April Fool’s Joke Reveals the Troublesome State of Commercial Photography

Pixsy announcing its “acquisition” by Getty Images triggered a backlash in photographic community.

Pixsy, one of the leading platforms for photographers to identify and resolve instances of image theft, confirmed that the announcement of its acquisition by Getty Images, a premier creator and distributor of imagery and media, was indeed an April Fool’s joke.

The news of the mock acquisition was covered by top photographic news resources, including PetaPixel, and the April Fool’s announcement triggered an unexpected response among photographers.

“We were astonished by the number of users who wrote in expressing disappointment. Many of them threatened to delete their accounts,” said Daniel Foster, founder of Pixsy. “Photographers were very upset about the prospect of receiving reduced royalty payments under Getty’s licensing scheme, and some expressed fears about the safety of their photography. We had to quickly change gears and reassure our users– this isn’t what we expected.”

“Photographers feel exploited by the low rates offered by stock agencies, and their outrage about the ‘acquisition’ shows just how dire the situation is for many commercial photographers,” adds Daniel.

On Monday, April 4, Pixsy published a follow-up post, 101 Reasons Why Getty Didn’t Acquire Pixsy, explaining why such an acquisition would not happen. “We support fair pay for photographers,” the post reads, adding, “Independent creatives need a way to stand up for themselves.”

Link to the post: https://www.pixsy.com/101-reasons-getty-didnt-acquire-pixsy/