Archive for the ‘Opinions’ Category

Photography and Communism

Friday, March 12th, 2010

I actively read the APA message group on Yahoo. It’s a great place to share ideas and questions with other advertising photographers. The topic has been brought up in the last few days of the many changes in the photography industry.

Many are bemoaning the way things are headed with budgets, usage, etc. It seems many are going out of business, taking part-time jobs or finding new ways to broaden their horizons. Many, many photographers are blaming shooters who will shoot for peanuts. They feel that those who are racing to the bottom, shooting for next to nothing, are bringing down budgets across the board. This all got me thinking and I replied to a thread with this response:

“I feel like the photography industry is paralleling Communism. When a Communist government takes power their aim is to rid society of the middle class. The middle class is where the stability and security of the nation lies. There ends up being only the poor who are under the government’s control and the wealthy elite.

Photography is headed the same place. I believe there is a place for the low-end bargain shooters and the high-priced elite shooters. But it’s the middle class of photography that is being systematically killed off.

What a shame because those of us who make up photography’s middle class are it’s best chance of survival.”

A note: I don’t think there is some Communist plot to overthrow photography. It’s just a metaphor I thought of.

What do you think?

Posted in Opinions, Personal | 20 Comments »

Q&A Fridays

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

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I get many emails every week from people who ask all sorts of questions pertaining to the how’s and why’s of photography and the photo business. So next Friday, November 6 I will feature a weekly post called Q&A Fridays.

How it works is; people email their photography-related questions to Kelli and we will go through and pick a few each week to answer right here on this blog.

By default we will keep your identity a secret unless you instruct us otherwise. You can also post your questions below in the comments section.

Feel free to ask anything technical, creative or business related. I have no secrets and will do my best to answer them in an honest, straightforward way.

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Posted in Business, How to, Opinions, Personal | 7 Comments »

New Interview for Greater Than Magazine

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

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There’s a new issue of Greater Than Magazine out with an interview of me in it (Page 22.) Check it out as well as all the other great features.

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Posted in Inspiration, Interviews, Opinions | 1 Comment »

Photo CommUNITY

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

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The original 615 meet-up 1996.

Last week I spoke at a panel for the Tennessee chapter of the ASMP. Much was discussed about how to start and succeed in a photo career. Marketing advice was given and plenty of questions were asked.

At the end someone asked for one piece of advice to young photographers starting out. What I really felt was of utmost importance was for those starting out to embrace and build “community” in the photography world.

Community is a loose word. There have been various incarnations of community within the photo world ever since it began. However, with the onset of the internet and social media, community has taken on new levels and new possibilities.

I still run into photographers from the “old school” who are dumbfounded at the prospects of one photographer sharing valuable knowledge and secrets with other photographers. There has definitely been a shift in the way things are done now verses even 10 years ago. There are hundred of successful photo blogs, tutorial sites, etc. that share useful information to those who seek it out.

Many photographers I meet deeply resent these up-and-comers who have accomplished more in 5 years than they did in their first 10. We’ve all heard “photography is being ruined by everyone who owns a camera and thinks they’re a photographer.” I admit I used to have those feelings and have muttered those words early on. But then I realized that everyone starts somewhere. Sure, there is probably an overstock of photographers in the marketplace right now, but hard work and talent will weed them out. Those of us who are farther along in our careers needn’t fear someone who “fancy’s themselves a photographer.” I fancied myself as one starting out and it’s turned out well for me so far.

I emphasized at the panel to embrace community, teach others, learn from others and build relationships with others in the photo community. Everyone needs a mentor and everyone needs to be a mentor is my philosophy.

I hang out with several photographers in Nashville on a regular basis. We go out and have drinks, talk, share, gripe, moan, etc. I think we know that the more we surround ourselves with like-minded people the more we grow as artists; Iron sharpens iron as the saying goes.

I will definitely admit that Nashville is a city that makes community very easy. It’s an extremely laid-back city where it truly is a small world. I was in Atlanta 2 weeks ago and I turned to my Wife and said, I love Atlanta but Nashville is great because as big as it is, everyone seems to know everybody else. We have a pretty healthy art scene here and for the most part it’s made up of people who are friendly and open with each other.

So your milage may vary with community in your city or town but give it a try. About 10 years ago a good friend of mine Jeremy Cowart called me to tell me an idea he had. We were both graphic designers back then. His idea was to start an email list for other designers in town to make contact and share ideas, work, etc. At first I wasn’t sure if the idea would fly but him and I made up a name (the615) bought the domain and reached out to other designers. 10 years later there are approx. 200 or so designers, programmers and photographers who make up the list. I have made some amazing friends that would not have ever existed had the615 not been started. The list is all about people asking questions to their design problems, technical help, work critiques, etc. People even offer work if they are too busy. I have landed several jobs from those on the615 or by referrals from it.

Community works when people leave their egos at the door and embrace the concept that an industry is stronger when it’s members are free to ask and share. I can also attest that anytime you give back you get so much more in return. So go out and grab a beer with some fellow photographers in your area. Find a mentor and be one.

