But they are not the only players in the stock photography market. It’s an undoubted fact that Corbis and Getty Images rule the stock industry (Jupiter should also be there, but rumours are rife that it will shortly be taken over by Getty). So, what are the alternatives to the micro payment agencies? As for the MPA’s, I suspect that they will evolve into a different model with a wider range of prices, just like RF agencies did. In the long term therefore, the cost of setting up high quality shoots will probably ensure that rights managed agencies will continue to exist. This presents the MPA’s with a problem, because they may have to operate without high-end photography. If professionals are unable to recoup the high expenditure for model and property released shoots of high quality, and make a profit, then they wonít shoot them. There is a vast gulf between top professionals and even the advanced amateurs when it comes to shooting the genre known as "lifestyle". Sold through a rights managed agency it will make up the outlay and return a profit in a reasonable time. The cost to the photographer would include models, make-up artist, costume hire and the photographer’s time and would amount to quite a substantial amount. This iconic image of Ireland has sold well because it is fully released. None of those who disagreed with my viewpoint were able to give me a convincing reason why the prices need to have dropped to quite such a low figure and current analysis indicates that the agencies most suffering from the impact of the MPA are those in the royalty free (RF) sector that never charged the higher prices of the RM agencies. Probably true in a few cases, but there was always a vast range of fees and most clients were able to shop around to get better prices. I would like to make a couple of final comments on this changing market and many of those who disagreed suggested that rights managed (RM) agencies sold photography at extortionately high prices. Either way I would like to thank all of you – for or against – who took the time to write. Some interpreted my comments as a very good thing that needed to be said!, others dismissed them as the dying squeals of an aging dinosaur. It was my intention to start a debate and in that respect it was a success, with the range of views and depth of feeling about the subject coming as a welcome surprise. My earlier essay Micro Payment Agencies – A Force for Good or Evilresulted in an overflowing inbox and a strongly debated string in the Luminous Landscape Forum.
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