Photography enthusiasts will soon have a new platform for selling their pictures as image sharing website Flickr strikes a deal with commercial agency Getty Images.
The move is a reflection of the ?personal sharing and immediacy? of Flickr?s images which have ?already impacted on commercial photography?, explained Andy Saunders, Getty Images vice president of Creative Imagery.
However, the Flickr images used by Getty will be ?invitation only? and the amount of fees payable to the Flickr photographer have yet to be decided.
A Getty Images spokesman told us: ?Flickr photographers will be asked to sign a Getty Images contributor contract, if they agree to have their images licensed for commercial use. This will specify rates for royalty managed, rights ready and royalty free. The agreement and rates will be available soon.?
Getty?s Flickr collection will be made up of ?thousands? of photos chosen by Getty editors from ?selected Flickr members? over the next few months and more will be added over time.
Saunders added: ?The new Flickr collection will expand the definition of stock photography by making it easier for our customers to find and license imagery that works in the full range of traditional and digital media.?
Flickr?s general manager Kakul Srivastava said: ?Getty Images offers an unbeatable platform, licensing expertise and a premier brand for Flickr members who want to bring their imagery to a worldwide customer base.?
Getty Images CEO Jonathan Klein said the partnership will allow Getty?s clients to ?select and use the best imagery from a fresh collection of high-quality images chosen from Flickr?s diverse and prolific community?.
The Flickr images will be available for Getty?s customers to buy at www.gettyimages.com
