NEW YORK, USA -- September 5, 2007 - Digital Railroad, the trusted provider of Web-based archiving and marketing services for the professional photography industry, today announced the beta version of Research Network™ ( research.digitalrailroad.net ), a unique online image research request tool that instantly connects photographers and agencies with buyers who are Digitalrailroad.net® members. With real-time access to image research requests from buyers around the world, thousands of photographers and agencies in more than 62 countries are able to quickly submit existing stock images that match buyers’ image needs on deadline in specific time zones, providing buyers with rapid, one-click access to relevant high resolution stock images.

Digitalrailroad.net provides the most innovative and valuable suite of online services available for image creators, buyers and sellers worldwide. The combination of Digitalrailroad.net Marketplace™, Research Network and member-branded archives provides streamlined and collaborative access to today’s best professional photography sources, giving buyers the opportunity to maximize search efficiencies and easily license unique images.

Digitalrailroad.net has succeeded in drastically minimizing the production time required for photographers and agencies to manage their professional archives, and with Research Network, is now streamlining buyers’ workflow to make the research and licensing process extremely efficient.

Jenny Pouech, Art Coordinator at Alfred A. Knopf/ Random House says, “Finally, a way to reach a diverse group of independent photographers and small agencies with a single research request.”

“We’re dedicated to helping buyers find the images that best match their needs. Simultaneously we are giving our member’s the unique opportunity to scan their valuable analogue image archives on-demand for buyers’ needs and publishing trends,” said Evan Nisselson, Digital Railroad founder and CEO. “By enabling the Digitalrailroad.net community to communicate directly and more efficiently about specific image needs, buyers are able to benefit from members who know their digital and analogue archives the best.”

Research Network is an online interactive image research platform accessible only to Digitalrailroad.net members. Marketplace image buyers submit their free photo research requests online in real-time, using their own descriptive phrases. Digitalrailroad.net members are alerted of these research requests in an interactive forum and can quickly respond by submitting a selection of images -- whether only from their existing Digital Railroad archive or also scanned from their film archive -- to meet buyers’ needs within stated deadlines. Buyers are able to access aggregated responses online using the Research Network. Using one seamless tool, buyer members conveniently evaluate consolidated responses -- each of which are linked to high-resolution images -- all while maintaining buyer confidentiality. When buyers select the photographs they need, image licensing is handled through Marketplace e-commerce tools or Marketplace staff, enabling convenient payment and invoicing options.

“Research Network is very exciting and innovative,” Sarah M. Clay, Account Manager, Avenue A | Razorfish. “Our team will definitely be able to use this feature. It’s always tough to find the perfect image, especially for our wide range in client base. It’s an excellent idea for us to work directly with the individual photographers -- an awesome enhancement which will be greatly beneficial to our business.”

All Digitalrailroad.net members can participate in the Marketplace and can gain access to the Research Network and participate in the Marketplace. For a partial directory of Digitalrailroad.net member agencies, collectives, and photographers, visit http://www.digitalrailroad.net/corpsite/community/seller_directory.

About Digital Railroad
Digital Railroad (www.digitalrailroad.net ) is the trusted provider of online technology and services for the global community of buyers and sellers of professional photography. Digital Railroad members actively manage images on topics such as sports, news, celebrity, creative, nature, and stock. Digital Railroad's comprehensive suite of online services transforms the way that photographers and agencies manage, market, and sell images worldwide.