Is Flickr killing the professional photographer?

bigeoino

Just thought I'd throw out these ideas....

Read an interesting article in the Guardian which suggests that sites like Flickr are the beginning of the end of "Professional Photographers"....

It suggests that the small percentage of excellent photos taken out of the sheer volume of photos on sites like Flickr will still be more than is needed for stock agencies and the like.

Not 'News' photographers - who will still be needed - but people who make a living out of photos.

I got the feeling that the premise was a bit like the old saying that if you have enough monkeys on typewriters eventually one would write a work of Shakespeare... )

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2070571,00.html


I also listened to an interesting talk/ conversation with Martin Parr along similar lines but also more wide ranging about business models.

This contained ideas like
- "you only photograph at weddings never funerals"....,
- "boy, do you have to wade through a lot of rubbish to get to anything interesting"...,
- "feel extremely grateful to be living in an age when photography is so widely appreciated ...",
- "fees are going down...",
- "but more photographs used..."
- "best business models is to have fantastic pictures, a very unique vision..."
(randomly selected by me with no particular emphasis)

And discusses whether we will all become "professionals" when sites like Flickr starts licensing photos...
but how do good photographers and photos rise to the top
and dealing with the 'laziness' of photographers, the unique vision and a lot more!

http://allphotographers.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/a-discussion-with-martin-parr/
(quite long but v interesting)

It seems the world is changing and the dinosaurs are threatened but there are interesting times ahead and if people change and adapt people can still make a good living....

have a great weekend.

Fenster

I guess this will be our weekly Julie™ post.

No, it's not.

The photographic industry/hobby/whatever is changing right now and I honestly have no sympathy for people who just sit around and whine about it, rather than acting.

Two things recently came up that really irked me on this matter: Over on the Photography Ireland forums (sorry, NTL DNS is still not directing to the site, so I can't link) about two weeks back someone linked to a sales piece from a stock site. My own feelings about stock sites aside, the piece essentially stated it was better for the industry to pay 140 euros or more for limited use of a photo, rather than two euros from a microtransation site for unlimited use.

Look at it from a business perspective: What are you going to pick?

That's not going to change. Adapt to it and change your business model.

The second item was last night at the AGM of the Galway Camera Club (for the record, Sean, it was my last meeting so I was mostly arguing for the sake of it). Several people complained about digital photography and how all those new people with their shiny DSLRs were coming in, changing the club and essentially leaving some members alienated.

Again, I have absolutely no sympathy for you. If you want help learning the ropes of digital photography, I'll be more than happy to offer an olive branch and to show you the ins and outs. If you're going to sulk and whine that things aren't how you like it...just quit now.

/shrug

I've seen pros pretty much do that. They don't like digital so they're saying, "do it my way or I'm taking my toys and going home." I've also seen as many embrace digital and produce absolutely magnificent work.

Calina

This was my take on it many months ago. I haven't essentially changed my opinion.

magicbastarder

not necessarily flickr, but more microstock sites; they might not be killing the pro photographer, but they're impacting some niches.
a mate is a travel photographer, and before, when his main client needed shots of a certain city, they'd send him over, and possibly a writer too. sometimes he wrote the articles as well. now they've moved to microstock sites. thankfully, he's been able to find some alternative sources of income, still travel photography, but he was a bit skint for a few months.

of course, certain niches of pro photography won't be impacted, such as staff photojournalists, product shot photographers, etc.

i'd say what has changed things possibly more than flickr is the ready availaibility of broadband; where interested amateurs are able to make print resolution shots available; before that, you had to set up a portfolio with stock agencies, and physically post or deliver photos, be they on CD or trannies, to them.

bigeoino

apologies, didn't want to steal Julie™'s post...

was just interested by the article and the mp3. and though it was relevant.

I get the feeling that the industry is changing or evolving. I agree with the sentiments expressed by Calina in her link.
Broadband and Digital cameras have lowered the barriers to entry but creative and adaptable photographers can still be successful.

The one "take home" I got from martin parr's mp3 was that while Flickr may give an opportunity to a photographer or two... it is through activity in the local communities and personal relationships that recommendations occur and opportunities made.

thebaz

is flickr the best place to put photos -- or does anyone use corbis or stock sites for storing there better images --- what are the advantages and best commisions offered