I recently jumped on board the Photoshelter bandwagon! I've been searching for ways to electronically deliver images to clients efficiently, this seems to be my solution.
Photoshelter puts on different webinars a few times a month; how-to's on the features of their services. I virtually attended such a workshop yesterday afternoon. The workshop was presented by Brian Smith, portrait photographer. It was a very insightful and inspirational hour, I'd suggest checking it out HERE.
Giddy-up
Image of the Week
Image of the Week: Set still from 'The Last Supper', actor sitting behind light scrim.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Professional Responsibilities
Recently I was asked to quote a project for a local restaurant; interiors & cuisine images for use on their website. I submitted my numbers and was informed that I was a bit higher than they're expecting to pay. No big deal, I responded that I was willing to negotiate. Their response (after a followup email from me a week later as to whether they still wanted/needed photography) was "There is a student photographer who works here who will shoot it for free.".
Now, I'm of a mind that we as photographers are ALL responsible for educating our clients. The email I drafted & sent:
Thanks for getting back to me. Yes, free is difficult to pass up, but free has underlying costs that can run pretty deep.
Having been to XXXX and experienced the room (it's great, as is the food!), I hope your student photographer has a firm grasp on balancing different light temperatures and perspective control, not to mention preparing files for web and print. Top that off with consistently carrying the same image feel through from the interiors to the cuisine images. Prospective customers may wonder about the restaurant's attention to detail with food in the kitchen if they're viewing substandard photography on the website. It's quite a gamble, sinking all that money into something, then trusting the restaurant's primary web and print representation to a student. Don't get me wrong, I love a great deal too. We all do. Bear in mind you get what you pay for and the first taste is with the eyes... even on line.
Best of luck,
Dan
I posted this question (would you respond) to a few photographers in this market and received 'just leave it alone' suggestions. My response to that:
Thanks for the reply, appreciate your time & opinion.
I'm of a mind that all professional photographers must take it upon themselves to educate clients on the value of photography. Apathy just promotes acceptance of substandard work. Often, the client just doesn't know any better.
If the client is just cheap then they'll get exactly the photography they deserve. If they're naive however, and a letter gives them pause to think about the value of photography to them and their business, that's a step in the right direction... understanding the value of photography and the advantage to contracting a professional, no?
Best,
Dan
I'd also sent this to photographers in other markets. The responses from them were in the "Excellent response! Send it now!" vein. Imagine that.
It drives me crazy when photographers say things like, "That won't work here (local market)" or "That's not the way it's done" or "It's standard to wait 90 days...". The reason this is the case is because we as photographers LET IT HAPPEN.
Be the change you'd like to see.
Now, I'm of a mind that we as photographers are ALL responsible for educating our clients. The email I drafted & sent:
Thanks for getting back to me. Yes, free is difficult to pass up, but free has underlying costs that can run pretty deep.
Having been to XXXX and experienced the room (it's great, as is the food!), I hope your student photographer has a firm grasp on balancing different light temperatures and perspective control, not to mention preparing files for web and print. Top that off with consistently carrying the same image feel through from the interiors to the cuisine images. Prospective customers may wonder about the restaurant's attention to detail with food in the kitchen if they're viewing substandard photography on the website. It's quite a gamble, sinking all that money into something, then trusting the restaurant's primary web and print representation to a student. Don't get me wrong, I love a great deal too. We all do. Bear in mind you get what you pay for and the first taste is with the eyes... even on line.
Best of luck,
Dan
I posted this question (would you respond) to a few photographers in this market and received 'just leave it alone' suggestions. My response to that:
Thanks for the reply, appreciate your time & opinion.
I'm of a mind that all professional photographers must take it upon themselves to educate clients on the value of photography. Apathy just promotes acceptance of substandard work. Often, the client just doesn't know any better.
If the client is just cheap then they'll get exactly the photography they deserve. If they're naive however, and a letter gives them pause to think about the value of photography to them and their business, that's a step in the right direction... understanding the value of photography and the advantage to contracting a professional, no?
Best,
Dan
I'd also sent this to photographers in other markets. The responses from them were in the "Excellent response! Send it now!" vein. Imagine that.
It drives me crazy when photographers say things like, "That won't work here (local market)" or "That's not the way it's done" or "It's standard to wait 90 days...". The reason this is the case is because we as photographers LET IT HAPPEN.
Be the change you'd like to see.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Creative Block?
As is my usual routine of easing into my week on Monday mornings, I cruise various different industry sites and blogs over a rather large cup of very hot coffee. This morning's journey led me to the blog of another photographer based out of Buffalo, NY, Luke Copping (a commercial and editorial shooter and purported all around nice guy).
The post consists of responses from various creative minds as to how they work through creative blocks. Very interesting read, check it out here.
Me? I have a bookmarked list of various photographer's on line portfolios that I retreat to whenever I'm feeling creatively vapid. Platon, Chris Buck (a fine Canadian fellow), Albert Kahn (going back a ways here) and a local genius Wayne Hoecherl are a few standouts on my 'Inspiration' list. Poking through a few of these sites never fails to jump start my creative mindset.
I'd dig on reading your solutions for breaking through the dreaded creative wall, just fire 'em into a comment at the bottom, there. Most original solution wins a Coke!
Original 'Term-of-the-Week' from one of the comments on Luke's blog:
gear-whoring
The post consists of responses from various creative minds as to how they work through creative blocks. Very interesting read, check it out here.
Me? I have a bookmarked list of various photographer's on line portfolios that I retreat to whenever I'm feeling creatively vapid. Platon, Chris Buck (a fine Canadian fellow), Albert Kahn (going back a ways here) and a local genius Wayne Hoecherl are a few standouts on my 'Inspiration' list. Poking through a few of these sites never fails to jump start my creative mindset.
