He was certainly correct.

The first stock photography application of video disc technology had already started in 1982, pioneered by First Vision in Newport Beach, CA. Next came Video File, and then even a major stock photo agency, The Image Bank, jumped in. None of these efforts ever really got off the ground, but they laid important groundwork.

By the late 80’s audio CD-ROM’s had become well-established, and it didn't take long before entrepreneurs began to place sets of photographers’ images onto CD-ROM discs, selling them at low prices. Thus was born the CD-ROM photo industry, later to be labeled Photo Clip Art, and now known as Royalty-Free. The term RF was borrowed from the music industry, which had used "royalty free" to indicate when royalties weren't required on certain records when played at an event, on a radio broadcast, etc.

User groups and Blogs on the Internet started buzzing about this new trend in stock photography, and agonized over whether this bombshell would pull the rug out from under the stock photo industry.

However, after more than a decade of CD-ROM and on-line activity, the stock photo industry is healthier than ever. According to studies, some of which we here at PhotoSource International have participated in, traditional-use (managed rights) photography hasn’t suffered. Neither has the upstart, RF (Royalty Free).

The ease to acquire images has improved. Photographers are gradually adapting their equipment and work style to the Digital Age.

The photo researcher of today is always amused by stories recounted by veteran researchers, who bemoan the working requirements of earlier days: slides, B&W prints, transparencies, U.S. Postal Service, lost and damaged images, - an environment not conducive to the handling of sensitive artwork.

The Digital Age, of course, has introduced its own challenges - but none as difficult as those former roadblocks that most veteran researchers have overcome and survived. - RE