Bethany Birley
Address: London, England
Mobile: 07894 084 198. Home telephone: 020 8241 3453.

Personal Statement:
I bring to my work an understanding of photographic and art sourcing, and a good eye for images. My general knowledge is good. 
My aim is to research a wide range of images and place the more important ones at your disposal. From fashion, food and family life to wildlife, weather and  world development. If an image is out there I plan to find  it for you. I have a long list of libraries that I am prepared to work with but you need to tell me which agencies you have deals with and who not to approach. Outsource your freelance research to BBresearch.

London School of Publishing
Picture Research (2007). A 10-week course covering all aspects of photo research including releases, rights, commissioning, working with galleries and negotiating fees. Taught by Samantha Johnson, Penguin Books.

Kingston Adult Education
Understand your camera (2008)
Intermediate Photoshop (2005)
Advanced Microsoft Excel (2005)

Liverpool Hope University
BA Hons Creative and Performing Arts (2000-03).

Hereward College of FE
BTEC ND in Performing Arts (Distinction) (1998-2000).

Tropix Photo Library (2003- present) Permanent part-time picture researcher.
Duties: In-house picture research using caption database, transparency library, digital images and website. Image scanning and editing. Webpage design, data entry, captioning, keywording. Exhibitions, networking and client contact.
Software: Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, FrontPage and Publisher; Adobe Photoshop, Nikon Scan, FotoStation.
Hardware: Nikon Coolscan 2000; PC computers.

Macmillan Education (2007) Two weeks’ part time work experience. This developed into a professional picture research project illustrating a whole book, Straightforward Advanced Portfolio (publication due May 2008). Completed on schedule. Working on second project, Science and Resources book 2 and helping with rights clearance at present.
Duties: image search using a variety of sources; editing selections; obtaining high res scans; chasing libraries to keep to deadline; sorting by figure no’s; ftp-ing images to Macmillan’s server; obtaining credit lines; clearing reproduction rights and checking proofs.
Software: Capture.
Hardware: PCs & Mac.

Ink Publishing (2007) Two weeks’ intern work on picture desk, illustrating articles.
Duties: searching a range of sources including private suppliers, businesses, galleries and micro-stock as well as professional photo libraries.
Software: Photoshop; Ink’s intranet.
Hardware: Macs.

Editorial Requirements A good understanding of educational publishers’ needs such as accuracy of subject matter, positive imagery and suitability for a younger audience (bright, clear and self explanatory images).

Specialist Knowledge: Developing nations; world travel; film, theatre and artistic movements.

I am familiar also with illustration, paintings and works of art.

British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies: Library membership via my work with Tropix.

Picture Research Association: Introduction member with basic membership.

My employment at Tropix is on a flexitime basis. This permits me to take up other part time work, or to work on temporary but full time projects. In 2008 I will not be available during the month of August.

Samantha Johnson 

Penguin Books Ink Publishing

General Art Department 

80 The Strand London

WC2R 0RL

Helen Cathcart (ask me as I have her reference)   

141- 143 Shoreditch High Street

Tel. 020 7010 3217 Tel. 0207 749 2300

London E1 6JE