Abstract

Characterization of the stock photography sector in the context of the information ecosystem. Its main features are described in relation to three key axes of dichotomy: contracted vs. stock photography; the editorial vs creative sector; and copyright- protected vs. royalty-free licenses. Finally, a brief review of open repositories and Creative Commons licensed images is offered.

Abstract

A reflection on the emergence of new forms of interactive digital media in the late twentieth century is proposed. Presented as a historical account written in the future, the main mutations experienced by the media ecosystem from the emergence of digital technologies and global networks are described. From a historical perspective the contemporary period is presented as an unintelligible and often contradictory period similar to other phase transitions, such as the Renaissance (XV-XVI century) or the Industrial Revolution (XVIII-XIX). The text also describes some of the theoretical implications and the most salient debates of that period.