There is always some worthy reading on aPhotoeditor by Rob Haggart, former photo editor at Outside and Men’s Journal. Here is a post about working for magazines and their contracts. If you are in the magazine assignment business, or interested in working for magazines, this is very informative.
Have you ever had a client buy something from you and then not pay? If you have not then you are very lucky.
I got a call a two years ago from a small ‘one-person’ calendar publishing company who had seen my work around and needed some pictures for next years calendar. We talked briefly about what he needed and he threw out some names of other photographers he had worked with, names I knew.
I sent him thumbnails and he picked two shots for the calendar and we settled on price.
I next sent him the two high resolution versions by ftp and followed two days later with an invoice.
A year and a half later I FINALLY got paid. Was I stupid by trusting a total stranger? Yep! These situations make me want to quit trusting the client and instead ask them to trust me. So I’ve changed my strategy, demanding as much as I can to get paid up front and here is how I handle it now. … Continue Reading
If you are an assignment photographer, you know how assignment rates are getting pummeled. It’s a buyers market!
*Rob Haggart of aPhotoeditor.com, has taken an interesting look at the trend of photographers working essentially as Camera Operators and at rates lower than minimum wage. In Wanted: Camera Operators, Rob discusses the trend of low ball pricing and how to really achieve success in photography: building relationships.
*Do you ever wonder just how you should develop your portfolio? Zack Arias has posted an in-depth analysis on Editing Your Portfolio and how he goes about doing just that. A must read!
*Paul Melcher, who is always a joy to read, writes in this post: For A Buck Or Two, about the ‘pauperization’ of photography and how technology has forever changed the business of photography.
Have a great weekend!
Today is Labor Day. A holiday instituted in the late 1800’s to honor the contributions of the American labor workforce. In fact, my home state of Oregon was the first to make it an official holiday in 1887 and 7 years later it became a Federal holiday.
The original federal holiday was not conceived to honor workers but rather was quickly proposed and passed into law to avoid conflict with workers following the Pullman Strike.
Today it is observed as a day off from work, a three day weekend, and the last blast of summer in many areas. In my neck of the woods, school starts tomorrow. Although the original holiday was created to avoid conflict, Labor Day has become the official day we honor the labor force; American workers.
Today on this Labor Day, I wish to honor my colleagues: the professional nature photographer and their contributions to America and the World. … Continue Reading
Many amateur photographers dream of being a professional and making their passion for photography pay enough to live that dream.
It’s the allure of traveling, exploring, and photographing the landscape, wilderness areas, and far off travel destinations that drives many to take what they love to do part time and turn it into a full time business.
Pros and amateurs have the same passion: to be out there exploring, experiencing, discovering, and documenting with a camera.
It is the idea that being paid doing what you love to do will allow even more photographic opportunities, including travel to exotic places and that in turn will earn enough money to fuel the same cycle.
In reality, that idea, that dream, may be more of an illusion. Going pro brings a whole new set of challenges and hurdles.
Dreams are free, reality has costs. … Continue Reading
As more photographers look at jumping into the video business to supplement their creative energy and their photography income, new and unforeseen challenges have occurred for a few.
In the business there is a difference on how photographers price assignments and how videographers price a production. Over a Rob Haggert’s aPhotoeditor blog, a reader asked that questions: “Is it a director’s fee or do we tag a usage fee? According to the agency, when they hire a Director for a broadcast commercial; he/she will get paid a director’s fee and the client will own the commercial outright.”
Former art buyers Amanda Sosa Stone and Susan Sease jumped into to answer the question and it was educational to read their input on all the intricacies of commercial video production. “Videos shot for broadcast vs. videos shot for non-broadcast purposes require adherence to different rules and regulations. Either way, hire the appropriate motion producer to help you navigate through this complexity.”
It is not so simple a process as taking pictures and getting paid. Their are agent fees, directors fees, and union rules as well. If you are thinking of entering commercial video production then this is a worthy read.
Money! Everybody wants it. Everybody needs it! But that increasingly elusive commodity is something required to live life and the ugly truth is that it is harder to come by for many people.
Each day when I get to my office I often ask myself this question: “What am I going to do today to make $500.00?”
Some days I have a plan and some days I do not. Some days I do close a deal and some days I do not, but the very reason I ask this question is to keep my head in a marketing and selling mindset. That power of positive thinking that keeps me focused on the task at hand: promote myself, my business, and my imagery, every single day in one form or another.
I don’t always make $500.00 in a day or even a dime on other days, but the focus and plan of action required is there in my mind.
One of the best strategies to stay focused on the task at hand is to set goals and we have heard this many times, but it really helps. … Continue Reading
by Drake Fleege
For a brief minute, think of yourself as an image posted on an on-line stock agency or on your own web site. Your colors are vibrant; focus is tack-sharp; composition is stunning; subject (that is you!) is well sought-after. You are on the internet, you are ready to be licensed for publication, yet it just does not happen. Not only are you not licensed, you are not even viewed. Even though the caption proudly proclaims “Bright white and yellow flower”, you just do not show up in the searches. What a lonely feeling! If only our images could speak.
I doubt any of us want our images simply taking up space on a server. We want them reviewed and evaluated for publication consideration, and ultimately licensed. That is, after all, the goal for each image submitted to the stock agency, isn’t it?
Recently, through PhotoSource International’s PhotoStockNotes, I was listening to a pre-recorded interview Rohn Engh (Director of PhotoSource) held with Gary Crabbe, longtime photo researcher and professional photographer (Enlightened Images). As Rohn pointed out in the introduction, Gary not only works behind the camera creating his wonderful photography, he also searches for images on behalf of his own clients. … Continue Reading
Yes, I confess, I did it. This was back when I was a student at Brooks Institute of Photography in the 1970s. In my very first class, the instructor had us study many of the well-known photographers throughout the history of the medium, including David Muench. I quickly became a David Muench fan, and, in fact, he has been my hero since those early days. He is a ground breaker, capturing countless never-before-seen locations in new and innovative ways as many of the early landscape photographers did.
So many times I wished I had entered the business when David Muench had. It must have been easier. If you documented the landscape where nobody spent much time, then every image would be a new, never-before-seen image. There were fewer photographers then and less competition.
In reality, I’m sure it was not that easy. Most likely, many of the battles would have been the same as they are today: working hard to build name recognition; finding clients; creating unique imagery; and building a successful business. … Continue Reading
by Drake Fleege
I have been considering selling prints at art fairs, and am wondering if making both a financial and time commitment to this venue would provide a good income stream.
The one variable that is most difficult to quantify is the potential sales that might be generated from each show.
Though my research is still a work-in-progress, I am having difficulty finding a justifiable first year return on the initial investment.
Here is my market research thus far. … Continue Reading
