11 January 2010
World Photography Organisation launches Collection
an online resource for photographers and industry professionals
The World Photography Organisation (WPO) announces the launch of Collection, a global marketing tool which enables photographers to promote their work to industry professionals worldwide.
This invaluable resource will enable galleries to search for images for their next exhibition, collectors to browse the site to buy prints and help creative professionals hire photographers for commissions.
Scott Gray, Managing Director of the World Photography Organisation says:
“The past decade has seen a significant increase in the number of galleries exhibiting photography as well as photography being sold as art and in auction rooms around the world. The World Photography Collection facilitates this process internationally and enables galleries to source new images and photographers that they may have otherwise never met. The majority of photographers are one-man industries and as such do not have the time resource to establish partners across the World. The Collection serves as a global platform for them, assisting them by enabling them to have their portfolio of work viewed by galleries, collectors and buyers of photography worldwide.”
Each photographer, whose work has been accepted for Collection, will be given a dedicated homepage to feature news of upcoming exhibitions and awards, and a portfolio with storage of up to 10GB. The annual membership fee for photographers is just £45.
The creative professionals’ membership is composed of art directors, creative directors, directors of photography from advertising and marketing agencies, magazines, and publishers who are actively searching Collection to hire photographers for international assignments. Membership for creative professionals, via registration, is free and Collection does not take commission on assignment work organised through the site, or on prints sold.
Industry professionals are able to search for photographers by their name and location (country/ city) as well as their speciality of photography using the tags application. With information being constantly updated, galleries, collectors and creative professionals will also be alerted to photographers’ upcoming news via the homepage.
Collection will not only enable galleries to search for new content for exhibitions, but also seek out new talent to represent. Using a simple, yet unique comprehensive search engine, Collection allows galleries to target photographers without having to views thousand of irrelevant images.
The World Photography Organisation supports professional, amateur and student photography, lending a global platform for the photographic industry to communicate, converge and showcase current trends in photojournalism, fine art and commercial photography.
Delivering various initiatives and programmes across this global community under the “World Photography” brand, these programmes involve the photographer in commercial, cultural and educational activities within the many industry sectors, whilst also creating activities for the public to participate in.
Currently included within the World Photography portfolio are the Sony World Photography Awards; the World Photography Student Focus Competition; the Sony World Photography Awards Global Tour, the World Photography Festival and the World Photography Focus Programme.