ASMP Launches New Web Site

New look, new navigation and new resources! Check it out at www.asmp.org.

Taking Pictures for No Reason at All

That’s how I started in photography. I think it’s how we all start. There’s no client, no place what we do has to fit in. If we have a project at all, it is vague, and if in the course of things a strong picture emerges that doesn’t seem to fit…we changed the project!

But when we develop as professionals we develop all kinds of parameters and strictures, some very insidious. Like, can I use a picture to  get work? Does it look like what others are doing, like want clients want? How can I monetize it?

They are all fair questions. But there are no good answers to them. So I think that it is really important that from time to time we should set them aside and walk out the door with the intention to take pictures that specifically don’t fit..

We’ve all had that moment of working through a bunch of files and coming across a picture that just stops us cold. It looks as though someone else took it, and we are just struck into silence. In fact, that “someone else” is us,  a version of us that is a better photographer than we are. And we really need to track that person down and get to know them. They are out on the front edge of our work, and they are what we can become.

So if you’re a successful food or wedding or portrait photographer, why is it important to do this kind of thing? Look, great commercial work has a sense of surprise, of life leaking in at the edges, and people, our clients and their clients, respond to that sense of aliveness. If you don’t believe me, go visit some photographer’s sites. Lots of people put their own work apart from whet they do for clients, so look for a “personal work” section. You’ll tend to find that the personal work is so much more alive and invigorating than the client work. It is the work that got them started, keeps them going, the work they believe in.

And if we really attend to that part of us that looks for the unsought juxtaposition, the moment in which something unexpected manifests for a millisecond, it will influence our work for clients. Our commercial work will look more alive and compelling. Of course, there’s a good chance they may not choose to use it, but that’s never a reason not to do it. The best work never comes from filling an assignment, it comes from exceeding it.

So we need to spend real time taking pictures that look nothing like our work, that don’t look like anything we’ve ever seen. It is what made us.

Tips For a Better Facebook Experience

1.    Complete your FB profile by sharing as much information as you feel comfortable sharing, drawing a line to keep some of your private life private. But, let people know who you are, people and businesses want to know whom they are doing business with and they want to like you.
2.    Stick to your core message. Who or what do you want to be? What image do you want to portray to potential clients? Make sure your message is clear. Don’t deviate from your message.
3.    Fan Pages vs Group pages. Fan pages are used for developing a business or a brand over a long period of time. Also, Fan Pages have more flexibility in the long run for adding applications to the page, delivering digital content to your fans, SEO, statistics and possibilities for vanity URLs. Group pages do not offer these benefits. Group pages should be used more in a club sort of way (they have a non-commercial connotation to them).
4.    Building your list of Friends or Fans purposefully. There are varying views on this… one mindset is “the more the merrier” but others tend to build their friends list a bit more methodically. Sometimes you just don’t know who has a friend of a friend that needs or likes your services.
5.    Care about the people that are following you. It’s about having a conversation with your friends, fans or potential clients. You must contribute value to the conversation and be able to listen. If it’s all about you and what you are doing, it won’t be for long. Do not try to be a marketer, be a member first. Relationships before business!
6.    Be consistent. Use the feeds on FB to communicate with your friends. Post Photos, videos, status updates and more to keep a steady stream of content in the community. Keep your viral visibility high.
7.    Limit your time to a daily schedule. Set limits on your time and delegate tasks where possible. All social media can be a time suck if you let it, but so can TV. Have a strategy and schedule tasks accordingly.  Try to delegate to interns or employees to monitor or track conversations about your Pages. Just make sure you are the voice of the message getting out.
8.    Facebook is just one piece to your marketing plan. Social marketing today, can and should also include others such as Blogs, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin, and so on.

In closing, let me assure you that social media is NOT just for being social. Anyone who thinks these outlets are going away is mistaken. The way in which we market and communicate with each other about our products and services has radically changed and will continue to shift more to the side of permissions marketing.

