Posts by: A Photo Editor

A Photo Editor

Pricing & Negotiating: Headshots, Stills and Video

A Photo Editor - April 10, 2019 - Pricing & Negotiating

Craig Oppenheimer, Wonderful Machine

Concept: Corporate headshots of 50 employees

Licensing: Unlimited use of all content captured in perpetuity

Photographer: Portraiture specialist

Agency: Large, based in the Northeast

Client: Pharmaceutical company

Here is the estimate:

Creative/Licensing Fees: At first, the project seemed rather straightforward. The request was to capture about 50 employee headshots against a solid background on one shoot day. While 50 people would be a lot to cram into one day, the client was in charge of scheduling the employees, and we discussed spending just a few minutes with each subject, so it seemed doable. The client/agency also requested unlimited use of all images captured in perpetuity. In this case, the images would primarily be displayed on a website with no intention of advertising use. Nonetheless, we were told that we could not limit the licensing in any way. Unfortunately, we see this quite often, when a client’s requested use varies drastically from their intended use. While I always do my best to limit usage when I can, I knew the client could easily find a photographer willing to grant unlimited use on a project like this. Taking that potential competition into mind, the photographer was willing to throw it all in and trust that the usage would not escalate. I’ve quoted a lot of similar projects in the past, and I’ve had success starting with a fee of $1,500 and adding $100 per subject. In this case, that totaled $6,500.

Tech/Scout Day: The photographer planned to do a walkthrough of the location prior to the shoot to ensure that there would be adequate space, and to talk through the project with the client. We included $750 for their time to do so.

Assistants: The photographer would bring their first assistant along for the tech/scout day, and both the first assistant and a second assistant would attend the shoot day.

Hair/Makeup Stylist: We included one stylist to perform very light touchups of each subject prior to being photographed.

Equipment: This covered the cost of the photographer’s own equipment, including two camera bodies and the lighting and grip that he’d need for a basic setup.

Mileage, Parking, Misc.: The photographer was local, and this primarily covered parking and miscellaneous expenses that might pop up during the shoot day.

Delivery of Content on Hard Drive: Simply put, the photographer would provide the images on a hard drive to the client; this covered that expense.

Color Correction and File Cleanup: The agency planned to handle the retouching, as detailed in the job description, but asked for a cost to cover basic color correction and cleanup, should the photographer take on that task. We detailed a fee of $40/image for this if needed.

As we were compiling the above estimate, we were asked to also provide an estimate to add video. In addition to the 50 headshots, they hoped to capture short videos of 12 leadership team members. There would be no speaking (and therefore no audio capture needed) but rather minor expression changes and small movements captured in a very short clip. We felt this necessitated an additional day, so we compiled an estimate for a two-day shoot. Shooting over two days was actually advantageous as it would allow for more breathing room with the 50 portraits, and the ability to have them overflow on to the second day if needed, with half a day dedicated to the video. Here is that estimate:

For the creative/licensing fee, I added $1,500 for a modest creative fee to account for the additional day, and then added $200 per person for the video, which brought me to $10,400, and I then rounded up to an even $10,500. We increased the crew to account for the additional day, and increased equipment as well to $1,500 to cover extra equipment that the photographer might need to rent for the video. We also added a digital workstation rental at $750 so the client could see the video that was being captured of their leadership team, and the photographer planned to have his first assistant jump in to play the role of a digital tech in this regard. We increase our mileage/parking/misc. line to account for the second day, and kept the expense the same for the delivery of a hard drive.

Feedback: After speaking with their client, the agency reported back and told us that rather than capturing headshots of 50 people, they wanted to focus primarily on the leadership team. They asked for a new estimate to capture individual portraits and short videos of just the 12 members of the leadership team, plus a group shot of 20 people. After speaking about the reduction/change with the photographer, and knowing the client’s intended use and desire to keep costs down (ideally under 10k), we decided to include a creative licensing fee of $5,000. This was loosely based on a $1,500 fee plus $300 per person and then rounded down a bit to make it more palatable. We made a few other small tweaks to equipment and were asked by the agency to add basic post-processing of 8 portraits, which we included in the following estimate:

Results: The photographer was awarded the project.

If you have any questions, or if you need help estimating or producing a project, please give us a call at 610.260.0200 or reach out. We’re available to help with any and all pricing and negotiating needs—from small stock sales to large ad campaigns.

