I am a freelance photo researcher and have been working in this field since 1987. I currently work as a photo editor/researcher helping clients and companies locate and license images for books, magazines, museum & public park display, videos, etc. I have seen a lot of changes over the years! My first job for Diversion Magazine, in NYC involved sitting in an office with a phone, a Rolodex of names, a few paper directories, and a filling cabinet. Slides came to me for review from small photo agencies and photographers by post or messenger. Original chromes had a value of $1,500 each. Each package had to be counted and checked in using some sort of paper documentation to confirm the amount of slides received. Often photographers required paper receipts be faxed back to them to confirm amount and liability. In those days the worse nightmare a photo editor or researcher could experience was a lost slide.
I now have the ease of looking at photo archives online any time or any place where I can get a connection to the web. Using Wikimedia Commons images has been a great pleasure as it allows me to locate photos at reasonable cost and find current images on various subjects. I appreciate all the generous people who post photos on Wikimedia Commons, thank you. I do give credit to the Wikimedia Commons photographers used in my projects. My business website is www.gillenedits.com