With the decline in public sporting events due to Covid-19, and thus the need for photo coverage, many sports photographers have seen a significant decline in demand for their services.
But media companies still have time slots and space to fill. Consequently, they are turning more to documentaries and coverage of historical events to fill their gaps. In the UK this is great news for archies like Colorsport whose collection of sporting imagery goes back to the 1880s.
It also offers some new opportunities for, at least, some sports photographers. Tony Graham and Stephen West have joined
Colorsport as Sales Directors.
Tony Graham has over 30 years of experience in the photographic industry with Getty Images, Reuters and Adobe, while Steve West has over two decades with Getty Images and Shutterstock.
Their experience and passion in the industry, combined with the depth and wealth of Colorsport's vast archive, creates a unique opportunity in the sports photography marketplace.
Colorsport, established in the late 1960s by Colin Elsey and Stewart Fraser, soon joined by a third partner Andrew Cowie, quickly became recognized as this country's leading sports photographic agency, covering all sports, all over the world. Colorsport's ever-expanding library (now 20 million images) includes all the Olympics, World Cups and British Lions Tours since, plus the revival of English football and the incredible rise of the Premier League.
Colorsport also owns several valuable archives, including Albert Wilkes & Sons and Provincial Press. These collections give the business an unrivalled archive of football, back to the 1880s, and cricket to pre the 1st World War. Colorsport has some of the oldest football pictures in the world and still owns all the original glass plates, taken by Albert Wilkes (a former England international) and Provincial Press.
"This is an exciting development for Colorsport," insisted Colorsport Chief Executive David Norrie, "and a great opportunity for Tony and Steve. Selling quality sports images is what they do best - and as well as anyone in the business - and Colorsport has long provided the very best sporting images, past and present."
Tony Graham insisted: "Being involved in this business, I have long looked in envy at Colorsport's extensive archive. Having this opportunity to promote its contents is an exciting challenge."
Steve West added: "To be able to go out and sell the strength and depth of the Colorsport archive is a special privilege."
Colorsport's rich archive is available for both editorial and commercial use, with its specialist photographers available for commission.