Archive for Posts by Topic

Ask, Record, Adjust, Repeat

Posted: February 6th, 2012

[by Jenna Close] Tracking your marketing efforts closely is a great way to understand what is working for you and what isn’t. For each mailing campaign, I record the recipients, the type of campaign (4×6  postcard, mini-portfolio, etc), size of the mailing, date and the cost.  For broader endeavors, such as a yearly subscription to [...]

Easy Tip to Avoid Accidently Erasing Memory Cards

Posted: February 3rd, 2012

[by Richard Harrington] I have a tendency to carry a lot (and I mean A LOT) of memory cards on a shoot.  Between shooting panoramic photos, time-lapse sequences, and HD video, I burn through memory cards faster than most.  I find myself needing to be certain that I avoid accidentally erasing data. Here’s my strategy [...]

It’s Easy: Use Apps to Support Your Marketing Wake-Up Callalls.

Posted: February 2nd, 2012

[by Carolyn Potts] There are two apps that can keep you from falling asleep at the wheel on the road to your photo marketing success: Evernote and  iCal. When used in conjunction, they’re even more powerful. 1. Good content always comes first. Evernote is a great app to capture portfolio shoot ideas as they come [...]

The Frequent Writer’s Secret Weapon

Posted: February 1st, 2012

[by Colleen Wainwright] I measure the usefulness of any piece of software on my computer by how much I miss it when using someone else’s machine. By that measure, easily the greatest item I’ve ever bought has been the text storage and expansion utility for the Mac, TextExpander. (Full disclosure: four years after becoming a [...]

Finances – Taking the Dread Out of the “Icky Part” of Business

Posted: January 31st, 2012

[by Kimberly Blom-Roemer] One of the biggest issues for my business, and it becomes the biggest issue because of my great desire to avoid it, is the finances. OK, I don’t avoid it, I hide from it completely. So yes, on my short list as my business grows is to hire someone to handle it [...]

Pareto Applied

Posted: January 30th, 2012

[by Charles Gupton] Have you ever received a message from the universe that wouldn’t let you escape it? Something so clear, simple, and obvious that you feel silly when the realization occurs? In the last couple of weeks, I have encountered one consistent message from over a half-dozen sources including several conversations, blog posts, books [...]

Collaboration, Are You Willing to Work for It?

Posted: January 27th, 2012

[by Selina Maitreya] Ask any photographer whether they would be happier shooting to layout or collaborating with their client to define the look and feel of a shot and most would reply the latter.  Photographers live to collaborate. During the process they feel alive, excited, creative, productive, useful, valued, and, yes, loved.  The process is [...]

How You and Your Best Friends Can Make $100,000 (for someone else)

Posted: January 26th, 2012

[by Colleen Wainwright] For an introvert who’s generally happiest holed up in a cave, flailing away at a keyboard, I’ve racked up a surprising number of creative collaborations–everything from a TV pilot for a major network to a comic play (with music!) about two of the world’s least sexy chronic illnesses. Most recently, I completed [...]

Collaboration is Key in Video

Posted: January 25th, 2012

[by Gail Mooney] “Collaborate”.  That is my mantra and the one piece of advice I give to any still photographer who is thinking of getting into video.  Many photographers are overwhelmed at the prospect of having to learn new skills, like how to capture good audio and how to edit.  I tell them, even if [...]

Collaboration (Respect – the first three steps)

Posted: January 24th, 2012

[by Todd Joyce] Ladies and gentlemen, the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin! “R – E – S – P – E – C – T – find out what it means to me!”  -   Aretha sings that song with more attitude and heart now than she did when she first performed it in 1967.   I [...]

Using Collaborations to Up Your Game

Posted: January 23rd, 2012

[by Charles Gupton] Most of us have heard the old adage: “You’re known by the company you keep.” This can be especially true when it comes to collaborative efforts. Collaborative projects often present an opportunity to raise the bar for our own work. Foremost when considering collaborative partners, seek people who want to do what [...]

Manageable Marketing

Posted: January 20th, 2012

[by Jenna Close] It’s hard to part with the money needed to launch a marketing campaign, especially when you are just starting out or business is slow.  When I’m sweating the expense I look at the total cost of the campaign and compare that with how many average sized jobs I need in order to [...]

Navigation Frustration

Posted: January 19th, 2012

[by Todd Joyce] One of my pet peeves… websites that aren’t easy to navigate.   Don’t give into the whistles and bells of web design so much so that you lose your viewer out of navigation frustration.   You may not even realize how frustrating your own site is.  Have some outsiders view your site for ease [...]

Habits of Highly Successful Photographers

Posted: January 18th, 2012

[by Selina Maitreya] After working with photographers for over 30 years I’ve had the opportunity to witness the habits that I see consistently in photographers who are successful. Regardless of where they live, how old they are or what type of photo they shooting these creatives all share these habits in common: They dont take [...]

Email Rules

Posted: January 17th, 2012

[by Jay Kinghorn] How often have you been pulled away from an important task to read an unimportant email that just dropped in your Inbox?  Messages that don’t contain a hot new project from a client or a valuable piece of information? Studies show that switching between tasks requires an extra fifteen minutes  (above and [...]

Features and Benefits – What’s the Difference?

Posted: January 16th, 2012

[by Kimberly Blom-Roemer] Even though nearly marketing book on the planet recommends focusing on client benefits, most service based businesses don’t understand the difference between a feature and a benefit. Feature: the characteristic of the person or business that OFFERS the benefit to clients. Benefit: What does the client RECEIVE from a feature? Another way [...]

Tracking Image Licensing Rights – The Universal Solution

Posted: January 13th, 2012

[by Roger Feldman] Image rights holders and image users face a daunting challenge when it comes to managing licensed rights. Each year, untold thousands of rights managed, royalty free, and wholly owned images are licensed and used under vastly different terms and conditions, making the management and tracking of rights over time extremely difficult. Yet [...]

Why Your Photo Relicensing is a Miserable Failure

Posted: January 12th, 2012

[by Allen Murabayashi] We don’t need to rehash how the Getty’s industry consolidation, digital photography and microstock made it virtually impossible to be a full-time stock photographer. It’s easy to point the finger at Getty (and they undoubtedly deserve a few fingers), but digital photography alone would have shifted the pricing dynamics to what they [...]

Licensing Stock Imagery: Do You Like Roller Coasters?

Posted: January 11th, 2012

[by Patrick Donehue] If so, the next few years, with regard to image licensing and distribution, will be exciting and even an electrifying ride for you.  It may also be a bit hair raising, but isn’t that part of this addictive game that we all play? The future of image licensing and distribution will continue [...]

Creating Sustainability

Posted: January 10th, 2012

Technological changes and the global recession have left the entire visual communications industry scrambling.  Publishers, advertising agencies, corporations and all of us – the creators of the visual content they use – are struggling to redefine both the value of our offerings and how we monetize them. Examining Compensation Models for Visual Content, the sixth [...]

The Future of Art & Commerce

Posted: January 9th, 2012

This week, we turn our attention to “The Future of Art & Commerce: What Creators and Users of Visual Content Need to Know in these Rapidly Changing Times.”  Jointly produced by the ASMP and Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) this series of 10 free webinars brings users and creators of visual content together for an in-depth [...]

What’s Stopping You?

Posted: January 6th, 2012

[by Judy Herrmann] A new year.  A fresh start.  Time to rock that marketing!   But before we dig in, well, there are millions of things that need to get done first. When it comes to marketing, most of us have a pretty good idea of what needs to happen.  The challenge lies in getting it [...]

Marketing Mastery – Short & Sweet

Posted: January 5th, 2012

[by Carolyn Potts] While I was getting ready to write this post, the radio began playing Michael Jackson’s early hit “ABC easy as 123.” It struck me that that song’s message –about keeping things simple–applies as well to marketing your photography. Just remember to use “ABC” and “123.” A. Always promote your best imagery. Trim [...]

Begin 2012 with Website Basics

Posted: January 4th, 2012

[by Rosh Sillars] 2012 will offer more choices than ever for your marketing dollar and time.  Where do you want to spend it? The first place is your website, which is the core of your marketing efforts in the 21st century. Even if you use offline marketing, prospects still check you out online. What are [...]

Stop Marketing in the New Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2012

[by Colleen Wainwright] While no one can predict what the next 12 months will bring, there will almost certainly be too much of it. Too many “dig-me” blog posts. Too many pointless newsletters. Too many tweets and re-tweets and status updates. Way too many inspirational quotes. Altogether too many requests for the least little bit [...]

Marketing Resolutions for the New Year

Posted: January 2nd, 2012

[by Jenna Close] I am going to market the heck out of 2012. I am going to adhere to a schedule that I set at the beginning of the year. I am going to target clients of value, focusing on quality and not quantity. I will make more follow-up phone calls. I will not be [...]

Celebrating the Season

Posted: December 23rd, 2011

As the year draws to a close, we would like to take a moment to thank all of you for making this blog a success and wish you health, happiness and prosperity in the coming year. We welcome your suggestions for topics you’d like to see us cover in 2012. You can submit these as [...]

Risk & Reward

Posted: December 22nd, 2011

[by Jenna Close] In early 2011 my partner and I started offering aerial services with our remotely controlled helicopter.  It was the culmination of a year of research, development, training and considerable financial investment.  We believed that the RC Heli would be a new and useful tool for our clientele.  The endeavor was a big [...]

Lessons I’ve Learned

Posted: December 21st, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] Never underestimate the power of a talented, driven photographer.. The world is full of paradox. If you wait long enough things will shift completely. What goes around, comes around and around and around again. As we grow older the world gets smaller. Kindness is contagious. In the photo business everything has changed [...]

Don’t Sit on the Sidelines

Posted: December 20th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] As I’ve traveled the country delivering my Adaptation: Running a Successful Photo Business in Today’s Era of Smartphones, Tablets and Social Media, I’ve spoken with photographers building remarkable businesses despite being in the midst of a global recession. Closer to home I’ve started attending the Salt Lake City Entrepreneurs Meet-up group, a [...]

Letting Go is Hard to Do

Posted: December 19th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Personally this past year was one of extraordinary change.  One of the most difficult aspects of this transition was the re-examination of my business, and evaluating what portions should be held onto and what should be let go of. A number of hard decisions had to be made regarding where and how [...]

ASMP Continues Support for YPA

Posted: December 17th, 2011

Two exciting announcements for young photographers and those who support them: The American Society of Media Photographers has awarded a two year grant to the Young Photographers Alliance (YPA) to continue it’s Mentoring Program during 2012 & 2013. ASMP’s Education Director, Susan Carr, will bring her years of experience and passion for supporting the needs [...]

Great Gifts for Photographers

Posted: December 16th, 2011

The ASMP has recently launched an online store featuring gifts for anyone who loves photography. The site features nearly 50 fabulous books authored, edited or photographed by ASMP members. Offerings include instructional books to help you build a successful photography business, take better photographs, and master photography related technologies and techniques as well as art [...]

Recommended Reading

Posted: December 15th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] I know a lot of photographers are thinking about motion and video. This is a complex subject with many interdependent skills.  I recommend here several books that I personally use (or wrote) to keep my business running smoothly. The Visual Story, Second Edition: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital [...]

Turning the Page

Posted: December 14th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] As I wrote the title for this blog post, I realized that many of you are not turning pages you are “Kindling “your info these days. Regardless of the delivery, here are books that I suggest you consider owning. Do The Work – Stephen Pressfield A great follow up to The War [...]

The Lean Startup

Posted: December 13th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn]   Like many businesses, our company is in the midst of adapting to a changing world by finding new ways we can support our clients and new avenues for income. One of the challenges we face is pinpointing which of the many ideas we’ve explored are the best opportunities with which to [...]

A Few of My Favorite (Non-Fiction) Books

Posted: December 12th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] James Taylor – Timothy White. As a long time fan (I saw the original Troubadour shows with Carol King in 1970), seeing how an artist can maintain the quality of their work and continue to grow as an artist for a real, real long time provides a perspective I find more than [...]

Slow-Blogging for a Fast-Paced Age

Posted: December 9th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] Blogging hit the mainstream about four years ago, but much of the advice I encounter around how to do it well still seems written for the “Wild West” era of 2004-2006. Yes, you need to stick to your area of expertise. Sure, “Top 47 Ways” posts will still draw wandering eyeballs. And [...]

The Best Blogs

Posted: December 8th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] The best blogs inspire, educate and inform. They make me think deeply about a subject or provide insights I hadn’t yet considered. The best blogs are a gift to their readers. The best blogs aren’t overly promotional, self-congratulatory or read like a press release. The world needs more “best” blogs and far [...]

Build a Relationship with Your Readers

Posted: December 7th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] While writing a viral blog post may seem important, long-term success comes from maintaining the readers (and clients) you already have. To do this, you must build a meaningful relationship with your audience. Here are a few ways to initially connect and  then build on that connection. Stay Focused What is your [...]

Fifteen Blog Post Ideas

Posted: December 6th, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] As a photographer I’ve always wanted to share an insider’s view of who I am as a professional.  Unfortunately, for many years there wasn’t a good way to go about it. Blogging had been around for a while before it hit me that I could use this tool to share more than [...]

Why Blog?

Posted: December 5th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I started writing because I couldn’t sleep. I would wake up, tossing and turning over something negative or positive, keeping myself awake playing out the different scenarios in my head.  So, I would get out of bed and write about what was on my mind. When I first thought that maybe some [...]

Finding Your Vision

Posted: December 2nd, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Almost every time I talk about portfolio development, someone in the audience raises their hand and wails “But what if I don’t know what my vision is???”  Then, everyone else in the room leans forward, ears pricked to hear the answer. In years of teaching of this stuff, I’ve come to realize [...]

How Experimentation & Creativity Feed Profitability

Posted: December 1st, 2011

[by Richard Kelly] My personal work has always directed my commercial work. A portrait project here led to a magazine assignment there. A personal documentary led to a non-profit capital campaign. An experimental video led to a music video. Personal projects feed both my creativity and professional bottom line. When I’m face-to-face with a client [...]

No More Single Images, Please!

Posted: November 30th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] The day and age of your portfolio being a collection of single images is over. Clients in every area of our business are asking you to show up with a defined, deep and well focused body of work. Are you ready for this shift? Before we go any further, make no mistake, [...]

Get Real!

Posted: November 29th, 2011

[by Sean Kernan] When I look at photographers’ websites they are mostly built on the stuff they do for clients…you know, the stuff we all do. And there are lots of reasons to set things  up that way. But often there’s a page called Personal Work, or something like that, shyly tucked away.  And I [...]

Consistency of Vision is Key

Posted: November 28th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] Websites are often the first place we show our work to prospective clients. The prospect arrives at your site via an Internet search looking for a photographer to fulfill a specific assignment. In these tough financial times, the searches usually include a specialty and a business location. If you fit these criteria [...]

Giving Thanks

Posted: November 23rd, 2011

In the spirit of the days to come, we’d like to take a moment to give thanks. To our readers for making this work meaningful.  To our contributors for providing inspiration, information and wisdom.  To our vast and ever-changing profession for giving us good reasons to come together here and learn something new every day.  [...]

Tipping Point

Posted: November 22nd, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] This year marks the tipping point of a major technical revolution. According to the Economist  there will be more tablets and smartphones sold worldwide than desktop and laptop computers. How are you positioning your business to profit from this change in the way we access our news and entertainment and stay connected [...]

Positive Space

Posted: November 21st, 2011

[by Jenna Close] My friend Kat has a large collection of images, paintings and postcards tacked above her office computer.  I like the fact that her workspace is a constantly changing collage of things that inspire her.  I also like that the collage is not on a computer.  I know that the very process of [...]

Unsubscribe

Posted: November 18th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Email is a valuable tool I rely on every day to conduct my business, coordinate with clients and correspond with friends and family. As a result, I’ve become very careful about what I permit to enter my inbox and what can pull my attention away from other, more pressing (and more interesting) [...]

Attention – Opportunity to Claim Unpaid Royalties!

Posted: November 17th, 2011

Authors Coalition of America, LLC (“ACA”), has identified a number of American Photographers and Illustrators who may be due royalty payments from non-U.S. sources. These royalties have been received to compensate authors for the foreign reprographic use of U.S. copyrighted materials. Please visit the ACA website at www.authorscoalition.org and click on the Individual Author Distributions [...]

Safe Travels

Posted: November 17th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] Make photo copies of your license, passport and credit cards and leave in each of your travel bags. You don’t want to end up stranded if your wallet goes missing. Kevin Lock is a current national director of ASMP. While Kevin does not get stranded he has been to change direction in [...]

What They Want

Posted: November 16th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] After Steve Jobs died I read over and over how he brought something extra to every product because Apple is a company of creatives as much as engineers. “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them”, he told Business Week in 1997. Jobs didn’t [...]

Other Gear Besides Your Camera

Posted: November 15th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Recently my partner and I headed out to a job very similar to many we are hired to shoot.  Mere hours into the trip the new marketing director called in a panic because he had just found out we needed safety gear to be onsite.  ‘No problem’, we said, ‘our goggles, safety [...]

Be Part of the Solution

Posted: November 14th, 2011

The 15 members of the ASMP National Board will meet this weekend to discuss and debate the issues facing our Society and our industry.  Like all good leaders, they welcome your participation and invite you to send feedback, suggestions, ideas and proposals for review and consideration. The meeting starts Friday, November 18th so be sure [...]

The Impact of the Camera Phone and Citizen Journalism

Posted: November 10th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] While much justifiable criticism has been levied against the evolution of cellphone cameras, there is a tremendous beneficiary… journalism.  We know have a literal global network of camera operators with the ability to capture newsworthy events and transmit usable photos. Many photographers dismiss this technological shift. After all, how can a point-and-shoot [...]

Technology Changes Place New Importance on Visual Literacy

Posted: November 9th, 2011

[by Tom Kennedy] In an era of  maximum image saturation, where every iPhone is a camera and no aspect of human activity goes undocumented, no matter how mundane, new questions emerge as to the value and utility of photography as a means of understanding human experience. As someone who began as my career as a [...]

People Watching

Posted: November 8th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] One of the most important functions I perform as a business owner is paying attention to the societal trends that affect my business.  Every decision I make – from the visual approach I take to producing new imagery to the prospective clients I target and the income streams I pursue – is [...]

Wikileaks and You

Posted: November 7th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] During the initial release of government documents via Wikileaks I had the pleasure of sitting in on a panel discussion addressing the ramifications of the event. There were the expected comments; one part of the panel celebrated the release stating the government needing to be more transparent and that people deserved to [...]

Putting the Fun Back Into Work

Posted: November 4th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] For most of us, we got into photography because it was fun.  Sure the prospect of making a living off something we enjoyed was exciting; it was a dream job. But then reality set in… what was once fun increasingly became work. I liken the entire dynamic to that of a marriage.  [...]

What Goes Around Comes Around

Posted: November 3rd, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] All business is personal – especially when you work for yourself.  I’ve never forgotten something I heard Blake Discher say in one of his fantastic seminars, that when he tracked views on his website, his personal work was the only gallery where viewers typically looked at every picture. I had just recently [...]

Too Many Client-Directed Projects Make You Stale

Posted: November 2nd, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] Personal projects give you the freedom to think beyond the limitations of your client photography.  Yes, digital has allowed us to experiment a little more while photographing on assignment. Unfortunately we can only use so much of our client’s valuable time for personal experiments and pushing the limits. Take time to pick [...]

Get Your Business on Track!

Posted: November 1st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] I just found out that The Agile Photographer, Jay Kinghorn’s acclaimed program from SB3, is traveling to Nashville tomorrow (11/2) and St. Louis on Wednesday (11/3). A photographer, technologist, futurist and one of the most well-read people I’ve ever met, Jay shares strategies for how you can take advantage of existing and [...]

