Why not

As previously reported, I was able to catch the 2nd leg of the still under way PhotoShelter city tour/marketing event (check out a nice summary of the NYC stop here from Andrew). In all fairness to Allen & Grover, they repeatedly tried to steer the conversation away from a product launch and onto a broader city hall style open forum about photography and the Future (now everyone sing together: In the year 2000...!). But that wasn't happening, especially with the recent Getty $.49 stock brouhaha still circulating heavy.

In general I think we are all in agreement that one more tool for photographers to promote their work is a good thing, especially when its not the normal reaching, rights-compromising bullshit. I got an announcement from PhotoShelter a few weeks ago about the launch of The Collection and though I didn't feel any great urgency to sign up right then I knew that sooner or later (or last night) I'd throw my hat into the ring as well. Why? Well, why not?

And to that end, Photoshelter's Collection is not really a solution... but it is another avenue, and a very clean tidy one at that, for photographers to make some money without doing much (which is incredibly important in a long-term view of staying alive in this industry). The only negative reaction that I had at the Atlanta event was the way in which the terminology being used to describe the new venture (fresh, 2.0, different, new paradigm, etc.) was annoyingly inane. And to that end Allen did make the mistake at the Atlanta event of telling me during a response to a question (below) that The Collection was not going to be a "stock agency." Well, yeah, it is.

I raised my hands a couple of times during the event (the Atlanta leg was MUCH smaller than you cool kids up in NYC rocking out the Irving Plaza digs), and one of them was somewhere between a question and a comment (awkwardly). "Are you at all concerned about the idea that by going after Getty and the other big bad stock archives that you are basically trying to become them?" The response from Allen and Grover was something about their fresh approach, but we are different, we have a better split, new keywording, transparency, etc., and that's cool (I was sort of just hoping to plant that in their head, if it wasn't already there). But I think my bigger point was that its very easy for the small guy to throw rocks at the giant and get the crowd excited... but nearly impossible for the small guy to keep that sense of fighting for the little dudes (photographers) once they are getting to be giant-sized themselves. And I was also referring to the way that a lot of things (like, oh say, my former agency) starts as this "boutique" nice little size and markets itself in that unique way, but then one day you realize that they are just as big as everywhere else. Regardless, Allen and Grover both swore to me and the crowd that they will never sell to Getty.

None of that conversation is actually important on any practical level. What is is that applying to PS's Collection is free and easy and even if you are not a stock photographer (check) its potentially another good way to bring a new revenue stream into your business (so that you don't have to constantly hustle). It was sort of ironic that the art buyers on the panel later in the event (which was basically aimed at empowering independent photographers, etc.) said that the best way to get noticed by art buyers was to be repped. Ha ha. Anyway, in summary... welcome to the block and god speed, Collection!

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Comments (1)

John, Nice post. I enjoyed your perspectives on the photoshelter launch. I've joined because as you said - why not? And I'm also getting this feeling lately that these self managed more custom distribution avenues might work best for a photographer such as myself. I shoot a lot of very niche market stuff that doesn't fit well with more generic stock agency content, but it does have a market. The good thing about the people looking for my images is that they are having to work to find my images, so I'm less concerned about being in every Getty search, but I still need to make my work available. Photoshelter and drr both seem like good options here. And most importantly of course, optimizing and building my own site.

Thanks for your comment to them about 'becoming Getty'. I think you make a good point.

enjoying the blog.
-Scott in Alaska

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