For those who would like background on the stock photo industry, its history and trends this story provides links to a number of stories on PhotoLicensingOptions.com that readers may want to review.
History of the Stock Photo Industry
This story catalogs how the stock photo industry developed and the major changes that occurred prior to 2006. The industry has also seen major changes since 2006 that are outlined in other stories on this site. Today (2010) the industry is quite different from what it was just 5 years ago. Nevertheless, as we consider future options it is helpful, particularly for young people just entering the profession, to review past events and consider the timeline of how the industry got to where it is today.
The End of Stock Photography as a Career? Interview with Jim Pickerell
In early 2010 John Lund interviewed Jim Pickerell. Jim outlines some of the changes he has seen in his almost 50 years in the photography business. He shares his views on the future of stock and suggests ways to adapt to the new realities of the business.
Going Pro: Photography As A Career
This story is free. At the bottom of the story there are links to 9 other stories. Readers must pay a fee to read each of these other stories.. The information in these stories is aimed specifically at students and people who are considering a career in photography.
Will Opportunities for Professional Stock Photographers Decline?
This story outlines ten reasons why we think the opportunities for professional photographers will decline and includes comments from several experienced professionals who disagree.
Future Opportunities For Careers In Photography
This article summarizes some comments made on LinkedIn about the future opportunities for photographers.
Death of Photojournalism
This free story provides links to two major analysis pieces at www.DigitalJournalist.org which were written by renowned photojournalist Dirck Halstead.
RF History Why Creators Only Receive 20% of Royalty Free Sales
This story provides a detailed explanation of the rationale for a 20% royalty for images that are licensed as royalty free. It presents the arguments that were made for reducing the photographer’s share of fees from 50% to 20% of the gross sale price and points out how difficult it is to change an established practice even when the reasons it was first put in place no longer apply.
Looking Ahead: Operating A Stock Photo Business
This free story provides links to five articles written in the fall of 2009 on the subject of “Business Planning For The Future” for photographers. A fee is charged to read each one of the linked articles.