June 2015 Newsletter

by Bulletin Magazine | Jun 1, 2015 | ASMP Newsletter

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TRENDING NOW

Message from the Executive Director

19ddfb20-63d4-4331-9f2b-45ed326ad34b “When asked why a client should hire an ASMP member, I say professionalism is the key. Professionals know things, and can do things that others can’t. We draw out unspoken client needs through conversation and deep listening. We make the creative process fun and rewarding for clients. We manage business relationships without friction or drama. We anticipate and solve problems. We keep commitments. We deliver compelling, clear and powerful visual images that resonate with audiences. And in the end, our professionalism has a way of making everyone around us better. That’s who our ASMP professionals are, and that’s what they do.”
– Tom Kennedy, ASMP Executive Director

ASMP National Board Meeting
The ASMP National Board of Directors met with ASMP Executive Director Tom Kennedy in Raleigh, NC on June 11 and 12. Discussions focused on increasing the value of ASMP membership by expanding mechanisms for identifying member needs and developing higher touch, more personalized services at all levels. Chapters and Specialty Groups play a critical role in creating ASMP’s “photographers helping photographers” culture and the board brainstormed how to help and support ASMP leaders in their efforts. The board also confirmed that ASMP should continue to expand advocacy efforts related to Copyright reform as it offers a very real opportunity for ASMP to affect positive change for our members and our industry. “The board was energetic, passionate and generous with their ideas,” notes National Board Chair Jenna Close, “I came away from the meeting feeling very proud of our organization and everyone who dedicates their time to it.”

Stolen Goods Alert: Lens Pro To Go
Lens Pro To Go suffered a break-in at their Concord, MA location over the weekend of June 13-14. Nearly $600,000 worth of gear was stolen. Please reference this list of stolen serial numbers before purchasing any gear sold outside of an authorized retail establishment. We thank ASMP New England for spearheading this effort to raise awareness of the crime.

Eiler Awarded 3rd Annual ASMP Susan Carr Educator Prize
ASMP is pleased to announce that Terry Eiler, co- founder and professor emeritus of the School of Visual Communication in the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, has been awarded the 3rd annual ASMP Susan Carr Educator Prize for his significant contributions to the education of photography students and professional photographers. The Prize honors the memory of former ASMP Education Director Susan Carr, whose dedication to clarifying sound business practices helped thousands of working photographers build successful careers. The Prize was awarded at the PDN Annual Awards Gala in New York City on June 10. Read the full press release here.

COPYRIGHT REFORM

Call to Action: U.S. Copyright Office Notice of Inquiry
On April 24, 2015 the U.S. Copyright Office issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to review “how certain visual works, particularly photographs, graphic artworks, and illustrations are monetized, enforced and registered under the Copyright Act.” ASMP seeks relevant comments, experiences and stories to consider as we work with coalition members to draft a comprehensive response. Please review our update on the NOI, then send your thoughts to copyrightreform@asmp.org no later than Sunday, July 5, 2015.

Copyright Office for the Digital Economy Act Proposed
Earlier this month, U.S. Representatives Tom Marino and Judy Chu distributed a discussion draft of a bill, the Copyright Office for the Digital Economy Act (“CODE” Act), which would bring the Copyright Office into the digital environment to the benefit of everyone involved with copyrights: creators, publishers, users and consumers, alike. ASMP General Counsel Vic Perlman describes the CODE Act as the first of a series of anticipated legislative efforts designed to significantly modernize the Copyright Act. ASMP supports and applauds this important first step. Get the full details here.

Copyright Office Issues Orphan Works & Mass Digitization Report
On June 4, the U.S. Copyright Office released Orphan Works and Mass Digitization: A Report of the Register of Copyrights. The Report “documents the legal and business challenges faced by good faith users who seek to use orphan works and/or engage in mass digitization projects. It provides a series of legislative recommendations that offer users a way forward out of gridlock, but also take into account the legitimate concerns and exclusive rights of authors and other copyright owners.” Click here to read the report.

Copyright Office Recommends Pilot Collective Licensing Program
On June 9, the U.S. Copyright Office released a Notice of Inquiry requesting comments on a limited pilot program that would establish a legal framework known as extended collective licensing for certain mass digitization activities that are currently beyond the reach of the Copyright Act. “ASMP supports the Copyright Office’s assessment that a limited collective licensing mechanism could be an effective solution to issues arising out of mass digitization,” notes Tom Kennedy, adding “but the devil is in the details and ASMP will be submitting comments outlining our position on the issues most vital to protect photographers’ interests.” Click here to read the NOI.

It’s Time to Act
ASMP is fighting hard to ensure that your needs are heard during these critical early days of the first major Copyright reform movement since 1976 and we need your help! Global corporations with deep pockets have already aligned against the interests of independent creators. Only our numbers and a strong, unified voice can counter their lobbyists and their messaging. If you haven’t yet joined ASMP or if your membership is up for renewal, don’t delay. Visit ASMP here today.

