Take Back Your Power

[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 they loved.

Today, it’s clear that far too many of my colleagues have graduated to the anger phase and that anger is doing as much damage to our profession as the recession, changing technologies and changing markets combined.
In Vein of Gold, her 1996 sequel to The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron wrote: “When we are angry or depressed in our creativity, we have misplaced our power. We have allowed someone else to determine our worth, and then we are angry at being undervalued.” I’m willing to bet that every single one of us either is that person or knows that person.

Looking for a silver bullet?  The magic answer?  Here it is:  the one thing that’s going to help you survive as a professional visual communicator is your creativity.  I can’t tell you what your career is going to look like – that’s up to you – but I can tell you that without creative vision, creative thinking, creative problem solving, creative strategies and creative approaches to building your business in the “new economy” you’re not going to make it in this field.

If you’re one of the angry ones, all I can say is Get Over It.  Find help, find hope, find whatever shot in the arm you need because if you allow your anger at these irrevocable changes to get in the way of your creativity, you are walking roadkill. If you’re not one of the angry ones, if you’re still hopeful, still open, still looking for what’s possible, I congratulate you.  Foster your creativity – nourish it, protect it and don’t let the kill-joys near it – for it is the key to your future.

Your Number One Asset

[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 you apart from every other photographer; it’s the distinguishing value that is added to any great image you create. Without it, you could be replaced by a machine.

Ironically, this extremely valuable asset can’t be covered against loss by an insurance policy.It’s up to you–and only you–to take precautions that you don’t lose your creativity.

Are you spending even half the amount of time and effort that you take to protect your other business assets from loss? You probably back-up your images on multiple drives on a regular basis. Your gear is probably protected by good security systems when it’s not actually with you. Your office probably has fire, flood and theft  coverage. You want to protect your business, so you’re prudent. And you’re responsible.

Why is it so important it is to keep your creativity safe? Without it you probably don’t have much to offer any client since creativity is an essential for problem-solving. Clients hire you because they have a problem they need solved; usually ones they don’t have the creativity to execute as well as you.

So what are you doing to PROTECT your creativity? Do you know what keeps it vital and alive?

What was your mental state when you had your last great idea for a portfolio piece? Wasn’t it when you were relaxed, open, and receptive? I suspect you’ll also say it was when you “weren’t even trying”… it just “came to you.”

Do you know under what conditions your creativity is at risk? Are you aware of how negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and worry significantly diminish the flow of intuition? Intuition is what most often guides you in what is necessary to take a shot from good to great.

In the current sea of negative emotions swirling in the photo business, are you pro-active enough to wear a “mental life-preserver”? That is, do you have an effective strategy to keep your intuition afloat? Can it be saved it from drowning in the swells of fear and anxiety?

Here are some time-honored, extremely well-researched, and very effective strategies to protect your most valuable business asset: Meditate. Spend time in nature. Pray. Jog. Swim. Politely refuse to spend time on the pity pot with those who continually spread evidence about how horrible things are. Be grateful for what you DO have. And finally, volunteer to help those who have less than you.

Defining Yourself By Your Vision – Not The Camera

[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 that perception comes from the way camera manufacturers are marketing these “HD” cameras and part of that comes from photographers wanting to believe that these hybrids will allow them to compete in the world of commercial video production.

The simple fact is – these DSLR’s have lowered the bar on the entry level into video production – and you may find yourself competing with every other still photographer (pro or amateur) that has $2800 to spend. People tend to lose sight of the fact that shooting video is not the same mind set as shooting still images.  I think differently when I shoot video.  I see differently and I communicate the message or story through this motion medium using the best tool toward that end. While I too love that shallow depth of field that you get when shooting with a DLSR, the image is just one part of the video production process.  You are also defining your vision through sound and the art of editing.

The problem is if we define ours by our tools – then we are diminishing the value of our creativity or our vision in the process.  We aren’t placing the value on what is unique in all of us – our vision. At the same time we’re placing too much value on the tool – in this case the camera.  As technology accelerates the production of more sophisticated cameras that are cheaper and easier to use – and we’ve placed our value on being the technician – we’re in big trouble.  Because ultimately anyone with a vision who has the “ability” to realize that vision, can put together a crew of technicians to facilitate their vision or idea – and do it cheaper these days because of technology.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Professional photographers get defensive when a potential client places no value on what is unique about them (their vision) and approaches them with the attitude that if you won’t work for the prices they dictate – they will just find another photographer.  But what they are really saying is that they feel that they can “just” find another camera operator. The problem is that these photographers haven’t presented their vision and because of that they are perceived as being interchangeable. That’s not a good place to be and never will be.  And for that reason when a professional still photographer comes to me and says that they are interested in getting into video and asks the question “What video camera should I buy?” I gently tell them – well sometimes not so gently tell them – it’s not about the camera.

