Getty Images has refused to clarify whether amateurs contributing to the picture agency, via the Flickr Collection, will get paid as much as the agency’s regular professional photographers.

Getty officially launched the project last week in a move that gives selected enthusiasts a new way to sell their photos via the Flickr Collection.

A Getty spokesman would only say that chosen members of Flickr, the image sharing website, will receive 30% of the fee for a rights managed image. The average price for a rights managed image is £360, he added.

The spokesman declined to make it clear how this compares with the rate professionals receive.

Organisers say that Getty Images’ global reach and distribution power will help Flickr members market their images.

For details visit www.gettyimages.com/flickr

IMPORTANT NEWS UPDATE 17 March 2009