Picturk...a new spin on stock ?

Trigger76 · 12-01-2011 3:23pm #1

Thought some of you would be interested in this...

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/item/19913-picturk-to-create-images-of/

Sounds like a good idea to me and the proposal seems to be equitable in terms of the photographer , the clubs and for designers?.

Buceph · 12-01-2011 3:39pm

Heh, I had made a point along the lines of this business in a lecture a few months ago. We were talking about crowd sourcing being a new idea, and I said it's been around for at least a century. That calendars and newspapers have been running competitions and using the entries for commercial purposes since the turn of the century. The lecturer was not well pleased.

Still, good man for bringing it to market. I wonder about the delay between asking for a picture and getting one. And of course the key to this will be reaching a critical mass of photographers so the incentive has enough people to work on.

Best of luck to him with it.

Trigger76 · 12-01-2011 3:49pm

It did strike me that this idea isnt exactly unique , in fairness he says its happening already to an extent I guess its more a means of formalising it in a handy enough way for everyone...

From my own perspective Im happy to snap away, do an odd job here and there and claw back some expenses on a lense. That in mind this kinda thing would work well from my point of view with a potential extra few quid if it was successful, I suppose its all down to the uptake.

Thecageyone · 12-01-2011 4:07pm

Do you have to be in a camera club to sign up?

Trigger76 · 12-01-2011 4:26pm

It looks that way , its the club that pays the Sub, arranges the logistics of running a comp.. with the designers/end user fronting up the cost of the prize.

Thecageyone · 12-01-2011 4:38pm

I was able to register and enter the competition, that seems to be all that is open to non club members.

Ballyman · 12-01-2011 6:50pm

You have a similar operation with FotoLibra who send out specific picture calls to all their registered photographers. You can then either go out and take the photo that is requested or else if you have it in stock already then send that in.

PCPhoto · 12-01-2011 7:09pm

interesting concept - seems its just basic outsourcing.

Instead of paying a photographer (amateur or pro) to do the job which would cost the graphic designers money - they "create" a competition and choose from loads of different photographers.

its taking advantage of hobbyists/enthusiastic amateurs/camera club members - whoever enters has the chance to "win prizes" ..... they are trying to tap into a market which isn't properly exploited.

if it works for both parties ...then well done.

Picturk...a new spin on stock ?

Comments