The U.K.
Press Gazette reports that the picture agency for amateurs,
Scoopt, already has signed up 1,200 members since its launch last month. The agency aims to sell amateur pictures to media companies, and requests three months of exclusive rights from its members. (See an earlier
E-Media Tidbits item explaining the concept.) However, none of the 600 pictures received so far merits media attention, according to founder
Kyle Macrae. "At the moment we are not approaching anybody until we have got the right picture."
For those who feel this shows that amateurs do not understand the value of the pictures they take, the
Gazette has a nice example, though. Last month, taxi driver
Jackie Greer happened to be in the bar where shop assistant
Dolores McNamara realized she had the winning lottery ticket for €115 million (US$140 million), the biggest prize in Europe so far. Greer ran out to fetch a disposable camera from his home, took some snaps of the stunned winner, and called up the Irish newspapers. And indeed sold his pictures for over $20,000.
Personally, as the new owner of $140 million, the last thing I'd want is my picture all over the papers, but there you go.
