There is no need for any further proof that Royalty Free Stock websites are here to stay. Although often criticized by some pricy-end photographers, new Micro Payment Stock photo agencies launch every year to find themselves in a high demand due to the rapid growth of the web-photo industry. Induced by the era of global communications, rapidly increasing quantities of high-quality images are being consumed by big corporations and small businesses alike. The vast amount of this consumption is being channeled through the Royalty Free Photo Stock agencies that are quickly filling an empty niche of a large web-photo market.
The digital age and the ability to produce large amounts of digital images, often taken with very affordably priced high-end digital cameras, allow creative beginners to become active Photo Stock contributors at virtually no cost. One can produce 400 stock images for the price of changing or charging batteries. Yet another aspect which induces rapid growth of Royalty Free Photo Stocks is the ability of amateur photo hobbyists to compensate their lack of professional skills with the innovative ideas and number of images produced.
As a result, semi-professional and skilled pros, who frequently revert to Micro Stock industry, find themselves in a fast evolving, unusual for them environment.
The number of images sold on micro stock sites surely exceeds the number of images sold on the traditional stock photography sites. Nevertheless, it appears that Royalty Free Stocks are of a more demanding nature, where in order to be successful photographers and illustrators must always introduce fresh ideas and concepts. Royalty Free artists have got to take into account customers’ demands and quickly adapt them to improve their sold content. For instance, those images that were highly profitable at the end of 90’s, especially the ones that displayed high-tech objects, became virtually useless in mid in 2000’s since the technological innovation and design underwent significant improvement and change. Similar comparisons could be made with regard to most of the photographic themes excluding: landscapes, pets, wild nature, and historical shots.
Targeting primarily ad agencies and major design firms, Royalty Free Stock Photo Stocks are often suspending those outdated images that fail to resemble modern realities. Consequently, the quickly evolving web-photo market creates an aggressive competition among all Royalty Free Stocks, where yesterday’s leaders and innovators often find themselves outperformed by the aggressive newcomers. A bold example of that could be seen by examining the most successful newbie on the Royalty Free Photo market – Albumo.com.
California based Albumo opened its doors to contributors in May, and now accounts for over 1600 actively contributing artists. The leader amongst the youngest Royalty Free Photo Stocks has announced that it now has more than 270,000 images to offer and is growing at the rate of 10,000 new images per week.
Albumo’s innovative and attractive pricing structure is designed between the Royalty Free Subscription Model and a Single Image Purchase Model. Every high resolution, original size image at Albumo costs less than $1 and often can be purchased for as low as $0.65. Its entire stock of images can be used for various kinds of personal and commercial needs.
On one hand, Albumo Royalty-Free license offers wide usage possibilities. On the other, a variety of Special Royalty Free Licenses support and deliver to consumers’ commercial requirements. This very young Photo Stock also gives its customers the most inexpensive choice on all of the extended licenses. For example, its Basic Commercial License could be purchased for only $9, whereas its Universal All-Use License, which allows an unlimited and unbound usage of the purchased image, is conveniently priced at $20.
Overall, Albumo.com, which is ran by a team of eight creative and energetic people, appears to be a Royalty Free Photo Stock powered by the Community of Artists. The site impresses its users with the comfortable, eye pleasing design and is very easy to navigate. If after browsing Albumo’s large collection of carefully selected images visitors are not convinced to start purchasing by downloading, the creators of the website enthusiastically inform that aside from providing and delivering affordable royalty free images their philosophy is for everyone to Live Pictured Life and share that experience with others. So get on it, buy or upload some images, and don’t forget to tell your friends that we are around!
Albumo's Weblog 