Image procurement and distribution specialists, Getty Images, have launched a commercial wing to the company entitled ‘Verbatim,’ and they have a very unique staffing plan. Instead of photogs trained solely in commercial photography, the team will be made up of trained editorial photographers hired to undertake commercial assignments.
The idea, in Getty’s words is that unlike regular commercial shooters, this team will be able to “bring authenticity to commercial campaigns. ”
The Verbatim team will be headed up by Aidan Sullivan as its CEO. This seems in line with the concept, as Sullivan was the original creator of Getty’s Reportage division and has over 40 years of experience in photography and media.
/Verbatim /Getty Images
Sullivan stated, “Today, brands have to work harder than ever to keep consumers engaged. Millennials, in particular, are searching for compelling authentic imagery and who could be better equipped to create this than experienced photojournalists?”
According to Sullivan this idea didn’t just spring out of thin air but comes from a pattern they’ve noticed in their client’s needs. Sullivan says, “We increasingly see brands requesting our photojournalists for commercial assignments. Through Verbatim, our remarkable visual storytellers and their unique skills are available to brands who are looking to create powerful, compelling and authentic narratives to illustrate their own story. ”
Regardless of how innovative this all sounds, one might easily question how wise it is to permanently take a photojournalist away from their passion of, well, pacticing photojournalism. Wouldn’t that eventually leave Verbatim with an incredibly unenthusiastic, disinterested team?
To counter this, Verbatim has already set up a special fund, which will finance any personal journalistic projects that group members wish to undertake when not on assignment. So in essence, the commercial work will exist so as to fund editorial endeavours.
This “eat your vegetables, to have your dessert” way of thinking is certainly novel. Getty’s clients get supplied with content while allowing the creation of more meaningful material on the side. There is also some merit to the idea that editorial photographers may have a better eye for brands that want to sell a more culturally aware image beyond pushing a product.
"Photojournalism is integral to what we do and we have never been more committed to it. ”
Verbatim photographer Lynsey Addario commented, “The potential of imagery to provoke conversation and drive change is unquestionable; it is what drives me every day as a photojournalist. Photography has the ability to get under people’s skin so that they think about things they usually wouldn’t think about. Through Verbatim, brands will have the opportunity to collaborate on important projects, and highlight relevant social and cultural issues. ”
There was some concern on our part that this sounded like Getty was watering down its news coverage. However, according to Getty, Verbatim’s funding of projects is by no means replacing their existing Reportage division, which will continue alongside initiatives like the Reportage Emerging Talent Program and Getty Images Grants scheme. Verbatim itself will focus solely on commercial contracts. Though usually a more defined split between the two fields is preferred for media transparency, we will admit that the end result does resemble a positive.
Craig Peters, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Getty Images commented; “With the launch of Verbatim, we are excited to expand how brands can access our unmatched photographer and videographer network and leverage the power of editorial photography to achieve their commercial aims. Our commitment to photojournalism and Getty Images Reportage remains unchanged, photojournalism is integral to what we do and we have never been more committed to it. ”
To find out more about Verbatim, visit the website.
Getty Images Reportage can be found here.
. digitalrev.com2016-11-1 03:00