Ask Anything – Live

Going to the PDN Photoplus Expo? You may want to come see Amanda, Suzanne and I put the toughest questions you can muster to an all-star panel that includes an AB, PE, Rep, Photog and AD. The Seminar is Thursday, Oct 28, 2010 – 3:45 PM to 5:45 PM.

If you’ve got a tough question, e-promo example, mailer example, website example or portfolio conundrum it would be awesome if you submitted it to Amanda (amanda(at)sosastone.com) or Suzanne (suzanne.sease(at)verizon.net) before that date, so we can bring it up with the panel. I would be extra stoked if someone made a video question we could present. Actually that might be a good way to show us your promo materials or portfolio.

Not going to the expo? No problem. I’m going to setup some type of live streaming/transcript/audio that will allow you to see/read/hear the questions and answers. Also, you will be able to participate in the discussion on twitter.

Ask Anything – Dropping Your Agent

Former Art Buyers and current photography consultants Amanda Sosa Stone and Suzanne Sease have agreed to take anonymous questions from photographers and not only give their expert advice but put it out to a wide range of photographers, reps and art buyers to gather a variety of opinions. The goal with this column is to solicit honest questions and answers through anonymity.

QUESTION:
What’s the standard protocol for dropping a rep? I feel like I’m about to tell my spouse that I’m filing for divorce. I’m almost terrified to do it in person, and I’m not shy. I have been getting an increasingly unpleasant vibe from my agent and I’m just not comfortable with the way he represents me. I want the face of my “brand” to photo editors and art buyers to be someone I am proud of, not someone I’m embarrassed about. I am mostly paranoid that this agent will talk shit on me to his network for dropping him. I know I’m supposedly “their boss” but I also don’t want to burn any bridges either. I’d love to hear from other people on how they went about the rep switch, and about having to pay commissions to the old rep for a certain number of months (is this normal?) after they parted ways. Hearing it from the agents’ perspective would be great too…

Amanda and Suzanne:
We have consulted with photographers and reps around the world and helped them with this very dilemma. Many photographers are looking for agents, here is some insight in the world of having an agent.

ANSWERS:

PHOTOGRAPHER’s AGENT:
I do not think the photographer is a reps “boss.” They should be working together as a team. I do not think you should get rid of a rep or a rep should not get rid of a photographer without first trying to address and work out the problem.

PHOTOGRAPHER’s AGENT:
In my opinion, the more honest and straightforward you are in any relationship, the better. I’ve always maintained that if a relationship is not working for one of the parties, then the relationship is not working! I would question the statement of this photographer, “I’m supposedly their boss.” In 22 years, I’ve never had a relationship where the photographers considered themselves my “boss.” We are partners, and the most successful photographer / rep relationships are the ones in which there is collaboration and mutual respect.

PHOTOGRAPHER’s AGENT:
Ahhhh…the old “to have” or “have not” an exit strategy established before ending a rep/photog relationship.

Sounds like there isn’t one in place here (that has been discussed or possibly in writing). Point that should be
noted for “next time.”

In my experience with three agencies the standard protocol has varied, but typically the artist/rep first has a
“come to Jesus” conversation to discuss “unpleasant vibe” or like topics that either will clear the air with
some ways for improvement i.e see how it goes over the next few months etc. or it’s decided that the relationship
has run it’s course.

If it’s the latter, then an exit strategy should be discussed, put in writing & signed by each of the respective parties.
This can/should vary depending on how contentious or cordial the potential split is.

This allows for clear communication with neither party getting a strong (bullying) upper hand. It’s business.

Points to be included in the exit agreement could include:

o what date the relationship will formally end.
o when & how portfolios/promo-materials etc. are retrieved by the agent & returned to the artist.
o how long the artist will remain on the website.
o outstanding monies owed i.e. artist to rep for expenses are discussed for payment.
o outstanding jobs or existing negotiations are discussed, completed & billed.
o period that after the relationship formally ends that the agent can collect commission on jobs.
(Typically this is included in all boiler plate contracts) but I have seen it range from 3 months – 1 year.
o List (or not) of clients that these monies can be collected from – including reuse scenarios (which is key).

A separate piece of the exiting strategy should involve a written & signed cease & desist about speaking
professionally i.e. not badly about either party (with ramifications) – again, depending upon the tone of the split.
With the growing use & trends of social media, this should also include emails, FB, LinkedIn, twitter, tumblr etc.