Ideas used in this post were compiled from a recent webinar I attended presented by Mari Smith, a relationship marketing specialist. To get more information about FaceBook or Mari go to http://www.marismith.com and http://www.whyFacebook.com

It’s Not About Going to a Movie

As a professional Tweeting isn’t about going to a movie or where you are having dinner, it is about letting people know that you and your business is alive and vital. It is letting people know that you are shooting a job, making new work, traveling to different places, helping them understand what you can offer them by letting them know you are interesting and busy. I don’t get twitter on my Blackberry, but I do tweet from there at times.

Twitter is also about aggregating information and getting a good read on what is happening in your world; technically, social moments, visual trends, and the lives and work of your friends, clients, and vendors.

It is being said that the uprising in Iran making Twitter a valid resource. Are we looking at a new version of our next evening news?How will this change affect your business, your ability to make and sell imagery. Is “citizen journalism” going to trend further into “citizen editorial and advertising imagery”? Yes, Twitter is important.

“Word of Mouth” in the 21st Century

You can’t go anywhere these days without hearing someone talk about Twitter or Facebook or You Tube – all forms of social media. But how do you start utilizing these social media networks – or should you? All good questions and ones you should ask yourself before diving into twittering, posting on Facebook, Linkedin or blogging.

All of these social sites are about branding – whether for your business or yourself personally. So the first question to ask yourself is how you can “build your brand” utilizing social media. In order to do this – you need to have a clear vision of what your brand is and to be consistent when building brand equity across the board. If you notice, the people who are good at utilizing social media are consistent in their messages.

Some thoughts and tips for social media marketing:

• Share your knowledge – create awareness of who you are. Social media is about sharing. People don’t want to be “sold” or “pitched” or “spammed”. Think relationship first – business 2nd. When marketers move in – members move out. Be authentic and genuine. Be part of the community. Build trust.
• Become part of the conversation – comment on people’s blogs, Facebook etc. This helps you build your reputation and trust in the community. Create viral visibility – be seen everywhere, in all the right places by all the right people.
• Drive people to your website or blog from Facebook or Linkedin. Both are SEO friendly and will drive traffic to website and blog. Make sure you complete your profiles, upload a photo of yourself and have an interesting bio.
• Create a fan page on Facebook – Facebook allows you only one Facebook profile but you can have as many fan pages for your business or businesses that you want. Provide relevant interesting information about your business with direct links to your website and blog.
• Use the “answers” section in Linkedin to start a discussion. Add value to a conversation. Show your expertise.
• Tweeting – keep it conversational, keep it simple, use keywords and hashtags #. Use tiny urls or bit.ly and link directly. Increase visibility and brand awareness. Be a resource.
• Blogs – Be engaging. Tell people about yourself – information they don’t get from your website. Tell stories that compel people to want to do business with you. Use keywords for SEO. Syndicate your content. Add value that is relevant for your target audience so they will return. Think of good headlines.
• Everything is viral so use keywords, provide links and relevant information that people will want to share.

Essentially there are no gatekeepers in the arena of social media marketing. Your cost to build your brand is in sweat equity – not dollars and cents. It’s your own personal PR machine to build and control your message. Be a voice, be genuine, provide relevant information and be part of the conversation. Ultimately, you will create a buzz and an awareness of who you are and in turn this electronic “word of mouth” will spread virally and will lead to opportunities.

I Don’t Have Time For Social Media!

The belief that social media is a waste of time is one of the biggest objections I hear when talking to people about the subject.

Social media is a communication platform.  A cell-phone is also a communication tool.  I can assure you my teenager doesn’t use it very efficiently, but this doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s an important part of my business.

Social media Web sites are the training wheels for how we will be doing business in the future. Corporations are employing and implementing collaborative business models to support creativity, efficiency and improve their bottom line.  Social media platforms are the foundation of these new models. Photographers will need to know how to plug in.

As mass media continues to decline, word of mouth and referrals become more important to business. Social media offers the tools for a photographer to establish themselves as expert to a larger audience.

