Jupiterimages offers single-image purchases on Photos.com

Jupiterimages announced Thursday that it will now allow users to buy individual images from its vast library of stock photos on Photos.com instead of forcing them to pay monthly subscription fees for access to the images. The move could be a part of the new strategy being set in place by Getty, which recently agreed to acquire the company for $96 million.

All the photos currently available on the site can be purchased as single images and, according to the company, they will be offered in any desired resolution. Prices will start at $5 for multimedia resolution images with file sizes of about 1MB to 2MB and top out at $70 for high-resolution images with file sizes of about 50MB.

"The introduction of single-image sales at all resolutions represents a tremendous revenue opportunity for contributors by delivering their images to a large base of established customers," said Alan M. Meckler, chairman and chief executive of Jupitermedia, the parent company of Jupiterimages. "Creative professionals and image buyers can now choose from the leading subscription options or buy just the few images they need at an affordable price without having to first purchase credits."

The introduction of single-image purchasing is a major step forward for Jupiterimages. The company's current monthly subscription rates start at $99.95 for one month and jump to $249.95 for those who want a one-month subscription encompassing images, audio, flash, and fonts. Single-year subscriptions range from $449.95 to $1,199.95.