While there is always some fall out, I still believe that cream rises to the top but it pays to keep quiet and professional.
Very common practice in corporate America.

Another thought:
Writing an email (artist/rep) that gets circulated by the rep to the artist group, key clients, trade sources etc. briefly explaining
that x&y will no longer be working together. Wish each other well etc. It’s a good PR/political measure that again keeps both parties
accountable & professional.

ESTABLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER:
Dropping an agent should be done respectfully and honestly. The photographer owes the agent time to develop a relationship with potential clients and the body of work. If the agent cannot sell the vision of the photographer it may be a mismatch worth exploring new agents who do have a shared vision of how to market and how to sell that vision. A review of progress or lack of should be discussed and openly analyzed. If it is beneficial to split, I think this should be done gracefully and respectfully. There is no reason to berate or condemn a person when ending the relationship; simply on a personal level it is not helpful or necessary. I would review the contract, agree on terms for termination and gracefully move on. If you can say it don’t write it.

ESTABLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER:
I got some advice from a lawyer friend at the time I started working with my ex agent, “It’s easier to get into a business relationship than it is to get out of one.” Certainly true in my case….

From the description, I have to say though it appears some of the anxiety this person is facing is self-inflicted.

Mistake 1: Working with someone who you’re embarrassed about and feel you can’t trust.

Mistake 2: Working with someone on an extended basis without a contract and / or clear compensation and severance terms.

Mistake 3: Thinking you’re “the boss” of your agent. I think most good reps would view it as they work with you, not for you…. more of a partner in your business than an employee…

ESTABLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER:
There is no standard protocol. It’s a very difficult situation and yes it’s like a break up.
From my experience, be honest, say it’s time for you to move on, and keep repeating that it’s nothing personal. It’s business. Keep in mind that any rep who talks shit about any photographer will reflect more on the rep than you. Those days are over when you can get away with stuff like that. As far as commissions are concerned, it depends on how well or badly the break up goes. If he takes it like a professional then work something out. If he acts like a child, then break it off cleanly and move on.

Remember, it’s your career and an agent represents you. You are in charge not them.

ESTABLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER:
Ending a relationship with a rep is a lot like breaking up. First let’s deal with the money. It is always advised that you get in writing how the commissions will be handled in the event of a split when you first sign your agreement to work together. Splits do happen and getting it in writing makes the split cleaner.

I once had a rep who used to burst into the studio at the last minute grabbing misc samples and tearsheets on the way to an appointment she had set up for another of her photographers, saying she thought it was a good opportunity to show my work. She also tended to wear very loud color clothing and too much perfume. This was really not my style, as I am very organized, prepare my work beautifully, and tend to be understated.

This person, did not “represent” me or my work well, and I ended it after a short time of working together.

In your case, if everything has been handled professionally from the beginning, and you have legitimate reasons for moving on, and have had decent communication along the way, I don’t think an agent would talk bad about anyone who has split with them. It’s also a bad reflection on them to do so, unless everyone knows you’ve been a jerk.

I wouldn’t worry about it, just move on and set things up better next time.

ESTABLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER:
Its happened to me a few times.
Best way to go about is to not get personal- it is like a divorce, but there is no need for either type of breakup to ever get ugly.
Just say you think you have different goals and it’s not working out. Don’t point fingers, or dig up anything from the past (or worse, drag other people into it) just that you think it’s time to make a change.
As far as compensation, if you don’t have a contract commission on any account you’ve worked with while with the rep seems fair. In my case I had an account that shot once a year, and the next shoot fell well outside our parting but I felt the rep was owed that, in the spirit of the agreement, and paid the commission.
Remember that it’s a small community and word gets around, so chose yours carefully and take the high road whenever possible.
If they “talk shit” that is often taking as coming from someone that is bitter, and will only make them look bad. Don’t worry about it.
It is possible the rep will take on someone that does the same thing you do, so don’t sit back and think those clients will have any loyalty. It’s a good time to send out a promo or make some calls and let people know you are rep-less, this will combat anything the old rep might say about you being out of business, and you might pick up some clients that like your work but hated your rep.
I’m still friends with all of my old reps (and ex wives and girlfriends too) and while the relationship will change they call still be a valuable part of your business. Take the high road, do the right thing, and part as friends.