2019 Infinity Awards

A Photo Editor - April 3, 2019 - Working

Since 1985, the International Center of Photography has recognized outstanding achievements in photography with its prestigious Infinity Awards. See the project at https://mediastorm.com/clients/2019-icp-infinity-awards-event

This Daily Promo – Marc Morrison

A Photo Editor - March 18, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Marc Morrison

Who printed it?
Mike Stitt over at Agency Access. I have to say the reason I printed with AA is because of Mike. He is great to work with, creative, really knows his craft and best of all he is super easy to communicate with.

Who designed it?
Actually, it was me.

Tell me about the images?
My primary goal was to find images interesting enough to convince art buyers to open the envelope.

In looking over my recent body of work, I decided to make the entire promo about a particular project in Malaysia I recently shot during a corporate library campaign. By selecting all the images from the same body of work, maintaining continuity throughout the mailer was much easier to manage. I like to think of myself as a portrait photographer—but the portraits do not always have to be living beings. I try to bring a sort of portrait style to even inanimate objects.

I had a very difficult time editing through the images of people as the Malaysian crew were all so lovely to photograph and beyond gracious in their willingness to perform any task we asked. The crew was also beautifully dressed in bright yellow coveralls during their shift and colorful traditional baju melayu (Malay shirt) during their off hours.

Probably the most difficult task was selecting four images from a solid two weeks of shooting. It’s not that every photo was extraordinary, but there were enough nice ones to make it a challenge.

How many did you make?
We printed 500. 450 were sent to a very specifically-researched contact list created by our production manager, and 50 were reserved for handouts at portfolio reviews and client meetings. (I greatly underestimated the number for handouts however—live and learn.)

How many times a year do you send out promos?
My goal is to try and send out 4 promos per year—“try” is the key word here. I shoot a number of different subjects and have found it almost impossible to create a single promo that will appeal to the different types of markets in which I shoot. Working out an effective marketing plan to address this issue has been proving to be a bit of a challenge and still a work in progress.

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I believe any positive opportunity for creatives to see a photographer’s work is an opportunity to take advantage of. Research up front to make certain your work is being sent to the proper creative outlets is key. On a personal note, this is my first promo showcasing the industrial side of my photography. Much to my delight, I received a commission from a new client shortly after mailing. I’m certain the job came about because it landed on the right desk at the right time. Luck and timing help—and I’ll take it! I cannot help but be cautiously optimistic about printed promos—besides I still love printed work.

The Daily Promo – Callie Lipkin

A Photo Editor - February 25, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Who printed it?
Dreamworks Graphic Communications — https://www.dreamworks-gc.com

Who designed it?
Lisa Itzkowitz http://litzko.com

Tell me about the images?
I never imagined myself as a mother, but when my husband and I decided to have a child together it really opened up a whole new path in life for me both personally and creatively.

In my early 20s, all I wanted was to travel the world. I couldn’t get enough – soaking up different cultures, meeting new people, observing and photographing different approaches to life. In my later 20s and 30s, I took a break from traveling and was incredibly focused on career development. When I had my first son at 35, I felt like a foreign exchange student as a parent, totally out of my element with limited tools and language skills, and I fell in love with it.

I began photographing my Dad Time series shortly after my second son was born in 2013. Since my husband really became a full time dad at that point, we both started seeing the world through the lens of fatherhood which informed much of the early images. I also enjoyed documenting and directing other dads in scenarios that spoke about their own particular styles of parenting. I was still at a comfortable distance as the observer.

When my third son was born in late 2016, my world was in minor chaos. Taking almost no time off to keep my business running smoothly, I was lucky to spend a few hours a day with the new baby, with any of my kids really. My husband was holding everything together, we would wave and smile as we passed in the night.

I finally felt compelled to explore motherhood visually. My point of view was now more firmly developed, I feel less like a foreigner, more like an expat giving directions.

Many of the images in the Mom Time series come from deeply personal experiences. I have cleaned up my children when covered in food of every kind. I have used my breast pump on my way to work. I have tried to distract children during an unexpected client call. I have stolen a moment to watch TV while the rest of my family is asleep. Photography has helped me process and find humor in the difficulty of parenting.

How many did you make?
We printed 1000 – about 850 to mail and the rest to hand out during in person meetings as needed.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
We do a large mailing like this at the beginning of each year and probably 2-3 postcards or other mailings throughout the year.

