Stock Photo Agencies: Outlived Their Usefulness

Posted on 12/27/2018 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (2)

This long read outlines the step-by-step changes in the marketing of stock images over the the last 30 to 40 years. It makes clear why the production of stock images is no longer a viable business for most photographers and other image creators. At the end of the article, I have outlined some of the changes I believe need to be made in the relationships between image creators and customers in order to return the business to a profitable occupation for those who produce images.

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Copyright © 2018 Jim Pickerell. The above article may not be copied, reproduced, excerpted or distributed in any manner without written permission from the author. All requests should be submitted to Selling Stock at 10319 Westlake Drive, Suite 162, Bethesda, MD 20817, phone 301-461-7627, e-mail: wvz@fpcubgbf.pbz

Jim Pickerell is founder of www.selling-stock.com, an online newsletter that publishes daily. He is also available for personal telephone consultations on pricing and other matters related to stock photography. He occasionally acts as an expert witness on matters related to stock photography. For his current curriculum vitae go to: http://www.jimpickerell.com/Curriculum-Vitae.aspx.

Comments

Waring Abbott Posted Dec 27, 2018
Jim, a very well thought-out and lucid analysis of the disaster that is the stock "business". I wish that there were a workable way out of all this but with the "race to the bottom" we are effectively finished. The Shutterstock sale to WalMart of an unlimited use photo sums it up:
Photog Shocked After His $1.88 Stock Photo Shows Up On Walmart Goods.

Macintosh Smith Posted Dec 29, 2018
Very good article Jim!

In response to your comment:

"There needs to be a single central website (something like a Google for photos) where all image creators interested in earning revenue can place their images for customer consideration."

...Isn't this what PhotographersDirect.com has tried to establish?

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