I'd dig on reading your solutions for breaking through the dreaded creative wall, just fire 'em into a comment at the bottom, there. Most original solution wins a Coke!
Original 'Term-of-the-Week' from one of the comments on Luke's blog:
gear-whoring
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Little Light Reading...
Not long ago I came across a photographer's forum site called Shakodo. It's a Q&A forum-style site that addresses assignment pricing, licensing and business practices for photographers.
As is typical with a Q&A forum, photographers from rank amateurs to seasoned pros post questions to the group. Any member of the forum may post an answer (or query the questioner for more info). There are a few very knowledgeable and respected photographers who offer their opinions and suggestions to questions about how to approach pricing assignments, what to charge for certain types of image licenses and/or how to run a successful photography 'business'.
Seth Resnick and Tom Zimberoff are a couple of 'names' who contribute to the forum.
Tom has a 6 part essay in the 'community' chapter right now that ALL photographers should read. It's a great read for anyone who wants to create and maintain a successful photography business. I've been teaching a business seminar at Vancouver Photo Workshops for the last 18 months and Tom made points I hadn't considered.
If you're a photographer who wants to run a profitable business, do yourself a favor and give this a read.
As is typical with a Q&A forum, photographers from rank amateurs to seasoned pros post questions to the group. Any member of the forum may post an answer (or query the questioner for more info). There are a few very knowledgeable and respected photographers who offer their opinions and suggestions to questions about how to approach pricing assignments, what to charge for certain types of image licenses and/or how to run a successful photography 'business'.
Seth Resnick and Tom Zimberoff are a couple of 'names' who contribute to the forum.
Tom has a 6 part essay in the 'community' chapter right now that ALL photographers should read. It's a great read for anyone who wants to create and maintain a successful photography business. I've been teaching a business seminar at Vancouver Photo Workshops for the last 18 months and Tom made points I hadn't considered.
If you're a photographer who wants to run a profitable business, do yourself a favor and give this a read.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Local/National Marketing Strategies
Just wanted to make a note of one of the differences in marketing strategy when it comes to the local and national/global procurement of the ever-elusive client. It became glaringly obvious as I went through the CAPIC Portfolio Speed Review last week (see previous posts). One of the comments that popped up more than once was "You're limiting yourself with the type of work you've included (in the portfolio).". Obviously, what the local client is seeking from the local photographer is a 'Generalist', someone who has the ability to shoot, and shoot well, portraits, food, architecture, etc, etc.
Now, this flies in the face of anything I've read regarding a photographer's national marketing strategy. The message there from more than a few photographer's consultants is 'specialize, focus your work, develop and hone your style, this is what will sell you and your service.'.
The solution? In my humble opinion, the answer to LOCAL marketing is to build a portfolio (printed, 'cause you know, I'm old-school) of what the photographer loves to shoot, the sort of image & style that defines them. As an accompaniment, the all-singing, all-dancing iPad loaded with work a photographer has done in other disciplines. Prospective client says, "Yeah, sure you can shoot people, can you shoot food...?". Out of the fancy shoulder bag pops the iPad! The photographer (who has just scored 'cool' points) flips to the fantastic cuisine images created for some local restaurant. It works well and doesn't blow the roof off of the marketing budget by requiring a separate book of cuisine (architecture, sports imagery, whatever) images. Yes, different disciplines really should have a book (and on-line presence) of their own.
National/global marketing? If a photographer is entertaining the notion of chucking their pork pie into this ring they'd better have a very focused & honed specialty. Given that printed books are rarely called in these days (doesn't mean you don't need one!) the first line of offense is the on line portfolio (I don't much care for the term 'website' when I'm referring to my on line works). Images that represent the same style, look and feel (never disregard the 'feel') and are the best of the best of a photographer's work must be displayed here. Mixing in cross-market work will cause prospective non-local client's perceptions to shift to "this guy's a generalist, we have a hundred of those here" (or some such thing). Vision, style, specialty, a tight collection of works that resonate. Yeah, make that happen.
Damn, this was supposed to be a short note. Forgive me.
Now, this flies in the face of anything I've read regarding a photographer's national marketing strategy. The message there from more than a few photographer's consultants is 'specialize, focus your work, develop and hone your style, this is what will sell you and your service.'.
The solution? In my humble opinion, the answer to LOCAL marketing is to build a portfolio (printed, 'cause you know, I'm old-school) of what the photographer loves to shoot, the sort of image & style that defines them. As an accompaniment, the all-singing, all-dancing iPad loaded with work a photographer has done in other disciplines. Prospective client says, "Yeah, sure you can shoot people, can you shoot food...?". Out of the fancy shoulder bag pops the iPad! The photographer (who has just scored 'cool' points) flips to the fantastic cuisine images created for some local restaurant. It works well and doesn't blow the roof off of the marketing budget by requiring a separate book of cuisine (architecture, sports imagery, whatever) images. Yes, different disciplines really should have a book (and on-line presence) of their own.
National/global marketing? If a photographer is entertaining the notion of chucking their pork pie into this ring they'd better have a very focused & honed specialty. Given that printed books are rarely called in these days (doesn't mean you don't need one!) the first line of offense is the on line portfolio (I don't much care for the term 'website' when I'm referring to my on line works). Images that represent the same style, look and feel (never disregard the 'feel') and are the best of the best of a photographer's work must be displayed here. Mixing in cross-market work will cause prospective non-local client's perceptions to shift to "this guy's a generalist, we have a hundred of those here" (or some such thing). Vision, style, specialty, a tight collection of works that resonate. Yeah, make that happen.
Damn, this was supposed to be a short note. Forgive me.
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