In article , "bagal"
wrote:

Here is a scenario Nick:

email from publisher: we have been let down by witheld copyright on image
and needs shots of montains with snow. Can you get some to us by 9pm
tonight?

Uh - stock photos? Call an agent, or individual. Oh, I see, too spendy for
the publisher. Okay, let's continue with your fantasy.

1 - search through a couple of thousand prints, find a few that are
suitable, get the original plus negs to publisher using courier express

2 - search the database, find pics, send images in appropriate format by
email.

which, if any, wins in the 21st century?

You don't need digital photography to have a database of image references.
Successful photographers have been doing that since the PC was invented (I
mean the so-called "IBM" microcomputer.)

And there are plenty of successful photographers who have images onfile,
managed by their agents, or themselves.