How does one define what they are?  Great question that has a lot of answers, as it should.  Technology is amazing – but it’s the human part of the process that excites me because we’re all so different in how we see.

Taking A Personal Day

[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 my personal work and checking my messages all the time?  Probably.

So how can a photographer finally put time aside and forget about business for a short while?  I think it comes down to just doing it and getting used to it.  Set time aside in your schedule and try to stick to it.  If a photo shoot comes up then reschedule your personal day but don’t cancel it.  You don’t need an agenda and it doesn’t have to be related to your professional work.  Perhaps you may want to pursue another specialty or work with video?

My personal days have been about food photography yet most people know that I’m an architectural photographer.  I find it as a nice balance and different way of thinking.  It’s refreshing and keeps me in touch with my passion for the culinary arts.  What would you like to pursue as personal work?  Don’t worry if you don’t know yet because these things take time.  The important thing is starting somewhere and finding your way.

Robert Frank Tweeting?

[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 as much as you need to do deep work.  (Which is maybe why my earliest work was so lose and prolific. After all no one was chasing me to do other projects then. They didn’t know I was alive. Which was more desirable than I knew at the time.)

The first question that seems to pop up around about any creative idea seems to be, How can I support/sell this? It’s a fair question, but perhaps it shouldn’t be the first question.

Although it seems a bit cloudy just now, photography is an amazing mirror, and it can reflect the most subtle and broad phenomena. It still amazes me when a single still image, resonates it a way that takes one into other lives, other worlds, atmospheres, things that can’t be said any other way. Take a look at Roy deCarava’s Hallway. Try to say something about it. The closest I got was when I tried to write a poem about it, but believe me it wasn’t as powerful as the picture. It is a kind of photograph that I think can you can only get to by first being quiet. That’s how it works on the viewer too.

There’s a time to show, to promote, to “monetize”, but it’s not all the time, and it’s not the creative time.
Think of that old Zen koan. It may be that if a tree falls in the forest it makes no sound, but the tree sure knows things have changed.

Mozart in the Barn

[by Sean Kernan]

I’m just back from doing a creativity seminar for photographers and art directors at General Mills. In gathering my thoughts for it, I considered how the kind of eye-opening and thought-provoking work I do with people might really be justified in business terms. Of course, I think the value is obvious, and so did the folks at General Mills, since I was going at their initiative. But I’m sure it would be tough arguing the point to the accounting side at a lot of companies, particularly in a downturn.

The day before the workshop I stopped in at the Minneapolis Art Institute and spent a few hours among their fantastic collections. And as I was leaving I noticed the donor list by the entrance. There at the top—General Mills.

I doubt that such philanthropy really generates enough revenue there in the company’s home town to cover the donation, and nothing at all outside of town. But there it was. Set against ROI is this idea that there are returns that can’t be measured in dollars, but that effect the community, which comes back to effect the donor. It’s a circle. (Or maybe it’s fractal, I’m not sure.)

I wanted to express this for my workshop wrap-up, but if you can’t measure it, it is also hard to express it in words. Then it came to me!

“Happy cows give more milk.”

It was a good laugh line for our group, but it is also a clear and quick analogy. The more rounded and balanced the rest of our life is, the more that we will be present and focused at work. Conversely, a whacked-out life will mess things up on the job.

It all weaves into a circle. True in the corporate setting, true for free-lancers as well. It adds up to a good argument for consciously making our lives rounder, more balanced. And who is that up to? Guess.

Work Begets Work

[by Susan Carr]

I had the privilege a few years back of hearing photographer Ken Josephson speak at the  Society for Photographic Education Midwest Regional conference. While discussing his own struggle with blocks in creativity or direction, he clearly stated his own mantra, “work begets work.” These three simple words have hung with me and continue to ring true.

The most difficult times for me, as an artist, are those periods between projects. It frequently takes me a while to know when a given personal project is complete, thus, the creating new work slows gradually, the emphasis shifts to exhibitions or other outlets for the project and my lack of producing new work sort of creeps in unexpectedly.  Ideas for new projects start brewing, but the day-to-day work of making a living and getting my existing images seen takes over. Then, what feels like all of sudden, it will hit me that the real love of my life, making photographs, is being neglected.

