Over the next few months, Getty Images will invite selected Flickr members to participate in a new Flickr-branded collection of licensed images at gettyimages.com.

This invitation-only opportunity is the result of an exclusive partnership between Getty Images and Flickr that aims to provide a fresh collection of high-quality images for Getty's creative, commercial and editorial customers.

Tens of thousands of images are expected for the launch, with thousands more being added each month. Getty Images will be the exclusive commercial rights manager of the photos in the collection.

"We know our customers were already going to Flickr for inspiration and then often would try to license images," explained Bridget Russel, senior director of communications at Getty Images. "We believe that the inclusion of Flickr images in the search results will provide customers with more choice and inspiration."

Amateur photographers stand to benefit from the partnership by receiving exposure and compensation for their work. "We see this as the responsible way to bridge the world of user-generated content with traditional photography," said Russel. "We are taking user-generated content not shot by professionals, and putting it into licensing models predominantly populated by professionals."

"Flickr photographers who are invited to participate in the Flickr collection on gettyimages.com will be asked to sign a Getty Images contributor contract, which will be substantially similar to our existing contributor contracts," Russel continued. "The Flickr collection will span across all three traditional licensing models -- rights managed, rights ready and royalty free. Prices will vary, depending on license model, but the pricing will be the similar to other RM, RR and RF imagery at gettyimages.com." According to Russel, rights managed images have an average price of US$500, while royalty free images range between US$200 and $250.

While images will be selected by Getty Images editors based on their "expertise in licensing digital content and insights into customers' needs," Russel offered a few points to those hoping to increase their chances of receiving an invitation.

Flickr members should ensure their images have an appropriate level of quality, she said. Model release forms, if necessary, should also be available. Photo-enthusiasts should also make sure their images are relevant, saleable, creative and innovative. "We will be looking through the Flickr collections and saying, 'What are customers frequently requesting and not finding?'" she said.

Professional photographers may benefit as a result of the anticipated increase in visitor traffic. "We have found that partnerships such as this are a good way of drawing people towards Getty Images, which is good for everyone," said Russel. "Flickr has a lot of traffic, and we are confident this partnership will bring even more people to Getty Images -- once again, good for all photographers."