Check out htp://www.sxc.hu as a basis. But expand on the buildings and streets and cities aspect.

And what the heck is a "constructing architect course"?

Would architects actually pay for this?

Royalty free photography is the lowest common denominator of the stock photo world. To get a large enough photo for an architectural presentation will set you back at least a couple hundred per image. Rights managed will break the bank. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't see architects running out to buy stock photos. Thoughts?

would architects really pay for this? I'd say no. I thought he was talking about something free like the Stock Exchange (address posted above). I use that all the time, and would love if there were something similar for architecture. But is it important enough to architects to pay for it? Probably not. On the other hand, all those rendering firms in China might do so, since it's a reimbursable and they're working remotely.

i would use something similar for people/other entourage to stick into renderings... free pictures of people walking, sitting, running, etc. set on a white background... probably wouldn't pay for it though... it's too easy to find something workable on google and then erase the background in photoshop...

rationalist, royalty free means that you still must pay for a photo at a given size/resolution. once you purchase the image, then you may use it however you want in as many things as you want.

rights managed imagery means that the stock house will apply a rate based on how you are using it, where it it is placed in a brochure or website, how big it is, who it is for, and how many times it will be used. for permanent installations, time limits are set of the use. if you wish to use it for something else, then you must purchase new rights.

it would be royalty-free and it would be tailor made for architects who can't be bothered spending time in photoshop. the photos would be high quality and high resolution, hundreds of times better than anything google could offer, with clipping paths ready.

it would be a free, exchange-based database if photographers would upload pictures for free, but they won't. however, in my experience in the ugly world of microstock sites, they will do it for ridiculously small amounts of money...

keep your thoughts coming, i welcome your collective interest.

e- thanks for the clarification. As of yet, I've been too poor to use anything I have to pay for, whether rights managed or royalty free or otherwise!