The internet and new banks pictures free of rights have caused an earthquake in the select club of photographers agency. Thanks to micro stock sites, anyone can now buy and distribute images for a few dollars. A revolution has exerted a downward pressure on overall prices in the industry, but which do business or to hundreds of fans. And paradoxically, contributing to raising standards of photography. In this month of photography, The Press explores the phenomenon.
Lise Gagne istockphoto.com discovered the site in 2003, while working for a graphic box in Quebec. His boss asked him often to “steal” images in large image databases, and then smuggle them to avoid paying hundreds, even thousands of dollars for the purchase and use rights.
“I could not find it ethical, but there are few small companies have the money to get pictures of major agencies, says she. In searching on the internet, I discovered that I could get pictures for only ten cents or exchange! That began my love affair with iStockphoto. ”
The thunderbolt of Lise Gagne is fast becoming lucrative business. She begins to share photos she captures in her spare time with a two megapixel camera bought from a pawnbroker.
To his surprise, his photographs are downloaded by thousands of customers. Now, Lise Gagné 6500 filed under pictures and accumulate she said pocketing an annual salary “in the six figures” through his new career.
Once a week, almost on a whim, the resident of Quebec launched into a shooting. Joggers, party hats, utensils, white collar front of their computers: his sources of inspiration are as varied as banal.
“My most popular photo has sold nearly 10 000 copies. IBM, BlackBerry and Desjardins have used my material in their campaigns. I saw my picture on billboards in New York, Argentina, Montreal and Calgary! Depending on the size of photos or licenses, I make between 40 cents and $ 22 per download. ”
According to Lise Gagné, they are hundreds of photographers improvised to make a living in the same way. Former graphic designer based in Vancouver, Nuno Silva is three years. He filed 3,000 photos so far. “I think the Micro has democratized the stock photography business. Without iStockphoto, I never considered this career, “he said.
“I know our detractors. The traditional photographers have put much time and energy to develop their careers. But at the same time, I consider it a natural evolution of our economic system. There will always be someone willing to sell their product cheaper. ”
Hiccup
Like the career of Lise Gagne, launching iStockphoto is a “hiccup,” said Kelly Thompson, chief operating officer of the company.
“At its inception in 2000, it was only an exchange site for fans, but traffic on the portal has become so important that our management fee system amounted to 10 000 per month.”
To avoid bankruptcy, the administrators of the website that they must calculate charge 20 cents per download.
“Just a joke, we decided to add a nominal fee of 5 cents for photographers,” says Thompson. But the snowball effect has been so important today, we pay 1.2 million dollars in dividends per week to our staff. ”
Since the arrival of iStockphoto, a score of sites based on similar business models have begun to emerge on the Internet. There are hundreds of thousands (70 000 side iStockphoto) to try their luck on portals like Stockxchange, BigStockPhoto, Stockxpert, PhotoShelter, Dreamstime, Fotolia and Shutterstock.
The arrival of these new banks of images, called micro stock, however, has changed the industry of stock photography, commonly called the stock photo shot.
This photo libraries contain millions of photographs in which the media, advertising agencies, graphic designers, artists and businesses can tap in exchange for an annual subscription. Photographs can also be purchased by the piece.
Essentially, two major players share the market: Getty Images and Corbis. Sensing good business, Getty Images has also purchased iStockphoto few years ago.
No gain for all
But the arrival of micro stock has not been celebrated by all professional photographers.
“The world of advertising and imagery is in trouble, so why is it that companies would go pay $ 1000 for a picture?” Runs the photography teacher at Cégep du Vieux-Montreal Martin Benedict.
“Many people find their account. Côté prestige, they are not proud of buying such images, but they are proud of regarding my wallet! What is certain however is that it has lowered the billing of photography at all levels. The commercial photographer or stock shot who wants to stay in the market should lower its price. ”
“I have often met with angry photographers who wanted me to disembark there, I even received emails threatening confirms Lise Gagne. “But do I harm other photographers? I worked as a graphic designer and I can assure you that there are many people who steal images. I do it for the smallest to those who have no money. ”
The artistic and commercial photographer, Jean-François Gratton, however, believes that photography advanced survive the advent of micro stock. “It was much more threatening at first, but customers have had time to live of bad experiences,” says the image sensor in Montreal.
“For example, there have been competitors buy the same photos for their advertising campaigns or brochures. They want to live it and companies are, I think, willing to pay for exclusivity. Moreover, there are so many bad images that accumulate on the web as it promotes great images made by artisans. “
