jeff singer photography BLOG

iBid is a “boutique” stock agency. The work in their collection was amazing and not the normal crap you find in every other stock agency and its damn sure you wouldn’t find anything as creative in a microstock agency.

If you go to their website as of today this is the message you will see:

“Ibid launched in 1966. In a time when photography was simple, life was simple and people wore more hats. Morton Shapiro, photographer and Ibid’s daddy, wanted to create a resource of high class and totally unique images. Simple. We are still here and we’ve grown up right. And we keep on providing the world’s finest creatives with the best conceptual photography. Because it’s what we do. We love photography. We’ve been at the heart of the industry as it has grown and developed over nearly 40 years. We have adapted, evolved. We remain true to Morton’s original idea. We have kept our eye for beautiful, ‘real’ photography.”

Unfortunately, I just received this email:

September 27, 2007

Dear ibid Photographer,

It is with deep regret but a clear head that I must inform you that ibid will cease operations as of December 31, 2007. We will continue to collect on any outstanding sales made prior to that date and will forward payment to you in the usual time frame. As of January 1, 2008, ibid relinquishes any right and license which it had to publish and market for commercial use your photographs, and beginning as of January 1, 2008, you are free to allow anyone else to use your photographs for any commercial use whatsoever. As of the end of the calendar year all of ibid’s license agreements with its photographers are terminated.

I have decided it is time to face the new reality of the stock photo industry. After forty years of a very good run it is no longer a business environment in which ibid can reasonably exist without cannibalizing its collection. We simply cannot compete with the giants that outsell us by undercutting prices and have successfully turned lower standards into the art buyer’s habit and necessity. In short, we have become an anachronism; too excellent for mediocre times.

Each and every image that has ever graced the ibid collection has been an outstanding expression of the great art of photography. We thank you for the honor of representing your work and wish you the fame and fortune you all deserve.

Sincerely,

Joann Shapiro
President, ibid

It is too bad to see this. At least they didn’t make things worse by moving everything to microstock pricing or royalty free pricing like other agencies that used to promote quality rights managed images.

I don’t know how things will play out for them, but I’m glad to see something new to offer photographers like the new Photoshelter Collection.

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