Social media networking allows photographers the ability to communicate effectively and develop deeper relationships with current clients. Even more impressive is the ability to earn new prospects, evangelists and clients well beyond the borders of your local community.

Who doesn’t have time for that?

Social Media – It’s Free … or is it?

The other day, our architect comes over and starts talking about social media. He has a website but now he’s thinking he should start a Blog, join Facebook or use Twitter. When I asked him why, he said “Oh, I don’t know, it just seems like everyone’s talking about these things so I figured I should do them.”

Huh?

Like any other significant investment that you make in your business, Social Media has to provide a reasonable return on investment. “But,” you say “Social Media is free or close enough to free, what’s the big deal?” Well, it may not cost money but ask anyone who Blogs or Tweets or updates their Facebook page intelligently and they’ll tell you that using Social Media effectively is one of the biggest time-sucks on the planet.

So, if you’re going to spend your time this way, make sure that what you’re doing makes sense. Create a list of goals (what do you hope to achieve through these vehicles?) and a list of audiences (who do you hope to reach?). Then, answer the following questions for each of your audiences:
1) How/where do they look for information?
2) How can I attract them – what do I have that they want?
3) How should I approach them – what will make them stay with me? (Think, too, about what will make them pass you by or even worse, flame you)
4) What do I want them to get from me?
5) What do I want to get from them – what do I want them to do?
6) How do my Social Media activities fit in with my broader marketing efforts?

For me, as an educator and business consultant as well as photographer, spending time participating in this Blog makes sense. Am I trying to sell you? Well, yeah, of course I want to grow my audience but hopefully I’m giving you something valuable along the way. And, if I’m not – if I fail to deliver on the promise of this brave new media, or if I’m too heavy-handed and you feel like I’m here JUST to sell you – you’re gone in the blink of an eye (or the amount of time it takes for your mouse to hit the next link).

So, outline your goals, develop your strategy, figure out who you’re trying to reach and why. Invest your time wisely – make sure you’re giving the right people good value in exchange for their attention and then well, come on in – the water’s fine.

Didn’t Get the Job? Say Thanks!

Want to be remembered by the potential client with whom you’ve just had an unsuccessful negotiation?  Take the time to send a “Thank You” card.  That’s right, a snail-mail Thank You card.  Create a one off, nice looking card on your color printer on nice paper, and hand write a note, something like, “Thank you for the opportunity to provide an estimate for your upcoming project.  Although we couldn’t work together this time, please keep me in mind for future projects.  I am confident that together we would create compelling photographs that show off the best that [insert company name here] has to offer.”

These days, very few photographers take the time to use the US Postal System, instead opting for the more impersonal, faster-to-send, email message.  This sort of tasteful, snail-mail contact after a  failed negotiation will differentiate you from your competitors and provide another opportunity to show your work to the client.  I’ve done this for years and it works; I’ve been contacted for subsequent job estimates and was awarded the work.  Good luck!

Stay On Top of Email

Awhile back, I e-mailed a business query to a good friend who runs a highly successful web development firm. She replied and then, several weeks later when she hadn’t heard from me, she followed up to make sure I’d gotten her e-mail. I was wowed – talk about customer service! I immediately asked “How’d you track that?” Here’s what she replied:

Ok here is the system, and it’s free.
Keep open ended issues in the inbox.
Every month go through all the dangling email and follow up by sending out an email that usually gets responded to.
Then I delete the original email reminder and keep the new one around ;0)

I’ve modified her system somewhat – instead of deleting, I transfer resolved issues into different mailboxes (clients, personal, ASMP, etc.) but following her core concept of having nothing stay in your in box but messages that still need action has saved me on several occasions. No wonder her company’s so successful!

Marketing Quick Hit from Leslie

Call and email to try to get portfolio shows. Offer to bring food (lunch?) and make it an “event” not just a one-on-one.

