Stock Photography FAQ

What disadvantages do photographers have selling their own work?

• Getting Phone Calls: Individual photographers have often found it difficult to compete against big agencies.  It is hard enough for individual photographers to attract requests in first place, but those who generally do manage to field requests from photo-buyers will usually continue to do so only as long as they are capable of filling the requests.  Once they can not fill a given request, the photo buyer will usually start trying somewhere else (Pickerell and Child, 1994).

• Time & Administration Costs: Self-representing photographers have also had to bear the responsibility for all costs of owning and maintaining their photographic library.  They have had far less legal weight if they have required litigation.  They have also been required to stay close to their office or hire staff to send out their images to handle requests made on short notice (Pickerell, 1994).