Guido Koppes — photographers liaison at Photochain
Introduction of the artist / photographer
I am Guido Koppes, photo-journalist from Tilburg, The Netherlands. Started out when I was an eight year old kid. After assisting a colleague, Robin in his studio, I decided to become freelance myself in 2005, uploading images to a stock photography website. Since then I’ve produced stock, news and assignments.
Describe your art & photography
I produce portraits and reportages in the broadest definition of the genres. Occasional side road to food, architecture, land- and cityscape. I use both digital and analog photography to archive my goal: telling a story with images.
What do you want to express with your art?
Answer: An image doesn’t have to be beautiful … If it is, it helps … But an image has to tell a story in itself. As a single, or in a series.
What level of professionalism would you say you are doing this with? (e.g. hobby, semi-professional, freelance, full-time, etc.)
Answer: I am a professional, freelance photographer producing premium photography for stock and customers.
Who or what has been influencing your work the most? Who are some of your favorite artists / photographers who inspire you? (Please state name and website / portfolio link or Instagram account if possible)
Answer: One of my great examples in life and work, is Robert Doisneau, a famous French photographers, who started out during early twenties century. He photographed daily life in France, with emphasis on Paris, by general being an invisible observer.
What is the one most important thing you want to achieve with your art?
Answer: Besides generating an independent income, a legacy that leaves behind a story of how I see the world. Especially how I see the people who occupy this world.
Monetization of your art
Do you make money from the art you create?
Answer: Yes, I do make money with my photography. In 2005 I started out with stockphotography through a traditional Dutch agency, which generated my first assignments for a corporate newspaper. After 15 years I’ve evolved to a couple of International agencies, where I have a modest portfolio of images online. Meanwhile I am working on occasional assignments for magazines and newspapers. One year ago I started to explore the art market with analog photography. Up to now this is an experiment, though. I think experiments are important in photography, to sharpen ones skills and to discover what works best.
Do you sell or license your art?
Answer: Yes
How important are digital media / social media for you?
Answer: Very. They are the new way of doing things in life.
Which channels do you use for marketing and promoting your work?
Answer: AGE FotoStock, RooM The Agency, Getty Images, Fine Art of America, PhotoChain, besides Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Mobile Phone, Personal Conversation.
Which platforms do you use to monetize your art?
Answer: AGE FotoStock, RooM The Agency, Getty Images, PhotoChain
How do you feel about the overall experience of monetizing your art?
Answer: ??? Sorry :-)
In your opinion, what are the main challenges for you as an artist to make more money with your art?
Answer: Main challenges are to get a decent price per image and sell sufficient volume, thus creating a decent income. That’s hard, the past couple of years. Other people make decisions I cannot influence, and prices have declined the past couple of years. For stock and for assignments. Time to take back the initiative and give out a message: “good photography is valuable!”
What would be your solution / idea to overcome these challenges?
Answer: Actually I am involved in several initiatives to deal with current challenges in the photo industry. First of all I am getting involved with a Dutch Federation of Journalist Campaign to increase “conditions”, such as license terms, payments and prices. Second, I think Photochain has “a thing” going, with it’s blockchain based marketplace for photography. Since I believe the internet is a disruptive place in itself, changing the way we live, work and communicate, I am seriously exploring this opportunity.
Opinion on a peer-to-peer (P2P) photography / art exchange
Short intro: a peer-to-peer platform (P2P), which is based on blockchain technology, allows for a completely new, next generation stock photography platform. Photochain is building such a decentralized P2P platform which enables fair trading of digital works between artists and buyers — directly and without the middleman taking large chunks of the sales. The terms of use ensure a secure, easy to use and fair trading process for both parties. By developing a decentralized P2P platform, Photochain present the possibility for artists to sell their works directly to their customers. Artists set their own prices for their digital work and receive 80% of the final selling price.
What do you think about a peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace for exchanging art & photography?
Answer: I think it’s a novel initiative that has a serious chance to make it! With the changes in the industry, especially relating to internet based stock agencies, I think photographers want to regain influence over their prices. Leave out the middle man. And since Photochain is one of the first to do so, I believe it will have a huge influence on the market!
For you personally, as an artist, what do you see as the main benefit of a P2P marketplace?
Answer: For me personally, the main benefit is, that I can offer the kind of photography to image buyers that is not online and for sale anywhere else. Exclusivity does have a purpose. And getting into contact with professional image buyers, who are using my images, I can expand my network globally.
Photochain
How did you hear about Photochain for the first time?
Answer: I got a call from Stanislav Stolberg, Photochain’s CEO, and decided to give Photochain a chance.
What is the most exciting thing about Photochain for you?
Answer: For me the most exciting thing is, that I am getting involved with a New Tech Start Up in the photography industry, that is going faster than anyone else. This helps to to get used to novel developments and learn about my industry, and where it’s going.
What is the one most important challenge Photochain has to overcome to be successful in your view?
Answer: Most important challenge would be to proof to the market / the industry that the concept of Blockchain and P2P marketplace does work. Sales are needed to to establish this proof. And to generate sales, Photochain needs to finish it’s app and onboard a lot more photographers and images.
How will Photochain be able to help you as an artist?
Answer: As mentioned above: sell my images for the reasonable price I’ve set.
Image / photos of your art
Could you please provide your most favorite piece of art / photo you have created yourself? (e.g. via link to Instagram post, share drive, etc.)
Answer: That would be this one: https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/Y5K-2656765 … The Brooklyn & Manhattan Bridge in New York, who remind me of a couple of projects I did in New York City.
Please provide two additional pieces of art / photos we can share via our Social Media accounts.
Answer: https://photochain.io/details/aa376113-f420-42c8-9133-b66ee5bf643d
Answer: https://photochain.io/details/60cac82b-ee44-4e71-9ba2-bf563b78201b
Contact & Social Info
Please provide all applicable Social Media Profile Links & IDs. Feel free to add other relevant profiles that are not listed specifically:
You Full name: Guido Koppes
Artist name (If applicable): Guillaume Koppes
Website/Portfolio Link: https://www.guidokoppes.nl
Instagram ID: @guido_koppes & guido_koppes_analog
Twitter Handle: @GuidoKoppesFoto
Steemit User ID: @
Pinterest ID:
Tumblr ID:
Facebook URL: https://business.facebook.com/GuidoKoppesFoto/?business_id=187907125259051&ref=bookmarks
Other Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guidokoppes/
THANK YOU for being part of the Photochain Community and for believing in our Vision of a fairer stock photography industry!