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
Yes, yes, yes! I don’t have an agent so I have to really fine tune my hustle in getting the word out. I am constantly trying to showcase my personal style and vision in a way that engages with clients. This helps them keep me in mind for projects that would be a good fit for my work.

The Daily Promo – Ramona Rosales

A Photo Editor - February 4, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Ramona Rosales

Who printed it?
AW Litho x Clear Image

I use a broker (AW Litho) who finds the best partners & sourcing materials (with budget in mind). Clear Image was the best fit for this project, They have previously printed my promos and I can always count on them for the best equipment and care for detail.

Who designed it?
Boyfriend.Studio

This was in conjunction with a redesign of my website. The partner team designed the new website, promo booklet, and logo. There is an additional poster is production.

Tell me about the images?
I made a selection of my favorite new work that best showcases what I do and illustrates the type of projects I hope to do in the future. I love to weave color narrative within my promos which is an approach I use for my website, printed portfolio and social media feeds. All of the images are from recent editorial assignments, except for the back cover which is a personal project. The cover is of actor Samira Wiley (shot for Bustle), I wanted to start with a strong image and she just draws you into her gaze. I follow this with two images of Troye Sivan and Grace Vanderwaal, both shot for Billboard Magazine, next to comedian Sarah Silverman (for Bust Magazine). Using design elements in each layout we took take cues from the color used in each image, including the green from the outdoor location featuring rapper Lil Wayne and the sky gradation with the portrait of Emma Stone. Keeping things asymmetrical but simple, we included an image of Grammy-nominated musician Anderson Paak followed by Jessica Chastain and Rapper & Actor Joey Bada$$. Majority of my assignments are entertainment and celebrity based. It’s my priority to share my approach to portraiture and versatility with talent.

How many did you make?
1700, 1500 sent to handpicked contact list made by rep and my own research. 200 are hand given at meetings and at promotional events my rep attends.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
1-2 year

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I think any attempt at getting your work in front of creatives is effective, its another opportunity for your name and your work to be seen by potential clients. With the over saturation of social media, a tangible piece is almost a breath of fresh air, especially to creatives still working with printed production. There are some things that can’t be achieved digitally and this approach has so much potential to spark interest on a different level, beyond scrolling up a feed. I believe creatives are receptive & appreciative of good design and images, especially if you target people who you are aligned with your type of photography & aesthetic. A little bit of homework can go a long way to save you time (and money) by researching your list of clients who you estimate are a good fit creatively.

The Daily Promo – Jason Myers

A Photo Editor - January 28, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Jason Myers

Why did you decide to make a non-traditional promo?
I’ve always felt like I’m a pretty diverse photographer when it comes to genre, however, most people associate me as a portrait photographer. Having shot editorial and advertising work for many different clients over the years I was realizing I was missing more lifestyle opportunities recently and wanted to be sure clients knew I could shoot and enjoyed shooting lifestyle type work. We planned a personal Fall camping shoot at a friends farm just outside of Nashville and with the help of talent, wardrobe styling, prop styling and HMUA from AMAX a local agency, we shot a full day in November 2018 for fun to have something for my book and to show potential clients that I was capable of more than what they had seen previously. I enjoy shooting and collaborating period. I wanted my past clients, current clients, and future clients to know I could create the lifestyle imagery they often asked for but hadn’t seen much of in my portfolios.

After the shoot, Laurel and I decided very quickly that there was more to this shoot than simply getting images and tossing them on a print mailer or adding to the website. When I moved to Nashville in 2014 I made (with the help of some very talented friends) the “Fresh from Florida” promo announcing my move from Florida. It was ambitious but it paid off, getting me additional looks at my site, meetings beyond the people I sent the promo too and ultimately work.

This was a similar goal. Package the work in a way that was consistent with the shoot, my brand and get as many industry eyeballs on it as possible.

Laurel came up with the cooler idea and it’s red/white colors similarly matched my brand/logo. We worked with a local printer for the 5×5 folded promo (JIVE) and the custom bandanas designed by Lure Nashville and printed by Friendly Arctic. The Goo Goo Clusters which was founded in Nashville in 1912 was custom made with a smore’s flavor to compliment the campfire vibe. Inexpensive blankets were sourced from Academy Sports & Outdoors and the tin/metal cups from Amazon. All stickers were made by Sticker Mule.

At the end of the day, the goal was simply to break through the noise for just a minute and provide some folks with a fun gift to compliment the sharing of new work. We shipped the promos out on December 13th.

