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December, 2004
SAA Cites Serious Concerns About "Custom Stock"

The following statement was issued by StockArtistsAlliance, and is posted here as a service to ASMP readers.

The leadership of StockArtistsAlliance has serious concerns about a business model referred to as 'custom stock' that is aggressively being promoted to image creators, distributors and clients. We feel compelled to speak out and communicate our concerns, because we believe that this business model is detrimental not only to Rights Managed stock photographers but to all professional photographers.

In this spirit, SAA, along with fellow photographer trade organizations ASMP, APA, PPA and EP have come together and strengthened our relationships with the recognition that our members have shared values and increasingly shared challenges. Together, we recently issued a joint statement on the subject in which we clearly state our belief that this business model could have potentially devastating impact on the business of professional photographers. As the headline in our statement summarizes, "Why would a client hire one photographer to shoot an assignment - when they can get five photographers to shoot it on spec?"

Frankly, it should not be hard to create demand for any business model that offers so much to clients, yet asks for so little in return. In this case, it's the offer to get multiple photographers to immediately shoot to their specific layout on spec, with no obligation to buy, and for stock rates. This proposition (which clients would never feel comfortable asking of photographers directly) is made palatable to them by a company acting as the middleman and marketing it as a customized form of stock.

At the same time, 'custom stock' courts photographers with the promise of a revolutionary and forward thinking business model that is in their best interests. Sleight of hand and a little razzle-dazzle have obscured the fact that what this model is actually asking photographers is to shoot for an assignment, on spec, competitively, for deflated compensation. It seeks to encourage the assignment photographer inexperienced in stock to risk producing images traditionally produced on an assignment basis on a 'competitive spec' basis for stock fees and stock commissions. While it's possible that some photographers may profit by shooting under these terms, it is unlikely to produce consistent and reliable income for most of them.

Moreover, each assignment job lost to 'competitive spec' is only to the greater detriment of the industry as a whole. Clients too will eventually suffer because this arrangement encourages them to expect quality assignment photography to meet their immediate and specific needs at stock prices. By participating in the process, they are, at the same time, undermining the long-term viability of those creative assignment photographers upon which they rely for custom photography.

We also object to this model masquerading as a prime "stock" opportunity. While the resultant images become part of a stock collection, the emphasis is clearly to promote the "competitive spec" model to clients and to persuade photographers to participate in creating images on this basis.

Furthermore, we feel that it is misleading that promoters of this model claim that images produced on these terms would actually yield more marketable stock images simply because they are based on 'real' client requests. In fact, it is more likely that the opposite is true. We are all aware of the limitations of "want lists" compiled from client requests that are often too obscure or detailed to serve as a basis for developing successful stock images. Moreover, there is no benefit to an individual contributor to be creating images based on the same specific layout as several other photographers.

A fundamental of the stock business is the objective of creating and marketing images that will be licensed by many clients to meet many needs (not one client and one need). It is this defining approach that makes the stock model a rewarding and sound business strategy, and distinct from the assignment model. Successful stock shooters and marketers know that the winning strategy for stock is all about developing fresh and compelling images that respond to the broader needs of image users by applying market research, sales data, experience and intuition. Companies like yours work with contributors on this basis; sharing information and exchanging ideas to create and represent images that meet client stock image needs.

Business models that serve to commoditize that which is valuable and unique; that create contests out of assignments; that encourage a mindset on the part of clients whereby photography is not a profession, but rather a collection of  'shutterbugs' clamoring for a chance to get paid for their work, serve only to destroy the very fabric of professional assignment photography.

In closing, SAA's leadership is asking you to carefully consider both the short term and long term effects of advancing the 'custom stock' business model while it in the formative stage.  We would welcome the opportunity to engage in an open dialogue about the 'custom stock' model with you and across the stock community. Going forward, we will all be best served by promoting business models that can sustain our industry in the years ahead.

Board of Directors
StockArtistsAlliance