Crowdsourcing is more than a buzzword; generating content from a broad audience has been a disruptive force in number of industries. Scoopshot has been one of the bigger crowdsourcing player in the Nordic countries by allowing news agencies to request photos or video through an app, or to allow anyone to take a photo of something newsworthy they come across for news agencies to purchase. Nothing beats a nice camera, but it’s a sign of how good smartphone cameras have gotten.
As an update to their standard web service, Scoopshot has paid out more than $300,000 to mobile photographers. Over 60 people have earned more than $1,000 by selling photos via the app, including one man has made more than $23,000. Scoopshot already has a solid network of publishing partners, including the Metro newspapers you find near your public transportation, MTV3 Finland, and others.
But just because there are millions of smartphone cameras in the world doesn’t make the market for professional photographers disappear. Scoopshot has now launched Scoopshot PRO to provide a marketplace of professional photographers based on their location and past work. Buyers can select the photographers that they would like to receive quotes from, brief them on the assignment, and commission the photographer that best meets their needs and budget.
Scoopshot PRO is accessable through their web service and app, and professional photographers can still get notified about new potential assignments through notifications in the app. According to their press releases, more than 2,000 freelance photographers signed up to the service prior to the launch, including many in the US and UK markets, of which 700 to date have been qualified. Scoopshot has also had interest from photographers in war zones, including Ahmed Deeb, an experienced photojournalist based in Gaza.
By providing a centralized marketplace, publications no longer have to rely on untested local photographers, or fly out a photographer to the scene. And by putting together this marketplace, Scoopshot cuts down on a huge chunk of the administrative work required to hunt down photographers, fill out contracts, and figure out payment.
“Searching and finding the photos you need from millions of stock photos can be frustrating as well, and you can end up acquiring a photo used by many others. With the launch of Scoopshot PRO we’re offering a faster and easier way to acquire bespoke content. By joining our network, freelance photographers can get more work, make more money, and cut out the hassle of completing supplier forms and chasing up unpaid invoices,” says Niko Ruokosuo, CEO of Scoopshot.
