San Francisco, CA—Consumers are busier than ever—or at least feel busier than ever. This accounts for the immense popularity of gig economy services that help them outsource tasks they can’t, or would rather not, do themselves. These activities include cooking, walking their dogs, housekeeping, running errands and even organizing closets.
However, when it comes to recording the events of their lives, with an estimated three trillion photos taken per year, Suite 48 Analytics asserts that consumers are still overwhelmingly behind the camera. They continue to capture the photos and videos that tell the story of their lives. 
Though that’s sometimes at the expense of enjoying the moment. Millennials particularly, who often care more about experiences than material goods, want the option to fully experience events with friends or family without being separated from it by the responsibility of capturing the memories.
Suite 48, a market intelligence firm for the consumer imaging market that also hosts the Visual 1st executive conference, asserts this behavior has resulted in gig photography services. In recent years a “range of gig photography solution vendors have brought to market frictionless and affordable solutions inspired by gig economy services.” These services free consumers from image capture, editing or even organizing tasks.
“The gig photo solutions effectively leverage the vast population of pro and hobbyist photographers eager to generate income while keeping control of when or where they work,” the company notes. The analysis is based on Suite 48 Analytics’ new study, Building the Gig Photo Economy.
The Advent of the Gig Economy Spurs Gig Photo Services
Furthermore, through the click of a few buttons, consumers can now free themselves from being stuck behind the camera. In addition, they can engage photographers to acquire better photos than they might take themselves (the traditional reason for hiring pro photographers, made easier and cheaper). 
Moreover, consumers can now receive photos taken at locations where they can’t be. This might include, for instance, a faraway construction project or a birthday party they’re unable to attend.
At the same time, Suite 48 notes that photographers can relieve themselves from back-office tasks. These include such tasks as administration, scheduling, receiving payments and managing photos.
Some gig solutions even perform photo-editing and post-processing tasks for the photographer. Or they recruit customers for them; thus enabling gig photographers to expand their photo services beyond their traditional markets—and focus on what they like to do most: taking photos.
The Building the Gig Photo Economy report analyzes 25 gig photo solutions. It also covers six segments it defines within the gig photography industry:
- Photographers on Demand
- Volume Photographers
- Self-Promoting Photographers
- Microstock Photographers
- Local Guide Photographers
- Non-Capture Photo Service Providers
For each segment, the report analyzes the current market dynamics; the evolution of customer behavior; representative gig photo solution vendors; disruptions to established business models; and implications for adjacent products and services.