Picking the Perfect Personal Project

Posted: November 1st, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] As a lifelong sufferer of Shiny Object Syndrome, I’ve generally chosen my non-work pursuits based on whatever glittery thing grabbed me. While it’s fun yielding to serendipity now and then, bigger projects requiring lots of my precious time/energy/attention tend to work out best when they’re rooted in some deeper longing and aligned [...]

No Validation Necessary

Posted: October 31st, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I recently had the honor of having one of my still images on display in the Senate Rotunda in Washington DC.  It was one of eleven photographs in the Copyright Alliance exhibit,  “Recording Our History: Faces Behind the Camera“. It was this portrait of blues drummer Sam Carr that I shot in [...]

Moving to the Collaborative Marketing Model

Posted: October 28th, 2011

[by Tom Kennedy] I have been reading a book recently entitled  “The Power of Pull:  How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion,” by John Hagel III, John Seely Brown, and Lang Davison.  The book shows how converging technology has been a massive disruptor of long-held business models,  organizational models, and modes [...]

How to Avoid Getting Sued

Posted: October 27th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] We hear a lot about how photographers should use good paperwork and that’s true.  ASMP offers great resources on model & property releases, business forms (e.g. estimates, invoices, change orders, etc.) and terms & conditions.  But let’s face it. At the point where you’re relying on paperwork, you’re either suing someone or [...]

Join ASMP at Photo Plus Expo

Posted: October 26th, 2011

ASMP invites you to join us at Photo Plus Expo in New York’s Jacob Javits Center,  Today through Saturday. Visit our booth (#1276) where we’ll have representatives from the U.S. Copyright Office available to answer your questions. Members can also sign up for free consultations with industry experts and consultants. Attend our sponsored seminars, where [...]

The Magic Happens Between the Notecards

Posted: October 26th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] While I get that the “sh*tty first draft,” as Anne Lamott calls it, is a necessary step on one’s way to beautiful, polished prose, the perfectionist in me still balks at throwing a bunch of words on a page with the faith that I’ll be able to sort them out later. What’s [...]

The (Difficult) Art of Live Communication

Posted: October 25th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] I have a ridiculously potent aversion to talking on the phone.  I’m pretty sure it’s some kind of neurosis, but here’s the thing… Communication is the most important business aspect of what we do.  Furthermore, live conversation (versus texting or email) is a powerful tool that can be used to great advantage.  [...]

Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted: October 24th, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] Are you being heard? Do you know how to effectively communicate with your potential client if they’re part of different generation? Is how you’re saying what you’re saying, turning off your potential client? Marketing communications that are designed to get more business, must take into consideration the recipient’s preferred mode of communication. [...]

Update on Recent U.S. Copyright Office Recommendations

Posted: October 20th, 2011

The Visual Arts Division of the United States Copyright Office has ceased sending letters recommending that visual artists submit titles for each work being registered in a “group registration of unpublished images”. We have recently learned through tests of our own and those of the Copyright Office that there are previously unknown problems when uploading [...]

Cool

Posted: October 20th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] Some photographic subjects come pre-equipped with a “cool-factor”.  Hipsters in hipster clothing.  Musicians.  Designers dressed in black.  A piercing here, a tattoo there. I work in several areas, but my primary focus is architecture.  Los Angeles, where I live, was a center of cool architecture even before Europeans delivered us their fully-formed [...]

Video is no Longer a Market Genre

Posted: October 19th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] When I started giving seminars about video for ASMP a few years back, video was a separate genre of “photography.” In fact, most didn’t even consider it a genre of photography at all, but rather a totally different skill set and craft. Fast forward three years and video has infiltrated just about [...]

The Gift of Focusing Your Vision

Posted: October 17th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya Today, vision is the front end sell in the world of commercial photography. Clients look to assignment photographers to have a defined vision applied to a subject area and expect a complete body of work, that represents the photographers “specialty.” Many photographers still resist the idea of focusing their talents, there is [...]

What is a fashion photograph?

Posted: October 17th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Great fashion photographs are a reflection of the moral, social and economic imperatives of our time in a way that other photographic genres are not. From war time to economic booms fashion photography has shown us where our boundaries were and how we alternately sought to embrace or break them. Beyond addressing [...]

Agreement

Posted: October 14th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] “When you create something out of nothing, the first rule is to agree.” ~ Tina Fey talking about the process of improv at Google headquarters with chairman Eric Schmitdt. What else is it that photographers do, but exactly this? The first part: creating something out of nothing.  The second part: getting your [...]

Pushing the Boulder up the Hill

Posted: October 13th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] “There are no short cuts to any place worth going.” –Beverly Sills One of the gifts of the internet can also be one of its curses. Every minute of every day, we’re exposed to amazing achievements–all of which, because of context, seem to have sprung fully formed, like Venus on the half-shell. [...]

No Small Decisions

Posted: October 12th, 2011

[by Richard Kelly] “There are no small decisions in moviemaking.”  – Sidney Lument , Director (pg 112 MAKING MOVIES by SIDNEY LUMENT Vintage Books) If you change “moviemaking” to photography, well you get the picture. This to me summarizes all my decisions from art, to craft to commerce. Every action has a consequence, or a [...]

Pay it Forward

Posted: October 11th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] “I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece.  I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.”   – Tony Robbins Over the years I have been given many gifts of inspiration, support and friendship.  Without fail, these lessons have come from [...]

Quotes that Moved Us Each to Action

Posted: October 10th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] This week five of our blog contributors, including myself, will share quotes that have been meaningful to each of us in the course of developing our careers. “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; [...]

Be Like Steve

Posted: October 7th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Follow your dreams.  Imagine.  Be true to your vision.  Do what you believe is great work.  Love what you do. Follow your passion.  Demand more of yourself.  Work hard.  Set high standards.  Meet them. Follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path.  Keep looking.  Don’t settle.  Trust that it [...]

Rotate Your Stock Forward

Posted: October 6th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] I keep extra batteries for slaves, etc., in the front of two bags to be sure I have replacements in case I run low.  Batteries can go dead just sitting for too long.  Rotate your batteries so that you are using the backups and rotating new ones in as backups to be [...]

The Eyes Have It

Posted: October 5th, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] Besides your taking care of your camera gear, computer, and your fearless attitude,  do you have a maintenance routine for…your eyes?!? If you don’t, a computer-heavy assignment can lead to eyestrain. While not life-threatening, eyestrain can cause double vision and other symptoms–ones which are not so great when your career depends on [...]

Off-Site Back Up

Posted: October 4th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Remember to store at least one copy of all your files off-site to protect in case of fire, theft, flood or other disaster. Jay Kinghorn will be presenting The Agile Photographer in a city near you. Check out the seminar schedule for dates and locations.

Ask How They Found You

Posted: October 3rd, 2011

[by Jenna Close] When a new client calls, make sure and ask how they found you.  If they answer with ‘online’, ask what search engine they used and what their search terms were.  This information is valuable for a few reasons: one, if they found you online you will begin to see a trend in [...]

Searching Trends

Posted: September 30th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] We live in a world where a search for “How to Copyright Photo” brings up 1.1 billion results, “Audio for Video” yields just over a billion and “Marketing Photography” clocks in at a mere 233 million.  No wonder finding great stuff on the internet takes so much time. Seems I’m not the [...]

ASMP Seminars Launched

Posted: September 29th, 2011

We’ve set our sights on industry trends this week and you will not find better information and tools for staying on top our changing industry than the 2011-2012 ASMP Seminars.   This year, ASMP offers 4 invaluable programs from outstanding veteran SB3 speakers: Blake Discher, Tom Kennedy, Jay Kinghorn, and Colleen Wainwright: The Agile Photographer: A Multimedia [...]

Trends

Posted: September 28th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] I spend part of my career speaking at industry conferences. This gives me an opportunity to see who’s exhibiting, as well as talk to vendors and photographers to see what’s on their minds. I wanted to quickly share five things that I’ve noticed popping up more and more. Consider adding these areas [...]

Trend-spotting: Intelligent Pixels Everywhere

Posted: September 27th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] I’m constantly on the lookout for emerging trends I feel will significantly impact photography, video and visual marketing, computational photography and 3D projection mapping (a.k.a. spacial augmented reality). Here are some trends I see going places. Computational Photography Distilled to its essence, computational photography aims at adding intelligence to the process of [...]

We Are The Product

Posted: September 26th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] As image makers we frequently talk about the change in the market place, the ability for so many to make and distribute imagery, and the falling value of our work. As we know, one of the main reasons for this trend is the spread of technology that has allowed a greater number [...]

Carry It… Check It… Rent It…

Posted: September 23rd, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] While I’m not a road warrior, I easily log 50 flights a year for my job. I’ve had to travel with equipment all over the world for both photo and video projects.  Traveling just gets more and more expensive these days.  Here are a few rules that I apply to getting there [...]

Working Abroad: Plan Ahead but Leave Time for the Unexpected

Posted: September 22nd, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] When traveling and working abroad good pre-production is essential. Produce your shoot and travel details as thoroughly as possible before leaving on your trip. Coordinate as many details as you can with your local partners, and develop and deliver a timeline to keep your schedule tight and your team on the same [...]

Tips From a Road Warrior

Posted: September 21st, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I’ve been a traveler since I was 19 years old. Not only have I spent a big part of my career shooting desirable destinations all over the world for magazines like National Geographic and Travel & Leisure, I’m also on the road a lot shooting for corporations, institutions and non-profits and speaking [...]

Have Carnet, Will Travel

Posted: September 20th, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] In the early part of my career, I “winged it” when entering foreign countries with my photography equipment.  Often there was a dance of excuses when I crossed a foreign border, and/or, a crossing of my fingers in hopes that Customs Officials would not check “that” suitcase…chock full of lighting gear!  As [...]

Proof Positive

Posted: September 19th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] My partner, Jon, and I carry giant Lithium Ion batteries (6x the size of an SLR battery) on planes on a regular basis. (These are for our remote control helicopter, by the way.)  We also check a whole lot of other gear.  Here are a few ways to ensure passage of all [...]

How to Collect on Every Invoice

Posted: September 16th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] I feel like I’m about to jinx us but in 22 years of business, my studio has collected on virtually every invoice we’ve written without ever once going to court. We do a lot of the same stuff already mentioned this week and a few things that weren’t: We ask new clients [...]

ASMP Announces Plans for dpBestflow

Posted: September 15th, 2011

The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) has made a financial contribution to dpBestflow, and Peter Krogh has been named the new Project Director.

Collections

Posted: September 15th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] Are they really clients if they refuse to pay up?  I don’t think so.  I have another word for them. Let’s call them what the court calls them: Defendants. I am not litigious, but I refuse to be taken advantage of.  I’d rather not sue, but I have had to.  As a [...]

Building Relationships as a Cash Flow Tool

Posted: September 14th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] Initiating a relationship with the accounts payable contact at each company hiring you, immediately after a job is confirmed, is a wonderful cash flow tool. When you reach your new “partner” introduce yourself, and in a friendly way inform your contact that will soon be working with their company and that you [...]

Know Your Enemy

Posted: September 13th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] There are several reasons you might not be paid by a client (and most have little to do with a dissatisfied client, aggressive behavior, or conspiracy).  Here are a few practical strategies I employ at my office. Use s systems of deposits. We will bill incrementally for work.  An initial deposit, another [...]

Past Due Accounts and Collections

Posted: September 12th, 2011

[by Steve Whittaker] Timely payments are important in any business. Your reputation and credit depends on being able to pay your assistants, employees, vendors, loan payments and any outstanding balances. A clear contractual agreement on both sides in the beginning is important. Our terms require a 50% retainer in advance before assignment date. With the [...]

Archiving & Liability

Posted: September 9th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] What do you promise your clients regarding archiving images?   We all know hard drives and DVDs fail.  Be sure you are archiving by using best practices as recommended by dpBestflow,  but also be sure you are not taking on liabilities (assumed or real) for archiving images for your clients.   Be clear about [...]

Why Photographers Fail…

Posted: September 8th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] As you begin another fall work season check your product. The number one reason why many photo businesses fail is because the photographer does not have a body of work that will sell in today’s market. Photographers often will spend time and money on developing sales and marketing materials when building a [...]

Paperwork Everyplace

Posted: September 7th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Stash model and property releases in a variety of places, even if you have the iPhone app.  I keep extras in my glove compartment, my camping gear and every other bag, purse and lighting kit.  That way I will always triumph over dead batteries, a phone left in the car or plain [...]

To Do – Build Future

Posted: September 6th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Do you make room in your to-do lists for skills training, experimentation or creative exploration? If your to-do’s focus only on getting through your immediate business and personal tasks, but fail to move you forward, you’ll have a hard time pushing yourself into new creative endeavors, opening new business opportunities or quite [...]

Who’s on First….?

Posted: September 2nd, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] We all have our own reason for getting into this business.  For me it just kind of happened.  It was something I always did and to be honest I didn’t plan on making a living doing it.  Perhaps you had a similar experience and find yourself in business struggling to make a [...]

Are You Really the Buyer?

Posted: September 1st, 2011

[by Blake Discher] Of course, you can’t ask the person on the other end of the phone that question; at least I’d advise against that sort of blunt questioning. But when a prospective client calls on the telephone to ask about your rates for an upcoming project she has, it’s imperative to know you are [...]

Clarity & Audacity

Posted: August 31st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] In Googled:the end of the world as we know it, New Yorker Magazine columnist, Ken Auletta, describes Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s first pitch for substantial funding.  They were asking for $25,000,000.00 (yup that’s 25 million dollars). Auletta writes: …[they] made a brief PowerPoint presentation to establish the most telling [...]

Determination

Posted: August 30th, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] Determination is an important part of sales.  You need to do what it takes to connect to and build quality relationships with decision makers. While sitting in my office, I overheard one of my sales representatives talking with a prospect.  The prospect wondered how my sales rep found his number and knew [...]

The Power of Differentiation -or- What’s Your Hedgehog?

Posted: August 29th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] One of the most important components of the sales process is differentiation. Establishing what makes you different in the eyes of a potential client can go a long way in shortening the time it takes for you to land a prospective client . I can’t even estimate the number of times I’ve [...]

Gearing Up for Fall

Posted: August 26th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] As those lazy days of Summer draw to a close, I’m starting to prepare myself for the crazy days of Fall.  Shorter days usually mean longer hours for this working Mom, but do they have to?  As the demands of my business and my daughter’s preschool grow in tandem, I’m using what’s [...]

Photo Vest Be Gone

Posted: August 25th, 2011

[By Shannon Fagan] Photo nerds beware, there is a new vest on the market.  I like it so much, that I, er, uh, well, okay…I nerded out and bought two of them.  My discovery could be the perfect addition to gear up for photography this Fall. Scottevest is a company focusing on travel gear for [...]

Naysayers, Failures and Other Terrors

Posted: August 24th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] As a young actor I used to think of creativity as something innate.  You were either born with it or you weren’t.  People would say to me, “Oh, you’re so creative!”  as if it were something wonderful I was given but didn’t earn, like long legs or a charming smile.  Because it [...]

Back to school

Posted: August 23rd, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] “Back to school, back to school… to prove to dad that I’m not a fool.”  (Adam Sandler / Billy Madison.)  Not sure about you but I for one don’t want to start over.  I have too many years invested.  Just like Billy, I do not want to repeat the first grade or [...]

Fall’s Hottest Look? A Marketing Makeover!

Posted: August 22nd, 2011

Photo by Shawn G. Henry.  Photoshopping (R) by Donna Barger [by Colleen Wainwright] While I always treat myself to a few new “Back to School”-style supplies to ring in the change of season–a fresh box of Sharpies and maybe an iPhone 5, both in black, please–mostly I’m viewing this particular fall as an opportunity to [...]

On Keeping Up with Things – or – How I avoid Work Yet Feel Like I’m Doing Something Useful – or – How I Browse Without Feeling Like a Cow

Posted: August 19th, 2011

Some of my browser faves, in no particular order: British Journal of Photography – http://www.bjp-online.com/ Great news, good interviews, roughly analogous to PDN.   Published in a foreign country yet in English; so convenient. Luminous Landscape – http://luminous-landscape.com/index.shtml A review and essay site about equipment and aesthetics, all from a users’, practical viewpoint.  Not too gear-heady.  [...]

Your Favorite Bookmarks…

Posted: August 18th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] This week, we are focusing on our contributors’ favorite bookmarks.  The places we go when we’re looking for information, inspiration, insights, training, time-saving tools and more; the bookmarks we find more valuable than the millions of other potential bookmarks that populate cyberspace.  And there are millions. Now that the vast majority of [...]

Favorite Bookmarks

Posted: August 17th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Inspired by two short What I Read interviews with Clay Shirky and Chris Anderson, I’ve been focusing my attention on those writers and publications that provide deeper, thought-provoking content, rather than the daily media buzz. Here are a few of the blogs and podcasts I follow to gain insight into the trends [...]

Belly Up to the Bookmarks Bar

Posted: August 16th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] There are dozens of useful Internet sites I visit daily (and yes, I realize this means I spend too much time online), but to know the ones I find most valuable, I need look no further than the bookmarks bar itself. Because it’s on that precious, narrow landing-strip of browser space that [...]

My Favorite Bookmarks and Why

Posted: August 15th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] Clientcopia – www.clientcopia.com This site lets me know that everyone has crazy clients. Good for a laugh and a pick me up. Basecamp HQ – www.basecamphq.com I use this online project management tool for both my companies.  This keeps me organized and ensures open communication with my clients. Apple Trailers – www.apple.com/trailers [...]

The Monster Under My Bed

Posted: August 12th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] When I was a very young child and I couldn’t get to sleep at night (yes even then I found it hard to sleep) I used to play a game.  I’d pretend that there was a monster who lived under my bed and I would tease him by sticking my foot out [...]

Don’t Let a Global Market Crash Put Your Creative Portfolio at Risk.

Posted: August 11th, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] I am writing this the day after the 500-point drop in the US stock market which was felt around the world. If your 401k now looks like a 101k, it’s hard to feel creatively inspired.  Understandably, many people are freaking out.  But remember: fear kills creativity. However… there’s always another way of [...]

Rebooting Your Brain on the Fly

Posted: August 10th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] When you solve problems for a living–i.e., when you’re a creative–it’s dangerously easy to let the well run dry, especially since it seems like we have fewer and fewer opportunities to take the down time we need to stay juicy. While my absolute favorite way ever to unsnarl a knot in my [...]

Using RAIN to Grow Creativity

Posted: August 9th, 2011

[by Tom Kennedy] A podcast I heard recently used the acronym “RAIN” to describe a technique for extracting the most out of daily life by staying in the moment.  Given the the drought affecting many parts of the world, that caught my attention.  As I listened, I realized how appropriate this acronym was for issues [...]

Creativity

Posted: August 8th, 2011

[by Sean Kernan] The young Piet Mondrian was painting over some older canvases he had done. “Why are you doing that?” A friend asked. “Those are perfectly good paintings.” “I’m not trying to make paintings,” Mondrian replied, “I’m trying to find things out.” We all began by making photographs for no other reason than to [...]

Lucky and Ready

Posted: August 5th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] My color management guy likes to say you’re either well color-managed or badly color-managed.  Either way, you’re color-managed. Every contact with a potential new client (or a repeat client) is an act of good marketing or bad marketing.  Either way, it’s marketing, because marketing is simply how you’re perceived by someone else. [...]

Everyone Hates Marketing

Posted: August 4th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Well, maybe not EVERYone, but most of the people I know would rather do just about anything else.  Some of us hate it so much, find it so agonizing, that we just can’t bring ourselves to do it at all. Years ago, the owner of our local lab would sit behind the [...]

