Category: Uncategorized

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More Thoughts on Billboard’s Second Photo Contest

I looked at some of the recent entries again.  You can see them here:  

Since the Recent Entries window only holds so many images at a time, you may not see the Erykah Badu shots I’m referring to; but for now, you can search through the bunch and spot them near the end.  
As I was looking, I spotted a few obvious amateur entries, a few obvious pro entries, and a bunch that were hard to tell which category they entered.  I knew the Erykah Badu shots were in the pro category, simply because they had access to a very restricted area.  To shoot from the photo pit at ACL means you MUST have credentials and MUST be with a legitimate publication/media outlet.  
So, here are my thoughts…  These Erykah shots are OK, but they sure aren’t amazing.  They really aren’t even memorable.  They are fine for publication, but are they the best shots around?  Are they worthy of winning an international competition?  Hmmm…  I don’t really see it.  
Here are a few of my Erykah Badu shots from the exact same performance.  Are they my best shots?  Probably not.  Would I enter them?  Probably not.  Anyway, take a look:  
Maybe I’m very biased on this subject, but I think my shots are much better than the ones already entered.  What’s my point?  My point is that many other people have some good images, and many other people have some killer images.  These people may be entering against you.  This is why you need to edit and think hard and long before wasting money on images that might not be worth entering.  Don’t submit something if it’s not your very best work.
I’m not saying to avoid entering all together.  It’s OK to enter, just don’t submit anything and everything, hoping to win.  Be hard on yourself, because the judges don’t care how sentimental an image is to you.  The judges don’t know that your mom likes the image.  The judges just want to pick the best shot.  
And someone else just may have a better shot of Erykah.  If you truly feel like your Erykah shot is totally killer, then submit it.  At some point, you can’t worry about other people in the competition.  Just think your entries through first.
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Music Photo Contest, Part Two…

So, Billboard has teamed up with PDN again.  They are doing another photo contest.  I guess the first one was enough of a success?!?  You can find more info about it here:  

As usual, there are a few great shots (you can see some of the recent entries on the website), a few average shots, and a lot of bad/blah shots.  I contemplated entering last year, going back and forth, but never did.  Maybe I will this time…  or maybe I won’t.  Who knows?  
They have a page up with last year’s winners, incase you missed it in a recent PDN issue (you DO subscribe to PDN, don’t you?).  As you can see, even the winning images are mostly just OK, but there ARE a few really great shots in there, too:  
By the way, if you plan to submit any images and want some advice before you do, let me know.  I’d be glad to look over your work and give some pointers.  At $20 to $55 per submission (depending on your category), you may want to get a second opinion and save a few bucks, uploading only your best stuff.
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If you build it, they will come?!?

I found this thread on a local photo forum, and thought it was a great example of what NOT to do:  

Do you think you can just build a photo studio, and people will magically start showing up?  Nope.  Do you think you need to pound the pavement and tell EVERYONE about your business?  Yup.  If you are planning to have a studio space, you should start drumming up business before and during the building/renovating/moving in process.  Otherwise, you may have a month or more of just sitting inside your nice, big, empty studio space…  
Always plan ahead, because a self-employed photographer needs to find his next paycheck.  It won’t just come walking out of the corn field, like in the movie Field of Dreams.  That’s why it was a movie.
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Other blogs…

Did I mention that you can find an even BETTER blog about DFW photography here:  

http://photopol.us  

I don’t want you to forget about this blog, because I’ll have some great posts to check out… but, I definitely DO want you visiting photopol.us on a regular basis…
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You NEED to go…

If you are or plan to be a professional photographer in the D/FW area, you NEED to go to this event on Saturday:

ASMP Dallas February Meeting – Roundtable Forum on Professional Business Practices

ASMP Dallas will present a Roundtable Forum on Professional Business Practices covering the following topics:
Cost of Doing Business
The Business Model
Insurance, Why You Need It
Overhead
Taxes
Pricing, Bidding and Negotiating
Negotiating Tips
Licensing, Usage and Contracts
Self-Promotion – What’s Hot and What’s Not
Workflow
The Impending Orphan Works Legislation
Why It Will Drastically Change the Business of Photography

Panelists include:
Spook Bolt, owner Bolt Productions, http://www.boltproductions.com
Stewart Charles Cohen, owner Cohen Pictures, http://www.stewartcohen.com
Stephen Karlisch, owner Karlisch Photography, http://www.karlischphotography.com
Todd Joyce, ASMP National President, http://www.joycephotography.com
Al Satterwhite, owner Al Satterwhite Photography, http://www.alsatterwhite.com

When: Saturday, February 28, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: Bolt Productions, 2410 Farrington Street, Dallas, 75207, (214)688-5208

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Melody Hamilton, Programs Director, at (214) 236-4806.

Want more Information on ASMP Dallas? Go here: www.asmpdallas.org/contact.htm

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Marketing Webinar?

As a professional photographer, you NEED to get your name out there.  Marketing yourself is confusing, tricky, and just plain hard.  Modern Postcard, a company that caters to photographers, offers several choices when it comes to promo cards, mailers, and tri-folds.  

