By Stephen M. Schaub

Stock photography…seemed like a good idea some years ago. Turn those old jobs and personal works into revenue again and again or take the plunge and just shoot and shoot, amass a huge catalog of images and sell away.

Great, right? NO!

Stock photography has become the muzak of the visual industry. Sure, it fits tight budgets where good imagery is needed (and there is some good stock photography available) but all of this stock imagery used to be actual jobs photographers got hired to shoot…now it is just a click on any stock agency screen…no photographer to hire, just enter your credit card and done. Add into the mix the incredible shrinking day rate for working photographers and stock is a spike through the heart. How can you pay your bills, feed your family and expect to compete with the bargain rates stock imagery sells for?… you can’t. You may disagree with me but- you’re wrong. Want great work, need great imagery- HIRE a photographer!

The Photo Industrial Complex has also screwed photographers (yes again) in this area of day rate and making a living as well. Ever notice how after convincing us to lighten our wallet for the next studio upgrade or latest software gizmo that they then come out with a slimmed down and affordably priced version of the product you just bought…and then proceed to sell it to: your client. Ask any wedding photographer or table-top photographer and they will tell you that digital and small product photography set-ups have killed a large segment of their revenue.

In the the end it is the photographers themselves that are the worst whores and imbeciles because we allowed this to happen in the first place…why? Greed, laziness take your pick…maybe lack of business vision. Yes, stock photography does have it’s place, as do do-it-yourself setups, but nothing can or ever will replace the creative eye of the professional photographer. Amen.