My Real Job…

Posted: August 3rd, 2011

[by John Slemp] Attending my friend, Judy Herrmann’s, Breaking into the Biz program at my ASMP chapter brought back many memories of my own career transition after a decade of military service.  Talking to her after the program, I mentioned an epiphany I’d had about my own business and she asked me to post about [...]

Real World Marketing

Posted: August 2nd, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] Time spent online with social media must have a clear goal–otherwise it’s just a time suck. Do you start your day with a cup of coffee and a check-in to your social media feeds? Does reading the overnight updates on FaceBook, Twitter, and LinkedIn make you feel secure that you’ve not missed [...]

The Tire Salesman

Posted: August 1st, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] I have a tire I’d like to sell you. It’s just one, but boy is it a beauty—dual-channel treads for wicking away the water on rainy roads, knobby tread for traction and gravel, plus, it’s won numerous awards for its handling. How much would you pay for this tire? Probably nothing.  No [...]

Save Your Photos for Web and Mobile Delivery

Posted: July 29th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] I frequently see other photographers struggle in preparing their files for the Internet.  Some make files that are ridiculously big and take forever to download.  Others accidentally resize or flatten layers during the process and damage their files.  But I understand, you probably didn’t study to be a web developer. Fortunately, Photoshop [...]

Post Production Tips to Save Time

Posted: July 28th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] Speed in post keeps you from wasting valuable time.   Here are just a few tips to save time. Learn common key strokes, like the bracket keys in Photoshop to shrink (use the left [ bracket) and enlarge (use the right ] bracket) brush size and the “X” key to swap bush colors, [...]

Post-Production for Video

Posted: July 27th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] The post-production process for video is far different than it is for still photography. Most people think of post-production in video as “editing” and that’s certainly true to some extent, but the word “editing” in video production is far different than what that word means for still photography. Editing is not just [...]

More is (every now and then) More

Posted: July 26th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] Speaking aesthetically, less is usually more.  But not always so in business. Your contract has a list of what you’re going to deliver; how many files, what size, that sort of thing.  Expectations on both sides of the arrangement – what your client gets, what you expect in return – are well-understood.  [...]

Take the InfoTrends Professional Survey!

Posted: July 25th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] InfoTrends is conducting a study with professional photographers to better understand their use of technology, future requirements, and new business services. The results will be used to determine the impact of digital photography on your business, and to identify opportunities and threats to help you navigate through this rapidly changing marketplace. Manufacturers [...]

Get the Most from Post

Posted: July 25th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Early in my career a solar industry client accidentally taught me a valuable lesson about post-production.  The conversation went like this: CLIENT: “I see this line item on your estimate about post-production.  We won’t be needing any of that.  We want the photos to look real.” ME (inexpertly ending the conversation): “OK.  [...]

Where Does a Teacher Go to Learn?

Posted: July 22nd, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] I’ve been writing books and teaching for about a decade. People mistakenly think that just because I get paid to share my technical thoughts that I must somehow know everything. As if. I began my professional career as a journalist.  What I know how to do is find answers  I also happen [...]

Take a Big Bite!

Posted: July 21st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] For the past 9 months, I’ve been hard at work bringing an idea to life.   For years, I’ve relied on a handful of trusted friends and colleagues to help me stay on top of books, blogs, articles, and other great resources that would keep me ahead of the curve.  Then, it hit [...]

These are a Few of my Favorite Things

Posted: July 20th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] In no particular order: The D-65 workshop gave me a professional workflow along with the tools to produce high-quality work – quickly – from camera setup all the way to delivery.  Was more fun than I thought it would be considering how often I thought my head would fall off.  At the [...]

ASMP’s New Social Media Tutorial

Posted: July 19th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] ASMP has a new online resource designed to guide imaging professionals through the ins and outs of social media. This tutorial includes guides on social media marketing, blogging and social networking as well as legal considerations, an overview of common Terms of Service and recommended best practices for posting images and video [...]

Whisper (three) Sweet Nerd Things in my Ear

Posted: July 19th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] I’m not sure how I got anything done before computers, but I’m sure it involved a lot of sweat, confusion, and long walks to school five miles each way in the snow. Now that I’m a full-on digital junkie, here are three of my go-to resources for making life easier at the [...]

Resources for Getting Inspired

Posted: July 18th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Every so often I find myself in a creative slump.  I hate my photography, my haircut, my camera gear…everything.  It’s the worst feeling and can be difficult to shake once it takes hold.  The best remedy (aside from a few nights wallowing in beer at the bar), is to check out the [...]

Cycling New Ideas

Posted: July 15th, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] Cycling New Ideas I take my small point and shoot camera, and I go on a bicycle ride.  Bicycling is the perfect speed between walking and driving to observe the world around me.  I pick a spot and circle the neighborhood for a few hours.  And then, I do it again and [...]

Be Proactive

Posted: July 14th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Some companies require more than just an invoice and a W-9 in order to pay you.  They often have their own internal paperwork, such as ‘new vendor’ contact forms.  A friendly call to the billing staff when submitting an invoice to a new client can result in speedier payments.  You make their [...]

Practice “Active” Listening

Posted: July 13th, 2011

[by Selina Maitreya] Listening, really being present, when in a conversation with another, is one of the most effective business skills you can develop and it is also a gift that you give to your self and to others. Costing you nothing but your time, attention and practice, developing the ability to truly hear and [...]

Plan Early, Save Money

Posted: July 12th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] We are presently within “Daylight Savings Time,” where our clocks are set forward and I find myself forward thinking. I don’t know about you, but I plan on getting to the Photo Plus Expo this Fall, October 26-29.  It is well known that hotels in NYC can cost a fortune and fill [...]

Easy Travel Tip

Posted: July 11th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Keep your bags light and your travel simple. When traveling abroad you do not need to carry a heavy voltage converter or plug for battery operated items like your laptop, camera, and so on. You only need to carry a simple converter for your plug from US to whatever country you might [...]

Copyright Registration Alert

Posted: July 9th, 2011

ASMP is aware that photographers are receiving letters from the Copyright Office with recommendations on how to modify their registrations using the online registration system. The Copyright Office, in response to concerns over the recent court decision invalidating the bulk Corbis copyright registration, is making some new recommendations for online registration of both published and [...]

Books to Get You Going

Posted: July 1st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Those lazy hazy days of summer yearn to lure you into complacency.  C’mon, they whisper, soft and low, lie out by the pool, read a trashy novel or two, relaaaaaax.  And before you were self-employed…Aaah, those were the days and that was the life. Now, though, we are on,  24/7, 365.  So [...]

My Summer Reading List for People Adding Video to their Workflow

Posted: June 30th, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] I am often asked by photographers which books I recommend to learn video.  There are several, but I wanted to offer you my top choices that I think are most helpful.  The links will take you to Amazon where you can read reviews and the publisher’s description as well. The Visual Story, [...]

The Creative Process Illustrated

Posted: June 29th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] Would you like to have the chance to get a peek into the process of some of the most respected creative minds in the advertising business today? In the book, The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising’s Big Ideas are Born, you’ll have that opportunity.  The authors approached nearly 300 top creative directors, [...]

Summer reading for the type-A personality

Posted: June 28th, 2011

As an overachiever who doesn’t do well with heat, I like my summer reading breezy, but not mindless (I reserve that for air travel.) For me, that means stuff that I can dip into easily a bit at a time and still learn from — think “bathroom reading”, only useful. The Personal MBA (by Josh [...]

Summer Reading

Posted: June 27th, 2011

[by Sean Kernan] A great way to get inspired and to exercise your imaginative vision is to slip outside photography altogether. Which is why I recently disappeared into Isaac Babel’s Red Cavalry short stories for a few weeks. I lived in the grind and the confusion and the human-ness of partisan warfare. The experience raised [...]

Of, Not Above

Posted: June 24th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] Social media platforms allow possibilities for connection that we could not have conceived of just a few years ago. The opportunity to be “friends” with a prospective client opens up a new way of getting to know that person, and provides a rich resource of information to help in developing a better [...]

The Very Best of Annoying Twitter Accounts…

Posted: June 23rd, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] I wish I had the guts to post a publicly disseminated list of the All Time Best Photography Twitter Accounts to Avoid!  I guess I wouldn’t win many friends, but then, I’d have less junk in my TweetDeck photo-trunk.  I just about had it this week when a photography branded account that [...]

Google and Your Social Media Reputation

Posted: June 22nd, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] An important part of social media is managing your brand.  Your brand is your reputation. Google has a few features that will help you manage the reputation of your brand. The first thing you should do is open a Google alerts account or use the newly released Me on the Web section [...]

Not on Twitter? Now’s the Time.

Posted: June 21st, 2011

[by Richard Harrington] Apple recently unveiled that Twitter would be tightly woven throughout the next version of their iOS.  IF you didn’t spot this trend, let me put it a new way: welcome to the tipping point.  Apple is about to make Twitter a default method for sharing news, photos, and information with your contacts.  [...]

This Couldn’t Have Been Possible Without Social Media

Posted: June 20th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I hear it all the time from people who question the value of social media: “Have you ever made any money by being on Facebook or Twitter?” They are generally people who don’t quite understand the value of social media because they either expect an instant pay off or they are not [...]

How to Never Get Hired as an Assistant Again

Posted: June 17th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] While building my “Breaking into the Biz” seminar, I asked about 100 photographers what makes a bad assistant.  I spoke with architectural photographers, fashion photographers, editorial photographers, advertising photographers, wedding photographers and more.  From coast to coast, big city to small town, their answers were remarkably consistent.  Here are seven simple things [...]

Are You Paying Your Dues?

Posted: June 16th, 2011

[by Ed McDonald] “Pay your dues!” You hear it all the time, but what does it really mean? While colleges and schools teach photographic technique, theory, and marketing, nothing can compare to the experiences of on-set learning from a seasoned professional. It’s not just in how he or she sees, lights, composes or captures the [...]

It’s Not Just About The Muscles…

Posted: June 15th, 2011

[by Shawn Henry] Assisting can be physically challenging — lugging heavy cases of equipment is no easy task. But as in most other aspects of life, brains matter far more than brawn when it comes to performing the duties of an assistant. Once the gear’s set, the real value of a quality assistant shines through [...]

Run!

Posted: June 14th, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] Arg, I had to just let go of one of my photo assistants in China…both he and his underworked classmate.  Students of photography, be warned….your days are unfortunately numbered.  No longer is a photographers’ assistant’s role about downloading CF cards, setting up lights, and understanding how to finagle camera settings to perfection.  [...]

Anticipate

Posted: June 13th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] An assistant who can anticipate a photographers next act is an invaluable asset to any shoot.  Being acutely attentive and acquiring the ability to ascertain the needs of the photographer, in advance, is an attractive quality that is always appreciated.  In addition, your attentiveness will positively affect your client by aggrandizing him [...]

How to use the next heat wave: be a “promotional contrarian” and do some advance planning.

Posted: June 10th, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] When the next heat wave hits and you’re melting, take it as a weather-related gift to help you stay fresh in your client’s minds…. in the dead of winter. My 2010 summer marketing ASMP blog post suggested that your beach reading should include some great marketing books (listed in that post). That [...]

Clarion Call II – Tomorrow!

Posted: June 9th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] Following up on the excellent Clarion Call telesummit this past February, Selena Maitreya presents Clarion Call II, featuring 7 speakers and 8 jam-packed hours of real-world, hard-hitting information on sales, negotiations, estimates, pricing and licensing for your still and motion imaging services. I am very excited to be joining ASMP National Board [...]

Summertime, and the Marketing’s Easy

Posted: June 8th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] Summertime.  Lounging my days away with friends, talking about nothing, waiting for the barbecue to get hot, feeling the warmth of the sun as it sets… Wait a minute. O man, there’s my fantasy life kicking in.  Self-employed people don’t take off day after day.  That’s for our clients.  The ones with [...]

Marketing During the Summer Months

Posted: June 7th, 2011

[by Selena Maitreya] In my world, marketing during the summer months is no different than the rest of the year, assuming you have a well developed 12-month sales and marketing program. Now I know this runs contrary to other info you may hear. Many people will tell you that you should never try to visit [...]

ASMP Receives Distribution from Authors Coalition

Posted: June 6th, 2011

Read the full press release here. And, follow ASMP’s extensive use of these funds to benefit our industry by going here.

Spring Planting Makes for Summer Shoots

Posted: June 5th, 2011

Summer is a busy time for me, but that’s because of Spring.  I routinely send out a spring mailer, but this March I decided to try something new.** Instead of blanketing the several hundred potential clients on my list with a postcard, I targeted the 36 companies I most want to work for.  All the [...]

Avoiding Boredom

Posted: June 3rd, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] In philosophical thinking, Kierkegaard pointed out in his essay “The Rotation Method” that all people are “boring”, that they become bored, and that consequently boredom is the root of all evil.  It is natural for us to gravitate to a path of least resistance when it comes to setting out to achieve [...]

Social Media Tip

Posted: June 2nd, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Be sure to keep your message focused when using social media, facebook, twitter and linkedin all serve different purposes. For instance, don’t forward your tweets about where you are having dinner or partying to LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a business platform, be aware of the impression that you are creating. Thomas Werner; Educator, [...]

A Rule of Thumb

Posted: June 1st, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] If it is digital, important to your business and more than three years old, it probably needs to be replaced. Jay Kinghorn will be following his own advice and upgrading his laptop later this year.

Insurance Tip

Posted: May 31st, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] My father in law used to be my insurance agent.  As he got to understand my business, he would suggest carrying different types of insurance to best suit my needs.   He suggested things like an umbrella, a care and custody clause and Inland Marine, while still working to keep my rates as [...]

Photography Isn’t Dead, The Business Model Is

Posted: May 27th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Photography isn’t dead, but the old business model is. While you will find many people mourning this disappearing model and trying to figure out what to do next, you will find many more who are problem solving the issues that face us. People become frustrated in the face of change, but it [...]

Tools for Success:Today and Tomorrow

Posted: May 26th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] As we all know all too well, the way photography is created, used, distributed and consumed has changed dramatically in recent years.  More photography is being used than ever before but much of that expansion comes from dramatically reduced costs; distribution of images over the internet is practically free and inexpensive imagery [...]

Rethinking Your Business Model

Posted: May 25th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Recently, I gave a presentation to students in the photojournalism program at the Missouri School of Journalism. Understandably, they’re a little daunted by their job prospects after graduation. Traditionally, students pursued an internship while in school, then moved into a full-time position at a newspaper after they graduated. Today, many of those [...]

Thoughts on New Business Models for Photographers

Posted: May 24th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] I have been in the (“professional” photographic) business for almost 20 years.  So let me ask you “what the hell do I know about new business models”?  I imagine that I am not alone in my ignorance. While completing a Google search on “New Business Models,” (drum roll please…) number 4  of  [...]

Photographic Evolution

Posted: May 23rd, 2011

[by Jenna Close] “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”  -Charles Darwin I recently sat on a panel about New Business Models in Photography, as some of you that attended SB3 in Chicago may know.  [...]

You Talk to Your Grandmother with that Mouth?

Posted: May 20th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] Some people steadfastly refuse to mix the personal and the professional. I admire their internal fortitude (not to mention their talent for establishing firm boundaries) but I think they’re missing out. First, because the inclusion of personal work in a professional portfolio can fill in the gaps when you’re starting out or [...]

Personal work in Business Portfolios?… Yes. Absa*#$*inglutely.

Posted: May 19th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] I am taking that one step further.  I have been slowly building a body of personal work in hopes that, in the future, it will be the only work I show.  Why?  I want to move in the direction of securing the work that I want to do…. not what I currently [...]

If It’s Good, It’s Good

Posted: May 18th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] There’s nothing I enjoy more than wandering around photographing the environments of other countries.  While none of the resulting images feature what I shoot for money (solar panels), a few do end up on my website, Facebook, and in some of my portfolios.  Here’s why: 1) It’s about you and only you.  [...]

Naming Contest for New ASMP Resource

Posted: May 17th, 2011

ASMP is building a unique new social bookmarking resource and we need your help in naming the site with a catchy URL. Submit as many names as you can come up with by May 31 – the winner will receive a great prize package worth over $1500 including a Pro Account from PhotoShelter ($549 value), [...]

All Business is Personal

Posted: May 17th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] A great politician (they do exist), Tip O’Neill, famously once said “All politics is local”.  There are a lot of ways to interpret that idea, but it starts with the fact that politics is about people.  Business, too. Pretty much everyone in every business wants to work with people they like (and [...]

Show What You Want to Do

Posted: May 16th, 2011

[by Sean Kernan] Over the course of my career the strongest work I’ve ever done was what I did for myself, particularly in the beginning. I’d be wandering around with a camera in my hand and nothing on my mind (a crucial component) when suddenly I’d see…something! Unexpected, surprising, often a bit alarming. It just [...]

ASMP Comments on TwitPic Terms of Service

Posted: May 13th, 2011

Over the past few days, ASMP has been receiving questions relating to the terms of service imposed by TwitPic on its users and a recent change in that language. After reviewing the Terms of Service published on TwitPic’s website, it is ASMP’s conclusion that TwitPic’s terms of service are contrary to the best interests of [...]

Clarion Call II

Posted: May 13th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] This past February, commercial photography consultant Selina Maitreya created the first Clarion Call telesummit featuring 14 of the nation’s leading industry experts.  If you attended, you know how valuable it was.  If you didn’t, you won’t want to make that mistake again. On Friday, June 10, Selina is presenting Clarion Call II [...]

Pricing Video

Posted: May 12th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I get asked this question all the time “How do I price video”.  First of all I need to state that I do not position myself as a DP or Camera Operator.  I want to take the lead on a project and handle the entire video production.  So when I talk about [...]

Learning How to Price Video

Posted: May 11th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Late last year, after creating some personal video projects, my partner, Mike Starke, and I started exploring the realities of producing video for clients. Over the years, we’ve learned the hard way to perform in-depth research before committing funds to any diversification scheme so  we started the process by doing a series [...]

Pricing Video: When Estimating, Don’t Forget Client Reviews and Output

Posted: May 10th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] When estimating an upcoming video or multimedia job, it’s easy to neglect estimating the time necessary for client reviews and encoding your video files for output. These two areas alone can quickly eat through your profit margins . Here are a few tips to make sure you’re accurately estimating these aspects of [...]

Estimating Video

Posted: May 9th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] First let me say that I position myself as a producer and that I estimate on the entire video production. I do not hire myself out as a Director or Director of Photography or as a Camera Operator. Many times I may also direct and shoot a project but when a client [...]

Less and Less is More All the Time

Posted: May 6th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] Brevity in writing: the key to clarity.  Honest. Want to get through to your clients?  Potential clients? Make it easy.  Make it count.  Make it sound professional. They don’t have enough time.  Who does?  Contacts with them should be like a good song or movie – no filler.  Memorable. Messages are more [...]

ASMP’s Kelly Receives IPC Photographer Leadership Award

Posted: May 5th, 2011

ASMP has announced that Past President Richard Dale Kelly, a Pittsburgh based photographer who creates environmental portraits with style, has received the 2011 International Photographic Council (IPC) Professional Photographer Leadership Award. He was selected by the association as the member who best represents the group’s criteria and ideals, and is one of six winners being [...]

Instinctual Behavior

Posted: May 5th, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] Like all small business entrepreneurs, I have found that a constant state of chaos is common in my daily routine.  In any given day, I routinely juggle multiple potential projects, all of which depend upon my instincts to move them from theory to fruition. Trusting my instincts is as much about trusting [...]

Apples to Apples

Posted: May 4th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] When a client calls or emails for an estimate, I ask as many questions as possible.   When I get a bulk email asking several photographers for their bids along with mine, I use “reply all” when I ask questions.   I’d rather be bidding on the same info, than to have everyone bidding [...]

