Most of us have experienced those last few chaotic weeks of the educational term, and cramming for exams or having all-nighters writing the magical last paragraph on a thesis is a strong memory for many of us. Now with summer looming in the Northern hemisphere, students are finishing their year of studies, and many will be rewarded with a degree or diploma in a formal ceremony.

Whether it be for students finishing their schooling or professionals who have expanded their foundations, these moments of celebration are an important way to acknowledge the hard work done, the achievements made, the human ability to absorb information and utilize it to create positive changes in our own lives and in the lives of others. What we learn and what we teach can truly have a positive, active and immediate effect that spreads beyond the classroom and out into our wider world.

With students stepping out to meet the world with mind prepared and skills tuned, the images we have chosen for this lightbox celebrate the positive attitude and empowering spirit that education rewards us with.

CLICK HERE to see the lightbox of graduation photos

We're pleased to announce that stock agent PhotoAsia Picture Library has launched a brand new website design incorporating much awaited ecommerce from THP.

"This implementation of the ecommerce is in line with our primary objective to always cater to the needs of the clients who are frequently faced with pressing deadlines and the urgency to be able to order their selected images at all hours. Now that the shopping cart is activated we hope we can generate sales while we sleep." -  Doreen Lau

When PhotoAsia first started in 1992, it was known as Picture Library. In August 2009, it changed its name to PhotoAsia Picture Library. Following the name change PhotoAsia now specializes in the marketing of images of Asia, Asian and Malay lifestyles with an emphasis on the multi-racial culture & their colourful diversity. Over the past 20 years PhotoAsia has earned a reputation for marketing the best quality images with the most creative interpretations of popular scenes which will live up to their tagline that POWERFUL PICTURES SPEAK!

Like to know more about the THP? click here!

Phanie is a press agency based in France since 1991. Their collection of over 28,000 RM images specialises in high quality health and medicine images.

Want to see more? Click here.

The close relationships Phanie photographers have with health professionals enable them to take accurate and diverse images covering health related topics and lifestyle themes, such as Cystic Fibrosis, rehabilitation for disabled people, obesity, and developments in scientific research and technology, as well as healthy living lifestyle images.

artlist Inc., founded in 2002, is a Japanese company specializing in animal photos, with a collection of more than 10,000 RM photos of over 70 breeds of adorable dogs and cats. Their main philosophy is "To bring fun and happiness to the world," which they achieve by carefully selecting their models based on Japan Kennel Club standards and photographing them with a professional animal cameraman.

With breeding types carefully documented in the caption & keywords, and incredibly cute photos, this collection is a complete delight. Like to see more? Click here!

To quote a photographer in age fotostock's photographers' chatroom:

"To produce great images, money isn’t the main necessity. It´s imagination, conceptualization and being able to use available resources that are the most important things"

Words from the wise - it’s true! We’re finding that photographers don’t need to break open their piggy banks for a photo shoot with top models in the Caribbean in order to make images that sell. They needn’t even leave their neighborhood. With a general shift in image trends, the world of design and publicity is tending towards images that mix creative flair with real life moments, images that give us a unique way of seeing the most ordinary things.

Photographers, look around you - there’s a high chance that your best photos can be taken in exact spot in which you’re standing. Attention to detail, a creative angle, willing friends that will sign a model release (hey, this is one of the only times it’s suitable to say “shoot your children”), people going about their daily lives, in natural locations – with a little imagination all of these make excellent ingredients for images that can quite simply knock your socks off. Remember, gold is not the only thing that glitters…!