Alamy secures exclusive distribution rights for The Independent’s collection of award-winning photography 

10 May 2021: The prestigious picture archive from The Independent, the news brand widely credited with revolutionising photojournalism on Fleet Street, is now exclusively available on the stock content platform Alamy.

The Independent has agreed an exclusive representation deal with Alamy; where the collection of 70,000 images will be available to a global customer base.

The Independent launched in 1986 as a mould-breaking broadsheet with an emphasis on quality photojournalism, often forgoing front page copy in favour of striking imagery used across several columns.  Its pioneering use of imagery earned several industry accolades during the 1990s, including ‘Black and White Newspaper of the Year’ and ‘British Newspaper of the Year’ (British Picture Editors’ Awards), as well as ‘Best Use of Photography’ (British Newspaper Awards). 

Iconic pictures which featured in The Independent and Independent on Sunday between 1986 and 2012 will be available to Alamy’s customers in the editorial and creative sectors, for use by TV and film producers, book and magazine publishers, graphic designers, and more.

Award-winning photographers whose work appear in the wide-ranging collection include:

• David Ashdown (British Sport’s Photographer of the Year, 1987, 1991; Nikon Press Awards Sports Photographer of the Year, 1988; International Olympic Committee ‘Best of Sport’, 1989, 1990)
• Brian Harris (Nikon Press Awards Features Photographer of the Year, 1988; Photographer of the Year, What the Papers Say Awards, 1989)
• Peter Jay (Ilford Sports Photograph of the Year, 1990)
• Tom Pilston (Nikon Press Awards Best Features Photographer of the Year 1996; Picture Editors’ Awards’ Excellence in Features Photography, 2000)
• David Rose (British Editors’ Awards Feature Photographer of the Year, 1996; George Bendrihem Prize 1998)
• David Sandison (British Picture Editors’ Awards Feature Photographer of the Year, Best Black and White Picture, 1996; Picture Editors’ Awards Excellence in Arts and Entertainment Photography, 2000)

The addition of The Independent’s archive to Alamy’s platform is the latest development in Alamy’s strategy to grow its editorial offering through partnerships with world-leading news brands. The Independent joins more than 160 news agencies on Alamy, including PA, Reuters, Xinhua, dpa and Zuma.

James Allsworth, Head of Content at Alamy, said:

“The Independent has a long heritage of championing photojournalism and this stunning portfolio showcases the storytelling power of imagery. We represent some of the best editorial collections in the world and are delighted that Alamy’s customers will now have access to The Independent’s iconic photography.”

Sophie Hanbury, Director of Syndication and Licensing Partnerships at The Independent, said:

“We are delighted that The Independent’s unique photography archive will be enjoyed by new generations. Whether it’s our photography or our move to digital, The Independent has always been at the forefront of innovation and enterprise, and we’re thrilled to continue this tradition through our partnership with Alamy.”