Ross on Unity, Pricing and Quality

Posted on 7/1/2010 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (6)

Successful stock shooter Jonathan Ross has invested in all tiers of today's stock image market. His experience says that the way to a profitable future is rooted in a unified approach to pricing and quality. Read this transcript of Ross's recent presentation at the New Media Conference, which took place during the CEPIC Congress in Dublin.

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Copyright © 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

Rahul Pathak Posted Jul 2, 2010
Jonathan's got a great perspective. Thanks for sharing this.

Bill Bachmann Posted Jul 2, 2010
I have been pushing for many years for the industry to work together. Show me a way to do that and I am "all in".

www.billbachmann.com

Yva Momatiuk Posted Jul 2, 2010
Some good ideas but also some glaring holes.
According to Jim Pickerell, more than 70% of people contributing images to the current market are not professionals. They have jobs or other sources of income, and often do not care how much they may license their photos for-- as long as they can produce, market them, and see them used. So, Jonathan Ross's idea: " Our goal as agencies and photographers should be to work together to keep some form of stability in our market" is not realistic. The man who received $30 for his picture adorning the cover of Time magazine not long ago was apparently happy, and so were other non-professionals: what a coup! It has been said that organizing photographers is like herding cats, but trying to organize people who like to see their work used but often do not need the money must be like herding flies.

Yva Momatiuk

Jonathan Ross Posted Jul 8, 2010
Yva,

You can find a hole in every comment. Yes there are some cases where things have changed for the worse but some of us are still making a great living at shooting stock. I hope you can find a plan that works and then maybe you'll take the time to share it with others but I don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Giving up is a guarantee you'll be working at Wall Mart some day. I am trying to unite the photographers in our business, what is your plan? To many Henny Penny's in this business will manifest into what I am trying to avoid.

Jonathan Ross Posted Jul 8, 2010
Bill,

I am not the leader of some great revolt, it takes all of us working together to make a change. If most stand around and wait for someone else to come up with an idea we won't get many ideas. If you would back it then why not add some ideas that might work. If not you are also out of a job.

Jonathan

Jonathan Ross Posted Jul 8, 2010
Hi Rahul,

Thank you for the support. It amazes me that so many people are ready to quit and not think. Then if you do come up with an idea these days all you get is " It won't work " No effort to help fix it just negativity that is a sure fire way of this all going down the tubes.
There have been many cases in mans history where the masses said we are doomed and a few people stayed the coarse and proved them wrong. It is a shame that everyone is so beaten without putting up a fight or coming up with some form of change. Most just want to sit back and complain and say it can't be done. If they follow that road the will only create their destiny.

Thanks,
Jonathan

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