One of the foundations of photo agencies is to provide its customers with safe, secure, properly vetted visual content. In exchange for a fee, clients of photo agencies are offered images they can use in full blissful confidence. Or so you thought. In the last month, a few stories have surfaced exposing that this might … Read More →
After over twenty plus years working in and observing the photo industry, one conclusion is clear: One of the worst enemies of the photo industry is its own members. While the forces of business, technology, and social trends have had some profound adverse effects on photography, nothing has been as eroding as the constant self-deprecating, … Read More →
For most of the 80’s and throughout the early 2000’s, the recurring motto in the stock photo industry was “It’s the content, idiot”. Key to any growth of photo agencies and successful career of any photographer was the ability to offer great content. Rule number one was to appeal to clients and crush the competition by creating upscale, high … Read More →
The problem with photography today is not Instagram, Selfies or other Snapchat. It is not the devaluation of the value of professional photography. No, those are nothing compared to the massive influx of a pernicious disease infecting modern photography. The problem with photography today is that everyone writes about photography. Not that is a problem … Read More →
Its not the photo part of journalism that is dying – there are some great images out there-, it is the journalism part. When was the last time you saw a story explained in photographs rather then lengthy text. Today’s photojournalism consists of reading a story in the news and covering it. It is not … Read More →
More than often these days, we see published, mostly in photojournalism, stories about the story rather than the story itself. Maybe due to sites like Emphas.is or Kickstarter who are repositories of photojournalist exposing their storytelling process, or the advent of more and more websites about photography rather than on photography, we are seeing an … Read More →
We are on the footsteps of a new photography landscape that is or will be affecting everyone who intends to draw substantial revenue operating a camera. While we can see and feel the changes, how to adapt is not clear. Mostly because we are trying to apply or adapt old models to new rules and … Read More →
Our ability to achieve greatness is impeded by our addiction to getting to fast results and instant gratification. We are a civilization focused on the ends rather than the means, resulting in a complete absence of ethics. While the Greeks , Romans and Egyptians have left quasi immortal legacy, our civilization will leave a huge … Read More →
The real story behind the evolution of photography is its pauperization. In its early days, photography was for the wealthy and educated. The equipment needed was expensive and the skills involved needed formal education. Furthermore, the financial risks involved in being a photographer – variable income- meant you had to have some other resources. Even … Read More →
Taking a cue from the succesful microstock model, here is where photojournalism is heading. It is happening under our eyes, right now and in four steps. The decline of traditional photojournalism: Nothing really new here. Rising cost of living (travel, lodging, food) has made it almost impossible for current print and web publishers to send … Read More →