Stocksy's Aaron Bergunder on how creatives are ditching polished perfection

Since creative professionals started moving from analogue tools to digital ones in the 1980s and 1990s, our tools have become increasingly sophisticated. This has been, on the whole, pretty great, saving us from time-sucking, repetitive tasks and giving us more time to be truly creative and original.

But at what point does convenience start to become a problem? Certainly, the rise of artificial intelligence and the ability to conjure up illustrations and even videos from text prompts alone has given many of us pause for thought.

While these sophisticated tools may offer unlimited possibilities, there's also a feeling that they're robbing us of our creativity as everything starts to look the same. And so, a counterintuitive trend is emerging as we see more and more creative professionals embracing simpler tools and processes that hark back to an earlier period.

At the forefront of this movement is Stocksy, the artist-owned cooperative that's revolutionising the stock media industry by prioritising authenticity over perfection. We chatted to Aaron Bergunder, a UX designer at Stocksy, to find out more.

The Power of Limitation

Through its vast network of contributors, Stocksy is in a great position to observe and track shifts in creative processes. It's certainly spotted evidence of this new trend away from perfectionism and towards authenticity.

"For example," Aaron notes, "we've seen a big resurgence in the popularity of disposable film cameras and pocketable digicams of the early aughts; both our artist community uploading more, and our design clients licensing more for their work."

This goes beyond liking retro for retro's sake. "There's a conscious release of control in those formats," suggests Aaron. "They're an invitation of risk and luck into the creative process." He believes this reflects a desire to reconnect with the raw, organic aspects of creativity.

"It's exciting to see artists rediscover this lo-fi approach," he enthuses. "And we're seeing how these simpler processes can inject fresh energy into both the art and the narratives clients build with it. By letting go of some control, creatives are exploring more instinctual, relevant ways of storytelling, something we at Stocksy wholeheartedly support."

This starkly contrasts the world's current digital obsession, and Aaron believes this is no coincidence. "There's a rising distrust of techno-saviorism, accompanied by a collective rediscovery of joy in simple pleasures," he says. "It feels incredibly special to receive a postcard, but every email is a burden."

He stresses, though, that this embrace of limitation isn't about rejecting technology wholesale but rather about finding the sweet spot where creativity thrives. "For example, video games can still use one or two buttons but be rich to play and successful," he points out. "Untitled Goose Game comes to mind. And while it didn't stick for everyone, the excitement of BeReal's wholesome, unfiltered, limiting, and immediate nature tapped into something refreshing that increasingly complex social apps have all lost."

Storytelling over perfection

So, how do we deal with this changing landscape? One thing Stocksy has done is adapt while maintaining its commitment to quality.

"Smartphone-created content can often hit with an emotional resonance and familiarity that DSLR and higher-end formats struggle to achieve," Aaron notes. "So now we're emphasising storytelling over perfection, encouraging creatives to use the tools they're comfortable with, rather than obsessing over broadcast-level technical specs."

More broadly, Stocksy recognises that the democratisation of creative tools through platforms like TikTok has transformed the landscape of visual content creation. Rather than resisting this change, it's embraced it, recognising the fresh perspectives these new voices bring to the table.

"There's amazing potential in these unheard voices: artists who are coming to the table with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and often breaking the rules of traditional media," Aaron explains. "It's exciting to see how they're using new tools, sometimes in ways they weren't designed for, to push the boundaries of what creative work can look like."

Cooperative model

This all gels perfectly with Stocksy's approach to democratising creativity through its cooperative model. Unlike traditional stock agencies driven by profit maximisation, Stocksy's structure ensures that every contributor has a voice in the business's direction.

"Our cooperative makes us much more aware of fairness and equity," Aaron emphasises. "Providing a giant portfolio or creating the most popular assets doesn't give you preferential treatment. Any contributor can succeed here by creating imagery that resonates with people."

This democratic approach extends to compensation, too. With 50-75% of licensing fees returned directly to artists, Stocksy's model actively challenges industry norms that often undervalue creative work. Furthermore, Stocksy doesn't rank contributors or divide its collection into value tiers, which is a radical stance in an industry often obsessed with hierarchies.

Looking Ahead

As the creative industry continues to evolve, Stocksy's cooperative model positions it well to adapt and lead. "Our co-op benefits by being a microcosm of the industry and built to self-adapt," Aaron explains. "The power to shift is in the hands of our members, so as culture and standards change, we can collectively meet or lead those."

For creative professionals looking to navigate this new landscape, Aaron offers practical advice: "Open your phone's photos, go to your Favourites album, and really question what nudged you to mark them as special. What is it about them that stirs you? Typically, it's the people, places, experiences, and all these contextual meanings that we attach, not technical details, that make them important."

Conclusion

The message is clear: the future of creativity won't be about having the most expensive equipment or the most sophisticated software. It's going to be about authentic expression, meaningful storytelling, and the courage to break from conventional methods.

For creatives looking to stay relevant in this evolving landscape, Aaron suggests: "Throw a wrench into your norms and check your instinctual urge to create in the same way, no matter how much success it has meant. Before you start sketching a logo, open a doc and write a paragraph about what it should be. Try to collage a concept out of photos before you dive into illustrating. Design that icon with electrical tape rather than your bezier tool. Just throw some backwards or arbitrary constraints on yourself and see what comes of it."

In a world where technology constantly promises to remove all limitations, this advice reminds us that sometimes, the most innovative creativity comes from embracing constraints and focusing on what truly matters: the story we're trying to tell and the emotions we're trying to evoke.