Keeping Up With Upgrades

Posted: May 3rd, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Recently I bought a new camera.  Once that happened, I had to upgrade Lightroom in order to read the files.  In order to upgrade Lightroom I had to upgrade my operating system.  Buying a new camera turned into a much larger investment (in dollars and time) than I had first intended.  It [...]

Eugene Mopsik speaks out on ASMP’s ongoing advocacy related to new Getty Contract

Posted: May 2nd, 2011

Many of you know that ASMP has been carrying on a dialogue with Getty for some years; the new Getty contract is another acknowledgement that the market for images and the way in which those images are purchased is rapidly changing. While ASMP has had recent discussions with Getty, substantive results in the best interests [...]

Problem Solving

Posted: May 2nd, 2011

[by Ellen Boughn] Thanks to easy web searches on any topic, consultants in all fields are no longer valued as mere information providers.  What is still valuable in today’s world is the ability to use readily available data to consistently provide SOLUTIONS to business challenges. This is why photographers who constantly upgrade their professional proficiency, [...]

Avoiding the Curse of Familiarity

Posted: April 29th, 2011

[by Colleen Wainwright] We’re broken records, all of us who attended any one (or, if we were really lucky, all three) of the Strictly Business 3 conferences. “It was so inspiring!” and “I came away with so many new ideas and new friends, my head is exploding!” and “Boy, I’m bad at remembering names!” Okay [...]

Reframing the Discussion

Posted: April 28th, 2011

SB3 was a wonderful tonic for what ails us currently as we struggle to live our dreams while making a living that meets our obligations. The positive energy that encircled the conference rooms in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Chicago came directly from the deepest acts of encouragement and sharing that were going on. One of [...]

We’re All In This Together…

Posted: April 27th, 2011

“There were many “Aha” moments for me during the SB3 weekend. I believe however that the biggest ones were to realize that we truly are all in the same boat and that I am not alone traversing challenging waters. And that, especially due to the technological and digital revolution, there is a plethora of viable [...]

Photographer and ….

Posted: April 26th, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] My aha moment at SB3 hit me when I realized that industry changes have challenged photographers to use their creativity to adapt their skills and talents to other industries.  Today, photographers hold their heads high and say, “I’m a photographer and a writer, a videographer, a designer, a teacher or a consultant.” [...]

Going Forward from SB3

Posted: April 25th, 2011

- thoughts on the train to O’Hare [by Sean Kernan] Only after Chicago did it occur to me how easy it was to get people  to warm to the subject of my presentation. I mean, how hard could it be to get creative people to stand up and participate in creativity seminars? It was like [...]

SB3 or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Future.

Posted: April 22nd, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] At SB3 I learned that just about everyone is worrying about the same stuff I worry about. I learned that everybody has their own way of marketing but that only those people who actively market (or have an independent income) are going to make it. I learned that it’s not just me [...]

Shine Me Up

Posted: April 21st, 2011

[by Edwina Stevenson] I’ve been a photographer in business for 20+ years photographing everything from people, location, food, catalog, industrial & beyond.  Honestly, I was hesitant to attend SB3 in the beginning. Looking back, I wish I could attend it again next weekend just to absorb more of what SB3 had to offer. Colleen Wainwright [...]

An A-Ha Person from SB3

Posted: April 20th, 2011

[by Ellen Boughn] For many, the lessons from SB3 were summed up in Colleen Wainwright’s SB3 keynote message “be awesome” and “be nice”.  How surprising and refreshing to hear the phrase ‘be nice”.  (It reminded me of a sign carried by a small boy at a Madison, WI anti-war rally at the outbreak of the [...]

Remaining an Image-Maker, Not an Image-Taker

Posted: April 19th, 2011

[by Kristyna Archer] At SB3, Colleen Wainwright gave a keynote speech in which she drew a clear line between marketing success and being specific, useful, nice and awesome.  Ironically, I’d already noticed that everyone there was unusually nice and useful.  Her speech rang so true with this community.  It’s refreshing that ASMP understands the importance [...]

My 3 A-Ha Moments

Posted: April 18th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] There were three Ah-Ha moments for me when it came to Strictly Business 3. The first was seeing the light in people’s eyes as they gained insight into an aspect of their business that they have been struggling with, or gained clarity in terms of what they wanted to do next with [...]

1+1=10

Posted: April 15th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] There’s an amazing thing that happens when you gather together a group of really smart, really creative people, expose them to thought-provoking content and provide them with plenty of time to talk amongst themselves: Everyone in the room gets smarter. In conversation after conversation at SB3, I found myself connecting dots with [...]

Cameras are the New Pencil

Posted: April 14th, 2011

[by Renee Rosensteel] It occurred to me as I was having lunch with a PRSA member that we, as media makers, need to prove our relevance to the emerging group of consumers who use cameras as part of their everyday language.  Today, everyone takes pictures to express ideas the way people used to scribble drawings [...]

Hanging with Winners

Posted: April 13th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] On the last day of SB3 in Chicago, I was standing in the back of the ballroom watching 200+ photographers practice their sales and negotiation skills.  I was enjoying the energy and camaraderie that filled the room when I heard Blake Discher mention ‘hanging with winners’.  The concept should be a familiar [...]

#SB3 Inspired Me

Posted: April 12th, 2011

[by Felicia Perretti] As an emerging photographer, I signed up for the ASMP SB3 conference with excitement and nervousness. I didn’t know what I was stepping into but I was certain that the possibilities of networking, learning, and contributing were going to be endless. At SB3, I discovered a non-stop educational “boot camp.”  Everywhere I [...]

The Collective “A-ha”

Posted: April 11th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I’m just back from Chicago where I was a presenter at SB3. It was the last venue stop for this event in a series of conferences.  I wish there were more coming up because each and every one of those conferences in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago charged me up in every [...]

ASMP Elects New Officers

Posted: April 8th, 2011

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has announced that James Cavanaugh, a Buffalo-based architectural and aerial photographer and owner of James Cavanaugh Photography, has been elected as President for 2011-12. Serving as First Vice-President is Gail Mooney of Kelly/Mooney Productions in Brookside, NJ; as Second Vice-President, Shawn Henry of San Diego-based Shawn G. Henry [...]

Business on a Handshake

Posted: April 8th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] A contract is simple.   It’s an offer and an acceptance.   The issue, is proving the agreement if there is ever a dispute.   Get your clients to sign an estimate/confirmation form.   Make it part of your workflow.   You truly never know when you’ll need it, but when you do, you’ll be glad you [...]

The Benefits of a Red Sharpie

Posted: April 7th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] When reviewing your business plan try not to over estimate one important factor: the number of days a year you are paid to shoot.  On my office calendar I circle each paid shooting day with a red Sharpie.  At the end of the year I can easily flip through the calendar and count [...]

First Impressions

Posted: April 6th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] Why does Walmart have greeters at the door?   They want the first impression you get to be that you are welcome here.  What is the first impression you give your clients?  “Welcome?”  “Go away?”  “I’m a professional?”  Ask someone you trust to be honest.   You may be surprised. Todd Joyce is a [...]

Cover Yourself From All Angles

Posted: April 5th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] If you have a multiple page contract, make sure you place a spot for the client’s initials at the bottom of each page.  This way you have a response to the excuse, “I didn’t see that part”.  I have found that this practice is particularly useful on the terms and conditions page. [...]

Just Five a Day

Posted: April 4th, 2011

[by Jim Cavanaugh] If you set aside a half-hour aside every business day to call just five new client contacts, at the end of the year you will have made contact with over 1,250 new potential clients. Jim Cavanaugh is an architectural and aerial photographer based in Buffalo, NY. He is President of ASMP.

It’s Not About Time

Posted: April 1st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] I’ve struggled with managing time my whole life.  I used to wish for 27 hour days but then I realized that I’d still schedule more than I could possibly complete no matter how much time I had.  My problem isn’t really about time.  It’s about being a perfectionist with unrealistic expectations. Nearly [...]

Plan the Work, Work the Plan

Posted: March 31st, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] David, a very driven and successful director of marketing for a fortune 500 company, smiled sheepishly as he answered my question on where he went to school.   “Harvard, School of Business,” he said.   “Wow, that explains a lot,” I responded.   “Not really,” he said, “I learned some of the most important lessons [...]

Swallow Your Frog First

Posted: March 30th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] Although time management is a concern for everyone these days, it seems to be a particular challenge for people in the creative fields. One of the biggest obstacles to effective use of our time is getting the things we all dread having to do out of the way so that we can [...]

Make Your List and Check it Often

Posted: March 29th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] For me, time management boils down to organization, and organization means a lot of lists.  I keep a large notepad in the center of my office desk.  On this notepad is a TO DO LONG TERM list.  This includes things like “Update Web Portfolios”, “Prepare Summer Mailers”…things that are less urgent than [...]

Time Management

Posted: March 28th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] Wikipedia defines time management as “exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity.” Ha.  If only it was that simple. I put the question of time management to my daughter.  She added “ and not procrastinating”.  I am not sure but I [...]

Free Program on Google Book Settlement Offered by Copyright Clearance Center

Posted: March 25th, 2011

On Wednesday, March 30th at 12:00 PM EST, the Copyright Clearance Center is offering a complimentary hour long online seminar, “Unraveling the Rejection – The Google Book Settlement” Click here to register. From CCC site: On March 22, Judge Chin issued his long awaited opinion in the Google Book Search settlement proceedings, rejecting the Amended [...]

Who is My Competition?

Posted: March 25th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] I am my only competition. That is a fact. I consider working as a photographer to be similar to being an athlete, say a sprinter, in the Olympics.  Some would call that sprinter a competitive athlete. To back up this claim some might argue that the sprinter was in a competition and [...]

Last Chance for Strictly Business 3 – Chicago April 1-3

Posted: March 24th, 2011

Register today for the last stop of ASMP’s acclaimed Strictly Business conference! SB3 is making a mark on it’s attendees! Look what people are saying: “I have attended dozens of conferences over a two decade career in media and without a doubt this is the most valuable event of all.” – Victor Currie “As good [...]

SB3 Chicago – Roundtable Participants Selected

Posted: March 23rd, 2011

From a competitive field of applicants, four photographers have been selected to participate in the Chicago SB3 Roundtable Discussion on new business models. Jenna Close Clark Dever Jason Gardner David Spielman These photographers will openly share and receive feedback on their business models and future prospects.  Our thanks to all who applied. We hope you’ll [...]

Amateur Photography & Home Improvement

Posted: March 23rd, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Last week my wife and I began renovating our master bedroom. We hired a professional flooring expert to install the floors and a finish carpenter to complete the baseboards. We prepped the room for the flooring and painted the walls and trim. Hiring professionals to do the important detail work like the [...]

Learning From The Competition

Posted: March 22nd, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Traditional business planning experts stress the importance of conducting a  “competitive analysis” and it certainly offers some value.  Understanding the strengths, weaknesses and market position of the people you’re competing against can help you differentiate your business, anticipate client concerns or objections and position yourself more effectively.  But, it won’t necessarily help [...]

Reduce your Competition Through Loyalty

Posted: March 21st, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] There are usually a couple of reasons why a client initiates working with a photographer for the first time. It’s often our style of shooting, our approach, or our expertise that distinguishes us from our competitors in the mind of a client. But it’s usually a different set of values that builds [...]

What’s new in social media?

Posted: March 18th, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] What with all the noise on the Web, it can be tough to keep current with updates to social media platforms. Here are a few worthy of noting: Linkedin has updated its company search.  Now you can search companies based on criteria such as location, how close companies are to your network, [...]

Let Them Know Your Status

Posted: March 17th, 2011

by Jenna Close I honestly can’t remember why I joined Facebook.  I suspect it was because everyone else was doing it.  For someone who still doesn’t have a TV, iPhone or a GPS,  it was a big step. That was a while back and since then I have found the social media site to be [...]

LinkedIn – A Powerful Client Research Tool

Posted: March 16th, 2011

[by Jim Cavanaugh] LinkedIn has become my most important tool for identifying new clients. While not as popular or user friendly as facebook, LinkedIn has a different culture and is much more about business. Every time I have a new person “link in” with me in LinkedIn, I will add their e-mail address to my [...]

The Business of Facebook

Posted: March 15th, 2011

[by Jim Cavanaugh] Facebook has grown to be one of my most important business resources.  Once you move beyond Farmville, horoscopes and what your long lost high school friend had for lunch, there can be a wealth of information and the ability to reach out to and build relationships with current and prospective clients. If [...]

Can You Spin the Social Media Plate?

Posted: March 14th, 2011

by Carolyn Potts What social media marketing has in common with plate spinning. If you’re wondering if you should add social media to your marketing mix, there’s a simple test. How many plates are you successfully spinning right now? Think of each of your marketing initiatives as a plate…. a plate you have to keep [...]

Selling Your Price

Posted: March 11th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] As photographers we are confident skilled visual communicators. When it comes to pricing our work we may lack, in equal measure, the skill necessary to articulate our pricing structure in a clear and concise manner. Talking about price can be uncomfortable for us. However, when we are confident in how we determine [...]

ASMP’s Jim Cavanaugh Speaks on Copyright Registration Improvements

Posted: March 10th, 2011

James Cavanaugh, First Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), spoke recently about the importance of copyright registration for photographers and the obstacles faced with the current registration system. He also recommended system improvements at the Public Knowledge event, “Toward a Copyright Office for the 21st Century,” [...]

The Power of Paperwork

Posted: March 10th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] Anyone will tell you that you’ve got to have your paperwork buttoned down tight.  ASMP even provides handy templates for estimates, assignment confirmations, delivery memos, change orders and invoices at www.ASMP.org/forms and you’ll find a comprehensive set of ASMP recommended terms & conditions you can modify to fit your needs at www.ASMP.org/t&c.  [...]

Last Stop for Strictly Business 3 in Chicago April 1-3

Posted: March 9th, 2011

There is still time to register and make your travel plans to Chicago! NOTICE: The Chicago hotel has extended our discounted room rate until March 14. This conference is making a mark on it’s attendees. Do not miss the chance to join the SB3 community. Thanks to Ed McDonald and his social media team, Luke [...]

Creating A Downward Spiral

Posted: March 8th, 2011

[By Steve Whittaker] Recently, I visited several web sites of photographers who are fairly new to the field of Architectural Photography. Several were members of the ASMP Architectural list serve and I noticed that they had listed their fee structures on their web sites. In several cases, their fees reflected values that were available to [...]

Avoid Confusion – Talk About Usage

Posted: March 7th, 2011

[by Shawn Henry] The major point of confusion between clients and photographers with many photo assignments, both editorial and commercial, is the scope of the usage allowed by the photographer and those expected by the client.  This confusion often results because the photographer fails to address the usage issue up front, instead relying on “boilerplate” [...]

Backing Up WordPress

Posted: March 4th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] If you’re running a WordPress blog or website, be sure to back it up properly. Sure, your host should be running their own back ups but that can’t protect you from corruption or human error plus if something happens, you’ll want to get your site up and running without relying on your [...]

Making Scans with a Digital Camera

Posted: March 3rd, 2011

[by Peter Krogh] Many photographers have a lot of film images that they wish to digitize, but conventional scanning techniques may be too expensive.  You can use your digital camera to make “camera scans” that are amazingly good, and very quick to produce. A basic camera scanning setup includes the camera, a close-up lens, a [...]

Target Drives

Posted: March 2nd, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] You can transfer the files on your Mac to another computer quickly by using your laptop as an external hard drive.  Start the computer while holding down the “T” key.   Link via firewire and it will be recognized as an external hard drive.   Drag the info off to your other computer and [...]

More Horsepower!

Posted: March 1st, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] If you’re looking to add video production to your client services, be sure to budget appropriately for upgrading your computer hardware to a desktop machine with a fast processor and lots of RAM. If you’re working with Adobe Production Premium CS5, you may wish to upgrade your video card as well. A [...]

DSLR Video Quick Tip

Posted: February 28th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] When shooting video in the field with a DSLR camera here’s a tip that will help manage your footage.  Create a disk image (DMG file) of your card and back it up to several places.  It will keep all files in the DCIM folders which is essential when using the Final Cut [...]

Admit a Mistake and Move On

Posted: February 25th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] We all make mistakes. That’s a given. But how we respond when we make a mistake is not. In our response – or lack of one – lies a key to our potential success in relationships, both personal and business. Once we recognize a mistake has been made, our first response should [...]

Precedents & Policies

Posted: February 24th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] One of the best pieces of business advice I ever got came from our dog trainer, Ruth Chase of the Coventry School for Dogs and Their People.  Dogs, she explained, spend all their time trying to figure you out.  They pay attention to the most subtle signals – signals you may not [...]

Cascading Errors

Posted: February 23rd, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] Years of technical rock climbing and mountain rescue taught me that when things go wrong, it is often the cumulative effect of a series of small errors, rather than one big mistake. Further, the longer your objective takes to complete, the greater the opportunity for smaller errors to compound into large ones. [...]

Mistakes are Lessons in Disguise

Posted: February 22nd, 2011

[by Ellen Boughn] “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying”-Wynton Marsalis I had been in business nearly two years when I made a terrible mistake. I don’t remember the nature of the disaster but the lesson I learned remains some 30 some years later. After a couple of days of hand ringing and self-recrimination, [...]

Strictly Business 3 – this Week in Philadelphia

Posted: February 21st, 2011

There is still time to sign up for SB3 in Philadelphia. Go HERE to register. This is the only East coast stop for this conference. Don’t miss the event everyone is talking about … “It will be your wake up call on how to be a professional photographer whether its new to you, you’re in [...]

Take a Break, Take 30

Posted: February 18th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] Take 30 minutes a day to shoot something close to your heart. 30 short minutes, they add up.  30 (min) x 30 (days) x 30 (months).  Pretty soon you will find your photography light-years ahead. Kevin Lock is a national board member of the ASMP.  When Kevin is not taking 30, he [...]

Quick Tip – Edit With a Story in Mind

Posted: February 17th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] If there is one big bit of advice I would give people in regards to video editing, it would be to always keep the “story” in mind.  Make sure every cut you make drives the story.  Every clip that stays and goes is to further the story line. Think of the highs [...]

The Fridge Account: A Personal Budget Perspective

Posted: February 16th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Take your yearly discretionary budget (for this exercise, what you would spend on non-reimbursable food, gas, entertainment etc. Personal stuff). Divide by 365 to give you a daily allowance. Post that number on your fridge.  It’s your Fridge Account. At the end of the day, if you have anything left from your allowance, [...]

Do You Overuse Email?

Posted: February 15th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] Overly frequent e-mail promotions and updates can have an effect opposite of what you have intended. It may only be e-mail, but if you are not sending a new project, or have another relevant update, stick to a once every two, three or four month mailing. You don’t want a simple e-mail [...]

Preventing Misunderstandings

Posted: February 14th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] Make it a regular practice to rephrase your client’s needs in your own words and repeat it back to them.   It’s amazing how often you’ll get a clarification from them on things that may be misunderstood. Todd Joyce is a recent Past President of ASMP and specializes in conceptual people photography for [...]

Will Your Likability Help You Succeed?

Posted: February 11th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] At the start of a new year, many photographers focus on building their revenue by focusing on finding new clients for their services. Those prospective clients, like all of us, solve their daily challenges by selecting people and services that add the most value to their lives. Most photographers define “providing value” [...]

New Clients: Get Creative and Go For Quality

Posted: February 10th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] My client base can be loosely put into two categories: those that help pay the bills and those that push my boundaries, bolster my brand AND help pay the bills.  I think this is an important distinction when considering how to find new clients.  What do you REALLY want to shoot?  Once [...]

Searching for Synergies

Posted: February 9th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] As I was finishing breakfast at a diner in Miami yesterday morning, a stunning visual caught my eye.  The flat screen TV across the room was showing a commercial I’d never seen before and it looked like my studio’s still work come to life in motion. “Oh my God” I said to [...]