To Summarize:
Having a rep is like being married. It’s a relationship based on trust and respect, but you both have to be attracted to one another (to the same work we mean). Since one of us was a former rep – we know what’s it’s like to have those break ups. Have a GOOD contract in hand and discuss those WHAT IF’s before getting into your relationship with one another (and make sure everything discussed is in writing). Like a marriage or any relationship – they all end eventually – some on good terms (like retirement) and some not so good (death, divorce, infidelity – and yes there is many times infidelity happens in rep/photographer relationships – again “Project Infidelity” we mean). Our favorite line from this is: “If you can say it don’t write it.” If you can openly communicate – you should have a good relationship.

Call To Action:
If you are looking at getting an agent – write a list of qualities you are looking for in an agent. Then when you find that agent, discuss your needs and wants from them – listen to theirs. Then review contract and make sure those items are itemized and documented. Have both of your exit plans clearly stated. GOOD LUCK!

If you want more insight from Amanda and Suzanne you can contact them directly (here and here) or tune in once a week or so for more of “Ask Anything.”

Photography Contests – The Fix Is In

PART 1

I got this question from a reader recently:

I have entered some of the contests but I always get the feeling that they are fixed to some degree. I have talked to other photographers and they feel the same way.

It always seems to be the same people winning over and over again. Particularly up here in Canada where the market is smaller. I’m guessing that its just the luck of the draw and the more entries you put in the more chances you have because sometimes the photography that does win is crappy. For example photos of celebrities no matter how bad they are always seem to win. I’m guessing that judges also know who the photographers work is considering how high profile some of it is.

I know this sounds kind of bitter and don’t get me wrong because I love to see great photography win and I love seeing stuff that inspires me but sometimes… its frustrating seeing what wins.

Yes, I believe the contests are fixed to some degree. I don’t blame the organizers or the judges necessarily, it really comes down to the herd mentality of the photography business.

First, you have the taste of the judges. Many are hiring from the same pool of photographers and even if they are not there’s the simple math that if two judges kind of like something, then they agree and you have a winner. As opposed to one judge loving something and another hating it. That would be the loser. Add into this the simple economics of the photography business where the people in charge, the owners CEO’s, CFO’s and EIC’s, define successful photography as photography found in successful magazines.

Second, you really can’t look at contests as a source of new talent. They really amount to a nice group back slap for another year in the business doing good work.

Celebrity photography is another matter. Not only is it quite difficult to gain access to celebrities it’s also impossible to get them to participate in an interesting picture. Therefore the bar if much lower for me when it comes to celebrity photography. I know many photographers prefer to focus on the technical aspects of a picture but for me subject matter is 2/3 the battle. Access is a huge deal and hiring people who not only are able to gain access but convince people to do extraordinary things was always high on my agenda.

So, while I don’t believe awesome, incredible photography is hitting the cutting room floor I know some really boring stuff makes the cut because of familiarity and subject matter. That being said, I’ve always looked at the results from contests and found interesting photography that I didn’t know about.

PART 2

I got an email from Geoff Smith about a contest called the Canteen Awards that he recently participated in and thought I might like. After reading this statement on the website my interest was piqued:

Naked Judging Exposed: In too many photo contests it feels like the fix is in: the outsiders’ entry fees pay for the insiders’ prizes. Canteen is confronting this feeling head on. We exhibit the winning images alongside the comments of our judges, Brooklyn Museum director Arnold Lehman and photographer Matthew Porter—even when those comments clash.

Geoff, who incidentially was a runner-up in the contest (congrats man) told me that Canteen is a literary magazine published in Brooklyn, NY and he decided to enter because “the entry fee was only $15 and you got your choice of issue of the magazine as well (the cover price is $10).” Now, not only are they publishing the different rounds of cuts in the contest along with judges comments (here), which is unbelievably insightful and transparent. According to Geoff “they published longer versions of the judges comments, essays really, in the print issue (#6, due out Aug. 1).” And, gave him a full page to respond to the judges comments.

If that weren’t enough, they’re having a show at Powerhouse Arena in DUMBO Aug. 4th-29th, called Naked Judging Exposed: The 2010 Canteen Awards in Photography (reception Aug. 19th) where Geoff says “They also put me in the show and they are exhibiting my entire 6-image entry which, for me, is just bizarre and awesome and I can’t thank them enough, but also shows that they are really walking the transparency walk and not just using the trope of changing how things are done as a marketing or promotional device.”

