In December 2024 we retired the Stockimo app, but we’re still accepting Smartphone photos. You can read the latest update here. If you’re looking to upload your mobile phone photos to Alamy you can sign up here.
This blog article from 2014 has been kept live for archival purposes.
Interested in a career in picture research? Get the inside info from our most experienced picture researchers. Simon Bodger has been a Picture Researcher at Alamy for 6 years and works in our US office.
Early career
I started my education at Whitchurch High School, Cardiff, UK. When I left school I did an art foundation course at Cardiff College of Art & followed that with a BA in Graphic Design at Newport College of Art. My first job was as a Graphic Designer at Gosling-Dix ad agency in Bath, UK. In 1997, while I was freelancing as a graphic designer, I took on part time work cataloguing stock footage for Sekani in New York which led to a permanent position as a stock footage researcher. When Corbis bought Sekani in 2002, we eventually began to research both footage and stills. I love photography! I studied it in Art College and spent many years documenting the downtown music scene in New York. As a graphic designer I had to buy stock photographs, so as a picture researcher I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the fence. It’s wonderful spending a day taking in so many different kinds of images! I love the fact that each research brief can be very varied, so no 2 days are ever the same.
The changing landscape of stock photography
Picture research and stock photography have changed a bit over the years. I just missed the analogue era by a few years – I used to work with picture researchers who once dug through library index cards and microfilm, and then they’d select physical prints from filing cabinets!
I’ve been fortunate enough to work in all sectors of picture research such as footage, commercial and editorial. During my 15+ years in the industry not much has changed in terms of the work we do. It’s still very much a deadline-driven industry although with the surge of social media I feel that the appetite for stock photography is greater than ever. I never thought that smart phones would have had the impact on the industry that they have. Having Alamy embrace this technology with Stockimo has opened up a new and immediate source of contributors which is exciting. I think the clients like the modern edginess this brings to our library.
Starting out in Picture Research
If you’re looking to start a career in picture research having a background in some aspect of the visual arts is recommended. Not necessarily photography. I know several picture researchers who are filmmakers or painters or have studied fashion design. Even if you’ve never had formal training, a passion for imagery is essential as someone in picture research will be looking at a lot of pictures every day! Be prepared to be tenacious. The world of picture research is part visual artist, part detective. It’s just as much fun to dig deep so you find an elusive image as it is to find one that’s visually striking. Now you know what it’s like, do you want to work in picture research? Can you answer ‘yes’ to these three questions?
- Do you have an interest or education in visual arts?
- Do you really love photography?
- Are you determined enough to find the perfect picture?
If you answered yes to all three, here are a couple of sites you might want to check out for picture research jobs.
Are you a student? While you’re studying you can earn 100% of the money for images you sell with our student project. Go to our student page to find out more.