Philanthropy, Storytelling, Shared Interests Lead Motivations for Successful Online Content Creators.

Future Image and Webshots Research Study Uncovers Motivations and Rewards for Sharing Photos Online, to Be Presented at 6Sight[R] Conference October 25

SAN FRANCISCO -- Future Image, a leading analyst firm in the imaging industry and hosts of the 6Sight[R] Future of Imaging conference, in partnership with CNET Networks' vibrant photo sharing community, Webshots (www.webshots.com), today announced preliminary findings in a first-of-its-kind study intended to reveal the motivations and rewards for photo content contributors who are the most engaged, and who drive the highest volumes of traffic.

The leading motivations include a philanthropic desire to "share beauty" and please viewers; a desire to document and tell a story that they feel is of importance; and a desire to connect with users that share similar interests.

Detailed findings will be presented by Martin Green, senior vice president, CNET Networks, in a keynote address on the second day of the 6Sight conference, October 25 2006, in Monterey, CA.

"This is the first time the motivations of online content contributors have been researched in this way," says Green. "The influential users that generate content and draw large numbers of page views are a valuable and illusive audience. Understanding this audience is valuable to anyone in the business of giving people tools to capture, create and share content, as well as marketers looking to reach that audience."

Included in the research findings are comparative statistical "snapshots" of power users and casual users, as well as an overview of the most common use-cases for online photo sharing platforms.

"Content is what drives viewership," says Paul Worthington, senior analyst, Future Image. "Knowing what drives the most active and popular users to create that content can be crucial to any Web business. As an organization, we have seen the online photo sharing industry grow and witnessed first-hand the prolific and passionate users that make up the Webshots community, so we knew they would be a natural partner in this research."

Related sessions at 6Sight include the panel "The Global Video Revolution," in which Webshots' Director of Product Development James Park and other participants will discuss the powerful social impact of news devices and services that deliver video to non-professionals, and a session on Monetizing Pictures in the 21st Century.

To register for the conference or listen to the keynote webcast on Wednesday, October 25 at 8:30AM PT, visit www.6Sight.com.

The two-day 6Sight program covers new developments in imaging technology, the emergence of mass-market interpersonal visual communication, and the high velocity of user-generated visual content.

It will examine future directions for devices used to capture, display and manage digital images including camera phones, digital cameras, imaging software and more, and focus on the explosion of user-generated visual communications content which is transforming people's lives in the personal, work and community spheres. Leading edge imaging technologies will be demonstrated, including liquid lenses, specialized software-enhanced optics, nanomotors, new flash and image stabilization technologies, new generations of image sensors and imaging software, high-definition videoconferencing and more. The full event program and speaker roster are on view at www.6sight.com.

About Webshots

Webshots (www.webshots.com) is one of the internet's largest photo and video sharing community where users connect over shared interests spanning 10 channels and thousands of sub-categories. With an average one million photos uploaded daily, Webshots enables "social theatre" by letting users present content that ranges in scope from personal events, to interest-based content, to events of worldwide significance and connect with other users through message boards, favorite user tracking, comment features and more. A companion site to Webshots is AllYouCanUpload.com, which is a purpose-built tool, streamlined for bloggers and others looking for fast, free, unlimited photo hosting on the proven Webshots backbone without the need to register. (Video coming in November, 2006)

About 6Sight

6Sight (www.6Sight.com) is a two-day executive event focused on the explosive global spread of imaging technology, and its potential for exciting new opportunities to improve people's lives in the personal, work, and community spheres. It is hosted and organized by Future Image, Inc. publisher of The Future Image Report since 1993 and host of the Mobile Imaging Summit executive conferences, and co-hosted by the two leading industry organizations in imaging -- the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMA). The annual event brings together technologists, marketers, futurists, artists, educators, customers and members of the media for a program emphasizing innovative use cases, breakthrough technologies, and creativity. The inaugural 6Sight conference will be held on October 24 and 25, 2006 in Monterey, Calif.

About Future Image

San Mateo, CA-based Future Image Inc (www.futureimage.com) is the leading independent center of expertise on the convergence of imaging, technology and business. Future Image hosts the 6Sight and Mobile Imaging Executive Summit conferences, and publishes two continuous information services, The Future Image Report which monitors the impact of new technologies on the imaging industry as a whole, and the Future Image MIR (Mobile Imaging Report) which focuses on camera-phones and the intersection of imaging and wireless communications. Future Image also underwrites and publishes primary research studies on the impact of emerging, imaging- focused technologies or business trends, and provides consulting services to vendors, investors and large-scale users. Future Image is the official information and research partner of the International Imaging Association (I3A).