I think we have a new standard for photography contests. Nice work Canteen.

Real World Estimates – Exclusive Contracts with University Clients

By Wonderful Machine CEO Bill Cramer

Though we now work with nearly 500 photographers around the world, Wonderful Machine started out as a small cooperative of photographers in Philadelphia—sharing equipment, facilities, staff, supplies, insurance and know-how. Sharing those overhead costs is great, but it’s even better when we can develop client relationships that we couldn’t tackle individually. (Here’s another recent post about some other photographer cooperatives.)

One of those clients is a single department of a major university with a regular need for documentary photography. I started working for them nearly ten years ago, when their creative director saw my pictures in a couple of magazines and asked me to meet with her. At that time, their regular photographer charged 1800.00/day plus expenses for unlimited use of his pictures forever. But it was clear they weren’t happy with that photographer. I tactfully explained that I price my work based on usage, not just by time. And if they were willing to structure their licensing agreements that way, they could attract a higher caliber photographer (like me).

We agreed on a rate that covered her basic needs, which were local advertising, collateral (internal and external and including web), and publicity (press kits). To keep the fees within their budget, we limited the duration of use to one year. For anything beyond that (national advertising or subsequent use), we would negotiate an additional fee. We worked up a (non-exclusive) contract, which we tweaked periodically.

Then when I started collaborating with other photographers, I saw an opportunity to introduce them to that client as well. The university’s needs were growing. I was growing out of some of the assignments I was getting from them. So I had to figure out a way to incorporate our other photographers into our agreement.

It occurred to me that at the same time, we were in a position to create an exclusive relationship with the university in a way that could serve both parties better. The client could agree to give us all of their photographic assignment work, and in return we would agree to handle whatever they threw at us. The client would have the benefit of one point of contact (our studio manager) when they needed a photographer or a reproduction file. Our photographers would grow familiar with their people, places, and needs. And our photographers would have the benefit of a steady revenue stream. It’s a classic win-win that we’ve all been enjoying for several years now, and generates close to six figures in annual revenue.

You can see the actual contract and a typical invoice here:

And here’s an explanation of each paragraph:

<DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY> WONDERFUL MACHINE INC.
2009-2011 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Memorandum Of Understanding was what my client wanted to call our agreement. Clients will sometimes say “memorandum of understanding” instead of “contract” to avoid dealing with their own legal departments. It’s debatable whether this makes any legal difference. I’m confident that the clarity of the agreement is what protects will govern the relationship, rather than what we call it.

AGREEMENT – This agreement between Wonderful Machine Inc., (hereafter “Photographer” or “WMI”), and (hereafter “Client”) governs photographic assignments (“Photographs”), shot between August 26, 2009 and December 31, 2011, and constitutes the entire agreement between the parties concerning those assignments.

I like to give contracts expiration dates. Otherwise, whenever you make changes, you have to nullify the previous contract. It’s messy when you work with a client over a long period of time and it’s not clear which contract governs which project.

RATES – WMI will offer Photographers at the following rates:

A – 225.00/hour on site, plus 450.00 start-up fee, plus incidental expenses
B – 175.00/hour on site, plus 350.00 start-up fee, plus incidental expenses
C – 125.00/hour on site, plus 250.00 start-up fee, plus incidental expenses

In order to be able to handle all of their photographic requirements, we need to offer photographers at a range of skills and price points. Each of our photographers decides on his hourly rate. Then the client decides when they need their “A” team for a particular project.

In cases when I charge for my time, I’m usually billing by the day, not by the hour. However, the typical assignment for a university client like this is a couple of hours. Rather than agonizing over whether a project was a half-day or a full-day, I chose to structure it on an hourly basis. This is one of the concessions I made in exchange for a high volume of work.

The Start-up fee will cover normal pre-production arrangements, normal photographic equipment, digital files captured and delivered by web gallery for editing, and image archiving. There is no charge for the first two hours of round-trip travel time. After that, travel will be billed at half of the normal hourly rate. Incidental expenses may include mileage (at current IRS rate), parking, meals (on full-day shoots), tolls, assistants (as needed, 30.00/hour including travel and load/unload time), reproduction file preparation ($25.00 each), file upload ($25.00 for any number of files) and retouching (upon request 150.00/hour).

Charging by the hour only works when you have a suitable “start-up” fee to go along with it. That start-up fee covers the time it takes to do all the things that any assignment requires, no matter how short the actual shoot is.

