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Summary of our market study
In France, the market for professional photographers is estimated to be worth around 1.3 billion euros.
Since 2020, the market for professional photographers has been faced with a dichotomy: while the practice of photography and demand for photographic services continue to grow worldwide, professional photographers face a major challenge: the proliferation of high-quality smartphones and the democratization of amateur photography have resulted in a surplus of images available at little or no cost, exerting downward pressure on professional rates and revenues.
Despite this, areas such as digital advertising and digital corporate communications offer growth prospects. Market estimates for 2021 put global photographic services at around $38.9 billion. Forecasts predict an increase to $42.1 billion in 2022, and continued growth at a CAGR of 4.7% to reach $50.6 billion by 2026. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to drive this growth.
In France, the market was worth 1.238 billion euros . While traditional independent photographers suffer, new players and online platforms such as Meero are emerging and shaking up the market with innovative business models.
Dynamic trends in the French professional photography market
The professional photography market in France has a diverse customer base that covers corporate communications, public commissions and direct sales to individuals, among others. This diversity of clientele has played a fundamental role in shaping the range of activities undertaken by professional photographers, who often diversify their segment to adapt to changing demand.
The French market for photographic services, valued at between 1.2 and 1.3 billion euros, has grown steadily. Businesses were the main source of revenue for professional photographers, contributing over half of total sales, while private individuals accounted for just over a third. The majority of customers, nearly 87%, are French.
The explosion in sales of digital cameras at first, then of smartphones equipped with high-quality cameras, has led to an abundance of readily available images and a culture of free photography. These developments pose problems for professional photographers in showcasing their work.
Specific photographic services such as wedding and identity photography continue to be in demand, confirming that there are market segments less affected by the influence of amateur photography.
Market structure reflects the diversity of participants, with self-employed status becoming increasingly common among professional photographers.
Digitization has opened up new opportunities for professional photographers to showcase their work and reach a wider audience.
Start-ups such as Meero have emerged as intermediaries between photographers and customers, offering comprehensive services ranging from introductions to image retouching.
Industry regulations are also having an impact on photographers. The obligation to denounce images retouched for commercial use underlines the growing awareness of the effects of image manipulation, and the need for transparency is a legal necessity.
in the future, the rise of digital advertising offers a promising avenue for professional photographers.
Key players shaping the professional photography market landscape
The professional photography market is made up of a number of players, each contributing in their own way to the sector's dynamism and growth.
- Nikon, Canon and Sony are major players in the photographic equipment industry, providing professional and amateur photographers alike with the tools they need to capture high-quality images.
- Canon is a household name synonymous with photographyCanon offers a wide range of cameras, from entry-level to professional.
- Sony has positioned itself not only as an electronics giant, but also as a key player in the world of photography. Sony's camera division is renowned for its cutting-edge mirrorless cameras.
- Panasonic is another major player, known in particular for its Lumix brand of digital cameras.
- Meero is a game-changer in the field of photographic services, offering a platform that connects photographers and customers while providing end-to-end solutions, from connection to post-production work.
- AP Production Paris is a studio that has consolidated its reputation on the French market thanks to professional services that cover a variety of photographic needs.
- CEWE and Photoweb specialize in photo printing, with a particular focus on customized photo products. These companies have taken advantage of technological advances that make it easy for consumers to print their photographic memories on everything from traditional photo books to more original items such as mugs and cushions.
- Cameleon, Alliance and Maison Thieullent are examples of companies that have made their mark on the professional photography landscape by offering specialized services that meet the unique needs of different customer segments.
- Négatif + and Photomaton have become synonymous with identity and instant, vital, quality photography services.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Market definition
Photography refers to the practice of obtaining fixed, lasting images of objects through a physical mechanism based on light. Professional photographers are individuals who take photographs for commercial purposes.
The market for professional photographers is characterized by a wide diversity of players on both the supply and demand sides. Professional photographers differ in their legal status and the nature of their activity, but generally operate in several market segments.
In fact, there are many customers, which explains the diversity of professional photographers' activities, who rarely confine themselves to a single market segment. The main segments include corporate communications, direct sales to individuals, public commissions, press publishers, press agencies and art galleries and dealers.
The market for professional photographers can, however, be divided into three main categories:
- News photography, for newspapers and magazines.
- Art photography, for exhibitions and art galleries.
- Commissioned photography, for commercial use (advertising, events, weddings, etc.)
The professional photography market in France covers a wide range of segments and players, as well as ancillary activities such as photographic development and printing, networking between professionals and customers (Meero), and photo restoration and retouching (retouchephoto.fr).
In France, photography has enjoyed rapid growth since the 2000s, with the practice becoming much more democratic. Thearrival of digital photography, which developed particularly strongly in the 2000s, and the subsequent surge in smartphone sales and the increasing quality of their cameras, have led to a radical change in the market for professional phtoographers.
The professionalization of amateurs, the profusion of images and their massive communication have fuelled growing difficulties for photographers to add value to their business. The main effects have been a drop in rates and therefore in remuneration, the widespread use of theauto-entrepreneur status, an increase in copyright infringement and the trivialization of free photography.
Professional photographers are thus facing new challenges, but they can still count on significant growth levers. The main growth drivers are the digital tools that facilitate communication, but also the massive segment of corporate digital communication.
List of charts presented in this market study
- Breakdown of the global photographic services market by region
- World market for photographic services
- Photographic activities market (File 7420Z)
- Breakdown of sales by customer type
- Breakdown of sales by customer origin
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Latest news
Getty launches its own artificial intelligence image generator - 26/09/2023
- Getty Images competes with image generators such as Midjourney and DALL-E.
- Getty Images relies on generative AI trained on its own image base, not on billions of images extracted from the web like its competitors.
- Getty's image database does not contain photos of celebrities or brands.
- Getty Images has around 830,000 customers. Getty promises an AI that masters the legal rules of each country and totally eliminates legal risks.
Myphotoagency wants to dust off the class photo - 19/04/2023
- 30%: percentage of revenue generated by photo sales donated to schools by Myphotoagency.
- 3,500: number of photographers in Myphotoagency's address book.
- 30: number of schools Myphotoagency began working with in January.
- 500: number of schools Myphotoagency aims to convert over the next two years, focusing on nursery and elementary schools in the Paris region
- the purchase rate is close to 90% for kindergartens and primary schools. It drops to around 70% in junior high schools, and then to 50% in high schools.
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