How do stores like Ikea get hold of photographs for retailing?

Sorry if this has already been asked elsewhere.

 

My wife is a member of several catalogue companies like Next, Freemans, Choice

etc (UK based companies). In all of them are photographs printed on canvas being

sold for anything between ?30 - ?100 ($60-$200) to the general public.

 

Other companies, like Ikea for example, have the same thing - large prints on

canvas for sale (sometimes hundreds of the same print on the same sized canvas).

You'll often see the same canvas print in several people's homes.

 

Can I ask how the people who photograph such subjects end up with their prints

being sold on canvas by such huge retail outlets? Do such outlets have 'scouts'

who try to find such photographs or is it a case of approaching companies like

Ikea and saying "Do you like my portfolio? Would you like to buy any of them for

retail in your store?" If so, do you have to be accredited in any way or is it

just a case of "if they like your work"? Or do they just pay $50 for a stock

photo and then sell it by the million?

 

Thanks

 

Ted

Not sure about all retailers but I know of one photographer who has one picture for sale at IKEA and I believe they found by reputation. He had years of published images and is known for his style. So I think a researcher at IKEA liked his work and then they fleshed out a deal. If you look at some (not all) pictures at IKEA they have the photographers name on. Contacting the photographer in question may lead to a better answer.

 

Perhaps some are stock images, they look very generic and stock like to me, others will be sourced by photo researchers. In the UK I know Lee Frost has sold to stores for mass produced pictures. In the end I think a lot will depend on reputation and having the right picture at the right time.

 

Paul

Why not contact Ikea?

My curious nature got to me, looked up IKEA, searched for artwork, prints, etc., ... and could not find a thing!

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10090415 as an example.

 

I have since contacted them and I have been referred to an international office. Fingers crossed :-)

 

Thanks for your help guys.