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Posted in Inspiration, Opinions, Personal | 8 Comments »

Shifting Focus - A discussion of change with four successful Tennessee photographers!

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

On July 23 I’m hosting an event at my studio for the Tennessee chapter of ASMP. I will also be one of four photographers who will be speaking on a panel. From the ASMP web page:

“…a discussion among four successful Tennessee photographers who reinvented themselves and discovered a new way of doing business. This will be a panel discussion on how each of these successful photographers started in one area and evolved into another. They will talk about their road to change, share their work and answer your questions. If you are in the process of change, considering change or reinventing this meeting will open your mind to possibilities for your future!”

I hope to see you there this Thursday at 6:30 for the social and 7:00 for the panel discussion. For more information click here.

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Posted in Business, Interviews, Light & Commerce, Opinions | No Comments »

The Healthy Photographer: You are the one who makes the choices on how you get to feel.

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

I remember a few years ago hearing Tiger Woods talk about golfing. He was mentioning how a lot of seasoned pros act all worn out and out of breath after a round of golf. His remarks were along the lines of “It’s just golf! If you’re worn out from walking 18 holes and swinging a club, something’s wrong.”

He went on to talk about how he trains just like an NFL player. He works out, stays in shape and takes care of his body. His philosophy was and is a far cry from the many out of shape golfers we’ve seen on the PGA tour in the past.

His words haunted me for some time. I would always think of them after a long day of shooting. At the end of a 10 hour work day my back would be a total wreck and I would be pretty exhausted. I would think just like Tiger “It’s only photography! If I’m this tired after a day of shooting then something’s wrong.”

This eventually led me down the path where I am today. I am not working out like an NFL player, but I have taken many steps to ensure a healthier lifestyle for both my career and my personal life. When I feel better and am actually healthier, I have more energy and creativity than when I have let myself go in the past.

Just like your camera, your body is a machine. It’s important to keep that machine running well. In the West most have still have not made the correlation between things like depression, diabetes, mood swings, fatigue, etc. and lifestyle choices. As a photographer our energy levels, moods and creativity are vital to our success. If we take a casual approach to healthy living we shouldn’t be surprised if we find ourselves with cloudy minds on shoots, not being able to fully embrace our inner creativity. Or after a full day of shooting we find ourselves ready to collapse in exhaustion.

I try my best to maintain a standard of living that is both healthy to my body and mind.

What I recommend is the following. First get into a scheduled exercise regiment. This will boost your overall energy levels as well as your immune system. you will feel 10 times better on shoots and in general.

Second, stop eating crap and start eating right. I 100% believe that food is the cause and cure of many of our ailments. I’ve become pretty disgusted with a lot of what gets sold as “food” in this country over the last 20 years.

I don’t have the time or space to go into it in this post, but we need to take responsibility for our own health and the health of our children. I find it obscene that public schools have soda machines in them. Soda is one the absolute worst things you can put in your body. Never mind the fact that it’s probably one of the main reasons children can’t focus in school and get diagnosed with learning problems.

As adults we are just as susceptible to the effects of toxic foods in our system.

My Wife and I won’t let our children have anything with red food dye in it. It makes a lot of kids and adults extremely unstable and causes attention deficits. At first our kids didn’t like some of the restrictions we put on them, but after a while they actually thanked us because they do feel better and their moods don’t swing nearly as much.

Much of what we eat actually does more harm than good to us. I really enjoyed reading and recommend “Empowering Your Health” By Asa Andrew. It’s a great place to start to find out what certain foods do and what roles they play in our health. Also, the movie Food, Inc. is a must see about where we get our food in this country. It will open your eyes and make you livid all at once.

Your life is in your hands, you are the one who makes the choices on how you get to feel. Choose your food wisely, do the research. Exercise and train yourself to be a lean, mean creative machine.

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Posted in Health & Welness, Inspiration, Opinions, Personal | 9 Comments »

IMO, Photographers web sites built in Flash=FAIL.

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

I love to visit other photographers web sites and I love to critique them to myself. I’m very proud of mine and when I set out to have it redesigned I had a few goals in mind (speed, load-time, functionality, mobile compatibility, etc.)

The one thing I knew that I did not want my site to be was a Flash site. IMO, Flash web sites are slow, take up resources on a persons computer, not very SEO-friendly, images/pages can’t be bookmarked in the browser, etc.

My web site is 99.9% html. The only Flash is on the front page to make the grey bars fade in and out. It’s not even needed and if you go to my site on a non-Flash enabled device the site still works the exact same way.

The reason I say all of this to you, fellow photographers, is this. I just bought my first iPhone, the new 3GS. It’s a great phone and I find myself using it way more than I thought. I use it waiting in line, at the airport, around the studio and home, sitting on the toilet (sorry) and sometimes even when I’m in front of my computer.

