open source project and be run like all major open source project  with the right development tools and project management. This can only be achieved by attracting more people.

Lots of photographers/designers/artists are looking for a viable solution to display their work (and by nature real artists prefer an open  solution). Symbiostock has this build in.  Make this the core of the "software suite " and probally many will become interested to start using it. Sooner or later, some will even join to build extra plugins (eg create a picasa or lightroom export to symsite plugin - connect to pod sites - social media plugin - ...). This is the real power of open source it easily can become 'crowd source'.

Other funtions like networking, online shop, paypal, pictureengine, ... could all be provided as add-on modules and many more can be build by the community  like vat, invoicing, accountancy, payment providers, .... and probably infinitely  more .....

This way the symbiostock environment could become a standard for all photographers, designers,... to build their site and  grow their business. The software environment can grow step by step this way.

So make the "software suite" more modular and promote it to all photographers/designers to build their site is a first step. Build a real project management environment so more people can start to work on "modules" or contribute to the "core" functions is the next.

This is only a personal view,  to give some extra thoughts to the 'owners' of the project.
Keep up the good work and many thanks for your achievement till now.

Good insights! And I'm with you all the way on that. After everyone has enjoyed a nice period of stability (perhaps a few months) I intended to separate it into a series of plugins, and the Symbiostock "Theme" would be nothing more than a highly flexible basis for styling and extending -- but the brute work would be done by installable modules.

Up until now, things have evolved by necessity, but since its well established its safe to cut it into parts. That will definitely attract a lot of developers and make life MUCH easier for everyone.

While Symbiostock had experienced a cute 'independence to the photographer!' start, I think it can actually be leveraged by anyone for any number of reasons. Even those who are looking to set up a good portfolio/store, who would love nothing more than to interface with other agents/companies.

I'll keep you posted. I've taken a while to get back my stamina with this development, but the next phase will be great in terms of simplicity and modularity.

Anyway, continue to have fun and enjoy the present leveling off  in development 

Independence to photographers is number 1. New mudules will make theme better.

I'm happy to hear that you are looking to build up on Symbiostock. To be honest, I'd be willing to pay a one time fee to get a professional, responsive, searchable site.

Maybe do a poll to see if other people share this opinion and what would be a reasonable price point. With that info, you might be able to hire someone and improve functionality for you.

The symbio sites would also look more trust worthy and I am sure that sals would improve dramatically with a more polished look.

that would be a step away from the entire symbiostock philosophy --
the look is entirely up to each site owner - if you don't want to do the install yourself, there are several people who will do it for you.