This just in: The entire wholly-owned shoot program at Getty Images has been shut down. At least two positions in Creative’s production area have been eliminated.
UPDATE: We have confirmed reports of the Seattle creative shooting team, and creative research, being let go as of Dec. 31.
[...] My source (here). [...]
That’s too bad. I know a lot of guys that made their living getting assignments from Getty.
On an interesting sidenote, PDN Pulse listed your blog as the breaking source for the news.. so, that’s kind of cool (in a depressing, we-just-lost-our-jobs sort of way)
http://www.pdnpulse.com/2009/10/getty-images-comments-on-creative-stock-layoffs.html
I’d like to clarify what looks like a misperception. We are canceling the wholly owned program for 2010 in favor of different investment, but that does not mean the program will be gone for good.
We are retaining creative direction expertise in London and New York to help contributing photographers, who will of course still be getting assignments from Getty Images.
Thank you for commenting Bridget. If you’re able to provide more information: When you say, “We are retaining creative direction expertise…” does this mean that you will be still offering photographers “Commissions” as in past years or does this simply mean that you will simply be posting “Creative Briefs” online for photographers that you currently work with? Does this mean that any creative staff, beyond editors of photographer self-financed shoots will remain on Getty’s staff? Thank you again. Best, Greg Ceo
This is not shocking news. Just a few reasons.
1. The many articles and discussions regarding the rapid growth and quality of micro.
2. The demise of print, meaning slick images are no longer needed to stand out from the crowd.
3. Customers as a whole only use pedestrian just good enough images. They can care less who shot it and how much it cost to get the frame.
4. That maintaining and growing a high production value collection just does not work anymore.
Getty should of stopped this program last year when they laid off 10% of their workforce. Actually, I believe they did ax their in-house work-for-hire shooters along with many of their RM creative staff at that time?
By the way, Corbis has always been a strong editorial company and was never a huge RM player. So, the rumors reported of only concentrating on their editorial is a no shocker at all. Also, JI did not fail by shooting wholly owned – they actually failed at the very inception by purchasing (pre Picture Arts) some pretty crappy collections with inexperienced managers.
Source?
I mean can you tell us your source for this news?
I’m really upset for all the photographers involved.
Sorry @Fotografo, it’s an anonymous source. But it’s been confirmed by Getty, both by Bridget above (who notes that there will be some kind of replacement program) and on PDN’s site: http://www.pdnpulse.com/2009/10/getty-images-comments-on-creative-stock-layoffs.html
@Greg – We have a pause in our investment in wholly-owned shooting and although a small portion of the team will be leaving, we still retain the ability to shoot and art direct contributors under any model–wherever we determine that there is a need to develop specific content. See our contributor site for more info: http://contributors.gettyimages.com/”
I talked to both Getty and Corbis now to get some background and posted it here: http://www.fastmediamagazine.com/?p=1596
Corbis is also making some changed to their production but they are small compared the other changes they have been announcing internally this week