News

AP contract encourages photographers to create stock photography

By Brent Phelps February 28, 2006

Comments (0)

The Associated Press has issued a new contract that allows AP employees to use company equipment to shoot stock images in their free time. The union representing AP photographers (News Media Guild), agreed to the contract on Feb. 9 2006. The contract allows photographers to retain copyright ownership of their stock images and the AP will market the photos. Participating photographers will earn 30 percent royalties and are free to market the images on their own or with other agencies. This appears to be a step by AP to begin offering images that are previously unpublished and perhaps a bit more “commercial” while continuing to build up its stock licensing business located online at www.apimages.com. Until now AP Images has offered its own collection of historical and editorial photos, including the AP Photo Library, holding 10 million negatives and prints dating back more than 100 years, and the AP Photo Archive, which contains more than two million images. Click here to view the recent press release from News Media Guild.