97
GRAPHIC DESIGN:USA SURVEY
September 17, 1997
In Graphic Design:USA's annual survey of their readers relative to their use of stock photography 81% said they use stock and nearly a quarter of the respondents said they used it more than 20 times in the past year.
Ninety one percent of those who use stock say they get their images from traditional stock agencies. Fifty five percent of the users say they have also used royalty free CD-ROMs in the past year.
When asked how they find their images 51% said they preferred to use print catalogs, 18% preferred CD-ROMs and 31% like to use a combination of print catalog and CD-ROM. While 60% still want to receive transparencies or negatives, 40% said they are happy to have stock sources provide an already digitized version of the image rather than film.
One of the many designers quoted in the article was Deborah Williams of Design & Image Communications in Denver. She summed up the advantages of stock as follows: "Stock is growing because it has demonstrated itself to be: (a) easily accessible, (b)infinitely available in terms of subject matter, (c) the use of Photoshop and other design programs have opened the doors to more use of imagery as a design element rather than the sole image or message, (d) budgets continue to be cut for assignment photography, and (e) in many instances, a creative concept can be demonstrated figuratively rather than literally, using some very esoteric, interesting images. Personally, I believe stock has risen considerably in quality..."