MINKUSIMAGES runs zensario.ImagePool for process optimization and to realize competitive advantages.

The photo agency MINKUSIMAGES was founded by Voker Minkus in 1989. Besides project photography for customers in the areas "product" and "architecture/ real estate", Minkus is specialized in photography of "sports/ recreational sport" as well as "pedagogy/ humans". Since 2002, Volker Minkus is an official photographer of the International Gymnastics Association (FIG). Thus, he can guarantee a widespread picture documentation of a number of world championships and world cup finals in artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, aerobics, acrobatics, and trampoline.

Due to his engagement as an all-purpose photographer of the German Gymnastics Federation for many years and with respect to his intensive contacts to national athletic associations and national gymnastics associations, as well as due to the cooperation with well-known sports desks, Volker Minkus is extremely experienced and competent. Besides his deliverables photo production and individual photo reportage, Volker Minkus has an appropriate equipment for light and studio flash, as well as exposure technique and camera systems. Digital imaging and data storage are also part of the portfolio. "My customers are most important to me," says Volker Minkus. "They are demanding a flexible, worldwide data management and quick results of me. With the use of zensario.ImagePool I can reliably realize these demands. I benefit from a happy customer and am saving a lot of time, which I can reinvest in further photo projects."

The photo agency MINKUSIMAGES is meanwhile offering more than 70.000 photos in a searchable database. These are presented very well structured in main and minor categories either publicly or hidden and only visible for authorized customers. This database substitutes confusing folder structures and the backup which used to be on an external hard drive. The backup is integrated in the services of zensario. MINKUSIMAGES manages the complete online selling of his photo data with zensario.ImagePool via his own website www.minkus-images.de. "I very much appreciate the low administrative effort. All services are from a single source." Volker Minkus explains. He can inform his customers about the latest events and photo shootings in a blog.

The software complete integrates with the previous workflows. Photos are tagged and uploaded in highest resolution. The tagging is done with Aperture. zensario.ImagePool applies this tagging. Further necessary changes can be comfortably done online. The application automatically prepares the photos in MINKUSIMAGES´ pre-set resolutions and produces thumbnails. "Another advantage of zensario.ImagePool is the improved second use of the existing photo material. Furthermore, everybody can see the portfolio of pictures of my photo agency by searching the preview pictures," the photographer states. Information requests of interested customers about photo material in general or in detail, lapse. The time-consuming answering by making up a special portfolio, of such inquiries is not necessary anymore. The well-structured search in preview images enables the customer, to independently filter for interesting material. Search results can be categorized in personal photo albums and favored with a star-ranking. The pro-active search already shows results while typing in the first letters. The search process becomes a positive experience for the customer. "If the buying decision is made easy for my customer, this is even better for me," Volker Minkus concludes.

The delivery of the ordered photo data as well as the payment transaction including billing is done by zensario.ImagePool. Regulation of licenses and prices was completely set by MINKUSIMAGES beforehand. In the past, the photographer sent emails with huge attachments or put the data on a CD in order to send it by post. Now, the customer can individually fill a shopping cart and pay online. Within a few minutes, the ordered images are ready to download. Volker Minkus started working with PhotoPublisher, the predecessor of the current software, in 2002. The development into zensario.ImagePool has convinced him: „I consider zensario.ImagePool to be an important instrument to also prospectively rank among the best photographers.“

Visit the zensario.ImagePool of the photo agency MINKUSIMAGES at www.minkus-images.de.

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