Your Monitor: The Keystone of Your Digital Workflow

Take a moment to appreciate your monitor. It sits there quietly on your desk or on your lap, helping you make image corrections, send correspondence with clients and connects you with the world via the Web.

Of all the devices in your digital photography workflow, your monitor is the most important. It’s even more important than a fast computer, a sexy new printer or even the latest, greatest camera body. Your monitor is your window to the world, helping you judge color, exposure, saturation, sharpness and detail. For photographers printing their own work or delivering files to clients in CMYK, your monitor’s accuracy when using Photoshop’s soft proof feature can determine the success or failure of a job.

So do yourself a favor. Replace your monitor every three years. When you purchase a new monitor, buy the best monitor you can afford. Delay purchasing a new computer, if funds are tight, to buy the monitor you need to to deliver accurate files to your clients. And don’t forget to calibrate and profile it regularly!

Quick Tip Week – Let’s Start With Jamey Stillings

© 2009 Jamey Stillings

This photograph by Jamey Stillings of the Colorado River Bridge appeared in yesterday’s New York Times Magazine. I stubbled upon it over my morning coffee and it changed my day. A beautifully executed image and a fascinating subject coalesced and I craved more. I went to Jamey’s web site and viewed the entire portfolio. I know Jamey, he is an ASMP member living and working in Santa Fe. I asked him how this project happened and how the image landed in the NY Times Magazine this Sunday. Turns out, Jamey made it happen. He saw the bridge, was wonder struck by it and started photographing. He wanted to expand the project and get more access, so he approached the NY Times through his rep about doing a photo essay. It took a few weeks, but armed with a letter of assignment, Jamey acquired the necessary permits and permissions to get closer to the bridge construction. The logistics of gaining access to a project like this are overwhelming, but Jamey used his skills as a producer of many advertising photographs to pull together a supportive team and made this project a reality. What is the quick tip here? Find a photography passion and make it happen.

Interviews

Whether you’re doing a multimedia piece or a video you will no doubt be doing interviews.  So this entry will provide you with some tips for getting better interviews.

Number one rule of course is that your audio capture must be good.  Make sure your microphone is no more than a foot from your subject.  Make sure you monitor the sound or at least your sound check by wearing headphones.  You might think you are getting sound by looking at the meter on your camera – but you don’t know if it’s good.  There could be a buzz or interference that without monitoring through headphones – you’d never know.

Pick a suitable location – sitting someone next to a fountain for instance would quickly make your viewer head for the bathroom.

Make a list of questions – but don’t be afraid to depart from that list.  Many times my best questions were sparked by an answer that my subject had just given.  For instance if my subject has just mentioned that there was a tragedy in their family that turned their life around – your next question should be a follow up to that.

Don’t ask questions that have yes and no answers.

Many times you won’t use your voice so the audience won’t hear the questions.  Instruct your subject to paraphrase the question while giving their answer.

Keep quiet – direct them by the nod of your head – instead of giving verbal recognition.

Don’t step on your subject’s line.  Give a pause after they finish answering a question.  That pause will give you “air” and will help you in the editing room.  But more importantly, people are uncomfortable with pauses and tend to keep talking.  Many good soundbites have come from me waiting.

Like my dad used to say – let your ears do more of the work.

Prepping Images for Multimedia and Video

I am often asked the question about the best way to prep still images for a “motion” project. Like anything else there are differences in opinion as to color space, size and type of file. With that said – here is how I prep my still photos in Photoshop.

1. Size images between 2100 and 2600 pixels. Remember everything ends ups as a horizontal on a TV screen. So these dimensions are for images that are horizontal. Vertical or square images will be smaller. There are preset sizes for film and video as well. I size them larger than need be so that I can zoom in or out or pan and scan Ken Burns style.
2. 72 Res because they will be seen on monitors
3. Color space – I use Srgb
4. Pixel Aspect ratio – photoshop images have square pixels – NTSC monitors are non-square. You have to change your pixel aspect ratio. Again there are presets in the pixel aspect ratio box.
5. Don’t sharpen images
6. Some people use de-interlace filter – test and see what you like best.
7. Export as jpeg or tiff if you want to save with layers.
8. Images with fine lines seem to jitter on the screen.

