by Dave Herbig

Danita Delimont Stock Photography is the world's first stock agency to offer Visual Search with "active learning" sorting capability. This feature allows you to refine your visual searches to get the best possible search results in the shortest amount of time. We have discovered new technologies that will help you use Visual Search even more quickly and effectively, and it's fun to use, too!

Here's how it works: Simply use a monitor with a pivoting stand and the software that allows the video feed to be translated into vertical orientation. Tilt your screen into the portrait (vertical) orientation, and you'll see twice as many images without scrolling!

We recently purchased a ViewSonic VP201b LCD monitor that comes with a tilting stand and PerfectPortrait(R) display pivot software. In 1600 x 1200 resolution mode, this allows us to display 5 rows of thumbnails - that's 15 complete thumbnail images - on our search results page instead of only 2 rows and 6 thumbnails. This feature also allows us to use the visual search Power Sorting panel without scrolling!

Scott Anderson, the Vice President of Product Management at Portrait Displays, the developer of Pivot(R) Pro and PerfectPortrait pivot software, told me that tilting and re-orientation capabilities have become a key sales feature for most of the larger flat panel displays. Using portrait mode in conjunction with a larger screen area can enhance web searching, word processing, form creation, PDF viewing, and working with some spreadsheets. This technology also works great for Photoshop users working with vertical images, allowing them to do their editing and image manipulation without any scrolling. What a timesaver! Changing the monitor orientation is easy. Just tilt the monitor by hand, then use a mouse click or keyboard shortcut to change the screen orientation. Some of the newer models by LG and Samsung have even built this feature into their monitor stands so the screen display is automatically rotated when the monitor is rotated.

Have an older LCD? No problem! Aftermarket rotating stands are available from vendors like Ergotron. The Ergotron Neo-Flex(TM) stand costs about $50 and fits a large variety of monitors. Pivot Pro is available directly from Portrait Displays for $34.95.

We will be demonstrating our Visual Search technology in portrait mode at Picturehouse in New York City on October 19th. Be sure to stop by and visit us if you are in the area.