The company has hired Goldman Sachs to consult on any potential sale and The New York Times is reporting that Getty Images could sell for $1.5 billion. A number of equity firms have interest in Getty, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Bain Capital.

When asked about a potential sale, a Getty spokesman in London told Agence France-Presse," We do not comment on rumors."

Getty was founded in 1995 by Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein and has grown through a series of acquisitions, including its purchase of its biggest competitor, MediaVast, for $202 million. The company was also in negotiations with Jupitermedia but the talks ended without a deal.

Getty’s main selling point is the licensing of high quality images from professional photographers around the world. It also offers video for use in movies, television and online.

"Getty Images continues to be a company in transition, adjusting from being the leading player in an oligopolistic market to being one of many players in a highly competitive market," Barbara Coffey, a research analyst with Kaufman Brothers, wrote in a research note earlier this month.