A stock photographer's personal commitment in time, film, equipment, model fees, and travel expenses is an investment that often requires the organization and marketing skills of a managed, collective library --a stock photo agency.

The Stock Solution is a general agency. Our files contain images of just about everything except current events. We have extended coverage on the subjects listed on our Web pages.

The Advantages of Licensing Stock Photography
Stock photographs are rarely purchased outright. They are usually licensed only for a specific usage, i.e. to illustrate a brochure or a book. Prices for use are based on the amount of exposure that the photo will receive.

At The Stock Solution, the one-time use of an online image in an internal newsletter with a print run of under 5,000 can be licensed for as little as $30. More prominent and wide spread uses will command higher fees, especially when a custom, Off-line Photo Search is involved. However, these use fees are often much less than the amount of money expended by the photographer in producing the image. Another attraction of stock photography is that one can choose from a large variety of ready-made images, right NOW. There is no waiting for weather or seasons to change, no worrying as to whether all the other elements of scheduling, models, and location will come together.

License (Rent) or Own?
What about "clip-art" photo CD-ROMs? You may ask, "Can't one own a whole disc of a hundred images for less money than a stock agency charges for one stock photo lease fee?" Yes, these discs can be very inexpensive if you use several of the images on that disk. Often, only one or two photos on each disc are usable, either because of poor quality or lack of variety. These same one or two images are used by everyone else who buys the disc. The result is that your photo-illustration's impact becomes diluted. It's not uncommon to see two products, i.e. two different book covers, using the same photo!

Most stock agencies work hard to ensure that these conflicts don't happen by providing greater variety, custom research, controlled licensing, and by keeping records on each photo's usage.

If you are a stock photographer, please let us know your area of expertise, so we can add you to our referral list. If you're looking for an agency to represent your specialty, we'll be happy to consult with you or refer you to an agency that matches your vision.