Author Topic: Infinite monkey theorem (Read 5033 times)

melastmohican · « **on:** March 12, 2010, 16:59 »

"The infinite monkey theorem states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type a given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare."

Would it apply to microstock?

Enough of contributors would give you a hit photo? In other words 1000 newbies, each can produce 1 "top micro-stocker" quality image but you do not have to pay them cause they would never reach payout limit. In meanwhile out top gun would 1000 images like that too but you have to share profits with him/her.

sharpshot · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2010, 17:13 »

There is a big difference between 1,000 and infinity. 1,000 monkeys would struggle to type 1 word.

melastmohican · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2010, 18:08 »

Quote from: sharpshot on March 12, 2010, 17:13

There is a big difference between 1,000 and infinity. 1,000 monkeys would struggle to type 1 word.

Yes, but this thing was born in typewriter era :-) Tools now are more advanced and can do more for a monkey :-) Maybe now monkey from this experiment may have a tool that would generate a 100 words randomly with one click of the button so number of words would grow exponentially :-)

My question is do microstock really need professional photographers when equipment is so advanced. What portion of SS 10 million photos are done by professionals, 1%, 5%? If Yuri removes his portfolio from everywhere would it hurt agencies? Next best probably would take his place right away.

LSD72 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2010, 21:37 »

With Modern Technology... would the monkeys happen to be using Dragons "Naturally Speaking" program? If so... put them on Rosetta Stone First.

Suljo · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2010, 22:14 »

Put evolution in your game not only game theory...

qwerty · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2010, 23:07 »

Quote from: melastmohican on March 12, 2010, 18:08

Quote from: sharpshot on March 12, 2010, 17:13
There is a big difference between 1,000 and infinity. 1,000 monkeys would struggle to type 1 word.

Yes, but this thing was born in typewriter era :-) Tools now are more advanced and can do more for a monkey :-) Maybe now monkey from this experiment may have a tool that would generate a 100 words randomly with one click of the button so number of words would grow exponentially :-)

My question is do microstock really need professional photographers when equipment is so advanced. What portion of SS 10 million photos are done by professionals, 1%, 5%? If Yuri removes his portfolio from everywhere would it hurt agencies? Next best probably would take his place right away.

They do need professionals if they want to keep taking market share from the more expensive suppliers. If they want to just sell isolated objects, people smiling on headsets and goldfish your band of monkeys can provide it.

With your monkey and typewriter example all the things needed to provide the output are infront of the monkeys.
For top quality stock attractive models, props and locations don't just randomly appear infront of the monkeys and sign model releases.
Also you need infinite time to produce, If I'm a agency and I'm waiting for the monkeys to produce I might go broke before they come up with the goods.I need combination of monkeys and professionals to provide me with the goods.

louoates · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2010, 11:13 »

Ouch! Please stop. My brain hurts.

(It took only one monkey twenty seconds to type this)

Perry · « **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2010, 07:17 »

I think the infinite monkey theorem applies to microstock in some ways. For example in the way the agencies almost never care to communicate what specific images are needed. They just put 100,000 microstock monkeys shooting stuff and then a few of them shoots something a client needs.

(Why, my dear agencies, can't you tell what you need?)

Graffoto · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2010, 18:30 »

If they actually knew what they needed, they would hire a bunch of hungry college students to go shoot it for them on the cheap.

Instead they rely on us million monkeys to be creative and shoot whatever we like for even cheaper (free).
Thus they have millions of images in their collections and there are bound to be some great ones that sell like hotcakes.

I suspect they even the buyers often only have a vague idea of what they want. They then put in a few nebulous search terms and hope what come up tickles their fancy.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2010, 19:57 »

Quote from: nosaya on March 16, 2010, 18:30

If they actually knew what they needed, they would hire a bunch of hungry college students to go shoot it for them on the cheap.

Instead they rely on us million monkeys to be creative and shoot whatever we like for even cheaper (free).
Thus they have millions of images in their collections and there are bound to be some great ones that sell like hotcakes.

I suspect they even the buyers often only have a vague idea of what they want. They then put in a few nebulous search terms and hope what come up tickles their fancy.

I suspect that you have it covered. They don't know and the buyers don't either. That leaves us to guess and create. That doesn't stop anyone from ignoring what's already sold and making the move to come up with something new. That would be trying to find something original and different which will fill that vague unknown demand and spark some interest.

If we all shoot business handshakes, executives with crossed arms, multi-cultural versions of the same sterile shots, sure some will get picked up and it's a proven seller, but with something new and different, the artist is ahead of the rest, instead of just copying. For Perry, do something new, creative and out of the ordinary, that's what you want and that's what "they" want.

There's your answer.

It's like pop music, there are only two basic performance types. Old music (cover bands) and new music playing original creations. There's nothing wrong with the old music, everyone does it, the clubs are filled with people playing all the same songs over and over. Who gets the contracts, makes the tours and sells the new products with the fans base? 90% new music. It's what's hot that stirs the market and makes new, not someone playing other peoples songs. The other 10% are playing someone else's music in a new style.

Take that and work it into your photos/art. Copying is a dead end, unless you can add something to enhance or change the shot, in a creative way. Anyone with minimal talent can copy!

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Author Topic: Infinite monkey theorem (Read 5033 times)

melastmohican

sharpshot

melastmohican

LSD72

Suljo

qwerty

louoates

Perry

Graffoto

RacePhoto

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