ON YOUR SIDE

On June 11, ASMP filed a Memorandum in Opposition to New York Senate Bill 5650 / Assembly Bill No. 7904, which proposed granting a 70 year retroactive and descendible right of publicity to all deceased residents of New York State, regardless of their celebrity status. MPAA, DMLA and NPPA are working with ASMP in a concerted effort to block this change. Read ASMP’s comments here.
Members across the country report that a variation on the Advance Funds scam, where someone posing as a client asks you to pay another vendor who doesn’t accept credit cards and add those charges to your bill, which they then pay with an invalid credit card, continues to make the rounds. These bogus queries are arriving via e-mail and text. Learn more about this and other scams targeting photographers here.
We have also heard from members who have been asked to produce work on spec for Zooppa, a platform that solicits on behalf of large brands seeking to crowd-source ads with the promise of prizes for the winning creative. The Membership Agreement assigns to the sponsoring brand all rights, title and interest to all submissions – not just those selected for prizes – and includes an indemnification clause and other terms that are clearly not in the best interests of creators. ASMP urges all creators to read all Terms, Agreements and Policies carefully and to weigh the risks against the rewards before submitting work through this platform.

ASMP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

ASMP’s Business as unUsual webinar series is on summer hiatus and will recommence in September. During this time, we’ll be lining up great presentations for the 2015-2016 season. Please send any speaker or topic suggestions you’d like to see us pursue to Director of Content Strategy Judy Herrmann at herrmann@asmp.org.

Questions with a Pro
Don’t miss Scott Gable, Chase Jarvis , and Ami Vitale sharing their thoughts on business, creativity, marketing, technique and more in our Questions with a Pro series on Facebook andTwitter. Come back each week to find your favorite pros answering 2-4 of our questions. #questionswithapro. Got questions you’d like to ask or a Pro you’d like us to feature? Send your ideas to asmp@vpassociations.com

Coming up on the Strictly Business Blog
c6f656ba-e7e4-4879-bbaf-9e321437fa94 Visit ASMP’s Strictly Business Blog to find meaty and insightful posts from over 30 industry experts. This week, our contributors share the evolution of their careers and what they’ve learned along the way. We’ll give them a well-earned break for the July 4th holiday and return July 13 with expert advice on the nitty-gritty of production. A new post goes live 5 days per week. Bookmark asmp.org/strictlybusiness.

ASMP Webinar Recordings
6e52b7fc-8efb-416a-a61d-4e6de100588b Summer is the perfect time to catch up on any ASMP webinars you may have missed. With nearly 30 recordings covering marketing, pricing, portfolio development, copyright, social media and more, you’ll find a depth and breadth of information custom tailored to your needs as a professional still or motion photographer. ASMP members get free access to these recorded webinars on demand or as downloadable MP4 files. Visit ASMP Webinars for a complete listing of available programs.

CONNECT WITH THE BEST

Through July 30, Phillips Gallery in New York City is hosting the first ever New York selling exhibition by Brigitte Lacombe. Entitled Brigitte Lacombe: Complicities, the exhibition represents 40 years of intimate on-set portraits of artists and filmmakers, including large format limited edition prints of Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams, Sofia Coppola, Kate Moss, Cate Blanchett, and others. Click here for details about this remarkable exhibit and a sneak peek at some of the images.

On June 10, Nancy Borowick received the Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture at the PDN Photo Annual Gala in New York City. The $15,000 Prize is funded by the Arnold and Augusta Newman Foundation with support from ASMP, Photo District News and the Maine Media Workshops. “I’m so honored and humbled to receive this year’s Arnold Newman Prize…” wrote Borowick. “I wish I could have met Arnold,” she continued, citing his words“We do not take pictures with our cameras but with our hearts and minds.” Click here to view more of Borowick’s powerful images

ASMP congratulates our many members chosen for the 2015 PDN Photo Annual including Nancy Borowick, Jamey Stillings, Tim Gruber, Andy Batt, Brian Finke, David Bowman, David Emmite, Djinane AlSuwayeh, Gerd Ludwig, Gregg Segal, Jill Greenberg, Jimmy Williams,Liesa Cole, Mark Meyer, Noah Webb, Susan A. Barnett, Thomas Barwick , and Toni Greaves. Examples of their impressive work can be found here.

“I wanted to show people how you should feel when you walk through this city, without any knowledge of what these buildings are other than the address and corner they’re on, how majestic and how much personality they have on their own,” says Jack Alterman of his new book, My City Charleston. Click here to view images from the 200-page volume and purchase the book.

Attendees of the Look3 Festival in Charlotteville, VA received the rare treat of hearing 2 ASMP legends share insights from their lives and careers. If you missed these live talks, you can still catch the synopsis from PDN online in Walter Iooss Shares Advice and Lessons from His Encounters with Great Athletes and Larry Fink on Experience, Empathy and Being “Stuck” with a Successful Career.

