How to survive as an image-maker in the digital age? Copyright is hard to protect, technology allows easy entry to creative forms (digital cameras; fix-it software, effects), and the revenues that support creative professionals (and more) are shifting. My gut instinct is to fight against the crowdsource trend though I believe the subscription business model might save, and launch, many businesses. My artist clients rage against stock anything, stock photo, micro-stock, even huge seemingly unregulated networks of portfolios. “How does that build value?” they ask me. I’m not sure that matters. There is a market for low-cost imagery, music, video, and therefore business will fill the gap.

The below interview with Jon Oringer, Founder & CEO of Shutterstock, is a means to understand what is going on in the crowdsourced- stock realm. I’m not saying I’m a believer, but I do think its necessary to learn about the facets to better make forward-looking career decisions.

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WE: How did you find yourself starting a stock photo business, what was the spark?

JO: I had used other agencies’ stock images for businesses I launched in the past. However, I noticed that prices were either too high, or the content was stale if reasonably priced. There was no marketplace that adequately served both image buyers and sellers.

So, I taught myself the basics of photography and began shooting stock photos. In the span of six months, I had over 100,000 images.  I uploaded 30,000 for sale onto a subscription site that I created.  Within hours, dozens of photographers were asking me to sell their images as well.  I realized that millions of photos were being taken every day by professional to amateur photographers and not being monetized.

A marketplace with a unique price point needed to be created. However, I didn’t want to build another credit-based photo site.  As a result, in 2003, we combined subscriptions with user-generated content, and Shutterstock was born.  We were the first stock image agency to offer the popular 25-A-Day subscription plan.

WE: What recommendations are you making to your creative clients to survive this downturn? Is there a new path we should be taking?

JO: The key to surviving the downturn is to look for creative ways to cut costs without compromising service or quality.

For example, Shutterstock uses the innovative business model of crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing allows us to harness the talents of our global base of submitters who sell their creative work on our site.

This allows customers from around the world to obtain high quality royalty-free photos, illustrations, vectors and video at much more affordable prices than traditional stock companies.

In the current Web 2.0 environment, we expect to see more businesses and entrepreneurs find original and creative ways to use crowdsourcing to fulfill their business needs.

WE: Do you think stock photography has contributed to the greatly increased competition of the photo world?

JO: The playing field has largely been leveled by the technological advancement and affordability of digital cameras, which allow talented amateur photographers to create professional quality images.  Photography as a hobby is expanding as people find that they don’t need expensive equipment to take great photos, just talent and experience.

Shutterstock contributes to this trend by providing a channel for amateurs and professionals alike to sell their work.

WE: What makes a good stock image?

JO: A good stock image needs to be marketable, technically sound and associated with relevant keywords.

In many cases, ensuring that an image is technically sound can be the easier part, since determining this is based on a variety of factors that include framing, lighting, and composition.

It is also essential to tag images with precise and relevant keywords.  Customers search our library by keyword so images will only sell if they are associated with the right keywords.

Taking a marketable image can be more challenging, as photographers need to keep in mind that the purpose of a stock image is to help sell or promote a product, concept, or idea.

As a result, we always encourage first-time submitters to study the images from successful Shutterstock submitters, as well as our Top 50 Images to get a feel for how a good stock image should look.

Given that we review every image and accept only 40 percent of what we receive, this is an important first step to getting images accepted on our site.

WE: Has stock photography diminished, increased, or shifted in another way, the value of the still image?

JO: Online stock photography has increased the value of the still image by creating and expanding a digital image marketplace that didn’t exist several years ago.

Thanks to the advances in digital cameras, talented amateurs can now create valuable, high quality photos and reach a world-wide audience.  In fact, many of our submitters are making significant incomes from their images on Shutterstock.

As a result of our innovative business model, these individuals can now monetize their passion for photography, whereas before, they didn’t have this opportunity.

WE: What message can you offer to photographers who make their living on assignment work, who feel threatened by (and have lost jobs to) stock photography?

JO: Businesses and individuals will always need custom photo shoots and freelance photography assignments; we don’t see Shutterstock replacing this work.

It is true that some photographers are concerned about the quickly changing landscape of the photo business.  However, most of these changes have occurred due to the technological advances in digital cameras.  As a result, the market has responded, and many photographers are also adapting.  For example, photographers who once used film and darkrooms are now using digital cameras and photo editing software.  Those who once submitted their photos to traditional stock photo agencies are now submitting to online stock photo agencies like Shutterstock.

Further, many former traditional stock photographers find they receive a more consistent income by submitting images to online stock photography sites.  An image on Shutterstock may never stop earning – photographers can receive commissions from an image for years after submitting it.  In this sense, the images have more long-term value. Stock photographers who have learned how Shutterstock works have built up high quality portfolios, and report consistent, high monthly earnings.

WE: What is the long-term view for Shutterstock?

JO: Today, Shutterstock is the world’s largest subscription-based online stock photo company.  We are pleased with our growth, and our main focus is to continue to offer and develop new innovative solutions for anyone who needs stock imagery and footage.

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Learn more at http://www.shutterstock.com