Stock Photography’s Fatal Flaw

Posted on 12/8/2011 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (4)

Image creators need to recognize that the fatal flaw in the stock photography business model is that there is no way to control supply relative to demand. This was not a big problem in the 1990s when demand exceed supply, but that state of affairs will never happen again. As a result Stock Photography is and will continue to be a very risky business.

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Copyright © 2011 Jim Pickerell. The above article may not be copied, reproduced, excerpted or distributed in any manner without written permission from the author. All requests should be submitted to Selling Stock at 10319 Westlake Drive, Suite 162, Bethesda, MD 20817, phone 301-461-7627, e-mail: wvz@fpcubgbf.pbz

Jim Pickerell is founder of www.selling-stock.com, an online newsletter that publishes daily. He is also available for personal telephone consultations on pricing and other matters related to stock photography. He occasionally acts as an expert witness on matters related to stock photography. For his current curriculum vitae go to: http://www.jimpickerell.com/Curriculum-Vitae.aspx.

Comments

Jonathan Ross Posted Dec 8, 2011
If that is the case Jim then you and I are both out of a job : )

Best,
Jonathan

John Lund Posted Dec 8, 2011
Kinda makes me feel like a Salmon...swimming against the current until...a...never mind.

John Lund

Bill Bachmann Posted Dec 8, 2011
Jim, there is more competition, etc today than before, yes ..... but the SKY IS NOT FALLING! You always seem to say it is...

Think more positive, shoot better images, don't sell them for a dollar on Microstock, think like a buyer when shooting, shoot things that sell universally, keep busy shooting,, and all photographers will do better.

www.billbachmann.com

Paul Melcher Posted Dec 9, 2011
Comparative shopping was easier under the plastic sleeve era as an editor would send a similar request to several photo agencies at the same time and receive then all at once. They could then, on the light box, display and compare images next to each other.
You can't do that with websites.
I think it's great time we stop thinking of the stock industry as a traditional supply/demand model because clearly it is not and never has been.

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