Getty Images has pulled together from its many collections a group of images that they call
Getty Images Prestige. They say it is a “carefully curated selection of the world's most powerful imagery. Prestige images are distinguished by their unique aesthetic approach, exceptional craftsmanship and uncompromising quality - all available for use exclusively.”
If you search for
www.gettyimages/prestige and click on “Explore Prestige Images” you are taken to a page with the keyword “Explore” where 4795 images are shown. However, if you search on the “Related searches” it seems that all the images are not in the Prestige collection. The searcher is taken to the larger Getty Images collection. If you enter your own keywords you are certainly taken to the full Getty Images collection, but the “Prestige” images may be shown first. It appears that very few images from 3rd party suppliers are shown in any of these searches.
Getty says its industry-leading creative research team analyses image trends using unique data from the millions of searches and sales carried out each year on
www.gettyimages.com. These insights are then used to guide what is shot and edited for Getty Images Prestige. Selected by in-house professional editors and featuring unique collaborations between award-winning photographers and Getty Images' international team of art directors, Getty Images Prestige makes the world's most powerful imagery more accessible than ever, without the costs and risks inherent in a custom photo shoot.?
“Getty Images Prestige is where you will find the best examples of the major subject categories, such as wildlife, travel, business and lifestyle. It is also where you will find our most artful, challenging and visually intriguing imagery - the photography that features in our exhibitions.”
When Paul Foster, Senior Director of Creative Content at Getty Images, was asked, “What do you look for in a Prestige image?” he said, “In short, the best combination of creativity and commercial relevance for our customers. This means we look not only for the best of the raw, authentic moments of real life captured by the talent in the crowd, but also for the highest standards of photographic craft in terms of lighting, composition, re-touching and the highest production values - high quality models and locations, excellent styling, propping, hair and make-up and so on.”