The Quickest Way to Find New Clients

Posted: February 8th, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] The best place to find new clients is through old clients. Pick up the phone and say hello.  You have clients out there ripe with new opportunities. If you don’t know that, it’s because you haven’t followed up in a while. Never assume anything. Maybe your client was a one-time assignment, maybe [...]

Want to Find New Clients? Follow Me

Posted: February 7th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] Start with A, ASMP that is.  Your first step in getting more work is working on your Find A Photographer listing (FAP).  FAP… get it up, add to it, keep it updated, and buy more portfolios. (They are cheap.)  That is what I did and it has bumped me up in the [...]

ASMP’s Mopsik Speaks Out On Collective Licensing

Posted: February 4th, 2011

For your information, this ASMP press release was sent out to the media today. Eugene Mopsik, Executive Director of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) delivered an important paper on Photographers & Collective Licensing as a speaker at the Kernochan Center at Columbia Law School Symposium “Collective Management of Copyright: Solution or Sacrifice?” on [...]

Thinking of Blogging?

Posted: February 4th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I’m looking out at the harbor and the mountains in Santa Barbara, California. It’s still pitch black even though it’s 6 AM and I can see millions of stars in the clear dark sky.  My body is still on East Coast time, so I’m up early and there are a thousand memories [...]

Philadelphia SB3 New Business Roundtable Applicants Selected

Posted: February 3rd, 2011

From a competitive field of applicants, four photographers were selected to participate in the Philadelphia SB3 Roundtable Discussion on new business models. Kevin Brusie Deborah Gilbert Charles Gupton Jenny Ruley If you are interested in participating in the Chicago SB3 Roundtable, there is still time to apply. Go here. The committee is looking for photographers [...]

Don’t Embarrass Youself

Posted: February 3rd, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] Writing for business, like so many things in life, is subject to an important rule: don’t embarrass yourself. Business writing should be somewhat conversational, but not like chatting to strangers after a drink or two (see title above). Good writing means putting your thoughts into a clean and clear communication – the [...]

Are Headlines Important?

Posted: February 2nd, 2011

[by Rosh Sillars] Great headlines draw people in to read your blog posts.  Are your headlines interesting? Statement headlines such as “My new business portrait” are not attention grabbers.  More enticing headlines include: “How to create great portraits”, “What do you think of this portrait?”, or “Six ways to photograph business people”. If you really [...]

Quality Over Quantity

Posted: February 1st, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] This past fall, I started a blog.  I was full of good intentions and ideas for all kinds of posts on strategic planning, reinvention, managing change, job satisfaction, risk taking, business practices, collaborations – you know, the stuff I’ve been giving seminars on for umpteen years. It all went swimmingly for the [...]

Blog Baby Blog

Posted: January 31st, 2011

[by Jenna Close] I have had a blog for the past 3 years.  Ok, so it’s a photoblog, but its purpose is similar.  Every week I post a new photo with a few short sentences below it.  If I don’t have anything to share from a job, I shoot a personal piece and post that. [...]

You Have to Ask

Posted: January 28th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] Closing the deal.   Are you good at it?   As artists, we like to show our work and assume the prospective client understands that we want to be hired.   It’s obvious, but you’re not closing the deal.  No good salesman just lets it hang out there like that.   Ask for it.   “Do I [...]

Get Out and About

Posted: January 27th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] Socializing with photographers, videographers, graphic designers and other artistic types is a great way to feed your creative side.  If you’re in a slump (or even if you’re not), go out and find a Meetup group or other gathering of media types and hang out.  If you can’t find what you’re looking [...]

Using SKYPE – Read This

Posted: January 26th, 2011

[by Ellen Boughn] For effective teleconferences, SKYPE and other video conferences, the New York Times offers some tips if your business requires that you show up electronically.  In an article, “Staying Professional in Virtual Meetings” (“Jobs” section 9/26/2010 issue) they offer the following reminders: •    Use the mute button if you decide to chomp on [...]

SB3 in LA a Success

Posted: January 25th, 2011

Here is what folks are saying … Jim Goldstein shares 11 Reasons ASMP Strictly Business 3 Should be in Your Future. Gail Mooney shares, “Come and join others who embrace the positive notion of growth, hope and change.” “I have attended dozens of conferences over a two decade career in media and without a doubt [...]

Support Your Local Suppliers

Posted: January 25th, 2011

[by Todd Joyce] If you live in a smaller market, you may have already lost your local supplier…  Local suppliers are worth a lot.   Ask anyone who has already lost theirs.  They give us special attention when we need it and offer opportunities to buy things quickly that they keep in stock.   There is real [...]

Quick Tip for Assistants

Posted: January 24th, 2011

[by Thomas Werner] If you are looking for assisting work an introductory e-mail, or snail mail, with your resume and other qualifications is nice to receive. Sending a reminder e-mail every three or four months is nice as well. Monthly or more frequent e-mails maybe keep you from working with some photographers and they can [...]

Maintaining, Motion and Marketing

Posted: January 21st, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] Both videographers and photographers are now actively pitching their clients on their new DSLR-HD capabilities. They’re sending out marketing messages inviting their clients to see them as a “one-stop shopping” solution when it comes to digital content. But how do you take on a video project when you’re not an experienced video [...]

Genericide

Posted: January 20th, 2011

[by Judy Herrmann] The word Genericide has been used by the legal community to refer to a brand that’s become synonymous with its product or function. Think Kleenex™, Bandaid™ or Xerox™. Today, I’m proposing a new definition: companies that kill themselves by using or producing generic visual communications. I’ve been speaking about this concept for [...]

Biggest Mistakes Made Shooting Video with DLSR’s

Posted: January 19th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] I’ve been working quite a bit lately with both the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 7D, shooting video. I’ve been shooting video with traditional video cameras for the last 11 years so I wasn’t in the dark as to how to shoot motion. But I’m not ashamed to say that [...]

Strictly Business is Here

Posted: January 18th, 2011

The Strictly Business 3 conferences launch this week in LA. SB3 includes General Sessions, Workshops and Networking Opportunities. General Sessions Include: “The Future of Licensing” with Susan Carr and Richard Kelly “Making People Love You Madly: Selling Yourself in a Postmodern Marketplace” with Marketing and Branding expert Colleen Wainwright “Adaptation: Learning New Skills for the [...]

Thinking Video? Make a plan

Posted: January 17th, 2011

[by Jay Kinghorn] If you’re thinking about adding video to the services you offer clients, be sure to give the subject some deep thought before jumping in with both feet. Here are three concepts you may want to think through before you start marketing your video services. How are you different? There are thousands of talented [...]

Planning for a Warm Business Season

Posted: January 14th, 2011

[by Charles Gupton] One of the activities I enjoy most during the winter months is building a fire in the fireplace then relaxing on the couch with a good book to watch the flames. I find it far more enjoyable, however, when the work to build and maintain the fire has been done in advance. [...]

Using PR and Personal Projects in Your Marketing

Posted: January 13th, 2011

[by Gail Mooney] These days you can add to your marketing efforts without breaking the bank by taking advantage of social media and electronic delivery to do a little PR for your photography business.  Think about jobs you recently shot, that you are pleased with or personal projects that you are doing and talk about [...]

You Get What You Pay For

Posted: January 12th, 2011

[by Susan Carr] You know, the cheapest airfare has the least amount of legroom, fast food vs. gourmet, your car, the hotel you stay in, the contractor you hire or the clothes you buy. The list of examples is endless and while this economy has turned many pricing assumptions upside down, the rule generally holds [...]

Can’t Get You Out of My Mind

Posted: January 11th, 2011

[by Carolyn Potts] If there’s a jingle for a carpet cleaner or a chewing gum locked in your brain, you already know the power of consistency when it comes to brand recall. Consistently delivering branded and relevant messages to a target audience is the cornerstone of marketing success. It’s that simple. Since different audiences often [...]

Freshen Up

Posted: January 10th, 2011

[by Jenna Close] The first few months of the new year are a great time to take a hard look at how you are representing yourself.  Go through the images on your website and in your book and make some tough choices about what should be there.  Ask a few people you respect to make [...]

LA SB3 Roundtable Participants Selected

Posted: January 8th, 2011

From a competitive field of applicants, four photographers were selected to participate in the LA SB3 Roundtable Discussion on new business models. Michael Clinard Jim Goldstein Ed McDonald Rick Navarro If you are interested in participating in the Philadelphia or Chicago SB3 Roundtables, there is still time to apply. Go here. The committee is looking [...]

Procrastination: Why Wait Until The New Year

Posted: January 7th, 2011

[by Barry Schwartz] I start planning my New Year’s Resolutions early, say, around July.  I do this because one of my primary goals is to get a jump on reducing my tendencies to procrastinate in the new year.  As a procrastinator, I find it’s helpful to have some quantity of ADD, something I once heard [...]

My Two-Years’ Resolutions….

Posted: January 6th, 2011

[by Shannon Fagan] On Dec 31, 2008, we entered the “tip of the iceberg” in what we all can agree was a two-year introduction to a new and permanently changed economy for professional aspirations in commercial photography.  Taking a twist on “Auld Lang Syne”, I enjoyed looking look back at how the steps I took [...]

Change Everything

Posted: January 5th, 2011

[by Kevin Lock] I have to be honest with you.  I text myself.  Might sound dirty but it feels good.  Might not be appropriate for all audiences, but it works for me.  I have been texting myself the phrase “change everything” for months now.  And it is working. I came up with this simple idea, “change everything,” on a cross [...]

A Resolution for Your Business – Plan Now to Attend SB3!

Posted: January 4th, 2011

SB3 brings together an extraordinary level of industry expertise offering an unprecedented variety of content. Consider this: SB3 keynote with branding expert Colleen Wainwright “Making People Love You Madly: Selling Yourself in a Postmodern Marketplace” SB3 keynote with Tom Kennedy “Adaptation: Learning New Skills for the Changing Media Landscape” SB3 ‘s 21 workshop topics include: [...]

Stepping Up

Posted: January 3rd, 2011

In my last post, I challenged us all to figure out what our assumptions are.  As one of my first acts of 2011, I’m going to share some of the assumptions on my list. Some assumptions I’m questioning: I am a photographer – Why? – What does that really mean? – What else am I? [...]

Thank You!

Posted: December 24th, 2010

[by Susan Carr] As the year draws to a close, we want to thank you for your loyal following of the ASMP Strictly Business Blog. Without you, our work would be meaningless. Start your business year off right by joining us at one of our Strictly Business 3 conferences. 21 mini workshops will be offered  [...]

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Posted: December 23rd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] I suddenly realized this morning that it’s not just the year that’s winding to a close but the first decade of the 21st century. When I look back at where we’ve been, my God, so much has changed. In 2000, I started working with Olympus when they introduced the first 35mm style [...]

Expanding Your Thinking

Posted: December 22nd, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] The reasons to do it are obvious. The best way expand your thinking is to just do something. I suggest going to Paris. Not that you’ll think more there. You might even think less, but your thoughts will all be new, fresh. With the micro-gravities (shopping, picking up the cleaning, all that [...]

The Power of the Collective

Posted: December 21st, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] I’ve had an incredible year.  Economically speaking, it’s been sub par and dismal, but I’m grateful that I’m still afloat and hopeful that things will improve. I don’t think my business will ever go back to the way it was pre-recession, but it has changed for the better in many other ways. [...]

Revive, Revisit and Rock On

Posted: December 20th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] The end of the year always comes around more quickly than expected.  I hear holiday music and think to myself, “WAIT!  There are so many things I had planned.  So many things I didn’t get to”.  Whether or not you share this feeling, November and December are great months to sit down, [...]

Breaking Through The Digital Clutter

Posted: December 17th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] E-mail is a beautiful thing, it is quick, free, lists are easily updated, and you can automate your promotion process so that mailings go out on a regular basis. The downside of email is “delete”. No one ever has to open your note or look at your imagery before is has been [...]

Getting Personal

Posted: December 16th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] This past January, the Wall Street Journal Online published an article titled “Firms Hold Onto Snail Mail Marketing” about companies whose sales went down when they switched to purely electronic communications. When I read the article, I was struck immediately by the following observation: The idea is to send something that’s more [...]

Staying Grounded

Posted: December 14th, 2010

[by Shannon Fagan] I usually wouldn’t highlight one service provider versus another in a publicly disseminated blog post, but a recent request to write about tactics for using “snail mail” in a digital era perked my interest in a topic that could easily be adapted to “tips and tricks of the trade.”  My snail mail [...]

Does Anyone Still Use Snail Mail?

Posted: December 13th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] Getting an email thank you is nice, but when I get a hand written thank you via snail mail (SM), it simply means more.   I certainly give it more weight, because fewer people give the added effort, so it stands out as special.  I suggest sending a thank you to clients when [...]

Video Quick Tip

Posted: December 10th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] When working with video internationally be aware of the changing standards from country to country. We work with NTSC in America, other countries work in PAL and other standards. Look into the methods, costs, and quality of transferring video from one version to another before working abroad. Thomas Werner; Educator, Lecturer, Curator. [...]

The Cheapest Tool

Posted: December 9th, 2010

[by Selina Maitreya] The best business tool might be the cheapest one as well. Breath.. When you are stressed breathe. When you need to relax, stop and take a slow, deep breath… When you are about to quote a job take a moment inhale slowly, and then get to work. As you are about to [...]

Just Do It

Posted: December 8th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] Copyright your images BEFORE they get stolen.  Don’t think it will happen?  Think again.  It happened to me last week.  While roaming the aisles of a trade show I came across my image displayed beautifully on a 6 foot wide backdrop….only problem was the image hadn’t been licensed to the business using [...]

Marketing Quick Tip

Posted: December 7th, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] Does your website tell clients who you are or only what you do? At the bare minimum include a short bio and a headshot.  Better yet? A short video (no more than 1.5 or 2 minutes) showing you at work.  Why? Because even before calling in a book or considering someone’s work, [...]

Be Specific

Posted: December 7th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] When you are setting up a shot and you show a client an image, ask them specifically what you need to know to continue?   Composition, lighting, angle, wardrobe, etc.   If you work like I do, I tackle certain things as I go.   Don’t let the client get caught up on something that [...]

Entering the Age of Collaboration

Posted: December 6th, 2010

[by Jorge Parra] As photographers have been working as One Man Shows since the very early beginnings of photography, “Team Work” is not a native concept to us, but it certainly has to be explored, in this time and age where all business models are crumbling, and new markets and new ways of making money [...]

Career planning: The long and Winding Road

Posted: December 3rd, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. ~Lewis Carroll Yes, it’s good to have a focused and well-thought-out career plan. It’s far better than not knowing where you want to go. However, a career plan to “become rich and famous” isn’t quite specific enough But even [...]

See the Ball

Posted: December 2nd, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] “See the ball, hit the ball” is a saying in baseball that over simplifies the concept, but it’s true.  If you aren’t seeing what you want to hit, you’ll never connect.  You’ll swing blindly, just hoping to hit something… anything.   Career planning is seeing the end result so that you can make [...]

Focus on the Things that Do Not Change

Posted: December 1st, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] It’s a real challenge trying to plan your career during a time of economic uncertainty and rapid technological change. To plan most effectively, begin with those elements that change the least—your creative goals, financial aspirations and current costs of doing business. Use these as a baseline for evaluating each new opportunity. Only [...]

We All Get Lost Without a Map (and every once in awhile that is a good thing)

Posted: November 30th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] Setting out towards the career you want is like planning a long trip.  It requires a balance of forethought and flexibility.  Just as with any adventure, stumbling blindly into unfamiliar territory without a map or a clue is not likely to result in wild success.  Consider your photographic path and ask yourself [...]

“If you don’t know where you’re going…you might not get there.” – Yogi Berra

Posted: November 29th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] In 1989, at age 24, I started a photography studio with my partner, Mike Starke. We began by building a portfolio filled with images that looked “commercial.” These generic, safe images demonstrated our technical skills in lighting and using a view camera but left nothing to differentiate our studio but location and [...]

Making the Best of Event Photography

Posted: November 24th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] I will fully admit that events are far from my favorite type of thing to shoot.  It seems that the lighting is always difficult, the days are always long and the settings less than majestic.  That said, there are benefits to event photography that can be used to your advantage.  Often it [...]

Per Image Pricing for Events

Posted: November 23rd, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] I’m a big fan of per-image pricing. I use it most for events in the retail environment.  This is especially true for the rare one or two corporate client weddings I photograph each year. I’ve discovered that people’s budgets are often bigger than what they reveal to me or even what they [...]

Thoughts on Event Photography

Posted: November 22nd, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] Are you thinking that Event Photography is a dead end street?  I say you are looking in the rear view mirror. At first glance, it might appear that event photography is just a way to make money, a way to survive in tough economic times.  Of course there is money involved and [...]

Never Let ‘Em See You Sweat

Posted: November 19th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] I have an expression I tell anyone who assists for me, “Never let ‘em see you sweat.” in other words, regardless of what happens on a shoot, let’s keep it entirely professional in the eyes of the client. I recall a young assistant working with me on an annual report shoot in [...]

Don’t Stop Creating

Posted: November 18th, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] Assisting is a step toward being a photographer, a way of learning how things are done, how they work. That’s all very important, but you really need to keep your creative work going. That’s what will really make  you a photographer. That’s where you learn what no one can teach you. That’s [...]

Assist to Learn the Intangibles

Posted: November 17th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] Congratulations, you’ve just graduated from a prestigious photo school with a spectacular portfolio and you’re ready to change the world. As you start your career as a professional, I strongly encourage you to assist another photographer to learn the ropes of running a profitable photography business. While assisting, watch and listen to [...]

Sweat the Small Stuff

Posted: November 16th, 2010

[by Judy Hermann] A couple of years ago, I surveyed a bunch of photographers to find out what Assistants do that drives them crazy.  If you’re building a business as an Assistant, following these tips will help you win ongoing client loyalty and great referrals. Be on time.  If you’re not going to be on [...]

Recommendations for Assistants

Posted: November 15th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] Help things go smoothly and look at the big picture.  Oh, and make me look good. As a photographer who hires assistants, I’m looking for someone to help me, not hinder me.  You’re part of the image my client sees as me.   You represent me and I’m looking for someone who sees [...]

Travel Homework Assignment

Posted: November 12th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] When traveling abroad, I suggest that you do your homework.  Don’t assume the airline or anyone else will do it for you.  I recently spent a month traveling via Jet Blue’s “All You Can Jet” promotion.  I was on the road photographing places that I had never been.  I visited 4 countries [...]

Plan Now to attend Strictly Business 3

Posted: November 11th, 2010

The American Society of Media Photographers invites you to the Strictly Business 3 Conferences, the newest generation of this highly acclaimed series. FULL CONFERENCE DETAILS SB3 offers you a selection of topics to enhance your professionalism and build your business. From copyright registration to social media marketing, negotiating and sales, licensing and pricing, the business [...]

Working with a Whiner

Posted: November 10th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] “If you want to hear a photographer complain, just give him a job.”  That was a running joke among Art Directors for quite some time.   In this economy, I hear it less because photographers are a lot more grateful to have work.   Watch what you complain about and how you communicate with [...]

Here’s a Cheap Trick to Sustain your Marketing Motivation: Fill ‘er up!

Posted: November 9th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Place a clear jar on your desk. Put it right next your phone and computer so that it’s in plain sight. Each time you make a marketing phone call, add a name to your mailing list, assemble an email promo or post card, or make a portfolio presentation, drop a quarter into [...]

Office Security

Posted: November 8th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Our studios and home offices are very vulnerable to burglary. We have a lot of investment in our equipment and must protect it. Be sure you’re insured. Also, think of ways to protect your property such as a security system and locking everything up. If you have a home office you may [...]

