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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Stealing photos
David Bailey, Photographer
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 9:55 AM on 10.16.09 |
->> It's difficult to guilt people into paying for something. From the start, the posture is confrontational. For you to get what you want the other person has to be "wrong", which is never the best way to reach an amicable solution.
We've been here before. Musicians tried the same approach when online music piracy started getting traction. They created videos. They issued "statements" on their web sites. They threatened. They testified before congress. None of it worked.
What has worked is musicians addressing the needs of the music consumer in a more comprehensive manner; i.e. service the customer. Instead of being hung up on tracking down every single instance of their music being copied or trying to make people feel bad because they WANT to listen to a song, they focus on making fans bigger fans. Other revenue streams and sources. Even iTunes. It's working far better than the dark days of highly confrontational posturing by lawyers.
The average person doesn't "pirate" photos because they are out to screw a photographer, and it's not out of ignorance. Most people do it out of convenience more than anything else. If you make it easy for them to pay, and make it easy for them to use the end product, they will pay. This is why Microstock has demolished a good chunk of the traditional stock industry. People will pay if you make it easy, convenient, and a good value. Marketing 101.
Instead of spending energy and money on a guilt message (which may make members feel good but does little to solve the problem), why not work on something more focused on becoming a partner with the customer? What I mean by that is coming up with a practical, easy, consistent way for people to compensate photographers for their work, yet gives the customer the flexibility and ease of use they need?
Maybe that solution looks like microstock. Maybe it looks like something else. But until the disparate organizations such as APA, NPPA, ASMP and others work on a unified approach to solving the customer problem, all this threat/guilt trip stuff is going to do is drive more people to Flickr, WikiCommons and Microstock.
It's a much better use of resources versus creating a web site and campaign with words like "Manifesto" and "Propaganda" as subject heads. That's not going to make customers like you...or want to work with you. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 10:48 AM on 10.16.09 |
| ->> Very well said David |
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David Bailey, Photographer
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Flower Mound | TX | USA | Posted: 1:57 PM on 10.16.09 |
->> David, I don't necessarily disagree with you I just thought it was a unique approach to the subject.
For the records, not my web site. |
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Jon Blacker, Photographer
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Toronto | ON | Canada | Posted: 3:40 PM on 10.16.09 |
->> "But until the disparate organizations such as APA, NPPA, ASMP and others work on a unified approach to solving the customer problem, all this threat/guilt trip stuff..."
If you belive the copyright at the bottom of the page, that site belongs to the New York Chapter of the ASMP. |
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