Who printed it?
The printed promo was done by a local printer here in Nashville called JIVE, A Printworks Studio.

Who designed it?
The layout and design of the actual the printed promo were done by my studio manager/assistant Laurel Higman. Overall concept and ideation were done by myself and Laurel.

Tell me about the images?
The promo images were shot towards the end of the day and we had started getting low on light. An earlier couple setups just didn’t have the camping feel I was going for. This end of day vibe was what I had envisioned and worked perfectly for my needs. Everything was pretty organic once our prop stylist, Angel Beddoe from AMAX set everything up. We shot all day and the crew and talent were equally enjoying themselves which was also a goal for everyone involved. As someone who typically uses a lot of strobes and likes to shape and craft light, this was a fun change of pace. We shot a lot but the edit is very tight.

How many did you make?
We made 50 “Happy Camper” promos that were sent to 48 individual art buyers/producers across the country. The other two were sent to A Photo Editor and PDN. The decision of whom to send these too was strategic also as I wanted them to get to people whom I thought I’d be an asset for or be an asset for them again if I’ve worked with them previously.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
I haven’t sent out a promo like this for a few years and honestly have backslidden a bit on sending print mailers also. I feel like staying on top of mind for clients is the goal and this year I’m focused to do that in any unique way possible.

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I believe in traditional mailed, printed promos however I want my clients to know I’m thinking a little outside of the box and willing to take the extra risk to ensure we get something great if we work together. There’s a place for the traditionally printed mailers, I just wanted this to be something talked about for a while longer.

What about the return on investment for an expensive promo like this?
Hopefully, someone is reading this right now or received the promo and wants to give me an opportunity so I can say the return was directly related to the promo. Please feel free to hire me! That said, as most folks know a single mailer, email blast or promo isn’t likely to get you immediate work. It’s the continual efforts to stay on top of mind and do something unique showcasing your work that gets people to associate with your brand. Folks always want to know the costs. These cost about $28 dollars each plus shipping (largest single cost averaging about $16 each). So yes, this was not a cheap endeavor however I see it as an investment. I could have bought a new lens or gear but wanted to invest in my marketing. Will that gear get me new clients? Doubtful. Will these promos get me new clients? Possibly.

I’m not afraid of risk when that risk is shooting something for myself and sharing it in a fun way with other creatives. That’s an immediate reward for me and I’m proud and thankful of the career I’ve built by rolling the dice every once in a while on showcasing my work.

The Daily Promo – Sam McGuire

A Photo Editor - January 21, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Sam McGuire

Who printed it?
Newspaper Club (Digital Tabloid, 55gsm paper). I got a test done of the 90gsm bright and it looked really clean and amazing but the 55gsm added some nice contrast and a bit of grain, plus the paper has some grit to it and this nice paper smell… as dumb as that sounds.

Who Designed it?
My friend Jon San Nicolas at The Line Four – @jonsannicolas @thelinefour and then my rep Emily Heller @jellybeanreps helped with the photo editing.

Tell me about the images?
I spent most of my life shooting for magazines and making ‘zines. I would see other people’s promo’s and try to emulate it but had trouble wrapping my head around a handful of images that didn’t correlate with each other as part of a story or an assignment. I’d try, get frustrated and ultimately talk myself out of sending it. I would see other people’s promo’s on this website, and other places and think wow those look so cool I’m gonna try again and I’d piece together some stuff and it would just frustrate me and off to the bar I’d go.

I recently signed with a new agent and the ‘ole promo talk came up and I just tried to think of it in a different way this go around so I just came up with doing a promo sort of like a ‘zine I’d make as a kid and have it revolve around a season and have one of my favorite songs as the title/theme. I feel like music is similar to photography in that it can capture a moment without literally describing it and I really love the Belle and Sebastion song “I know where the summer goes.” It’s just a song that embodies this meandering summer feeling like in August where it’s just hot, stagnant and a part of you is exhausted from doing so much so you’re a bit lazy, a bit nostalgic, and a bit knowing you need to take advantage of the waining weather. It helped put a mood to a promo, and give it direction as if it were an editorial/commercial assignment. So I’d go on shoots, put some images aside from the shoot, sometimes there’d be a moment I’d think “oh this could be good for the promo…” and go shoot. Don’t know why giving it a theme helped but it really did.