Test for yourself and see what recipe you like. Different treatments work depending on your likes and what editing platform you are using. But I try to do all my prep work before I import anything in my editing system which is Final Cut Pro.

Audio is Everything in Video

The biggest surprise (not that it should be) when still photographers start to shoot in a video format is how important audio is.  I can’t stress this enough.  Your audience can tolerate a poor visual – but never bad audio.  If they can’t hear and understand what someone is saying – they turn it off.

So some tips and thoughts on getting good audio.

1.    Always use a camera that has the ability to accept external mics.
2.    Monitor your sound with earphones – you might be able to see the meter on your camera indicating that you’re getting sound, but without earphones you’ll never know if it’s “good” sound or just noise.
3.    Listen to your environment – is there a radio on?  Are there fans on or airconditioning?  Is the refrigerator humming?  Then control your environment from an audio perspective – turn off fans, radios and unplug the refrigerator.  One trick I use to remember to plug the fridge back in when I leave is to put my car keys inside – I can’t leave without them so it’s a great reminder.  People tend to get a bit upset when you leave their refrigerator unplugged.
4.    Don’t talk while the camera is running and make sure your crew isn’t chatty as well.  You might think that you won’t be using the audio – but why put handcuffs on and rule out that possibility because you didn’t get good sound.

Using the Right Tool For the Job

We are visual communicators.  We should choose the right “tool” for what it is we are trying to communicate.

With the new hybrid cameras from Canon and Nikon on the market, still photographers tend to gravitate to them because they are seemingly fit into their comfort level.  Essentially, still cameras that shoot video.

Indie filmmakers love these hybrids because they don’t like the traditional “look” of video and want limited depth of field.  So they played with the new hybrids but have tricked them out well beyond the off the shelf model.

However, if you are a video journalist or shooting a documentary – the audio capabilities are too limiting – at least right now.  In that case you’d be better off spending those dollars on a more traditional video camera.

Another point worth making is that I see a danger in shooting video with a hybrid camera that looks and feels like a still camera.  You don’t want to shoot video – like a still photographer.  Remember it’s a motion tool to capture time in motion – not moments in time.

So choose the right tool for the job or at least for the type of jobs you want to do.

This Week Gail Mooney Shares Her Insights on Expanding Into Video

Video is a medium ideal for collaboration.

There’s a lot of talk these days about partnerships and collaboration. Basically building teams to better serve your client and your business.  Video production has historically been a collaborative effort because of the many facets of the craft – pre-production, shooting, sound, post production (editing) output etc.

With that said, at the same time, technology has made it possible and affordable to create motion projects working individually. But when the budget is there to work and collaborate with others – the end result can rise to another level with everyone bringing their expertise to perspective areas of the process.

When I added video to my skill set 10 years ago, I made a conscious decision to take on the role of a producer. I knew that I wanted to be more than just one cog in the wheel.  As a producer I maintain ownership of the piece.  I can shoot and edit as well and more often than not, I do.  But I can also outsource various functions of the project to shooters, sound people, animators and editors.  As my business grows, I’m in a position that allows me to take on more projects as well as more complex projects. It also provides me with an income stream on all facets of a job.

Many times, I don’t have the time to travel and shoot all the interviews required for a project so I need to rely on other camera people.  Or I have a job that requires some particular sound needs with many microphones needed, such as filming a discussion where maybe twenty people around a table need to be mic’d and mixed.  These are times when I choose to collaborate and ultimately I am able to serve my clients better.

I like to edit my projects – at the very least I like to get the “rough cut” down before I hand it off to the professional editor.  It not only gives a clear idea of the message to the editor – but there is no better way to learn how to shoot video – than to edit your own work.

