Stock photographer? How to find your published images

If you're a photographer shooting stock photography and thus selling your photos through stock agencies, then it is often difficult to know where your images have been published and even more difficult to get "tearsheets" (copies of the published photo in it's context on the page).

But there are a number of tools on the internet that you can use to find at least some of the images. Then you will at least know where the photos have been published, even if you might not be able to see a complete tearsheet.

Here are some suggestions for how to find your published pictures (and do you have more ideas, please write a comment):

The basic idea is to search for your name perhaps together with your stock agency's. So, lets suppose your name is Genghis Khan and your agency is Empire Stock. (You're a bit out of luck if these names are very common and not at all unique. But perhaps you can add someting to make it more unique.)

Google

The first port of call. Google "Genghis Khan" "Empire Stock" (or something similar and appropriate). That might, or might not, give you a lot of hits to wade through. Much of which is not necessarily relevant.

A9 search

The Amazon search engine, which can be effective to find e.g. book publications.

Google Book search

Since some time Google is busy scanning and publishing the world's books... Many can be found on-line. Sometimes not in their entirety. But it can certainly be a valuable source. It has its own search page (although the standard Google search may also return book results). Search Google Book Search for "Genghis Khan" "Empire Stock"

Other search engines

Sometimes, other search engines can give some additional results. For example:
- Yahoo
- Ask
- msn.com

Google Alerts

Another useful thing to do is set up some relevant Google alerts. then you will get an email each time something on "Genghis Khan" and "Empire Stock" comes up. This is actually a very useful tool for all sorts of information gathering. It has a tendency to above all find web edition publications. Obviously.

So, again, if you have any additional suggestions, please post a comment!

Update:

Suggestions from friendly (off-line) commentators:

Search online press, media and magazine sources. (Perhaps also useful to find editorial contacts?):

• Zinio: Zinio.com
• Issuu: issuu.com
• Yudu: yudu.com
• Pressdisplay: pressdisplay.com (Payed service but with some free trials. It also has alerts.)