Although this was originally written ten years ago little has changed, many of my pictures from 15 years ago or more still sell, including scans from beauty headshots and tourist destination views taken as long ago as the 1980s on rollfilm. You would think they would be totally outdated – back in 1985 I would never have thought of buying a picture from 1950 to use in a magazine, brochure or book. The right pictures, however, simply don’t date in the same way and I think many digital images made today will still be marketable in half a century if anyone is out there to use them.
As if to make this point, one week after I revised this article Alamy sold the shot above. It was taken in late summer 1985 on film (of course) during a Minolta workshop hosted by Hans Wiesenhofer (left) in Pollau, Styria – an evening in warm sun with good beer! It was scanned a few years ago as I liked the feel of the scene and it has the anonymity and generic timeless feel which a good editorial stock shot needs. But back then I never thought it might buy me a pint or three 35 years later.
– David Kilpatrick
All photographs © Icon Publications Ltd from Alamy’s downloadable previews.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.