Are People Really Still Making Calls?

Posted: November 5th, 2010

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa-Stone] A mutual client of ours recently worked on her brand, portfolio and marketing strategy (with Suzanne).  Then she came to Agency Access to work on implementing her marketing through Campaign Manager (with Amanda – a year long plan to make sure marketing is being done).  After getting her beautiful [...]

‘Stop telephonin’ Me

Posted: November 4th, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] Lady Gaga has it right when it comes to the interrupting phone call: ‘Stop telephonin’, me. Stop telephonin’, me. (I’m busy). (I’m busy)’, she sings. When you pick up the phone to call a client, it had better be about something they want to hear.  And cold calls? If the reception on [...]

Getting and Using Referrals

Posted: November 3rd, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] “Nice day we’re having”  “How about those cubs”  yeah, it’s hard to start the conversation, but I still make calls to new ADs etc to get to know them.   I like to mention a person who referred me to get things started.   “Hi (AD), (Other person at agency) mentioned I should call [...]

Just Pick Up the Phone!

Posted: November 2nd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] I love e-mail – it’s efficient, it’s fast, it’s effective.  It’s great for just about everything, except when it’s not. Dealing with a conflict?  Pick up the phone. Chances are that e-mail’s going to make a bad situation worse.  People can’t hear tone and most people (myself included) are scanning through a [...]

Cold-calling Doesn’t Have to Leave You Cold

Posted: November 1st, 2010

[by Barry Schwartz] You’re starting out.  That means you probably have more time than money, and fewer clients than you’d like.  (This can happen to established pros, as well, but that’s another post…). What to do to pass the time?  Got internet? Got phone?  Got voice? Like a good photo shoot, do some prep.  Once [...]

But, I Don’t Know How to Price It

Posted: October 29th, 2010

[by Shannon Fagan] Over the years, I’ve developed a collective resource for image license pricing advice.  Here’s a list of some of my favorites, from the theoretical to the pragmatic.  Take them as a seed start for investigations on pricing, and also with a grain of salt.  When pricing complicated assignments and licenses, I often [...]

On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

Posted: October 28th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Let me make one thing clear – I am a big advocate of pricing by the shot or project.  With one or two exceptions (event photography comes to mind), charging by the hour just punishes you for gaining skills and investing in better equipment. It also encourages the client to try to [...]

Attention Members Coming to PPE this Week

Posted: October 27th, 2010

Help ASMP – New Promotion for FAP and Membership Stop by “The ASMP Studio” in Room #2D01 of the Javits Center to take part in a new ASMP promotion. Friday, Oct. 29th 10 AM to 4 PM A special thank you to Shawn Henry and Tom Kelly for donating their photography and audio services for [...]

Staying True to Your Creative Fee

Posted: October 25th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] As a general rule, I don’t lower my creative fee when negotiating pricing with a client.  Since (as the name implies) this is the price I put on my own creativity, I want to retain the initial value I have placed on it.  My feeling here is that negotiating pricing is a [...]

Don’t be a One Hit Wonder

Posted: October 22nd, 2010

[by Blake Discher] By now, it’s very likely that every client you shoot for  knows about Flickr and other crowd-sourcing photo sites.  Look at crowd-sourcing photography from a client’s perspective.  Think about why some clients look to Flickr for photography instead of seeking out a photographer.    I suspect one of the reasons they even [...]

The Web is Dead, Long Live the Internet…

Posted: October 21st, 2010

[by Shannon Fagan] A subject line on one of the photography email list-serves that I follow caught my eye this week, “The Web is Dead!  Long Live the Internet!”  Hmmmm.  There was a link and click, click; I was taken Wired Magazine’s site.  There, Chris Anderson and Michael Wolff have prepared a compelling article about [...]

Domino’s Pizza

Posted: October 20th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] Have you seen the Domino’s TV ad asking for photos of delivered pizzas to show how good they look?   Yeah, I hate losing work to a soccer mom with a point and shoot too. The Domino’s campaign is not about getting free photos.  It’s about a perception.  Even if nobody submits [...]

Work and Pleasure are One in the Same

Posted: October 19th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Seth Godin recently wrote in his blog about professionals and amateurs: “If you want something done, perhaps you would ask a professional to do it. Someone who costs a lot but is worth more than they charge. Someone who shows up even when she doesn’t feel like it. Someone who stands behind [...]

Professionals vs. Crowdsourcing – Who’s Who?

Posted: October 18th, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] Last week I was in Los Angeles on a project and took the time to help a friend start a store on a site for handmade goods. Since this was an experiment on a shoestring, she asked if I would take the photos. After all I’ve been in the photography business for [...]

The Joy of Job Jackets

Posted: October 15th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] Start a ‘job jacket’ for each new client you book.  Keep a folder with a copy of your estimates and all revisions, contracts and contact information for people involved in the shoot.  Don’t forget to include email correspondences.  This way, if a dispute arises you will have documentation.  It’s also a good [...]

Excess Baggage and Flying

Posted: October 14th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Baggage charges have really mounted in recent years and media rates have disappeared. On top of the normal bag charge and the limit of two checked bags per flight, charges for anything beyond two pieces is even more costly, running between $70 and $90 per bag – per flight. That means that [...]

How to Get Rock-Hard Marketing Abs

Posted: October 13th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] When your body is out-of-shape, eating a healthy diet, along with properly and consistently lifting weights (at least 3 times a week for several months) will produce visible and palpable results. When your business is feeling flabby and weak, regularly lifting the phone to make positive and targeted calls (at least 3 [...]

Take a Look!

Posted: October 12th, 2010

by Jorge Parra Allow this 100 plus pages, from Creative Lab @ Google, to load both images and videos, and take the time to explore them, to find out how the world and all the rules are changing. This is just heart-stopping and life-changing. Go HERE!

Taking Care of Your Health

Posted: October 11th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Lets face it, life can be hectic and it’s easy to cut corners with our health. Many of us are good at taking care of camera equipment, but what about ourselves? Are we eating healthy? Are we exercising? Be sure to go for a yearly wellness checkup and get on the right [...]

An Editorial Optimist

Posted: October 8th, 2010

[by Shawn Henry] Many photographers question the viability of a career in editorial photography these days. Magazines and newspapers especially have been hard hit not only by the economic decline of the past several years but by the shift in media consumption away from print to the web, as well. Ad pages are down, editorial [...]

Why Even Try?

Posted: October 7th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] While in college I pursued my dream of becoming a documentary photographer and a photojournalist.  I quickly segwayed into editorial photography. At the time there seemed to be an unlimited amount of opportunity. Magazines and assignment work was in abundance. Every day more and more magazines appeared. A lot has changed in [...]

My Terms & Conditions

Posted: October 6th, 2010

[by Shawn Henry] We all hate receiving “those” contracts — the multipage monstrosities, with line after mind-numbing line of legal jargon and syntax seemingly designed to confuse and obfuscate rather than clearly define the simple terms of an agreement. Is it any wonder that clients hate receiving that type of contract as well? And is [...]

Editorial Photography is as Important as Ever

Posted: October 5th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] No matter how the future of journalism shakes out, the need to tell stories with photographs will always be a part of the picture. At some point, the traditional media we have known all our lives will cease to exist. In the future, companies will be their own media outlets, depending more [...]

Thoughts on Editorial Photography

Posted: October 4th, 2010

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa-Stone] The whole question is print dead?  We don’t think so – it may have slowed down, but it’s still alive and kicking (as far as we know).  With O Magazine, Parent Magazine, New York, Real Simple (Amanda’s desk), Esquire, New York, Vanity Fair, Bon Appetit, Time, National Geographic as [...]

What’s Up with Microstock?

Posted: October 1st, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] I became aware of microstock images (derived from ‘micropayment) in the fall of 2006 while being SVP of a rights managed company.  Was this iteration of the stock photography business a threat, an opportunity or both for photographers? I found out by joining one of the top microstock companies, Dreamtime. Since then [...]

Placing Bets Away from the Middle: The Good, The Bad, The Traditional, and The Microstock

Posted: September 30th, 2010

[by Shannon Fagan] Bob Davies of PicNiche recently asked me, “There is a constant (and occasionally furious) debate about photography becoming commoditized by microstock producers and agencies. As a representative of photographers’ interests, do you think microstock or traditional stock offers the best opportunity for the stock photo industry as a whole to move forward, [...]

Taking Stock of Stock Photography

Posted: September 29th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] I wasn’t involved in this industry during the glory days of stock photography, but from what I hear it was a time of plenty.  Plenty of money, plenty of freedom, plenty of fun.  It seems to me that royalty free images, market saturation and perhaps even the digital age have closed that [...]

Stock ROI

Posted: September 28th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Yeah, I know.  These days, it seems like the photo stock market and the other stock market have far more in common than their names.  The return on investment [ROI] in both markets has plummeted and just when you think it hit rock bottom, it manages to fall again. Like any other [...]

What’s Up With Stock Photography?

Posted: September 27th, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] A better question might be, “What’s NOT up with stock photography?”  Answer? Royalties, number of paid productions, royalty free and rights managed revenues and photographer satisfaction. A few points on the graph are on the upswing: number of people submitting photos, number of photos being used, number of photos submitted, growth of [...]

I am a Salesperson

Posted: September 24th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] Repeating my mantra “photographers are salespeople first, image creators second”, I thought I’d share two of my favorite blogs on the topic of sales. The first, written by S. Anthony Iannarino of Columbus, Ohio, offers straightforward suggestions and tips to help you with just about every aspect of the sales process including [...]

Head to a Museum

Posted: September 23rd, 2010

[by Susan Carr] Last weekend I had the privilege of seeing the Henri Cartier Bresson retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago. The Chicago stop closes October 3th, so if you are in the Midwest take note. It is a not to be missed show. The show travels on to the San Francisco Museum of [...]

Think Like Your Customer

Posted: September 22nd, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] There are a lot of resources out there on business that unless it’s about a photography business, we don’t seem to want to pick it up…  I have news for you.  If you’re not treating your business like a business, then you’ll likely be out of business soon.   There’s a great book [...]

Why Continuing Ed Matters: beyond camera gear and PhotoShop tutorials

Posted: September 21st, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Last week was filled with the energy of students returning to classrooms across the country. It was only for a couple of hours, but, I, too, got a taste of the September excitement when I dropped in at Columbia College and attended the Columbia/ASMP Midwest co-hosted event: PDN’s 30 – Strategies for Young [...]

Emotionally Intelligent Marketing

Posted: September 20th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] A last minute gate change at LAX and I’m caught in a crowd stampeding down a long narrow corridor from Gate 1 to Gate 2 (which appear to be about half a mile apart, go figure) when I spy a lone figure in a pinstriped suit swimming against the current.  “If you’re [...]

Need a Creative Jolt?

Posted: September 17th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Stuck for ideas for new portfolio images? Try this cool tool to come at a concept from a different angle. www.visualthesaurus.com Carolyn Potts, international photo consultant & speaker; and former photo rep, shows seasoned & proactive photographers how to get more work. Find her at www.cpotts.com , http://bit.ly/FaceBookPottsConsulting and http://carolynpotts.net

Keeping up with Technology

Posted: September 16th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] When was the last time you attended a seminar or bought a new book? Are your programs such as Photoshop updated? With the fast pace of change we must try to keep up. Learning these new features as they come out will be much easier then waiting till later. Don’t stand still [...]

Hmmmm

Posted: September 15th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] The power of Hmmm.   When I’ve asked a client if they have a budget, when they tell me, I usually just say “hmmmm.”   It’s amazing how many times they’ll then say, “I may be able to get you XX more.”hmmm” has made me more money than any other sound or word. Todd [...]

Check Your Vendors

Posted: September 14th, 2010

[by Ellen Boughn] Staying with the same vendors year over year may not be the best strategy for your business.  You should review all your contracts with vendors as well as comparison-shop for regular supplies at least once a year. Pick a date you won’t forget…perhaps the day you change the clocks or the battery [...]

Your Down Time Can Help You Up

Posted: September 13th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] Got time on your hands?  A few days off between shoots?  Research photographers whose work you admire.  Go see an exhibition of art, photography, sculpture, etc, then ask yourself what it is about the art that moves you.  Go out and shoot some personal work with this in mind.  It doesn’t matter [...]

Would You Sign This?

Posted: September 10th, 2010

[by Richard Kelly] Getting the appropriate model releases from our subjects that appear in photographs for commercial use is what a “professional” does as part of the overall practice of business. The standard  adult release says, “…They have the irrevocable, perpetual and unrestricted right and permission to take, use, re-use, publish, and republish photographic portraits [...]

A Photographer’s Paperwork-Reduction-Act : Digitally Archiving Your Model/Property Releases

Posted: September 9th, 2010

[by Shannon Fagan] Earlier this year, I made a real spring-cleaning.  I mean a down and dirty grass-roots effort to digitally archive just about everything in my life.  And, as a result, I triple-backed-up not just my image archive, but also my file cabinet.  Sketchbooks, business cards, and seminar notes met old tax returns, contracts, [...]

I Don’t Need a Release Because I Would Win in Court

Posted: September 8th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] “I don’t need a release, I would win in court….” I frequently hear this comment while discussing releases during presentations to students and working photographers, who then point to landmark cases that support their claim. There are many reasons that this logic is faulty, here is one case to illustrate the point. [...]

Model Releases – Questions and Answers

Posted: September 7th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] In the five years I’ve been moderating ASMPproAdvice, there have been countless posts on model releases.  Here are some of the most commonly asked questions with summaries of the answers.  You’ll find more great info at www.ASMP.org/releases 1) What’s “valuable consideration” and do I really need to provide it? Vic Perlman, ASMP’s [...]

Going Up?

Posted: September 3rd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] In a bad economy, helping people understand exactly what you do, why they should trust you and how you can help them matters more than ever.  So take a few minutes to hone one of the most important (and cheapest) marketing tools there is: Your Elevator Speech. Laura Allen, co-founder of 15secondpitch.com, [...]

Target Marketing

Posted: September 1st, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] 2500 printed mailers might cost around $1 per contact, depending on postage, printing and your contact list. What if you took that same amount and spent $500 on your very top five prospects?   I bet you’d get results!  The hard part is figuring out your top five.   Marketing isn’t easy and neither [...]

Look Like a Million Bucks

Posted: August 31st, 2010

[by Jenna Close] The first step in creating an effective marketing plan is to make sure that you are putting your best face forward.  Some monetary investment should go into this, but it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.  Before contacting anyone, take the time to prepare a few things: a) [...]

Marketing on a Budget

Posted: August 30th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] If you don’t have money for marketing, the next best thing is investing your time. This is not a bad thing. Most photographers will tell you referrals are one of their best sources of business. Attend free and low-cost local events. Check the local listings for chamber of commerce, advertising club, and [...]

Help ASMP – Protest New 1099 Requirements!

Posted: August 27th, 2010

Dear ASMP Members: One of the provisions of the new healthcare reform legislation will significantly impact the administrative burdens of your business unless the IRS changes it. As of now, starting after next year, if you pay any person or corporation more than $600 in a year for goods or services, you must report that [...]

Backing Up is (Not) Hard to Do

Posted: August 27th, 2010

[by Barry Schwartz] The same old song: it’s not a matter of if there will be a problem; it’s a matter of when. Backing up is not just for data, though. How about this: you talk to a potential client, you agree on what you’re supposed to deliver, what you’re supposed to be paid, and [...]

Small Victories and Big Goals

Posted: August 26th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] This summer, I completed my first XTERRA off-road triathlon. It was exhilarating and downright exhausting. Happily, I crossed the finish line muddy, tired and satisfied with my accomplishment. The key to being able to complete the race was a 12-week, self-paced training program to prepare me physically as well as mentally for [...]

A New Path

Posted: August 25th, 2010

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa-Stone] Starting out in any new business is filled with excitement and the unknown.  Here are some tips we recommend to finding your path. 1.    Know where you want to go in your business (consumer: portraits, weddings, commercial: still life, architecture, fashion, editorial: portraits, etc…) 2.    Make sure you have [...]

You Can’t Rush Experience

Posted: August 24th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] I often get emails and calls about my work from emerging photographers. I’m always open to sharing what I know and feel it helps educate those who may affect the future of our profession. Some of the most asked questions are about the camera or lens I use and if I use [...]

Taking Care of Business

Posted: August 23rd, 2010

[by Jenna Close] If you are just starting out in the business of photography, do yourself a big favor right from the get go.  Find software like Quickbooks or Quicken and keep track of all your expenses and income from Day 1.  Set up a company bank account that is separate from your personal account. [...]

Exploring New Features

Posted: August 20th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Have you ever worked in Photoshop and see a feature you’re unfamiliar with? Look it up and see what it’s about. It may become very important to your work. Don’t have time to look things up? Write it down for when you do. Paul S. Bartholomew is an architectural photographer based in [...]

Extending Battery Life of Mac Laptop

Posted: August 19th, 2010

[by Peter Krogh] If you need to get the maximum run time out of a battery charge on your Mac laptop, you’l want to be aware what is running in the background. If I have a long airplane flight, for instance, it can be annoying to run out of battery while I’m still in the [...]

Rediscover

Posted: August 18th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] Rediscover the joy in what you do. If you aren’t loving making images, just for the sake of making images, you may need at least a vacation or perhaps a change in career. Leslie Burns is a creative/marketing consultant and not a lawyer (yet). She is taking the summer off from law [...]

Stay in Touch?

Posted: August 17th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] When an art buyer, editor, gallerist, says, “Stay in touch”, they are asking you to send them updates on your new projects or work. They are not asking to you to be part of their fab five, or go to lunch on a regular basis. It is a just friendly way of [...]

Quick Tip Week

Posted: August 16th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] Shooting for yourself is one of the best things you can do for your business. Schedule time each month to work on personal projects. Leslie Burns is a creative/marketing consultant and not a lawyer (yet). She is taking the summer off from law school to work on a 2nd ed. of her [...]

Sweet Dreams

Posted: August 13th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] Suddenly you’re wide awake in the middle of the night. The nightmare was horrible, worse that that monster you thought was under your bed when you were six years old. In the dream, you received a call from a potential client, all they said was, “Good morning, we need a photographer for [...]

Find a Photographer

Posted: August 12th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] Membership has it’s privileges and one of the benefits of being and ASMP General Member is being listed in findaphotographer.org. For what I do, I don’t get a lot of calls, but every so often I do get a call that is a result of FAP. Over the years, I’ve gotten about [...]

Telephone Tips

Posted: August 11th, 2010

[by Charles Gupton] With the rise of on-line social media and texting as means of communication, there seems to be a breakdown in the awareness of proper and effective use of telephone skills in the business environment. After witnessing and experiencing a number of breaches, I thought I’d offer some observations that may offer some [...]

Selling What Makes You Different

Posted: August 10th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] My partner Jon and I shoot photos mainly for the alternative energy market.  This is our niche, and we spend a lot of time following the industry and thinking about how we can better serve the people we want to work for.  Often we are asked to price aerial photography, and often [...]

Connect and Reconnect

Posted: August 9th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] Want to boost your sales.  Connect.  Reconnect.  Build a relationship. Connect with your clients.  Really connect. Then reconnect. It is not rocket science. Be yourself. You are much more than your art, your imagery or your next possible job. You have to sell yourself. The sales will follow. If your client likes [...]

Efficient Freedom

Posted: August 6th, 2010

[by Charles Gupton] I once had a strong disdain for franchises as a means of business ownership. It seemed to me to be a sell-out to a system that limited the freedom of an owner too much for my liking. Especially after I watched a photography buddy of mine give up his heart and passion [...]

You Are Not a Photographer

Posted: August 5th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] You are a producer, casting agent, editor, retoucher, creative director, manager, businessperson, curator, creative partner, educator and art director. You are a social media manager, pr person, advertiser, filmmaker, videographer, relationship manager, student, activist, and more….   I can hear people thinking, well, that is what a photographer is….no, these are just [...]

