There was a time when you could make a full-time living producing stock photography. That changed in the mid-90s with the introduction of royalty-free stock CDs. Digital photography and the rise of microstock created enormous downward pricing pressure on the industry.

Nevertheless, stock photography still satisfies a real need for generic photography at a (too) reasonable price when commissioned photography isn't feasible. Sarah and Allen talk about stock as well as the co-opting of stock photos – like the "distracted boyfriend" – as fuel for memes in this episode of Vision Slightly Blurred.