Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Corbis and Bill Gates question.
From: Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 05:21:25 -02-30
References: <B6033419.73AB%apbbeijing@yahoo.com>

At 21:40 05-10-00 -0400, you wrote:
>There are other -- very exciting -- models than each photographer running
>his/her own agency, and which potentially release photographers from the
>tyranny of Gates and the agencies -- but they rely on technological
>developments which are just over the horizon.

Nope... the technology is here and working and at a relatively cheap price.
PictureDesk International developed its own software which allows it to 
sell news and feature pictures online to subscribing newspapers, magazines 
and other editorial clients.

It's a searchable database, file transfer system and e-commerce package all 
in one for online picture transfers and financial transactions.... at it 
was done with the vision of a few independent photojournalists (and a 
brilliant Internet guy) who were tied of being ripped off or having to 
"share" with CP, Reuters, AP and sub agents of sub agents of sub agents....

We now have some major publications and subscribers, a great group of 
professional photographers and we are more then happy to compete with 
larger agencies and the wire services.

You are right, controlling the distribution of your own work is the future 
of photojournalism and documentary photographers.  Sometimes that means 
forming small agencies to work as a group.  .... which is the way photo 
agencies started with Magnum and Blackstar.

....so, it appears it's "back to the future" for the photo business and 
those photographers and photographer run independent agencies who are 
"PREPARED" when Corbis and Getty get tired of losing MILLIONS of dollars a 
year and fold, (and take the major agencies such as Sygma, Saba, et al with 
them) will be the ones to prosper and succeed in a business that never 
really lived by the typical MBA or Dot.Com business models.

The "technology" is about delivery.  If you have something to deliver, then 
you are in business.  If you can apply that new technology to tradition 
businesses then you have established clients and markets but simply a new 
or additional method of marketing, sales and delivery.

It's a brave new world, but the old rules still apply.







Greg Locke
St. John's, Newfoundland
locke@picturedesk.org

PICTUREDESK INTERNATIONAL     ...news pictures ONLINE
1-800-340-4970 / http://www.picturedesk.org
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In reply to: Message from apbbeijing <apbbeijing@yahoo.com> (Re: [Leica] Corbis and Bill Gates question.)