The burgeoning model requires a Malcolm X “By Any Means Necessary” attitude. Photographers are encouraged to write, blog, teach workshops, engage in social media, secure sponsorships, develop exterior passions and basically do anything and everything to put food on the table.
via Ansel Adams: Master Photographer, Master Marketer – NYTimes.com.
7 Comments
god knows a lot of the photographer/teachers, say, on creativelive.com must have been used car salespersons in a former lifetime.
Like in the parody video Zack Arias made of himself as a used car salesman to sell one of his Creativelive workshops?
I would add:
…and basically do anything and everything except make photographs.
Such a good point. Not a lot of time left for creativity…
I had an interesting chat with a professional photographer only yesterday and we covered this exact subject. He’s writing a lot more these days and even considering it over his photography. You also have to be so versatile these days to shoot in any style and not just you’re own. It’s a shame that we’ve come to that!
Nice try but what the hell does A.Adams career from the 20’s thru the 80’s have in common with now? The number of photographers in NYC alone has tripled in the last 10 yrs…irrelevant analogy.
The photographer/hustler business model is a reality and it sucks. The constant hudtle kills something, the “take any job, shoot any style” hustle produces bland photos. There was an article in the NYT about the end of thoughtful, contemplative music, books and art due to the demise of the publishers/record companies who traditionally handled promotion. Now you have to be a shameless self promoter, suck up, kiss ass, and clown. You know, a publicist or agent. You also have to “teach workshops” to aspiring clowns and write inane blog posts about your OK photos you don’t really have time to take, while pressing a card into everyones hand and sending email blasts. The personal connection is lost in this hustle.
Comments are closed for this article!