All of you should read the following post in the CEPIC Blog which debates the recent Dreamstime Microstock offer of over a million images for free use, based on the pedestrian thinking that people that get images for free will eventually pay for them sometime in the future...

CLICK to read the article in the Cepic Blog 

Our photographers' chatroom has been humming with backlash. Here's just a few of the photographers' reactions:

"I'm not allowed to talk about the "old" days but back then the bosses of the agencies cared passionately about the business and often were artists as well, now it's all about money for them and lack of it for us.It won't be too long before photographers have to pay to sell their photos that are being given away free."

"I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that shooting stock in this type of environment is rather pointless and perhaps not worth the effort for the 99%. Luckily I have other more marketable skills."

"I might be the eternal optimist, but I think there is still a decent paying place for high quality niche images. One that a micro shooter could not produce and one any jackass can't take with their iPhone. I try and produce them all the time."

"There is certainly no NEED for FREE content in today's ADVERTISING market. If you want to advertise, PAY the creator of the content you'd like to use! When one person (or business) WANTS to use free content - that doesn't mean another person has to deliver it at his own expenses."

It is clear that digital technology and the Internet has opened the door for new business models that favor the distribution process that balances the lowering of selling prices with the generation of volume. While this may initially sound logical, the ugly side is that photographers in general and the stock photography industry in particular will fall into decline because photographers cannot generate enough revenue to continue producing great images.

Cheap prices have devaluated photography to unimaginable levels in just a few years and have demoralized professional photographers. I believe that the only way to maintain the value of photography is to produce high quality content that attract clients attention because it is unique, innovative, creative and experimental and which maintains a more than decent price. age fotostock maintains the same principles, shooting the best images we can and trying to sell them for the best possible price.

We have entered into a vicious circle that we can only break out of if photographers and stock agencies demolish the fence that separates them and openly discuss certain pricing logic - otherwise the future will be uncertain for both of us.

We're pleased to announce that stock agent PhotoAsia Picture Library has launched a brand new website design incorporating much awaited ecommerce from THP.

"This implementation of the ecommerce is in line with our primary objective to always cater to the needs of the clients who are frequently faced with pressing deadlines and the urgency to be able to order their selected images at all hours. Now that the shopping cart is activated we hope we can generate sales while we sleep." -  Doreen Lau

When PhotoAsia first started in 1992, it was known as Picture Library. In August 2009, it changed its name to PhotoAsia Picture Library. Following the name change PhotoAsia now specializes in the marketing of images of Asia, Asian and Malay lifestyles with an emphasis on the multi-racial culture & their colourful diversity. Over the past 20 years PhotoAsia has earned a reputation for marketing the best quality images with the most creative interpretations of popular scenes which will live up to their tagline that POWERFUL PICTURES SPEAK!

Like to know more about the THP? click here!

We’re very pleased to announce the extension of our THP network in Asia, thanks to incorporation of new Members Oriental Touch and Daiichi Colour to the THP Photo services community. These new agents/providers, based in Hong Kong and the Philippines, license Rights Managed, Royalty Free and Low-Budget Royalty Free imagery.

“Oriental Touch was the first stockphoto library established in S.E.Asia, and we have a 42 year history in this market, answering the need for creative and advertising productions in our region.

Oriental Touch has developed an important supply of images focusing on Asian elements, particularly travel and lifestyle.

Daiichi Colour, the Philippines branch office of Oriental Touch, serves the creative and advertising clients with the best stock photos in all categories, supplied by several supporting providers from Asia, Europe, America and our own.

As part of the THP network, we will focus on sales and production of more new images to submit to our member partners. We appreciate the continuous support from all the photo providers to Oriental Touch and Daiichi Colour via the THP.”

- Virginia Ho. Director, Oriental Touch.

age fotostock & the THP would like to offer a warm welcome to Director Virginia Ho and all of her team at Oriental Touch and Daiichi Colour.

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For those who work in the stock industry in France, Pixday is one of the highlights of the year. Organized every year by Pixways, the company who created Pixpalace, a distribution portal for agencies in France, it is the only event in Paris where stock photo and video buyers and photography agencies can meet together.

Along with 30 other press, stock and specialized agencies, the age fotostock Paris team attended Pixday on the 11th of April. The day was extremely busy and rewarding, filled with meetings with clients both old and new.

A few words from Magali Tribalet, our Head of Sales at age fotostock France;

"Our visitors were mainly from the editorial and publishing market but a nice surprise this year was the growing number of visits from the advertising and communication industry.

We can confirm that microstock is very powerful in the market but buyers are also increasingly committed to agencies that offer alternatives - a different look, legal insurance and more variety.

The overall impression was that in spite of a very tough market, the vibe was positive, and clients were pleased to notice that traditional agencies such as age fotostock are offering new and high quality images."

age fotostock attended the CEPIC Congress 2010 in Dublin, Ireland from June 8th through the 12th.  In this year’s edition, we had the chance to speak with many photographers, videographers, bloggers, photo agencies, new distributors, and more, about the industry, age fotostock, and your images (of course!).  In this week's post, we are including this interview to age fotostock CEO Alfonso Gutierrez, published in the CEPIC Daily, the congress newspaper. 

As you can see, age fotostock is still working, making plans, and looking toward a solid future in stock photography.  Are you a photographer who is making plans, innovating and working towards a future in photography?  We´d like to hear what you´re doing...