I just received an email from them, and it appears they are doing a short web-based seminar to help educate consumers on the best ways to promote yourself.  I’m sure they will be pitching their products and services throughout the webinar, but hey, it’s free and I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of valuable info to take in.  
If you want to sign up for it, go here:  
Speaking about marketing yourself, the ASMP is having a roundtable meeting that will discuss the topic, as well as other things concerning professional photographers today.  It’s on Saturday, February 28.  It is open to all photogs, not just ASMP members (though you SHOULD be a member if you are serious about photography as a career).  I’ll post more about this event next week…
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GRO

I’m happy with the way my Quick cover photo of Green River Ordinance turned out.  Really, I’m happy with almost all of my Quick covers to date.  I shoot for several publications nationwide and several corporate clients.  But, it seems like I’m always happiest with my Quick shoots.  They jsut know how to treat a photo with respect…  

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you have either a.) never had something published, or b.) been lucky enough to work with some REALLY talented design and layout people.  Let me say this much, many/most design and layout people are NOT photographers.  They may understand visual design, but that doesn’t automatically mean they know how to maximize a photos potential.  
Heck, I’ve had some great page designers absolutely butcher my images, just so the picture would fit their awesome layout.  My thinking is this:  If the picture now looks like crap, your awesome layout now looks like crap, too.  
Anyway, I’m starting to ramble.  The point is that Quick rocks!  I saw this cover and for a second I thought to myself, “Wow!!!  Who took THAT photo?!?”  
They actually made my image fit in with the design so perfectly, that I didn’t even recognize the shot for a second.  To actually elevate the image to something higher, making it truly part of the entire layout takes talent.  
Now, I’m not saying this is some amazing image.  It’s a good photo, but it’s not my best work.  But that’s the point here.  Quick took my decent (maybe above average at best) photo of GRO, and they made it look impressive (thanks to great font choice, size, placement, angle… heck, everything).  
So, to wrap up a blog post that went on WAAAAYYY too long:  Sometimes you will shoot some purely amazing stuff, only to be disappointed with it when it hits stands.  You have no control over the images at some point.  But sometimes, you’ll fall in love all over again.  You’ll see those shots used perfectly, in harmony with the text, with the entire layout.  That’s just one more reason I love shooting for Quick!!!
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Think the law is on your side as a photographer?

If you think you are safe, just because the law states you SHOULD be, well… think again.  Taking photos in public can get you arrested:  

So, be careful when shooting in public, even if you are allowed to do so.  Remember, the police department doesn’t need to worry if you are actually breaking a law to arrest you.  They may get in trouble for false arrest after the fact, but they can still arrest you no matter what.  
And don’t take this as some sort of anti-police or anti-government blog post.  That is far from the truth.  I have met several nice and caring police officers while shooting pictures.  The story linked above even mentions that Robert Taylor had been stopped by other, normal officers in the past – ones who just asked him what he was doing and then left him alone.  
No, this merely points out that every once in a while you may be unlucky enough to run into one of the few bad apples.  The ones who don’t care much for the actual laws they uphold.  So, again… Don’t think you are safe, just because the law says you are.
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Objects of desire…

Look at the link and you will understand:  

Will I have the money to buy either of these beauties?  Not anytime soon.  Will I have enough of a need to use these lenses every day or every week?  Probably not.  They are specialty lenses that would be used maybe once a month, like my Profoto ringflash is a specialty flash that only gets used once or twice a month.  But still…  They are SOOOOOOOOOOO nice!!!
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Sharing tips…

Everyone wants more work (at least I assume everyone does).  The best way to get more work is to help your friends get more work, too.  Seem like a backwards idea?  If someone else gets a gig shooting something, isn’t that one less job I can get?  Glass half empty people may see it that way, but not me.  I know from experience…  

I try very hard to help other photogs.  When they have a question, I try to answer it.  If they want a tip on how to do something, I’ll show them how I do it.  I’ve even loaned out gear to close peers/friends when their equipment broke down at the last-minute.  
I mention this because Rex Curry wanted to see my portfolio and my studio space.  He’s a great photographer – at least my peer, if not better than me.  I didn’t hesitate to help him out.  I showed him a way to put together a good portfolio, told him where to look for more advice/tips, and discussed other important details.  
Why help someone else who might get a job I want?  Well, it’s not really like that.  First off, it is rare that two people will shoot so similar in style that they are literally competing head to head.  An art director or photo editor is going to need a certain style of photography, and it won’t always be yours.  I’m not worried about him stealing my clients.  And he’s safe, since many of his clients would probably not want my style of shooting.  
So, I help him with his portfolio, and one day he may help me figure out how to maximize my stock image sales or where to buy new invoicing software.  It’s a give and take kind of thing.  And trust me, the photo biz is a tough business, so you want as many people on your side as you can find!  
Secondly, many of my best clients have all been referrals (and nobody will refer you if you aren’t a team player).  Other photogs and photo editors have passed along my name as the person to go to for a certain shoot.  I have passed along work to other photographers, as well.  I was out of town and missed a couple GREAT shoots last year, but wanted to make sure my clients were taken care of.  I gave them the names of a few friends that I knew would get the job done right.  
It builds a relationship with your fellow photogs, keeps your clients from scrambling to find someone to fill your spot, and eventually pays you back (those same photogs you referred work to will eventually need help covering a gig, you know).  Call it Karma, call it networking, call it whatever.  I always try to share in this business…