"The technology is still in its infancy -- as are the business models addressing how to use it -- but we can expect to see VR become a leading tool for visual storytelling," says Getty CEO Dawn Airey. However, the company doesn't yet have a lot of data to base that on, as Vive and Rift sales are still largely unknown. However, Samsung recently said it has sold over a million Gear VR headsets for its Galaxy smartphones, and Google has shipped 5 million Cardboard viewers as of the beginning of 2016.

It's also a bit hard to see how Getty will sell 360-degree imagery, since its stock photos generally accompany news stories or corporate websites, which aren't exactly ripe for VR. However, it does have an agreement with Google, in which it supplies hi-res VR photos for Google Expeditions. It also partnered with Oculus Rift on an app called 360° View by Getty Images.

The best use case, as Getty says, is probably to make users feel they're right there at an event. "The diverse range of 360 degree content that we produce -- from the red carpet to the stadiums of the world's biggest sporting events and the frontline of conflict – allows people to access information and experiences that were previously off limits," says Airey.