The deal to acquire Turbosquid was announced on Tuesday, 26th January 2020 in an official statement on Shutterstock’s website. It is another giant step taken by the renowned stock photo dealers to keep up with the pace of tech innovation. On the other hand, it offers great hope to photographers already treading the path of CGI. If you are one of them—you are on the right path.
Over the past years, many companies have had to depend on realistic, high-quality stock photos for their product photography. Recently, the Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) technique starts gaining more prominence in the world of imagery and photography. Lately, this trend received another giant boost as Shutterstock announced their purchase of a leading 3D company, Turbosquid.
What the acquisition means for the photography industry
The use of CGI is a fast-growing trend in the media world. While it can be combined to a great effect with normal imagery, it can also be applied on its own to create fantastic imagery concepts.
Basically, CGI enables the user to generate or add components to media and art using exclusively computer graphics software. Unlike traditional media where the output largely depends on the camera, media files and applications can now be enhanced by computer-generated images. This can be applied to images, games, videos, animations, and simulations.
Getting to see top world media companies such as Shutterstock invest in 3D modeling and CGI related techniques is very encouraging. For many CGI photographers, it simply indicates that the future is even brighter and certain for us. If you then bring the expected ease and flexibility in view, the development becomes a very welcome one.
According to the CEO of Turbosquid, Stan Pavlovsky, this deal is expected to increase Shutterstock’s overall revenue by about 2% to 3%. This already is a bold statement of how much the companies trust the efficiency of the development. It will not be a surprise when other high media companies begin to emulate their steps and invest more in 3D modeling and CGI methods that we already use in product photography.
Healthy competition and new opportunities
The competition that is expected to increase in the Photography industry as a result of heightened interest in CGI related techniques is a healthy one. At least, every company involved will most likely intensify efforts to sharpen their outputs. Of course, this is a win situation for end-users because high-quality CGI media that are as realistic as possible will not be in short supply.
Product branding
Creating images for product branding has taken a new face with the invention and integration of CGI and 3D modeling. Here are some of the ways these concepts have improved the branding of product.
Better Visualization
Photographers no longer need to depend on their skill in taking different shots from different angles and trying to combine them later. In fact, a product photography can now be built from scratch to finish using 3D modeling software. 3D video effects can help you present products in ways more appealing than just a still photograph.
Realistic
The good thing about this whole concept is that the images can still look very realistic at their best. When done professionally, it will most likely be hard for a layman to identify the difference between a real photo and one created with CGI. To make things easier, the designer can get one or two or more reference photos of the product and use them to simulate model imagery for the product.
Better Environment
It’s more than just the image itself. With 3D modeling, designers and editors can create better environments and scenes for the target object. For example, creating and modeling a chair in an office setting helps give it an original feel. That way, the photographer will no longer have to go through the stress of looking for real-life scenes to suit the preferred setting.
Lighting
This is one of the major elements that enhance the look and feel of a product design. Most 3D image modeling software support features for creating fantastic lighting effects. This helps a great deal to show the mood and also helps make the image fit into the designed setting.
The optimistic conclusion
Large investments into CGI photography by top companies confirms that CGI is a profitable place for photographers. As Shutterstock Buys Turbosquid, this truth becomes even more realistic.
With a combination of its fantastic features and concepts, both creating and editing photography becomes more efficient.
FAQs
What is Shutterstock and Turbosquid?
Shutterstock is a leading global provider of stock photos, vectors, illustrations and video footage. Turbosquid is a popular online marketplace for 3D models and assets.
Why has Shutterstock bought Turbosquid?
Shutterstock has purchased Turbosquid to expand its offerings into the computer-generated imagery (CGI) market and provide its customers with a more comprehensive suite of visual content solutions.
What is the significance of the Turbosquid acquisition by Shutterstock?
Shutterstock’s acquisition of Turbosquid is a major milestone for the design industry. Shutterstock, one of the world’s largest digital media marketplaces, acquired Turbosquid in January 2021 to expand its library and offer more CGI services.
