Analysts predict a drop of 78 cents a share for the year 2001. You'd think with the onset of digital cameras, one-hour analog photo places would be going out of business. However, the number of analog film mini-labs has doubled in the last 10 years to 32,600 outlets, processing 19.4 billion photographs a year. And technology keeps making photo finishing ever easier and quicker. The total number of analog photos developed has risen despite the growing use of digital cameras, which don't require outside processing.
Film is still ahead in the race.
As RF practitioners continue to lower their fees, there'll soon come a time when commercial stock photographers won't be able to stay in business on the proceeds of commercial stock. In fact you'll have a monopoly of sorts, and be able to name your own price. The Internet is moving more and more to specialization in all areas of commerce, including stock photography. Begin today to start centering your stock photography on a specialized area that you enjoy.