There are many different types of projects and many different types of clients. The one thing they all have in common is at one time they will require professional quality imagery. A marketing asset, whether it is a piece of print collateral or an online asset for the web, is only as attractive as the quality of imagery presented within that piece of work.

The Donkey Ink Design (“DID”) Image Sourcing Process outlines how we’re able find you the best stock imagery for your project. You might already have an established image library and simply require additional imagery for a certain project, or you might not have any imagery at all and would like to begin building your image library. DID is pleased fulfill your stock imagery requirements regardless of what your marketing needs are. Below is the process I engage in with my clients to ensure the stock images used throughout their marketing campaigns meet their current and upcoming requirements.

Step 1.  Image Package Selection

In making the decision to purchase imagery, DID allows you to look at the big picture (pun intended) when considering your current and upcoming marketing requirements by offering a choice of two image package options.  If you’re only planning on having your images appear online, then the Web Only Image Package is for you. However, if you’re planning a standalone print campaign or one to accompany your new or current online presence, then the Web & Print Image Package is the clear choice. Both packages are described below. 

Web Only Image Package

• Includes smaller images with a low 72dpi resolution – suitable for use on the web only
• A good choice if you’re building a new website with a lower budget or if you already have printed promotional material and no need for the same images appearing on your website to appear anywhere else
• Clients receive copies of the raw images

Web & Print Image Package

• Includes larger images with a high 240dpi – 300dpi resolution – suitable for use in both print and web
• A good choice if you are planning on producing print marketing material that ties into the website directly by using the same imagery for both
• Clients receive copies of the raw images

Step 2.  Image Theme Concepts

The theme of the images will be established in the relevant conversations surrounding the overall design and the look and feel of any particular project. These themes become keywords and form the basis of the image searches.

Step 3.  Image Search & Selection

The search for, and initial selection of, your images begins once the design stage of your project is underway. DID combs various image libraries until suitable images are located and selected for use. For each image selected, a low resolution watermarked version is downloaded at no cost and filed for placement in the project as a temporary “placeholder” image.

Step 4.  Image Approval

Initial project designs are submitted to you with the watermarked placeholder images so that you get a rough idea how that image will contribute to the design without being committed to its purchase. If each of the images elevate the design as intended and to your satisfaction, we move onto Step 5. Image Purchase. If there are images that need replacing, we go back to Step 3. Image Search & Selection and resubmit the designs with new watermarked images until the right images are in place.

Step 5.  Image Purchase

All watermarked images need replacing with those having the correct resolution and the watermark removed.  It’s at this step that the non-watermarked, higher resolution images are purchased and downloaded from their respective source libraries.  Once downloaded, each correct image replaces its associated placeholder image in the project and undergoes any necessary and final image manipulation treatments.

Step 6.  Image Deliverables

Once a project requiring an image package is signed off on and being packaged for delivery to you, DID will assemble a folder containing all of the images that appear in the project in their raw downloaded condition.  That folder will be included with the final deliverables so that you can use the images in accompanying online and/or offline pieces that might be produced later in the marketing campaign.