How many did you make?
I made 500.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
Honestly, this is the first promo I’ve ever done. I would do email promos to clients I’d worked with maybe once every two months to check in but, always got stuck on the printed promo. I want to send some version of one every season, so four a year. Some maybe not this big but, not sure. I love seasons, I grew up in Iowa, life changes so much season to season and so I think it works as a cool theme for a zine/promo.

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
For sure. I had a meeting at an ad agency and when I left I just gave the photo producer a copy and you could tell she was excited to have a printed thing. She said “oh great I’ll share this with the other creatives,” and then a few of the creatives got in touch and I just don’t know if stuff like that would happen with an email. I ended up getting a great response which has been amazing and surprising.

I just got burnt on emails, and I’ve been trying to grow my client base and get new work and so, I got a bit burnt trying to reach out, getting places but very slowly. I would shoot so much, and there’s only so much room on a website so, I just wanted to make something I was hyped on and then send it out and see what would happen. I think with a printed piece you can use your voice much more. If this were printed in glossy it would be a totally different promo – but you can’t do that with emails like you can’t make an email glossy, matte or newsprint, there just all the same.

Scam Alert: Fake Magazine Shoot (Departures, W, Others)

A Photo Editor - January 9, 2019 - Scam

A new scam has been making the rounds with photographers. I’ve pasted the full text below so it will show up in searches. It follows scams in the past where they overpay then ask you to deposit the check then send part of the payment to other people or even return part as an accidental overpayment. It sounds like the scammer in this instance is posing as a producer and meeting up with photographers to collect the deposit for talent. The checks take a while to get rejected by your bank and so it’s too late by the time you’ve paid the producer or talent out of your own pocket. Be careful out there.

UPDATE: Here’s a picture of the check someone received:

UPDATE: Here’s the latest letter

From: Michael Beckert <beckertmichael65@gmail.com>
Date: January 24, 2019 at 5:13:56 AM EST
To: undisclosed recipients <beckertmichael65@gmail.com>
Subject: Inquiry for your photography services</beckertmichael65@gmail.com></beckertmichael65@gmail.com>

Hello,

I’m Michael, a fashion and lifestyle writer and editor at Wmagazine.com. I saw your profile on workbook.com which led me to some of your work online and after going through your portfolio, i would like to learn more about your services.

I am working on a new project for the new year and I’m compiling shots for www.wmagazine.com “fashion page” segment and would love to collaborate with an experienced photographer on genre such as beauty, vintage, art, lifestyle, and outdoor.

As the photographer on this project, you will concept, shoot, and produce 24 images, featuring 2 models. You will be required to work with a hair/makeup artist and a wardrobe stylist, and bring a smart, fun approach and distinct style.

Please check the link below for some samples of my previous work and the attached PDF for full job description and let me know if you find the project interesting and would like to know more.

https://www.wmagazine.com/gallery/suburbs-fashion-inspiration

https://www.wmagazine.com/gallery/chanel-metiers-dart-collection-new-york

Warm Regards

Michael Beckert

Hello,

I’m Jason, a fashion and lifestyle writer and editor at Departures.com. I saw your profile on workbook.com which led me to some of your work online and after going through your portfolio, i would like to learn more about your services.

I am working on a new project for the coming year and I’m compiling shots for www.departures.com “fashion page” segment and would love to collaborate with an experienced photographer on genre such as beauty, vintage, art, lifestyle, and outdoor.

Please check the link below for some samples of my previous work and the attached PDF for full job description and let me know if you find the project interesting and would like to know more.

https://www.departures.com/fashion/style/stockholm-menswear

https://www.departures.com/fashion/kith-versace-nyfw

Warm Regards

Jason Sheeler

——————

Job Title: Freelance/Independent Photographer needed for a Fashion Shoot
Job Type: Contract/Freelance

Departures, one of the world’s fastest growing fashion and lifestyle media brands, is looking for a professional model/fashion photographer to produce an independent outdoor/indoor fashion photo shoot for the magazine’s fashion and style contents (web, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube). The Photographer will shoot with our wardrobe stylist, two models and H/MUA. To be considered you should be experienced on genres such as beauty, fashion, portrait, vintage, art,
lifestyle, and outdoor.

