For those who have followed along from US Presswire, to USA Today Sports Images, to imagn, we were recently told that imagn has been sold off by Gannett and is now a standalone company.

Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the call that relayed what these changes really mean. It doesn't seem to affect me as a contractor outside of signing up for a new payment platform.

As I think about my time with the company, I think about how the name has evolved

US Presswire

When you said you worked for US Presswire, you said it with a small hesitation. US Presswire was a spec agency, which gave it a bit of a bad reputation amongst the wire photographers. But we were all just trying to find our way into the industry, can you blame us?!

USA Today Sports Images

After being purchased by Gannett and rebranded and USA Today Sports Images. It was long to add the "sports images" but you had a little more pride to be associated with a paper that everyone has heard of, and probably seen in a hotel lobby while having continental breakfast. I don't think it was anyone's go-to newspaper for home delivery, or even the website you would check for your primary source of news, but it was known.

Imagn

Though effectively very little has changed, I feel like the name imagn carries little weight in the industry, and even less outside of the industry.

For starters, no one knows how to say it. In the 49ers work room the other day, me and two other photographers were having a debate, is it "image-n" or "imagine"? I can confirm, it's pronounced "imagine" (with a joke that they couldn't afford the vowels.)

As I thought about my mild disappointment in working for a wire agency with limited name recognition (is that just ego?), a lightbulb went off. Why am I trying to build kreadivs? Nobody knows the name kreadivs (and also probably don't know how to pronounce it) whereas people already know, respect and go to KLC ƒotos. I don't need to try to build a new website, and generate name recognition when I already have it with KLC ƒotos.

kreadivs failure!

Check It

What's in a name? The credential is there, my work is published, who cares about the outlet name on the credential or the byline?

Check In

What are your thoughts? Do you work for imagn?