Steve Dreyer’s solo exhibit, Presence of Light, features a collection of black & white works demonstrating how light can create a dramatic effect on architecture from New York City, Paris and Shanghai as well as landscapes. Open through June 30 at the Works Gallery in New York City. Click here for a preview of the series.

“Make pictures that you desperately want to be making, nonstop. Then figure out how to do that differently than it’s been done before,” advise ASMP’s Best of 2014 honorees Leah Nash and Christopher Onstott, whose collaborations under the moniker NashCO focus on photographing real people in an authentic way for travel, food, reportage, portraiture, education, corporate, industrial, lifestyle and office culture imagery. See more of their work and read the full interview here.

ASMP’s Best of 2014 honoree Jeannie O’Connor’s intricate artwork begins with architecturally precise photographs of industrial sites near her West Oakland studio. She outputs the photos onto clear film and paints the back of each image with acrylics. On breaking into the competitive world of Fine Art photography, she notes, “Do your work and get to know other artists. So much happens through your contacts.” Click here to read the full interview and see more of her work.

Promote Your Work through ASMP!
Has your work recently been published in a book? Featured in an exhibit? Won an Award? Or garnered press coverage? ASMP regularly showcases member accomplishments on our Facebook page, Twitter feed and in this eNewsletter, which goes to tens of thousands of subscribers. To submit projects for consideration, please review our submission guidelines then send a brief description with url for appropriate projects to promotemywork@asmp.org.

EXCLUSIVE TO MEMBERS

Final Dates! Hone Your Audio Skills & Save $20
Get a solid foundation in working with audio for video, film and multimedia projects. From recording and editing sound to special effects, music tracks, and mixing, the MZed Sound Advice Tour with Oscar and Emmy winning Supervising Sound Editor/Designer Frank Serafine and his colleague, Mark Edward Lewis, has you covered. The tour ends July 2. Get your discount here.

Save the Date – Save some Cash!
ASMP has negotiated a $20 discount on the upcoming Art of Visual Storytelling 2 Tour with Saturday Night Live DP, Alex Buono. The workshop will cover the most important filmmaking lessons he’s learned over the years – from current technologies to the principles of visual storytelling and the core foundations and techniques of cinematography. The 32-city tour starts July 22. Click here to note the dates nearest you then keep an eye out for your ASMP Member discount code – coming soon!

Stay Tuned for ASMP Photo Plus Expo Discount
Registration for Photo Plus Expo will open in July. Before you sign up, check your email for a substantial ASMP Member discount!

Indulge in All Things Apple & Save!
Did you know that ASMP members get a significant discount on Apple products? Buy a Macbook Pro or iMac with Retina Display and save $70, $100 or more depending on configuration. Computers, iPads, accessories, memory, displays, even AppleCare costs less when you’re an ASMP member. Click here to learn more about your ASMP Apple discount.

ASMP members save on a wide range of valuable goods and services for still and motion photographers. Visit ASMP Benefits to see all the ways ASMP membership saves you money! Not a member? Visit ASMP here to start saving today.

ASMP OUT & ABOUT

On June 10, Tom Kennedy attended the PDN Photo Annual Gala in New York City where he presented the ASMP Susan Carr Educator Prize and co-presented the Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture with Elizabeth Greenbergfrom Maine Media Workshops.
On June 11, the ASMP National Board and Tom Kennedy met with leaders of ASMP North Carolina. The gathering was organized by Margo Pinkerton, Michael Mauney, and Charlie Brown, who also hosted the meeting in his Raleigh studio. ASMP Director Charles Gupton facilitated the conversation, which focused on the future of ASMP and how the National board and staff can most effectively support chapter needs.
On June 18, Full-time Photographer released a 25-minute interview featuring Tom Kennedy discussing his experiences as a photographer and photo editor as well as the many ways ASMP helps photographers. Click here to listen to the podcast.
On June 19, Tom Kennedy spoke to the challenges facing professional image-makers today for the Washington Media Institute, a private program that draws students from universities and colleges across the country for a semester of media skills building and meaningful internships tailored to their career aspirations.

FYI

Howard Chapnick Grant Open for Nominations thru July 15
Established in 1996 by the Smith Fund and friends of Howard Chapnick to honor his memory as the head of the Black Star photo agency, this ASMP-sponsored $5000 grant encourages and supports leadership in fields ancillary to photojournalism, such as editing, research, education and management. The grant may be used to further education or research initiatives, as well as long-term sabbatical projects or internships. The deadline to apply is July 15th. Click here to learn more.

FotoFest 2016 Portfolio Reviews Registration Closes July 29
The FotoFest 2016 Biennial International Meeting Place Portfolio Review for Artists will take place in Houston, TX from March 12 – 30, 2016. Bringing together over 500 photographic artists from around the world and across the United States, with over 160 professional reviewers, it is the largest portfolio review program in the world. Registration closes July 29, 2015. Click here to register.