Subject to availability, WMI will arrange for photographers in other parts of the U.S. and around the world, at the same contract rates listed above. In these cases, WMI will charge a 75.00/hour production fee to cover the staff time required to find and book the photographer, handle any post-production, image processing, captioning, archiving, and billing, over and above the actual photographer cost. WMI will provide a cost estimate in each case, and will alert the client if the anticipated production fee will exceed $250.00.

Occasionally, the client will need a photographer outside of our area. In cases where they can’t justify the travel costs, we arrange to have one of our other Wonderful Machine photographers handle it.

USAGE – The Client will have unlimited use of the Photographs in any medium and for any purpose, except for national advertising, (which will be negotiated separately), for a period of one year from shoot date, with an extension for images shot within that year and used in the annual report for that year. After that initial licensing period, the Client will pay one-half of the comparable Getty price for any further use of the Photographs. (The Getty price will be determined at the time of invoicing using the Getty Images price calculator, factoring in the size and prominence of the image, the type of media, duration of use, and quantity of publications produced.) The Client may print additional copies of any publication without any additional fee provided there are no significant changes to that publication. The Client may use any of the Photographs on their web site indefinitely without additional charge. Any publication the Client sends photos to for Publicity Use may use the Photographs without time limit, provided the Photographs had a current license when they were sent out.

The client uses pictures in lots of different ways, but mostly within a year from the original shoot. So we struck a compromise that allowed us to offer a modest rate for one year’s use, then bill additional use separately. We wanted to meet their needs without giving away the farm. Tying that additional charge to a stock industry standard eliminates the time and energy we’d otherwise have to spend negotiating. Half of the stock rate seemed like a fair discount given that they hired us to shoot the pictures in the first place.

EXCLUSIVITY – In exchange for these discounted rates and extended licensing, the Client agrees to assign all of their photographic work to Wonderful Machine Inc. If another department at wishes to use any Photographs created by WMI, that party will obtain permission from WMI and pay an additional fee to be agreed upon, except where that publication is specifically promoting , and the licensing period has not expired. Inter-departmental image usage under these terms must be accompanied by the statement, “Images used by permission of  <department of university>”. WMI will obtain permission from the Client before licensing any Photographs to any third party.

This paragraph says that they’re going to use us for all of their photography assignments and that the pictures we make for them will be for their exclusive use. (They do have the right to purchase stock photos from other vendors, which they frequently do.)

PAYMENT – Client shall make payment within 45 days of receipt of invoice.

30 days is more customary with us, but they asked for 45.

COPYRIGHT – Grant of any reproduction rights to the Client is conditioned upon receipt of payment in full as specified above. All rights not expressly granted shall be reserved by the Photographer.

This is a subtle but important point. Photographers lose a lot of leverage the moment they deliver pictures to a client. Here, it’s clearly stated that if the client uses the pictures and then chooses not to pay, they’re in violation of copyright, which gives the photographer a lot more leverage to collect. As a practical matter, it doesn’t mean that we expect to get paid before the client uses the pictures. It’s really just to protect ourselves from deadbeats.

CANCELLATIONS, POSTPONEMENTS, RESHOOTS – In the event of a cancellation or postponement of a shoot by the Client or subject, Client shall pay for the time and expenses incurred by the Photographer up to the time of the cancellation. If a shoot is canceled within 24 hours of the shoot, Client shall, in addition, also pay 100% of the fees of any subcontractors booked for the job.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, cancellation policies should be exercised with care (think about the last time you canceled your dentist appointment.)

INDEMNIFICATION – Client indemnifies and holds the Photographer harmless against any and all liabilities, claims, and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, arising from Client’s use of the Photographer’s work.

I’ve never had a liability situation come up, but you never know. I think it’s reasonable for photographers ask for this protection in cases where they could be exposed to a law suit as a result of a client’s negligence. In the same way, it’s customary now for clients to ask this of photographers. I checked with our insurance company to make sure we were covered for it.

AUTHORSHIP CREDIT – The Client will provide a credit in the name of the Photographer whenever practical.

Often, it’s not practical for a non-editorial client to credit photographers. But in cases like a brochure where graphic designers and printers are often credited, it would be reasonable to credit a photographer as well.

TURN AROUND TIME – Normal schedule for web photo gallery or final file preparation is 48 hours. There will be a 50% surcharge for 24 hour service, and a 100% surcharge for same day service. Client will place all orders by email and also call to advise of any rush orders.