Job details:
1. You will be required to work with 2 models (male & female), H/MUA and a wardrobe stylist.
2. There will be 3 outfits per model, 4 images for each model and outfit, which totals 24 images
3. Outfits/Wardrobe will be supplied by us
4. Shoot budget: $6,400
5. Photographer’s compensation: $2,300 ($800 upfront; and $1,500 balance payment).
6. Talents’ compensation: $4,100
7. You will hold full image right (Licensor)
8. Images will be posted as an editorial content on www.departures.com for 12 months

Deliverables:
1. We want 24 professionally taken pictures in High Res Digital Copies
2. Editorial Web Large images: 1080p
3. Image type: JPG
4. Transfer method: Fileshare or Dropbox
5. Images delivery deadline: January 15th, 2019.

Responsibilities:
1. Photograph six to eight hours outdoor fashion shoot
2. Produce focused images for use online.
3. You will evaluate and pick your Location, date, and shoot time
4. All editing/post production will be handled by photographer (little retouching)
5. After the shoot, photographer will upload the top 30-35 photos for the client to choose from
6. Contact and work with a recommended talents’ agent for the shoot

As the photographer we want you to handle other aspect of the gig and dictate the creative direction.

If this seems like a project you would like to work on, please reply for more details.

The Daily Promo – Rob Daly

A Photo Editor - January 7, 2019 - The Daily Promo

Rob Daly

Who printed it?
I researched quite a bit and decided on Mixam, an online service. It was fast, affordable, and I am quite happy with the quality.

Who designed it?
Myself and my assistant, Art Davison, designed it in Photoshop and InDesign.

Tell me about the images?
This particular promo was created with the specific intention of sending to photo reps and advertising agencies. I’m actively looking for a new agent, so this is a good opportunity to share some current athletic and fashion campaigns that I feel is a good representation of how I shoot fashion, movement and portraiture with an editorial and advertising direction.

This selection of images has an element of restraint and ease, yet are also dynamic and explosive. I wanted to include both studio and location work, with clean technical proficiency and strong compositional value. When I look at this collection, I first and foremost feel so grateful for the incredible individuals I get to work with that give so much of themselves, as well as the talented teams I’ve had the honor to work alongside. However, I also feel I have already grown so much, that these images represent the starting point for what I do next. My intention is to create timeless, unique imagery, while continually pushing myself to go beyond my comfort zone.

I find the shoots that are most satisfying are those where I shoot for the client, but honor my journey as a photographer and push the limits that ultimately create growth as both a photographer and an individual. It’s easy to get caught in the act of comparison with thousands of images thrust upon us every day. As photographers, I feel one of the most important things is to respect your unique journey and find your own vision… because at the end of the day, do you just want to create some pretty pictures or do you want explore what is unique to you and only you?

How many did you make?
I started out with 50, mailing some and hand delivering most of them myself when I was shooting in NY.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
To be honest, this is one of the first ones in a long time. I am guilty of being a perfectionist, which tends to delay things like this promo getting out the door. I am acutely aware of how it holds me back and is something I want to work on.

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I absolutely believe so. Anyone taking a break from their screens and looking at beautiful, tangible imagery has to get noticed. I have gotten a lot of great feedback from this particular promo. I also think so much is learned from the simple act of creating the promo. You are forced to objectively look at your portfolio, identify what you feel are the best images for the purpose, which often brings light to what your portfolio is missing, where improvements can be made and most importantly, what direction you want to work towards.

The Daily Promo – Priscilla Gragg

A Photo Editor - December 10, 2018 - The Daily Promo

Priscilla Gragg

Who printed it?
I printed the cover myself using my office’s hp desk jet 3755 printer. The images were printed with https://www.artifactuprising.com

Who designed it?
I designed it myself and I was inspired by the French company that makes photo books called Innocence (https://www.innocence-paris.com/fr/). Melissa McGill helped me edit the final selection for printing.