FedEx Days

Posted: August 4th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] In 2005, an Australian software company, Atlassian, began an experiment they called FedEx days Their software developers were given 1-1/2 days to develop something “out of the ordinary” and show it to their colleagues at the end of the session. Atlassian’s goal was to inspire their developers to break their daily routines, [...]

Expand Your Thinking

Posted: August 3rd, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] The reasons to do it are obvious. The best way expand your thinking is to just do something. I suggest going to Paris. Not that you’ll think more there. You might even think less, but your thoughts will all be new, fresh. With the micro-gravities (shopping, picking up the cleaning, all that [...]

Start to CUS

Posted: August 2nd, 2010

[by Charles Gupton] Are you feeling the financial heat build along with the summer heat? Do you need to build some cool business and generate some cold cash? Well, before you get frustrated and start to cuss, why not CUS instead! CUS is an acronym for Courage, Urgency and Shamelessness. Courage does not indicate a [...]

Use Social Media to Reinforce Your Message

Posted: July 30th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] So you have your Facebook account set-up, are adding business connections on LinkedIn, and are Tweeting from time to time. You spend “x” number of hours a week posting and building your base, you have “friended” and “connected” and “follow” your fellow photographers, favorite web sites, blogs and Facebook pages, personal gurus, [...]

Non-marketing Uses of Social Media

Posted: July 29th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] Most of us are now using Twitter and Facebook as marketing tools with varying degrees of dedication and success.  Did you know you can use social media to keep current about industry news or any other topic that interests you? I remember at first being overwhelmed by the vast amount of “information” [...]

Hellooooo, Is Anyone Out There?

Posted: July 28th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] One of my goals this summer has been to really wrap my head around Social Media – partly for my own business needs and partly to increase my studio’s value to our clients by offering another area of expertise. One point that crops up over and over (and over) again in nearly [...]

I Like Facebook

Posted: July 27th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] I like facebook. I admit it. I only have one identity too.Friends are people from college, family and clients. I try to keep it professional, but I don’t mind that my clients see the real me. I post some images just for fun or feedback and I don’t pester my clients with [...]

Social Media

Posted: July 26th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Imagine it is 1995. You are sitting across from a prospect with your portfolio laid out. She flips through the pages of your book and stops at one of your beautiful images. “Wow!” she says. “This is an incredible photograph.” At this point, she might call a few people to her office [...]

Keyboard Shortcuts

Posted: July 23rd, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Shortcuts can add up and save a lot of time. Try memorizing keyboard shortcuts to your most used tasks or tools. Keep a list on your desk for reference and you will soon catch on. Once it becomes intuitive your work will move much more efficiently than clicking around. Paul S. Bartholomew [...]

Pack Right the Previous Night

Posted: July 22nd, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] For every job, pack as if you were going on a family vacation.  Lay it all out the night before, inspect it, cross it off a checklist and put each item in its proper place.  This will relieve a lot of stress and besides the rest of your creative team will be [...]

Quick Tip for Better Video

Posted: July 21st, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Audio is everything with video.  When shooting with a hybrid camera like the Canon 5D Mark II, never use the camera mic to capture your audio.  Always use an external mic and either use with a pre-amp like a Beachtek or JuicedLink or capture the audio independently with a high quality digital [...]

Fine Art Print Viewing

Posted: July 20th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] If you want your prints to stay clean, always bring a set of new white gloves when dropping off your portfolio or meeting with a gallery or reviewer, to take a look at your work. Never assume the person viewing your work will have them, they most likely will not, and please [...]

Quick Tip Week

Posted: July 19th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Do some research about what you’re being asked to photograph. If you take the time to read up on the product, company or event you’re being asked to shoot (you know you can Google ANYTHING) you appear to be someone who will be a partner in problem-solving. Demonstrating that you’ve actually taken your own time to [...]

Creating A Greater Divide

Posted: July 16th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] We live in a highly saturated world of images and as photographers our profession is rapidly changing and at risk if we don’t adapt. I hear a lot about photographers losing projects because an amateur or new photographer was “good enough” and got the job. Some blame it on digital technology, but [...]

Still Photographers as Amateur Videographers

Posted: July 15th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] These days many still photographers are frustrated when their clients decide to take their own pictures or get photos from amateurs who take photos that are good enough. And sometimes “good enough” is not only good enough – it’s pretty good because technology has enabled just about anyone to take a reasonably [...]

Find Your Enthusiasm

Posted: July 14th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] I recently stumbled upon a fascinating essay by venture capitalist, Paul Graham, called What Business Can Learn from Open Source . Written almost exactly five years ago (!), the essay offers remarkable insights about business, many of which have played out with startling accuracy. One key point Graham raises is that amateurs [...]

The Best Way to Compete with Amateurs is… Don’t!

Posted: July 13th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Trying to compete with someone whose purpose is to make a little extra money on the side without the overhead of a professional business is not realistic. It is a quick path to business failure. Technology has set the bar lower then ever for entering the field of photography as a hobby, [...]

Amateur Competition

Posted: July 12th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] I hear photographers complain about amateurs cutting into the market. Here’s my advice: if your business is threatened by the work of amateurs, you need to work on your work. Technology has lowered the bar of entry in photography just as it has in writing, graphic design, fine art, advertising, product design, [...]

Become a Flash (video) Master

Posted: July 9th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] Despite the recent dustup between Flash Video and HTML 5, the majority of online video today is delivered in the Flash Video (FLV) format. To get the best video quality at the smallest file size, be sure to check out Robert Reinhardt’s Flash Video Bitrate Calculator. Not only does it help you [...]

Stars and Bars

Posted: July 8th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Ratings and rankings – the star and colored label system supported by many image browser and catalog applications – give photographers a powerful way to organize images without a lot of effort. Most of us already apply stars and/or labels as we’re culling through our captures to segregate the selects from the [...]

Tips to make your Web site iPhone-friendly

Posted: July 7th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] For most photographers, their Web site is their #1 marketing tool. As a result, your Web site should be compatible with as wide an audience as possible. Increasingly, this includes mobile devices like the iPhone, Droid and iPad. To make sure your Web site is mobile-friendly, follow these few simple rules: Make [...]

Keep Current with Blogs

Posted: July 6th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] This summer, take the time to delve deeper into the world of blogs.  Subscribe to or bookmark your favorites.  Each morning you can sit down with your cup of coffee and enjoy all the new updates and information you have effortlessly received in your inbox.  Here are a few blogs that I [...]

Liber Liberum Aperit (one book opens another)

Posted: July 2nd, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] I’ve been riding a long slow curve from the activity of making photographs through the question of why I pursue it so hard, visiting the question of how we create, and winding up (for now) at the question of why we create in life-size our versions of how everything should be, using [...]

My Number One Reading Recommendation

Posted: July 1st, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] #1  Reading recommendation: From Still to Motion by Richard Harrington – Peachpit Press Harrington has written 27 books on everything from Photoshop tips to Final Cut Pro and other software applications.  In his current book “From Still to Motion” he documents a field case study creating a video with the hybrid camera [...]

Summer Reading List

Posted: June 30th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] There’s no doubt that the business landscape is tough for photographers right now. Still, every day, green shoots are appearing in the publishing and advertising industries that will allow well-positioned and technologically savvy photographers to make and impact (and a good living) as the recession subsides. Here are a few books I’ve [...]

Our Data, Our Selves

Posted: June 29th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Earlier this year, ASMP President, Richard Kelly, suggested I read Ken Auletta’s book, Googled: The End of the World as We Know It.   Thought-provoking and packed with facts, quotes and well-researched information – I actually pulled out a highlighter pen for the first time in years – it is so well-written and [...]

Big Changes can Happen while Reading on Long Summer Days

Posted: June 28th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Instead of a best-selling mystery or a trashy summer novel, pack one of these into your beach bag and you’ll have more than a tan when you’re done. You’ll end up with some different perspectives regarding where business is headed–and how you fit in. I think it’s essential for any small business owner [...]

Writing Effective Licenses

Posted: June 25th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Like it or not, if you’re earning money with your photographs, you’re in the licensing business.  No matter what kinds of clients you’re working with – commercial, editorial, or retail (personal portrait, weddings, fine art print sales) – your paperwork needs to include a written license. A lot of the licenses I’ve [...]

What I Learned on my Way to the Commons

Posted: June 24th, 2010

[by Richard Kelly] It is my perspective that the role of copyright is to promote publication. Copyright is the engine that allows professionals to grant permission and collect money for the use of their work, that permission is a license. I see no reason for this to change. The fundamental change is how our images [...]

Creative Commons Licenses are Unnecessary and Dangerous

Posted: June 23rd, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] I hear lots of people say how CC makes “sharing” possible and promotes the “democratization” of creative culture. Really, it is the emperor’s new clothes of IP licensing–false, dangerous, and unneeded. For centuries (there is specific references to licensing in docs dating as far back as 1474!), traditional licensing has permitted creators [...]

Creative Commons, Friend or Foe?

Posted: June 22nd, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] Ask most photographers about Creative Commons and they will likely respond that it is just a tool for people to use images without having to pay for them. At first glance this may seem true. Creative Commons allows people to use photographs and other intellectual property created by others in several broad [...]

This License is Non Transferable

Posted: June 21st, 2010

[by Steve Whittaker] Once in a while I will meet a marketing person who demands the right to allow property owners, contractors and other entities unrestricted use of our images without additional fees. Some have expressed their right to resell photographer’s images to recover their firm’s cost from an assignment or worse, make a profit [...]

Make Time to Meet Someone New

Posted: June 18th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] Unless we introduce ourselves, “they” do not know who we are. It is time to make that introduction.  Take a few days, put together a blurb book, pick up the phone, make some cold calls, set up a couple of meetings and jump in. Get out and meet someone. Kevin Lock is [...]

Diversify

Posted: June 17th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] How many ways can you make your images work for you?  Boutique stock agencies, print sales for corporate offices, greeting cards, book jackets…look for opportunities to shoot once and sell often.  Additional payments from a variety of sources can help fill in the financial gaps. Jenna Close, along with partner Jon Held, [...]

Organizing Emails

Posted: June 16th, 2010

[by Paul Barholomew] Try organizing emails by creating folders that sort by keywords. An example is a folder setup to contain emails with the keyword “ASMP”. Reading through emails will be easier, especially if you subscribe to multiple forums. On Mac this can be setup in your mail preferences under “Rules”. Paul S. Bartholomew is [...]

Photoshop CS5 with Large Files

Posted: June 15th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] Are you using Photoshop CS5, on a Mac running Snow Leopard and looking to take advantage of all the RAM in your computer when working with large files? Make sure you’ve installed the DisableVMBuffering plugin in your Photoshop CS5>Plugins>folder. The plugin is included in the Extras folder on the Photoshop installer DVD [...]

It’s Quick Tip Week …

Posted: June 14th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] You’ve (hopefully) got an electronic “filing” system in place for your images. How about for your paperwork?

Setting Sales Goals

Posted: June 11th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] In my negotiating seminars I always make a point of letting my audience know that in order to be successful, I think we must be salespersons first and photographers second. My sales career began when I sold franchises for a quick-print franchise.  One of the first things I learned was that all [...]

Guide Them in for a Landing

Posted: June 10th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Create special landing pages for your marketing activities. A landing page is designed to receive incoming advertising traffic and is generally not linked directly to the rest of your Web site. Make sure you install Google Analytics to help track landing page activity. Use these special Web pages for all your promotions. [...]

Road Trip

Posted: June 9th, 2010

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa Stone] Summer time in an assignment world is thought of as the quietest time in the year, when in fact it could be some of the busiest. We think that since the European markets take a sabbatical, the American market does too – but we should all know better [...]

Start Your Engines!

Posted: June 8th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] After the Memorial Day Weekend now the summer games begin! Yeah! I hope that we all got to kick back, take a break from the work stress/recession-anxiety for a moment, and enjoyed the 3-day weekend. But after you had some time to relax and refuel, I hope you don’t let your marketing [...]

Using Video to Promote Photography

Posted: June 7th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Video is the hot topic these days. You’d think it was a new thing. But there’s nothing new about video – it’s been around almost as long as TV. What is new is that broadband has made online video viewing integral to the Internet experience. In the last year alone we’ve seen [...]

Marketing Doesn’t Take a Vacation

Posted: June 4th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Where is your marketing going this summer? Is it going on a nice long vacation? When do you think it will be back? I hope it doesn’t have a vacation home somewhere in the South of France. You can, but your marketing shouldn’t. Your marketing should be consistent. People can get caught [...]

Summer Marketing

Posted: June 3rd, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] Often, summer means a slow-down in business. This is usually a function of client staff taking vacations and a general shift in working mentality during the warm days. The wonky economy hasn’t been too helpful either, but this year I am hearing more good news than bad from photogs across the country. [...]

Help a Student, Help Yourself

Posted: June 2nd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Looking to ramp up your marketing this summer?  Consider bringing on an intern.  Many programs require students to complete internships and right now, with the economy and job market so tight, students are having a tough time finding positions. Having worked with countless mentorship students and interns over the years, I’ve learned [...]

Here Comes Summer …

Posted: June 1st, 2010

[by Susan Carr] I hope you had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. We often think of summer as down time for marketing and sales, but in this tough economic climate, these areas of our business can’t really afford any time off. Yes, you can take a vacation, but do not take three months off from [...]

Photographers Helping Photographers

Posted: May 28th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Photographers helping Photographers A few weeks ago, ASMP Minneapolis-St. Paul hosted my I Need to Jumpstart My Career seminar.  After the program, I went out for a bite with a small group of attendees including Steve Umland, who had served on the ASMP National Board in the 1980s, Bruce Kluckhohn, whose tenure [...]

My Road Map to Success

Posted: May 27th, 2010

[by Jenna Close] 6 months after graduating from photography school, I was lucky enough to attend Strictly Business 2 in Los Angeles.  The timing could not have been better, as I was new to the San Diego area and had just begun to think about setting up my business.  At that point I was an [...]

Glad to Help

Posted: May 26th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] Environmental portraits in nineteen cities in three months was the commitment.   It seemed easy…  Nineteen in twelve weeks.   After about three weeks, it was apparent that the client was dragging their feet and was taking their time in getting the info for me.   As the deadline was approaching, it was obvious that [...]

Phase One Buys Expression Media

Posted: May 25th, 2010

Microsoft has sold Expression Media to Phase One, the Danish company that makes Phase One cameras and Capture One software. Phase One is offering the following to existing customers: * Capture One owners can get a free copy of Expression Media * Expression Media owners can get a free copy of Capture One * iView [...]

I am a Strictly Business 2 Grad

Posted: May 25th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] The American Society of Media Photographers Strictly Business 2 was a defining weekend for me.  It was the beginning of a series of significant and concrete ASMP experiences that continue to positively affect my business some two years later. That weekend I received a wealth of information, was introduced to leaders from [...]

Keep Playing

Posted: May 21st, 2010

[by Jenna Close] Trying out new tools can lead to new discoveries.  Experiment with flashlights, LEDs, toy cameras and different reflective surfaces and objects.  Heck, don’t just experiment…PLAY.  You might find something to add to your bag of tricks.  Take, for example, this behind the scenes video of the Hennessy light painting campaign shot by [...]

Keep Your Blog Safe

Posted: May 20th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Someone hacked the New Media Photographer site last week. It was a high-level attack through the GoDaddy.com servers. These attacks have occurred in last six weeks to blogs and Web sites large and small. You might want to enlist a service to monitor your site such as sucuri.net . If you discover [...]

Preserving Your Options in Photoshop

Posted: May 19th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Want to keep the most flexibility with your data but still work in Photoshop?  Try using Smart Objects. Smart Objects allow you to import a stand-in layer that references your RAW data.  The stand-in functions similarly to a normal layer – you can apply several different types of filters, add layer masks, [...]

Maintain Your Marketing Momentum with a Google App

Posted: May 18th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] When it comes to increasing your productivity– for the non-image-making part of your business–there are many great applications to choose from. Lots of people use Apple’s Mobile.me account. Yet there’s another good way of developing the workflow of integrating all of your contacts, tasks, and calendar events–no matter what operating system you [...]

Save and back up your Photoshop Actions

Posted: May 17th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] Don’t forget to save and back up your Photoshop Actions. Should Photoshop crash, you will lose any unsaved Actions. More likely, unsaved actions can be lost when you reinstall Photoshop or switch computers. To save your Actions, first group them into Action Sets then single-click on the Action Set within the Actions [...]

ASMP Copyright Symposium Videos

Posted: May 16th, 2010

On April 21, 2010, the American Society of Media Photographers presented an important symposium in New York City addressing the sweeping changes in the way images are used and distributed. The symposium, Copyright and the New Economy: Issues & Trends Facing Visual Artists, was a big hit with the packed TimesCenter audience. According to ASMP [...]

Copyright Is Important, But Not Like It Used To Be

Posted: May 14th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] Copyright is an important right, it affirms ownership, allows us to protect our rights, helps control usage, and gives us the ability to collect damages when our imagery is misused. Though too few do so, as a content creator copyrighting your images, video, animation, etc., continues to be good business. What has, [...]

Copyright & The New Economy: What I learned

Posted: May 13th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] The Copyright & The New Economy symposium held on April 21st was, for me, an eye-opening event. As the moderator for Copyright and the New Economy, I did a lot of research leading up to the event. A common thread that ran through the research, the morning presenters and the afternoon panel [...]

Copyright Registration – Protecting Your Investment

Posted: May 12th, 2010

[by Richard Kelly] With The Copyright Act of 1976 and later revisions including the Berne Convention, artists were no longer required to register for copyright nor to provide copyright notice. In my opinion, these two facts have led to two decades of visual artists thinking that they were protecting their visual investments. For a commercial [...]

Monetization Matters

Posted: May 11th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] My Mother’s day gift this year included a leisurely morning that allowed me to make a small dent on my rapidly growing stockpile of New Yorker magazines (I love the New Yorker but I mean, seriously, does ANYone have time to read an entire magazine every single week!?!). The issue I grabbed [...]

Copyright and Video

Posted: May 10th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] As still photographers move and expand into video because of the convergence of their tools, they often ask me about copyright, licensing and usage and how to apply that to video. Essentially they are trying to apply a licensing business model from their still photography and sometimes that doesn’t work in video [...]

Cold Calls?

Posted: May 7th, 2010

[by Kevin Lock] Having a hard time reaching out to new clients?  Pick up the phone and personally reconnect with past clients that you may have not heard from or worked with in a while. You will be surprised how this will boost your confidence and assist you in making long over due “cold calls” [...]

Are You a Good Listener?

Posted: May 6th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] When you’re on that call talking to a potential new client, remember to count to two before you answer any questions or ask new ones.  This two-second buffer will help you to be a better listener because you won’t need to be thinking about what you’re going to say next while the [...]

Are You Using a Mac?

Posted: May 5th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Want a rarely-used, no-brainer business tip for photographers who rarely read instructions because Macs are so easy-to-use. (i.e. about 90% of us!)? Invest just 5 minutes with any of your applications’ Help files. It will increase both your productivity and the R.O.I. of your Mac investment. Challenge: Take 5 now with the [...]

Consider Becoming an LLC

Posted: May 4th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] Consider changing your business structure to an LLC for the liability protection it provides. Talk to a real attorney about this. A small investment in making the change now could save your personal assets down the road.

ASMP Specialty Groups

Posted: May 3rd, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] The specialty group forums and resources are a great benefit for ASMP members. Ask those who participate and you will find it’s a great resource that helps many of us with unique questions and issues within our specialties. Groups currently include architecture, food and fine art. See for yourself but remember to [...]