I charge 25.00 for a reproduction file prep for an editorial or institutional clients, which is relatively nominal. (I typically charge 50.00 to corporate clients and bundle the file prep charge into the retouching fee for advertising clients.) The rush charge keeps me sane and keeps clients from expecting everything immediately.

TEAR SHEETS – Client will provide Photographer with two entire copies of any publication his Photographs appear in.

Tear sheets are often good for my portfolio and they help me track usage.

If you have any questions about this contract or any others, please feel free to contact our lead producer Jess Dudley at jess@wonderfulmachine.com or 610.260.0200.

Photography And Video Blog Of The Los Angeles Times

Framework, the photography and video blog of the Los Angeles Times, celebrates the power and explores the craft of visual storytelling. The blog highlights the work of Times photojournalists who, frame by frame, document the drama, the emotion and sometimes the humor of life. Framework also aims to serve as a resource hub for photography, multimedia and video enthusiasts who share our passion.

More: Framework .

Treesaver – Porting Magazines Online Just Got Easier

Wow, Roger Black is at it again. After releasing the controversial magazine and newspaper design templates Ready-Media he’s got his hands on a platform for publishing content online that will automatically adjust the layout to the size of the screen. With the recent announcement that Kmart is selling a 7 in. tablet for $170 bucks and the Android OS being sold in every size and shape of phone available the hand made rigid templates media companies use to publish content online are looking to become a very costly portion of the bottom line. In comes Roger with Treesaver to save the day:

Adaptive Page Sizing Demo:

Continuous Reading Demo:

Nomad Sees Content Oasis in Mag Desert

While many Web sites (you know who they are) subside on aggregation or free labor, Edmiston sees Nomad as providing a sustainable source of work for journalists. “We wanted to create something where people who create good content could actually share in the money that is generated by their work,” he said.

via Mediaweek.

Ask Anything – Printed Portfolio vs. iPad Portfolio

Former Art Buyers and current photography consultants Amanda Sosa Stone and Suzanne Sease have agreed to take anonymous questions from photographers and not only give their expert advice but put it out to a wide range of photographers, reps and art buyers to gather a variety of opinions. The goal with this column is to solicit honest questions and answers through anonymity.

QUESTION:

I am a photo assistant and studio manager that is taking steps to go out on my own, getting everything in place before the storm. Or at least what I hope will be the storm of work coming my way. Trying to stay positive here. Getting started is hard hitting, financially, so every decision I make I’m putting a lot of thought into, what tripod to invest in, cases, website, etc. There are so many options out there. Now I’ve reached portfolios. I just redid portfolios for a photographer I work for. This photographer dropped thousands on beautiful new portfolios and prints. They are really lovely. Whenever I contact others about this photographer’s work, or am contacted about it, never do they want to see the printed version. They simply say, send me a link to the website, or send a digital portfolio focusing on this. This really makes me wonder if I should be spending the time and money to print my work. I’ve heard of other photographers sending around an ipad with their work instead of a printed book. While I find it rather silly, as many computer screens are larger than the ipad, in which case I think you will get a better experience with the images, it does make some sense as well. At least you can control the color and quickly revise the images as necessary. I’ve heard what photographers think about this, but I’m wondering what art buyers, photo editors, and you think of this.

Amanda and Suzanne:
A portfolio is your visual voice that allows you to tell the story/journey of who you are creatively. We hope that portfolios will continue to transform, but we believe will continue to exist in some form. The website and the portfolio still stand as 2 separate entities and each tells your story differently.

ANSWERS:

ART PRODUCER:

I think if you’re going to be a photographer… be a photographer… save your money and have your book printed on nice paper. But, it really all depends on who’s asking and what they are asking for. Maybe the job is shooting something that will only go online. Look, I know that showing your books digitally is easier, but believe me there are still a lot of traditional clients, AD’s & AB’s who like to see a portfolio. Most still do. Let’s put this way, have ever gone to see an apartment that you saw online and when you arrived you can’t believe it’s the same apartment. Photoshop is beautiful thing. Not to say you can’t photoshop images and print them in your printed portfolio. You can. I just think touching and feeling it gives clients, AD’s & AB’s a lot more to talk about.

