Zoom-in Online

Believe it or not, there are still photographers who balk at the idea of stock photography. Even before the days of microstock, when photographers got away with charging $100 for a mere 8x10 print, stock photography was being accused of “ruining the business”. And when microstockl hit the scene, there was even more whining and rolling of eyes. There still is, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face.

I immediately think of the music industry and its reaction, when mp3-files became widely popular. Back when Napster was at its height. The record industry is a monster, compared to the many small and medium sized photo-studios of the world, and though it took them long enough, even they eventually started coming around. Songs are now increasingly being sold one at a time instead of as albums, digitally instead of on disc. It’s a new market, and they know there’s no fighting it. So, instead they try to embrace it, against their will perhaps, but they do it nonetheless. There is, after all, no stopping progress.

Why is it then, that photographers have such a hard time accepting, that it is going the same way with photography? Bitching about the digital revolution won’t help you. All it will do, is make you stand out as a dinosaur. As someone who can’t adapt. Someone dated. And as a photographer, you don’t want to be dated.

Not too long ago, I had an encounter with just such a photographer. Though he didn’t argue the point too hard, it was obvious that he missed the good old days and was bothered by all these amateurs stealing his work. The truth is of course, that his work is still better than most amateur’s, but that doesn’t matter because he simply refuses to compete with them in the stock photography arena. And by doing that, he is handing over any potential business he might have had to them. As a sidenote, I might add that he still had qualms about digital photography as well. Go figure.

Personally, I am excited about the development. Everyone starts out an amateur after all, and the way I see it, the microstock market is the perfect testing-ground for those who wish to see if going pro is right for them. Buying a DSLR and a set of strobes is not enough, just as buying a keyboard and fiddling around in Garageband won’t make you a rock star. It takes practice and talent, too, but at least now the tools are affordable and the market readily available and easily accessible. To the dinosaurs out there, I say: Tough luck. Get with the program or become another fossil.

Rasmus Rasmussen is on loan from iStockphoto, where he is part of the image inspection team.