It’s All About Value

Posted: April 30th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Almost every time I give a business seminar, someone asks me about working for free. Sometimes, they’re trying to build a portfolio. Sometimes, a worthy cause, a prestigious client who’s promising more work later or a popular publication that’s offering a credit line has reached out to them. If you want to [...]

Real Friends are Priceless

Posted: April 29th, 2010

[by Todd Joyce] A photographer friend of mine tells me that his business is doing very well.   Mine has been slow, but seems to be improving.   I don’t mind saying so, but last year was my worst year since being in business.   I admit that I ignored my business too much and my friend [...]

Unlikely Parnerships

Posted: April 28th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Got a call a while back from a guy selling training seminars for NAB Post Production conferences. I have been a past attendee and the training they provide is top notch. I’ve never attended a poorly taught seminar – the instructors know their stuff and know how to teach it. I mentioned [...]

Volunteer

Posted: April 27th, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] If you’re not busy enough with work and also too busy trying to find some, try this: volunteer. Take some of that time and give it away. Be a Big Brother or Sister, coach a kid’s team, mentor a child. take your charming dog to a nursing home every week. There are [...]

The Unexpected Profit from Personal Projects

Posted: April 26th, 2010

[by Paula Lerner] One thing I’ve learned in 25 years in business is that doing personal work that has meaning to me almost always leads to lucrative commercial assignments.  Although it is unpredictable beforehand how personal project A may lead to job B, in the end doing work that I am passionate about not only [...]

Post Symposium Thoughts

Posted: April 23rd, 2010

[by Richard Kelly] If content is king, distribution is its queen. What does distribution and publication really mean today and in the foreseeable future? How can independent artists exercise their rights and gain fair compensation for the use of their work? I believe visual artists must adapt. We need to do business more efficiently by [...]

Copyright or Compensation?

Posted: April 22nd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] ASMP’s Copyright Symposium yesterday focused on the role of Copyright in the New Economy.  I walked away from the Symposium inspired and excited by the business ideas and opportunities discussed.  But, more importantly, the Symposium renewed and reinvigorated my commitment to continue searching for ways to protect the interests of independent creators.  [...]

ASMP Copyright Symposium Today in NYC

Posted: April 21st, 2010

Copyright and the New Economy TimesCenter, 242 West 41st St
New York, NY Wednesday, April 21 Register Here. Morning Session 9:30 am – Welcome — Eugene Mopsik, ASMP Executive Director 9:45 am – 10:30 am – Overview of Copyright Law — Victor Perlman, ASMP General Counsel 10:45 am – 11:30 am – Story Telling in the [...]

Copyright and The New Economy

Posted: April 20th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] For many years, the profession of photography has been based on licensing a photo for a specific use, often with precise definitions on how, where and what size a given image can be reproduced.  Today, myriad forces, including client requests, microstock and Internet publishing are prompting photographers to rethink the traditional rights-managed [...]

Do You Register Your Images with the Copyright Office?

Posted: April 19th, 2010

[by Susan Carr] Only a small percentage of photographers register their work with the copyright office. ASMP wants that to change. We have new resources to help: Read ASMP’s recommended Best Practices for registering your work. Attend one of our “Registration Workshops” traveling the country. Watch our new podcast on the steps to register unpublished [...]

Reaching Out

Posted: April 16th, 2010

[by Paul Barholomew] Do you have any questions about business practices, techniques or fees? Try reaching out to other photographers within your specialty. If you feel uneasy about contacting your local competition then contact someone in another region. ASMP members find that communicating with others is a great benefit and it’s valuable to your growth!

Network

Posted: April 15th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Network with your peers and others.    For example: If you are interested in getting into video production, get to know creatives who are already involved – sound mixers, camera operators, editors, writers etc.  Go to trade events and meet ups like Final Cut Pro meet ups to network with editors or [...]

Museum Portfolio Reviews

Posted: April 14th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] You can drop off your portfolio for review at a museum. Just call to find out what their policy is, and be aware that they may keep your portfolio for up to 6 months or more. You should also know that in most instances a junior staff member will be reviewing your [...]

Production Charges?

Posted: April 13th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] Double-check your production charges–are they priced correctly to give you a reasonable profit? Small financial leaks can sink your business.

Pricing Help

Posted: April 12th, 2010

[by Ed McDonald] You can find out how other photographers priced and negotiated real jobs. Take a look at some on ASMP’s web site in the paperwork share section. Go to ASMP.org  under Business Resources/ Tutorials and forms/ licensing and paperwork share. Or, go directly by clicking here.

5 Recession-Proof Sales Strategies

Posted: April 9th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] 1) Ask for Referrals – Let your clients know you’re looking to grow your business or take it to the next level.  Even if they don’t have names for you immediately, planting the seed will pay off in the long run.  If they do give you names, there’s no better way to [...]

You Need to be a Salesperson First

Posted: April 8th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] Even in these stressful economic times, your business will be more successful if you are willing to recognize one fact:  you need to be a salesperson first, and a photographer second.  Many photographers take great photographs, but far fewer excel at sales.  When I speak to audiences about negotiating, I’m always quick [...]

Photographers File Class Action Against Google

Posted: April 7th, 2010

Philadelphia, PA…The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), joined by the Graphic Artists Guild, the Picture Archive Council of America, the North American Nature Photography Association, Professional Photographers of America, photographers Leif Skoogfors, Al Satterwhite, Morton Beebe, Ed Kashi and illustrators John Schmelzer and Simms Taback, has filed a class action copyright infringement suit against [...]

What Is Your Leverage?

Posted: April 7th, 2010

[by Paul Barholomew] We can be cheap, we can be talented and we can offer something unique. These are just a few examples from a long list of features and abilities we can offer to our clients. Ask yourself, how do you wish to sell your services and how will you be portrayed? What makes [...]

An Old Salesman’s Secret

Posted: April 6th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Early in my career I worked at a furniture store to earn extra money. One day an older salesman came in to buy a chair. We began talking and before long I sensed that he had taken a liking to me. Naturally we talked sales. He asked me if I wanted to [...]

The Salesperson Called You

Posted: April 5th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] I hate sales.  I hate cold calling.  I hate closing.  I hate the artificiality of it and I hate how it makes me feel.  For years, I’ve arranged my life so I didn’t have to engage in sales.  In 1992, we hired our first in-house salesperson.  Since then, we’ve had two other [...]

Sleep On It

Posted: April 2nd, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] Part of being a business owner is dealing with occasional disputes that will develop with clients, suppliers and assistants. Often times the problem will pop up unexpectedly in the form of a terse e-mail, pointed letter or angry phone call. Human nature has us tend to react defensibly to the situation, especially [...]

Don’t Forget to Ask For Referrals

Posted: April 1st, 2010

[by Blake Discher] One of the best and least expensive ways to grow your business is through referrals.  But for a variety of reasons, most people are reluctant to ask for them. Maybe it’s fear of hearing “no”.  Maybe they think happy clients will just spread the word about “their favorite photographer” without any prompting [...]

Deep or Wide?

Posted: March 31st, 2010

[by Charles Gupton] The primary business of every business – be it banking, plumbing, restaurant or photography – is the work of acquiring and retaining customers. No buyers, no sales, no business. To that end, most business owners use the strategy of casting their nets in more directions in an attempt to draw in practically [...]

TEGWAR anyone?

Posted: March 30th, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] Remember this game? It stands for The Exciting Game Without Any Rules, and it’s a card game that is played by a number of sharps and one patsy. The way it works is that a few basic poker-like rules are put out and the game starts. At some point the patsy thinks [...]

You Probably Didn’t Know, but …

Posted: March 29th, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] I can’t tell you how many of my photographs I have seen used without a license or permission from me. When I find one or more of my images infringed I take immediate action. My first step is to contact the company or person in writing. I lightheartedly call this letter “You [...]

Creative Convergence: What is it? And what does it mean to your business?

Posted: March 26th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] When the FCC debates are over and we figure out how to fund universal access to broadband, and it becomes as common as phone access, the demand for digital content will increase exponentially. There will be more media being consumed on more devices than we have now (or can yet imagine). Content [...]

New Technology = New Opportunity

Posted: March 25th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] Using new technology, photographers can test drive and implement new business models. One such way is the selling stock or print images directly to buyers without meeting in person, the assistance of agents or agencies. Sites such as PhotoShelter offer great image display options and delivery systems that make it easy for [...]

Ideas are Welcome

Posted: March 24th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] The business, as if you didn’t know, is changing and that means that your business model needs to change as well. This is true for all sorts of creative-based businesses so at least photographers can know they are not alone. The impact of the shifting technologies has, in a very, very short [...]

Collaborating

Posted: March 23rd, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] I talk to a lot of photographers these days when giving seminars on video. One thing I’ve been hearing a lot lately is that many photographers are collaborating with other creatives to expand their businesses and offer their clients more services. Certainly one area still photographers are collaborating is in video production. [...]

It’s Not You – It’s the Economy

Posted: March 22nd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] This past January, my studio celebrated our 21st business anniversary.  In that time our business has survived 4 recessions and soot damage that destroyed literally everything we owned.  With all that history, all those experiences, I can honestly say that in 21 years of working as a full-time self-employed photographer, this last [...]

Your Computer: A low paid, yet highly productive assistant

Posted: March 19th, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] What if you could pay your best assistant $1.87 per hour to process your images for you? Consider this: A fully loaded, new MacPro with a stunning Eizo monitor, pro-rated over the three-year life of the equipment costs you less than two bucks an hour. It is tempting to save money by [...]

Learn to Edit

Posted: March 18th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Even if you hire a professional editor to bring polish to your video. Editing your own material makes you a better shooter. You quickly realize what you should have shot.

Beyond the Routine Back Up

Posted: March 17th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Everyone reading this blog should already be backing up their data regularly.  If not, or if you’re not sure how to set that up, check out dpBestflow’s section on back ups. An equally valuable CYA habit is to create a bootable back up drive.  Bootable back ups include a pristine copy of [...]

Use Metadata Templates to Add Bulk Metadata

Posted: March 16th, 2010

[by Peter Krogh] It’s important to tag your images with copyright and contact information, as well as information about the subject matter of the photos. The best way to do that is to use metadata templates when you first download the photos. Learn about how to make and use metadata templates at dpBestflow.org.

Making Copyright Part of Your Workflow

Posted: March 15th, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] Photographers often cite one of the barriers to regular copyright registration is assembling the submission of images. In the old film days, it was a significant challenge to get physical copies of all your work in an acceptable form for registration. In today’s digital world it is much easier to assemble a [...]

The Four “R”s of Pricing Photography

Posted: March 12th, 2010

[by Richard Kelly] The Four “R”s of Pricing Photography are Relationships, Rates, Rights and Reputation. One of the most valued benefits to my ASMP membership is the relationship I have with my fellow photographers. Not just the chapter meetings or the membership list serves, but real one on one relationships with my peers. I mostly [...]

One Project and Three Interpretations

Posted: March 11th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] We deal with all kinds of potential clients and some give more information than others when it comes to projects they have in mind. We have the highly organized person who provides layouts, usage, digital specs and all sorts of very helpful information.  Then we have the person who calls and asks [...]

As a Fine Artist You are Only Selling the Print

Posted: March 10th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] Whether selling editioned or uneditioned prints at a gallery, store, or as an individual it is important to remember that when you set the price for your work you are only setting the price for an individual print. Mounting, matting, framing, laminating, shipping, or other expenses should be charged accordingly. This may [...]

Recession-proof Pricing

Posted: March 9th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] This recession has hit photographers harder than any that I’ve lived through previously and many are working for lower fees than they’d ever consider accepting before. Past experience has taught me that quoting lower fees during a recession makes it very difficult to bring those fees back to normal when the crisis [...]

Get Powerful Info for Pricing Jobs

Posted: March 8th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] When a new potential client calls on the telephone, one of the first things I do is look up the caller’s website. What I’m looking for are two things:  their level of design sophistication and how they’re currently using photography.  These two bits of information can give valuable clues to what sort [...]

Social Media: Relax…

Posted: March 5th, 2010

[by Thomas Werner] Much has been made of social media and it’s importance in terms of building your market and creating greater visibility for yourself and your business. While I agree social media has become essential to a well-rounded marketing a program, I find the emphasis many have placed on this topic a little extreme. [...]

Successful Marketing is Not About You, It’s About Them

Posted: March 4th, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] The truth is your prospects really don’t care about your great photographs, your excellent service, or how long you have been in business. They want your photography to make them look good. They want to  experience your excellent service. They want to see what exciting images you can create for them now. [...]

Why Define Your Ideal Client?

Posted: March 3rd, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Once you define your ideal client, you will have better focus finding and working with them The most essential step in creating an effective marketing plan is to first decide who you want to work with. If you don’t have a specific answer to that question, you won’t know where to begin [...]

What’s the Difference?

Posted: March 2nd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Focusing on differentiation is a great way to improve your marketing efforts.   Make a list of 10 really good reasons why someone should hire you instead of someone else.  Your images don’t count – producing good images is a given these days – this is all about added value. While you’re [...]

Killer Contradictions

Posted: March 1st, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] You can’t be a high-value (and thus higher priced) photographer if you are cheap and disrespectful to other creatives. Sadly, far too many photographers behave like this. Some squeeze a penny until Lincoln screams and their vendors cringe. They do this under the guise of being wise businesspeople, and while saving money [...]

I’m Gonna Sue!

Posted: February 26th, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] When I was a Chapter President, I would often get calls from angry members who found that one of their photographs had been infringed. They wanted the name of a copyright attorney so they could sue the infringer. I was always stunned when I asked about what the person said after they [...]

Protect Your Assets

Posted: February 25th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] In a recent thread on ASMPproAdvice, a photographer asked about the necessity of obtaining releases when photographing his client’s employees. Several members of the listserv pointed out that releases don’t just protect the photographer, they also protect the client – especially if an employee who’s been photographed leaves under bad terms. The [...]

Equipment Backups

Posted: February 24th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] It kind of goes without saying that having a backup camera is very important. The chances are high that you will eventually run into equipment malfunctions. Try to have a plan B in place. Did you think about a backup tripod? If your work is mostly accomplished on a tripod, everything will [...]

The Winning Path

Posted: February 23rd, 2010

[by Rosh Sillars] People generally take the path of least resistance.  Opportunities arise all the time, but we don’t always follow through on them. Think about the great opportunities you have missed.  What were your excuses? Did you have too much on your plate already? A scheduling conflict? You simply forgot? Most likely the root [...]

Private Disability Insurance

Posted: February 22nd, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] Insurance statistics tell us that we are seven times more likely to become disabled than die during our work life. Many folks have life insurance but far fewer independent photographers have private disability insurance. Many assume, if they become disabled, that they will be taken care of by Workers Comp or State [...]

Please Release Me

Posted: February 19th, 2010

[by Blake Discher] Many photographers forget  that their websites are a form of advertising and as such the individuals in the images must be released.  ASMP has Property and Model Releases on it’s site, available to anyone, at www.asmp.org/releases.  I keep copies of the simplified release in my camera bag and in my car’s glovebox.  [...]

Do You Have a Voice Mail Problem?

Posted: February 18th, 2010

[by Jim Cavanaugh] How many times have you heard people lament “I can’t get a hold of anybody. All I ever get is voice mail”. It can be frustrating until you realize that voice mail is really a perfect way for you to get your message to a client in a clear, concise manner. Just [...]

Save Time Getting Paid

Posted: February 17th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] Sometimes an invoice payment is delayed because a W-9 form may be required by the client.  Whenever working with new clients you can send a filled out W-9 form along with the invoice or you can check with their accounts payable if one is required. This can also reduce the hassle of [...]

Use a Validated Transfer

Posted: February 16th, 2010

[by Peter Krogh] Whenever you move the primary copy of your images from one drive to another, you should perform a validated transfer. This makes sure that all files are transferred, and that every bit in the original is also in the copy. Read about the process and watch a movie of it in action [...]

Video Quick Tip

Posted: February 15th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] Watch TV commercials with the sound off. You’ll quickly see how the footage was cut together in the editing room.

Take Back Your Power

Posted: February 12th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] At the SB2 conferences a couple of years ago, I noticed that many photographers were exhibiting the classic signs of mourning.  Back then, most were still in denial but many were grappling with a sense of helplessness, paralysis and loss as they faced what they perceived as the death of a profession [...]

Your Number One Asset

Posted: February 11th, 2010

[by Carolyn Potts] Do you know what is the most valuable asset you possess? You need a lot to run your photo business, but what is most deserving of protection? Hint: Its not your camera gear. Nor your computer hardware and software– or even your image archive or your portfolio. It’s your creativity. It’s what sets [...]

Defining Yourself By Your Vision – Not The Camera

Posted: February 10th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] I’ve been giving quite a few presentations lately for ASMP – “Should I Be Thinking About Video”.  One thing I’m finding is that there are always a couple of people in the audience who think that buying a DSLR hybrid camera will get them in the business of video production.  Part of [...]

Taking A Personal Day

Posted: February 9th, 2010

[by Paul Bartholomew] I tend to feel guilty on non-shoot days if I’m not in the studio working on something.  Maybe I’m afraid of missing that important call or email, but then again that’s what an iPhone is for isn’t it?  On the other hand, maybe I’m missing the point if I’m not concentrating on [...]

Robert Frank Tweeting?

Posted: February 8th, 2010

[by Sean Kernan] Living in this blizzard of Tweets, I have to remind myself that doing really creative work requires a certain amount of silence, even boredom. There has to be space in which things can occur, and if you are constantly talking about what you are doing, you can’t really listen, at least not [...]

The Business of Video Production

Posted: February 5th, 2010

[by Gail Mooney] The “business” of video production encompasses a lot of things – one being good paperwork.  From the initial estimate on a job, through the final invoice along with obtaining the necessary releases – good paperwork is essential for a profitable business. I keep a database of past SOWs (Statement of Work) to [...]

New ASMP Resource for Video

Posted: February 4th, 2010

[by Susan Carr] ASMP has a new online resource designed for the still photographer who is moving into motion.  Gail Mooney is chair of the newly formed Motion/Video Committee and she embraced this role with the same gusto she uses in her own work. Gail interviewed fourteen members who have successfully incorporated video into their [...]

Digital Video: Lessons Learned

Posted: February 3rd, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] A couple of weeks ago, my partner, Mike Starke, and I finished our very first digital video project.  We made our deadline with about 15 minutes to spare and only pulled one all-nighter; two facts I take inordinate pride in.  In the process we discovered a lot that we’ll do differently the [...]

Factors in Pricing Multimedia Projects

Posted: February 2nd, 2010

[by Paula Lerner] Pricing a multimedia project is not unlike pricing a still photography shoot:  usage is the key factor.  As a parallel example for a stills only assignment, I would price a shoot for photo usage in a hospital brochure or a university view book quite differently than I would price a print ad [...]

Why Multimedia Is the Future of Photography

Posted: February 1st, 2010

[by Jay Kinghorn] As the mobile phone begins to replace the television and personal computer as the primary screen for interfacing with the Internet, and print continues to decline in popularity, this shift will impact the way photographers create photographs. While a two-page magazine spread can contain a rich array of subtle tones and fine [...]

Professionalism Counts

Posted: January 29th, 2010

[by Judy Herrmann] Living in a house that’s undergoing major renovations has taught me a lot about professionalism.  Our contractors, José Batista and José Salamanca, take responsibility for every detail.  They’re careful about the sub-contractors they hire, they stand behind the work that’s done, they listen carefully when we explain what we want and take [...]

Fake It

Posted: January 28th, 2010

[by Leslie Burns] One of the biggest problems many, many photographers face in their businesses is being and acting confident. Just today I was speaking with a client who said, essentially, that he’d rather have scalding coffee poured in his lap than have to talk about himself. That’s pretty typical. Most photographers (and all creatives) [...]