The PACA is about to release their stockphotofinder. Or at least a Beta version of it. For those who do not know, PACA stands for Picture Archive Council of America and regroups hundreds of RM and RF commercial stock agencies. They have recently decided, in committee, to create a photoContinue Reading

The future of photography is exclusive content. Not exclusive as in no one else wants to shoot this, otherwise called “niche” photography. No, no. Niche photography is just exactly that : a specialized market. And with specialized comes limited. When photography was still film, print and slide, no one couldContinue Reading

In times of crisis, people will go anywhere to search for answers. Some will even start believing anything as long as the promise is for a succesful and happy ending. Some will even commit mass suicide if the promise is strong enough. Surely, we have not come there yet. ButContinue Reading

Recently, a lot of chatter spread over the photo-related  internet regarding a cover of TIME magazine whose image was sold for $30. It is not the first time that this magazine used a microstock image for its cover, and certainly not the last. The tea cup storm was  a bitContinue Reading

When an  amateur astrologist discovers an impact on the planet Jupiter, no one screams the end of professional astrologists, so why is it that when an amateur gets an image that pros did not get, it is the end of professional photojournalism ? The Universe is huge and not evenContinue Reading

When photographers go out of business, there is no announcement on PDN. After flickering a while, they just vanish off the photo firmament, like an unknown star in the huge emptiness of the photo universe. Most will pick up another job, to be never heard about ever again. Only theContinue Reading

There is a lot of talk these days that photography has become a commodity. According to Wikipedia, “A commodity is something for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. It is a product that is the same no matter who produces it, suchContinue Reading

Who needs microstock anymore ? Thanks to a new plug in for Microsoft office, it has become child play to easily rip an image found with Google Image and include it into a presentation or word document. There are absolutely no copyright warning and nothing to advise the user thatContinue Reading

There should be a special site for photography’s worst offenders. Somewhere for everyone to be aware of those who steal images, those who infringe copyright on a regular basis, those who do not pay, and anyone that has their hearts set to painfully hurt our beloved profession. Like a giantContinue Reading

I was looking at this video of Clay Shirky presentation to TED TV today. It’s a little long ( 17 minutes) but very informative. especially the middle part. What made me thinking is  how he portrays the development of media. If you do not have the time to look atContinue Reading