Getty & Flickr Call for Artists

[keitaro]

Saw this up on flickr, and thinks it would be a good opportunity for some here on revscene. Especially since there are some amazing photographers here.

Flickr and Getty Images has program which allows Getty to select users to have their images sold on the Getty network. Before this was invite only. Now with their 'Call for Artist' program, you can submit a portfolio of 10 photos to Getty for review. If selected, your images would be sold on Getty.

http://blog.flickr.net/en/2009/11/05...ges-wants-you/

http://blog.gettyimages.com/2009/11/...l-for-artists/

[Senna4ever]

Wow...Getty is stooping pretty low these days. They make it sound so good, but just be careful if you actually do this. Read the fine print....how much are they going to pay you for a given usage? Only the best of the best images will get chosen (the highest pay outs) for print, and they need to be a minimum of 12MP. They've (even the big stock companies) started to lowball photographers lately.

[Mananetwork]

Taken from the flickr group for all to read. Well said!

My advice to everyone is to think before agreeing to having your images sold by Getty. And this is someone who currently has some of his images sold by Getty. I regret ever doing so!!!

Do not be suckered into becoming part of the Wal-Martification of the photo industry. Your images are worth MUCH more than what Getty or any other microstock photography company will offer you. All this is is one big power grab; suck up as many available photographs on the Internet so they can control price and distribution. They make money by developing economies of scale and you get a pittance ($2 to $5) for your image in many cases in return.

What to do instead? Tag your photograph well. Design firms will find you. Make it easy for them to contact you. I made $20,000 last year negotiating directly with firms to buy my images, and that was only working 3 hours a week!!! If you have a good image (and many of you do) and a newspaper, magazine, design firm, ad agency, etc. wants it, they'll find you. Seriously, what do companies like Getty bring to the table? Another search engine, not nearly as robust at Flickr's? Salesmen? C'mon...and you get 20% for all of your creative energy. RESIST THE URGE!!!

I came across the following blog post, which was published just today. It comes from the blog "Thoughts of a Bohemian," which is written by Paul Melcher, a successful professional photographer and entrepreneur who was labeled one of the "50 most influential individuals in American photography" by American Photo magazine.

blog.melchersystem.com/2009/11/06/this-aint-wal-mart

Educate yourself and do your homework before you ink ANY agreement with ANY microstock photo agency!

[Senna4ever]

^^^ Thanks! That's the gist of what I wanted to write, but didn't have time.