Well Aros Entertainment Limited may just be the answer.  This company provides a website with wide ranging photographs whereby one simply picks the appropriate image for a fee.

Three brothers, Craig, Ronald and Colin Young started the company.  Colin is a graphic artist, Ronald a lawyer who specialises in intellectual property rights and entertainment law, and Craig has a background in radio and now works in the advertising industry.

This potent mix conceptualised the idea of a picture bank with a distinct Caribbean flavour so those professionals wanting to market or project a concept could utilise the right stock image.

Speaking with Caribbean Business Report on this latest venture, Ronald Young said: "We wanted to bring new products to the market that would assist in creating a better product for those who want to project the right image for their product or services.  We wanted to help advertising agencies and companies find the right images for their purposes and the main way we are doing so is through our website called ethnicfaces.com."

Craig Young said that he found that while working in advertising his artists had a difficult time finding appropriate images and stock footage.  This practice of using a picture bank is done throughout the world because it is cheaper than hiring a photographer and models.

In the Caribbean, it was particularly difficult to find appropriate images that fit the right cultural context.  For instance, a couple enjoying a vacation in an exotic location would look distinctly North American.

"It was very important to provide pictures in a more Caribbean cultural context.  There was a need there and we felt that we could service that need.  We can now provide opportunities for models, photographers and artists from the Caribbean.  The key is to provide high quality images that are user friendly.  You simply go onto the website and download and purchase an image."

The website is divided into different sections.  There are pictures tailored for media interests and there is another section where photographers put up their pictures that can be acquired for a price.

The website is a one-stop shop for unique images.  There you will find models that are not the typical ones you find in magazines and advertisements.  The website caters for different requirements and tastes.

How does one acquire these pictures?

The pictures are purchased using a credit card.  However a client can become a member of Aros Entertainment Limited and thereby forego credit card payment at the first instance.  The image costs anywhere from US$100 to US$150 per picture

A client can also purchase a package of images, for example a catalogue of photographs that comes at a special price.  The pictures come on a CD and are of a high quality resolution.

There are two ways of accessing images.  One is by straight downloading of pictures using a credit card.  The other is by ordering a catalogue of images on a CD, which is then mailed to the client.

The website is now going through its testing phase and should be operational by the end of this month.  The site can be found on www.ethnicfaces.com.

"We are now at a time where we have affordable Internet access which helps e-commerce.  This enables Aros Entertainment Limited to target individuals, as well as corporate entities," said Ronald Young.

The three brothers won the Jamaica Employers Federation's Young Entrepreneurs Award for their picture bank idea earlier this year.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20051110T180000-0500_92197_OBS_PICTURE_BANKING_WITH_AROS_ENTERTAINMENT.asp