I moved to Chicago four years ago. Relocating my home after 25 years was a daunting task and my move coincided with the completion of a significant personal photography project. Between actively exhibiting this body of work – a documentary project of home interiors – and settling into a new home and business community, I didn’t think about photographing beyond my commercial client work. Fast forward to this year, I acknowledged that my own photography needed to become a priority again. I simply feel lost without it.

My idea is to photograph my new home, the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park. I struggled with how to get started. I predictably tried to answer the why and how of the project before I initiated the work. Then I remembered Ken Josephson’s lecture. Work begets work. The process of creating work is the process of discovering the why and how. I wasn’t going to solve anything unless I simply walked the neighborhood camera in hand.

I am happy to say that this past spring and summer were productive. I walked miles, shot many rolls of film (yes, film for this work) and slowly the project is taking form. My advice for anyone struggling with their own vision is to simply get to work, pick up a camera and stop asking yourself so many questions.

Make It Your Own

[by Paul Bartholomew]

I think most photographers struggle with direction and style from time to time especially when starting out. It’s a never ending process, at least in my opinion because I think artists are constantly striving and moving in different directions. This constant striving is very fluid, you may try to predict where you’ll be 10 years from now but if you hold on to that idea in your head too much, it may also hold you back.

What do I mean by being held back? Sometimes we tend to get tunnel vision as we become inspired. This is fine and it’s good to experiment with new styles but also take that influence and make it your own. I guess it’s a part of evolving, but what I’m trying get at is developing your own style and not trying to replicate someone else’s style. I’m constantly looking at the work of photographers from the past and present. Of course I have my favorite photographers and gravitate toward them but I also try to find more. Other incredible influences may come from many kinds of artists such as master painters from all kinds of styles. A trip to an art museum once in a while will help and also buying books. I’m an addict when it comes to books and I tend to have them all over the place because I’m always looking through them for ideas.

We are a product of all artists before us. We take influences and integrate them into our own work. Making mistakes and going through the pains are part of growing. Making mistakes shouldn’t be thought of as negative but a part of progression. If you think of it, not making mistakes may be worse because you may not be pushing your limits enough. Perhaps staying in the safe zone.

Just some thoughts.

What If ?

[by Sean Kernan]

In your wildest dreams, what would you do, you stopped take pictures, starting today,?
What would you do your thoughts didn’t have to express as photos, or even be visible?
What if they could be verbal or sonic, or could just streak through consciousness like shooting stars, like those peak experiences we’ve all had that have nothing to do with photography?
What would you do if no one else could see what it was you were doing or knew what you were thinking?
If it didn’t have to “come out?”
If you could sing images, or just make words or sounds or colors?
If it didn’t have to somehow make money?
Or add to some definition of yourself?
What if you just got off alone and thought of a list of things to do that would knock you out, surprise you, even scare you a bit?
What if you somehow isolated yourself and did that, for a week or two, or however it took to interrupt your habits of thinking, seeing, and doing.
Then if you even took pictures…what might they look like?

Lessons from Childhood

[by Judy Herrmann]

My daughter, Julia, judges books by their covers.  At 2 ½ she walks through the library and says “I want the baby blue one” or “That one, with the dog.”

She recently checked out a story called Franklin Goes To the Hospital in which a young turtle with a cracked shell is afraid the x-ray will show how scared he is on the inside.  Dr. Bear assures him that bravery isn’t about fearlessness, but rather “doing what you have to do, no matter how scared you feel.”

As children we all heard variations on this theme in countless books, stories and movies.  As adults, though, fear often paralyses us – stopping us from being able to clearly see what we have to do, let alone actually doing it.

Producing creative work that comes from deep within you is scary.  Putting that work out for the world to see and respond to is scary.  Being self-employed is scary.  Taking risks is scary.  Adapting to change is scary.  Doing none of those things, though, is even scarier.

My partner, Mike and I, are in the process of reinventing our visual style for the 5^th time in 20 years.  I don’t mind telling you that I’m scared.  Will anyone like it? Will they point and laugh? Are we tapping into something new and cool and wonderful or have we completely lost it?

So I’m taking Dr. Bear’s advice and doing what I have to do even thought it’s scary.  And, you know what?  Now that I’ve made that commitment, there’s a growing bubble of excitement and exhilaration that’s slowly but surely drowning out the doubts.