You Can’t Do It All

Have you ever noticed how photographers try to do everything themselves? I think more so than any other creative profession, photographers still, today, insist on doing everything they possibly can on their own. Sure, you’ll hire an assistant here and there or maybe get a studio manager if things get really good, but overall, it’s just you doing the books, running errands, booking meetings, reviewing contracts, writing up estimates, banking, negotiating leases on your studios, and chasing down clients who haven’t paid yet. Impressive!

And not very smart for your business.

I’m going to focus just on the legal side of things, because I have a unique perspective there. I grew up the daughter of an attorney. Since I was a little girl, I knew to read everything before signing anything. As I got into the photo industry, I learned all I could about the legal stuff to build on my foundational knowledge. I read articles and books on legal issues. I kept up with things. I knew what I was talking about pretty well and others (photographers) were often impressed with the depth of my knowledge. Now, one year into law school, I am shocked with how little I really knew! Yes, I knew a lot, but the volume to know was much greater than I ever imagined! Instead of having a quart of knowledge when the whole is a gallon, I had more like a cup.

My point is that you may think you know enough about bookkeeping or law or accounting or negotiating or insurance or financial planning (the list is huge) to get away with doing it yourself. I can tell you hiring true professionals is a much better idea. Just like you want clients to hire you because of all the intangibles you bring to a project, so do professional in other disciplines. They know the whole gallon of their expertise. They offer real value for their cost, value that will translate into a better, more smoothly running business for you.

This DAM Stuff Is Important

Managing your digital images can be a daunting task. Imagine a world where you can retrieve a specific image for a client in seconds or pull up everything you photographed on a specific theme instantly. You will not only save time, but you will improve the quality of your customer service, your marketing materials or your next project proposal.  Peter Krogh takes you step-by-step through the process of digital asset management in the latest edition of his book, “The DAM Book.”

This second edition has been almost entirely rewritten, updating the material for the changed technical landscape. Chapters were added that covered the use of Lightroom, as well as an entirely new chapter on backup and validation of image files. Peter also covers the use of GPS devices and software to geotag your images. Check out Peter’s blog and get a taste of the valuable information he provides.

From the Amazon reviews,

“If you want to get your collection of files (note not only photos, videos, music, but all of your files) under control and make sure they are safe this is the book for you. The book lead me to solutions to several of my issues. The book would be worth several times the cost!”
- Scott Buckel

“Peter Krogh’s updated DAM Book is essential for anyone working with a significant number of digital images, if for no other reason than the basic time saved by learning which techniques (and software) are most efficient.”
- Thaddeus Watkins

Business is down for all of us, so use some of your new found time to get your archives in order.

Content is King

In the world of search engine optimization, or SEO, content is king.  What we’re talking about is human readable HTML text on your home page.

One of the major search engines has stopped considering the “Keyword” META tag because of keyword spamming by website owners in an attempt to manipulate their search rankings.  For example, a photographer might have repeated the word “photographer” or “photography” many times in the tag in their effort to rank on the first page of the search engine results page, or SERP.

So what do search engines analyze to determine what a web site is all about, and in turn determine where it should rank?  Human readable text.  This puts a visual artist such as photographers in a sort of quandary:  should I design my site for aesthetic appeal or search engine friendliness?

I think the answer depends on which segment of our industry you work in.  If it’s editorial, PR, or corporate, I think internet search is a crucial piece of your overall marketing plan and your site should be designed with search in mind.  And that means including body copy on the home page.

Your body copy should include your “keyword phrase” which is the search term you believe potential clients would use to find a photographer such as yourself.  Keyword density refers to the frequency that a keyword phrase appears in the body text.  Generally speaking, to avoid keyword spamming, your text should be naturally flowing and result in a keyword density of about two to seven percent.  There are a number of keyword density checkers available online to assist you with determining the keyword density of a page.

I get about 60-percent of my new clients each year as a result of my SEO efforts.  If you suspect your potential clients are using search to locate photographers, you should consider optimizing your site to help them find you.  Good luck!

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