This week, Getty Images and Shutterstock announced plans to merge, combining two of the largest stock photography companies. This move is just another step in a trend that seems to be leading to lower quality and value in the industry.
If the merger goes through, Getty Images, which already owns iStock, will become a giant in the stock photography world. Estimates suggest the industry is currently worth around $4.98 billion and could grow to about $7.3 billion by 2030.
After merging, Getty Images might be valued at $3.7 billion, which would be about 75% of the market’s total worth in 2025. This level of control could allow them to dictate prices and push out smaller competitors.
For years, stock photography sites have been losing value for photographers. Fewer people are working directly for companies like Getty, and the pay has decreased significantly compared to 10 or 15 years ago.
With more market control, Getty could lower photo prices to attract more clients, which would also mean lower earnings for photographers.
Alternatively, Getty could keep prices steady but pay photographers less, knowing they have limited options outside its offerings since it would dominate the market.
Photojournalist Angus Mordant, speaking to Artnet, warns that this merger could create a monopoly that harms photographers. Both Getty and Shutterstock are known for having some of the lowest licensing fees in the industry, so merging may not change this trend.
Getty likely aims to gain access to a vast collection of images to train AI systems. Currently, they are suing Stability AI for what they call “pure theft” of their images.
The merger with Shutterstock could provide Getty with even more images to train AI, potentially replacing many human photographers in the future.
If Getty successfully merges with Shutterstock, it would continue the trend of diminishing quality in photography. Big companies seem eager to develop AI that can produce images without needing to pay human photographers, aiming for maximum profit.
As we’ve seen, AI cannot learn on its own; it needs real images created by people to produce believable content. Therefore, it makes sense for Getty to gather as many images as possible quickly, preparing for a future where photographers are less needed.
Do you think regulators will intervene to block the merger between Getty Images and Shutterstock?
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