And in doing this process again, and again, and again, I’ve come to recognize that the one begets the other – you don’t get that excitement and exhilaration without pushing yourself through the fear.  I’ve also grown to understand that it’s when we’re NOT scared that we’re in real trouble.

A Week Focused on Creative Thinking

[by Thomas Werner]

This is an artists statement from an exhibition at my gallery a few years ago. The only time that I used an artists statement in promoting an exhibition was this one. I came across it again the other day and think that it addresses something essential about our work and wanted to share with with you.

Artist Statement – Gabriela Maj

There once existed an idea that articulated the human capacity for a particular type of transcendental experience. An experience in which nature, at its most fierce, most violent and most monumental would allow for a brief glimpse of the divine. It was an idea that offered the possibility of the most utterly private experience. It was about enlightenment, about the soul and about beauty in its most painful of definitions.

Today we are left with residue. Dead philosophers, old poems.

Nature is harnessed, we are irreverent. These images were created in quiet homage to an old idea.

Get Out of Your Routine

[by Thomas Werner]

Take 6 friends, drive into the forest, desert, to the ocean, a lake, and just photograph each other all day….feed off the energy, creativity and community, and do not worry about the outcome of the shoot.

Quick Tip for Creativity

[by Paul Bartholomew]

Most of us heard about getting outside opinions when it comes to our portfolios. What about our creative ideas and notes we keep? Try finding a creative partner to share your ideas. You never know what someone else can bring to the table and perhaps you can help them too.

It’s Quick Tip Week – Pick Up Your Camera

[By Leslie Burns-Dell'Acqua]

Go shoot for yourself. This is always the best thing you can do for your marketing — making your own images. Your work will define your vision and your vision is your marketing starting point.

Mantras for a Good Life

1. Always have a dream.  Believe in it. Believe in your ability to make it happen.
2. Keep your passions alive.  For me, my strong interest in cultural stories will always keep me exploring.  I need that and it gives my life perspective.
3. Set goals – even little goals are good and then reward yourself.  They will all lead up to you making your dream come true. 
4. Make decisions or they will be made for you. 
5. Do the “right thing.” You will love yourself more if you do.

Take a Look

This is not the usual group of portfolios, whether you find it commercial or not I will leave up to you, but I will say that some of these photographers are very successful….

My Sketchbook

When studying fine arts in college my professors always emphasized the importance of carrying a sketchbook at all times. Ideas can pop up randomly when I least expect them, so to keep them from escaping me, I need to get them captured somehow before forgetting. The best part about a sketchbook is that I can brainstorm and revise whenever the creative moment hits me again. I always have some kind of idea in progress and my sketchbook helps me keep them going.

Creativity

Learn to trust yourself, trust your talent, trust what your heart tells you to make and do, have faith in the future and things that you cannot see or yet imagine. Learn to believe again in the possibilities of the unknown.

Ideas Worth Spreading

I first learned about the TED conferences several years ago from John Giammatteo, a Connecticut-based photographer who served with me on the ASMP National Board.  These annual conferences “bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers…to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.”

Ever since, I’ve tried to watch as many of the TED conference programs as I can and every year I’ve been awestruck by the mix of people, topics and information covered.

Over 450 free videos ranging in length from a few minutes to the 18 minute maximum are currently available at www.TED.com with more added regularly.

The 2009 TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Global conference will be held in Oxford from July 21-24 and I can’t wait to see the new ideas, inspirations and information they’ll be posting this year.

5 Things You Can Do to Jump-start Your Creativity

1) Shoot film. Because you won’t get the instant feedback of digital, you’ll have to use bits of your brain that have probably been dormant for a while.

2) Go look at other art. Museums, galleries, wherever you can find art. Think about the process of these other artists and compare it with your own.

3) Meditate. Quieting your mind will help open it up to fresh ideas. Do this regularly for best effect.

4) Write. Journals, poetry, haiku, fiction, non-fiction, doesn’t matter. Words are often challenging for visual artists so doing this forces you to think differently. Try to describe your vision in words without sounding like a bad promo.

5) Do a group project. Get some of your creative buddies to all make something together or individually–using the same technique or object or theme–then get together and “show & tell.” Don’t restrict yourself to photos–try another medium!

These are just suggestions. The important thing is to keep reaching for creativity in your work. Sometimes the best way to do that is to challenge yourself by doing things you don’t normally do. Sometimes it’s to sit and let the ideas come. Try everything, and keep doing what works best for you.

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