Photo cooperatives and collectives have thrived for decades as a way to share resources (e.g. accounting and marketing functions) for like-minded photographers. But in the past few years, a palpable shift has occurred. Many contemporary collectives aggregate niche or marginalized groups of photographers, and provide a showcase and directory for photo editors to reference. 

Sarah and Allen examine the pros and cons of approaching photography through the lens of a potentially unknown "insider" vs the the more traditional method of using the "tried-and-true" photographer. The answer isn't always clear, but collectives are an important part of the photo ecosystem.