As I’ve been using it I’ve become extremely frustrated by the inability to view photographers web sites built in Flash. Let me give you a typical scenario. But let’s pretend that instead of me it’s a Photo Editor, Art Buyer, Creative Director or other potential client using the iPhone.

I’m sitting at the airport waiting for my flight, at a coffee shop, on the toilet, etc :) I’ve got time to kill so I break out my iPhone and log onto Twitter, Facebook or a favorite blog. A cool sounding link on one of those takes me to a photographers web site. I go there to discover some new talent and the I get a icon saying I can’t view the site because it’s in Flash. I leave the site and may never go back and check it out because I’m probably not going to take the time to write it down. I’ll just move on to another link.

I don’t have any graphs or charts to support the amount of creative execs who use iPhones, but almost every client I’ve shot for in the last year has one and uses it constantly. These are busy people. If they can find a good photographer while waiting in line at Starbucks they’re pretty pumped.

I listen to and read a lot of interviews with photo buyers and they all say they get around 100 emails or more every single day from photographers who want to show them their sites. Many say they can’t look at all of them and on some days they’re so busy they just come in and delete all 100 without even opening them.

If you can increase your chances of catching their eye while they’re getting their morning coffee, then you’re one ahead of the rest. But if they’re standing in line and click on the email you’ve sent and it takes them to a Flash site that they can’t see….well, you’ve just wasted what might be the only opportunity you could have had with them.

So it’s my humble opinion that Flash sites=FAIL if you’re a photographer.

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Posted in Business, Opinions, marketing | 22 Comments »

Rethinking my thoughts on an Art Czar

Monday, January 19th, 2009

There’s been a lot of talk lately about Obama naming a Secretary of the Arts to his cabinet. It’s an idea that Quincy Jones has been trying to champion for years. Obama seems to be the first president who would maybe take the idea seriously. I mean that in a positive way. He seems like a President that probably truly appreciates the arts.

There is an online petition to try and persuade Obama to appoint such a person. At first I thought “what a great idea” and I signed the petition. But now I as I think it through, I think it would be a big mistake.

The idea that this Secretary of the Arts, or Art Czar as I’ll call him/her, would be a champion for the arts is a little naive and a lot scary. Anytime the government takes a role in something it always seeks to regulate it. If an Art Czar were to be named and this person’s job was to oversee the funding, regulation and education of the arts it would result in a government viewpoint on art.

I’m a registered independent and lean towards the opinion that anything the government touches it ruins with bureaucracy and well, politics. Right now artists enjoy the first amendment to express their points of view freely and openly. The last thing we need is the federal government stepping in and regulating and defining art.

it’s my opinion that the government should stay as far away from the arts as possible. I can just see the new breed of lobbyists: art lobbyists, trying to pervert and influence policy makers with their own personal and corporate agendas.

if you know anything about the government and how corrupt policy making can get, you know we’d have all sorts of big business trying to influence the laws pertaining to art in this country. I may be slightly paranoid or overreacting but if I am I don’t think it’s by much. I’ve lived long enough to see the federal government grow beyond anything we ever expected to the point of intrusion into our lives.

I shared some of these concerns to some people and a fellow photographer said the following:

- France values its artists and art culture enough to allow them to collect unemployment if they sustained a minimum amount of working days as an artist in the past.

To which I replied “unemployment is meant to help those who lose their jobs. why should the government pay self-employed people money due to their business failing? I really don’t see the government’s job being to bailout every failing business like it’s doing now: GM, banks, and now artists?”

It’s a tricky one, the position sounds like a help to artists, but can you really think that creating a new cabinet level position (using who knows how much of our tax dollars) will benefit the average self-employed artist while maintaining the freedom from government interference and free speech we so enjoy now.

Just my 2 cents

Posted in Business, Opinions, Personal | No Comments »

For photographers in these troubled times.

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

I wanted to give some people an encouragement combined with a reality check.

With this economy that we will have for the next 2-3 years, I’ve made some changes to my life/business. I’ve dedicated the next year to revamping my business. I’m taking a full year and will be going through my process, workflow, vision, shooting style and everything that makes my business. From how I pre-produce a shoot to how I archive my files when it’s done. No system will go untouched.

I am financially ready to take the hit for the next couple of years. I have no choice, so I’ve put a few things in place to ensure my survival. In the meantime I think it would be good for all of us to take a good, hard and honest look at what we do and how we do it. How can we not only become more efficient but more creative.

Creativity and new ideas are the only things that will win out in this new economy. Those who cling to mediocrity will sink to the bottom and be run out of business. I anticipate many, many photographers will go out of business in the next couple of years. I do not plan on being one of them.

So for the next year I will purposefully shoot better than I’ve ever shot, tweak and fine-tune my personal shooting style and put all the systems in place marketing and otherwise that I have let slide before. I’m giving myself a year to do this and if I shoot every day, every week or just every month, I know at the end of the year I should have all of my ducks in a row better than ever before.

It’s time to ramp it up people. Sink or swim.

Posted in Business, Opinions, Personal | No Comments »