BTW: I just finished A job that sent books all over the place. Not just the photographer, but hair, make-up & wardrobe stylist as well. It pays to be prepared. Keep in mind that if you only have one book, be creative and tell clients all your books are out… they’ll want you more.

ART PRODUCER:
If I were a new photographer, I’d invest in 1) a killer website, 2) an iPad portfolio and 3) and FTP service.

Don’t get me wrong; as a Print person, I love a beautifully crafted physical portfolio. But the reality is, the iPad is already revolutionizing portfolio showing. It does everything I would want a portfolio to do: it’s easy to use; the images look great; I can pass it around; I can view multiple portfolios at will; shipping is cheap!

As a photographer, you can customize it to each client and it’s cheaper than printing out multiple physical portfolios.

I have to admit, I’ve requested fewer and fewer physical portfolios of any kind over the past year. Photographers have become more techno-savvy and can provide me links or PDFs to what I need to see.

That’s where the FTP service comes in. Rather than sending large files via email, send links to your work via an FTP site. There are several out there, some entirely free.

ART PRODUCER:
I can’t remember the last time that I called in/used an actual printed book. I first evaluate work by what I see online. If I need more, I’ll ask, but usually I’ll want to see more work digitally. Books are expensive; take time to get to me, etc. I also like showing only relevant shots to our clients. While very beautiful, I can’t do that with an already put together book. I’m a big fan of treatments (previous post on treatments). They go along way with clients and with my creative team. These are catered to a particular client/project and show insightful ideas that relate directly to my client/project. I’ve been using these in replacement of a book.

To Summarize: Have something PREPARED and READY waiting to go out. 3 different buyers and they both say to be prepared – please listen to your potential clients.

Call To Action: print your book, or buy the iPad you have been dying to buy, and/or get your digital/virtual portfolio together. If budget allows we vote for all 3. If budget is tight and $500 is more realistic, then the iPad. If budget is $0 – virtual all the way.

If you want more insight from Amanda and Suzanne you can contact them directly (here and here) or tune in once a week or so for more of “Ask Anything.” Amanda and Suzanne review your comments for 2 days, and then they are off researching next week’s question.

500 Photographers

Here’s a great resource many creatives will want to bookmark: http://www.500photographers.com

Most of the photographers will be familiar to everyone but it’s still a great place to go poke around and run into work you were only vaguely familiar with. Plus they’re only on #88 so there’s lots more to come.

500 photographers is a weblog that posts 5 active photographers a week for 100 weeks. The photographers can be from any discipline within the photographic range, but they have to be worth looking at and have a certain level of quality. When we get to number 500, we will have a deep database of great photographers.

500 photographers is done by Pieter Wisse, a photographer himself based in Rotterdam, NL and owner of Four Eyes Photography & Art

500photographers

Newsweek Sold for $1

The Daily Beast is reporting that Sidney Harman–-a 91 year old billionaire who made his fortune partially as the Harman in Harman/Kardon–purchased the magazine from the Washington Post Co., yesterday for a dollar. They’ve also gotten their hands on the 66 page sales memo that was given to prospective buyers and paints a clearer picture of the debt he assumed as well:

Revenue dropped 38 percent between 2007 and 2009, to $165 million. Newsweek’s negligible operating loss (not including certain pension and early retirement changes) of $3 million in 2007 turned into a bloodbath: the business lost $32 million in 2008 and $39.5 million in 2009. Even after reducing headcount by 33 percent, and slashing the number of issues printed and distributed to readers each week, from 2.6 million to 1.5 million, the 2010 operating loss is still forecast at $20 million.

Dig deeper into the document and the numbers get worse. Newsweek lost money in all three of its core areas in 2008 and 2009: U.S. publishing, foreign publishing and digital. Even with the smaller guaranteed circulation, it still retains $40 million in subscription liabilities owed to readers. And then there’s Newsweek’s lease foibles: last year, it paid $13 million in rent, a startling figure for a company of its size.

More here.

NY Magazine’s Daily Intel does a little head scratching at the logic of buying the magazine without a way to shore up back office expenses by combining it with another magazine like the recent BusinessWeek purchase by Bloomberg.

It’s quite possible this will remain a pet project for the new owner and a radical turnaround is not in the cards, but wouldn’t it be awesome if he hired someone to implode the business model and find a new path. My previous back of the napkin calculations into running a magazine tell me that a very tiny percentage of the expenses are the actual content.

[For fun, here’s what Newsweek had to say about the internet in 1995.]