Tell me about the images?
The images are from a trip we took this summer to my home country Brazil. We went to Bahia, a place that I had never been to. We try to go to Brazil once a year and usually we just go to my parent’s home in São Paulo where I grew up. This year I wanted to try something that would be exciting and new for all of us, including my parents… so we all met in Trancoso. I was very excited about the location we were going to and I knew I wanted to photograph a fashion editorial story while there, so I packed a few looks for the girls that would be appealing to fashion magazines. Before Trancoso, we had a quick stop at Salvador to see Pelourinho, a historical town of Brazil. The first day was awful: the girls were super tired from our 30+ hours traveling (we missed a flight and had a few hiccups to get there), they were hot, they didn’t like the food, so it was complaining over complaining for an entire day. At that point, I thought: “there is no way I will get an editorial out of these girls”. Then I had to stop and manage my expectations given the fact that my daughters are not professional models and they just wanted to have fun on their trip too. So I took it easy, and every day for the next 7 days we were there, in the afternoon when the lighting was it’s most beautiful, I would ask my daughter Naya (7) if she would let mama take her photos. Most days she would say yes, some days I would bribe her with ice cream. Bia (4) only did it if there was ice cream involved. It would take us 10-15 minutes max each time. Of course, I took tons of iPhone photos of them during the day, but for this project, I took my Fujifilm X100F that is way lighter than my regular “work” camera to travel with and gives me decent file sizes. Upon my return, I shared the images with Milk Magazine and a fashion editorial was born. They must have really liked it as they published almost 30 images! That is very unlikely for fashion spreads. I was very pleased with the project too.

How many did you make?
I printed 300 copies which is a very small number and it goes by really fast!

How many times a year do you send out promos?
1-2 times per year

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
It is really hard to say because nobody calls you and says: “Hey, I just got your promo, I have a job for you!”. I recently went to Minneapolis with my agent Kate at Apostrophe for a handful of book shows and meetings with prospect and old clients. At a lunch meeting, photographer Jeff Vallee who was also joining us asked an art director what are the promos that usually stands out to her. Her answer was: “The ones that have some type of meaning to it”. That really stuck with me and months later after that trip, when I was trying to decide what to promote, I picked the one that was the closest to my heart. I noticed a more positive reaction from receivers for this promo than my previous one. Last time I sent out 2k posters featuring new images and never once I got an email about it. This time there were emails, texts, tags on Instagram… art directors and photo editors were kind enough to show their excitement and it means the world to me!

The Daily Promo – Art Streiber

A Photo Editor - December 3, 2018 - The Daily Promo

Art Streiber

Who printed it?
The piece was digitally printed by DSJ printers in West Los Angeles. DSJ has been family owned and operated since the 1950s and handles all of my promo printing and stationery needs. I cannot say enough great things about their quality and their customer service.

Who designed it?
My Office Manager, Evan Mulling, and I paced the booklet, while its design is taken from booklets we produced in 2017 and 2015 called Gravity and Levity. Those booklets were designed by Edward Leida @eddieleida, a design director and typographer in New York City. Ed chose the typeface and laid out the type for the NOIR booklet as well.

Tell me about the images?
The imagery comes from a portfolio we produced this summer for a special Emmys issue of Vanity Fair and features Emmy nominees who either play “good guys” or “bad guys” on their respective shows. The NOIR “cops and robbers” theme is a direct, quick-read approach to illustrating that delineation.

We were inspired by movie stills from the 1940s and 1950s. Vintage wardrobe was pulled by stylist Jeanne Yang @jeanneyangstyle. Sets were designed and built by Anthony Altomare @photobuffalo. The shoot was creatively produced by Ron Beinner at Vanity Fair @runronrun and executive produced by LA-based producer Liz Lang @lizlangproduction. And… we shot each of the talent individually over a day and a half. Even the group shots were shot as singles and comped together in post by my long time retoucher, the immensely talented Angie Hayes at the Happy Pixel Project @angiemariehayes.

How many did you make?
We printed 350 NOIR booklets and mailed them to entertainment and editorial clients. The booklets are 9×12 and it was difficult finding the perfect envelope to match that size. We reduced our mailing hassle by taking the bulk of the envelopes to Mail and More, our go-to spot for all of our shipping needs.

How many times a year do you send out promos?
We create a booklet like this once a year, or every other year, depending on how much new work we have to show. In addition, we regularly print a variety of 5.5” x 8.5” single image promo cards to include with our thank you notes (that are also sized at 5.5 x 8.5).

Do you think printed promos are effective for marketing your work?
I do. I’ve surveyed a number of clients and it seems to be split down the middle as to how many prefer to receive electronic promos and how many prefer to receive printed promo pieces. With the booklets, their size and weight give them some gravitas that increases the chances that clients will hold onto them or perhaps, display them in their offices. I think it’s important to keep yourself in front of your clients in whatever thoughtful, elegant way you can. Now more than ever, clients have less time to consider our work and they’re inundated with imagery on multiple platforms…so sending a traditional, printed (oversized) piece can be an attention-getter.

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