t e e h s f o o r p th
Magazine of The Quarterly rk Chapter rtists | New Yo A ic h p ra g to ho e American P
Spring 2017
Photo by Professional Member Peter Macomber | www.macomber.com
Supporting Photographers and the Business of Photography
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www.apany.com
proof shee t Spring 2017 • Vol. 2, No. 2
Cover photo by Beth Galton.
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A Step Forward APA|NY’s new Director Profile: Jessica Foley
The Beautiful Botanicals of Beth Galton: From the Majesty of Roots to the Magic of Silver-Lined Clouds By Hope Lourie Killcoyne
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By David Byron Rice
From Editorial to Advertising By Lynn Kyle
Board Profile: Michael Seto
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Love, Ondrea
The APA|NY Proof Sheet is a quarterly magazine, published by the New York Chapter of the American Photographic Artists. Copyright 2017 APA|NY; all rights reserved, collectively and individually. Content, either images or text, may not be copied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent from the photographer, writer and APA|NY.
Supporting Photographers and the Business of Photography
About APA|New York APA|NY is the Northeast regional chapter of American Photographic Artists (APA), covering the entire area from Pennsylvania and Ohio up through Maine. As part of the country’s leading non-profit organization for professional photographers, we organize events, negotiate benefits for our members, hold seminars, promote our members’ work, organize photo contests, and much more. Our mission is successful photographers; our goal is to establish, endorse and promote professional practices, standards and ethics in the photographic community as well as provide valuable information on business and operational resources needed by all photographers. We seek to motivate, mentor, educate and inspire in the pursuit of excellence and to speak as one common voice for the rights of creators. APA|NY is a 501(c)6 not-for-profit organization run by and for professional photographers. Our all-volunteer Board works hard to promote, within our creative community, the spirit of mutual cooperation, encouragement, sharing and support. APA, and APA|NY, continue to expand benefits for its members and works to champion the rights of photographers and image-makers worldwide. APA Members include professional photographers, photo assistants, educators, and students. We also welcome professionals engaged in fields associated with photography, advertising, or visual arts but who themselves are not professional photographers. Membership types can be found at http://apanational.org/join.
We welcome you to join and get involved.
Reach us at: office@apany.com 217 E. 70th Street, #1514, New York, NY 10021 212.807.0399 Twitter: @apanewyork • www.twitter.com/apanewyork Facebook: @apanewyork1 • www.facebook.com/apanewyork1
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www.apany.com
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www.issuu.com/apany
publisher
Ron Jautz
ron@jautzphoto.com
photo assistant list
Alley Maher
alley@alleymaher.com
Tony Falcone
tony@tonyfalconephoto.com
rental studio list
contributing photographers Beth Galton, Ondrea Barbe, Peter Macomber, Big Aaron, Eric Piasecki, Walter Dufresne, Aaron Greene, Michael Seto, Jessica Foley contributing writers David Rice, Hope Lourie Killcoyne, Lynn Kyle, Michael Seto, Ron Jautz advertising | email or call for a media kit Dhrumil Desai
dhrumil@dhrumildesai.com
Ron Jautz
ron@jautzphoto.com
letters to the editor: please email comments and suggestions to proofsheet@apany.com proof sheet design: daniel carmin www.rtwerk.net
APA|NY Board of Directors Michael Seto Co-Chairman Ron Jautz Co-Chairman Bruce Byers Treasurer
www.michaelseto.com www.jautzphoto.com www.brucebyers.com
Scott Nidermaier Sponsor Liaison
www.nidermaierpictures.com
Lisa Saltzman Membership
www.lisasaltzmanphoto.com
Alley Maher Assistant Liaison Tony Falcone Studio Liaison Sharlene Morris Legal Affairs Dhrumil Desai Social Media Jessica Foley APA|NY Regional Director
www.alleymaher.com www.tonyfalconephoto.com www.sharlenemorris.com www.dhrumildesai.com director@apany.com
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Thank You to our Volunteers Alessandro Casagli, Ron Amato, Jennifer Taylor, Nicole Pereira, Eric Garcia-March, Jai, Liam Sharp, Glenn Batkin, Sari Goodfriend, Paul B. Goode, Ondrea Barbe APA | National APA National Office 5042 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 321, Los Angeles, CA 90036 National Executive Director J uliette Wolf-Robin Membership Representative J eff Kausch • membership@apanational.org
Letter from the Chairmen APA Behind The Scenes Shooting BTS photos is all the rage now, and why not, the images are fun, show others what’s going on and helps keep the clients engaged while on the shoot. We thought you might like to get a glimpse behind the scenes at APA New York and learn more about some of the things we do on your behalf – whether you’re a member or not (and hopefully entice you into joining APA if you are not a member already.) There are many things going on at any time, however, we will focus on the top three: Advocacy, Promotion, and Benefits. American Photographic Artists has been a leader on advocacy efforts for years. Even when other organizations shied away from supporting and funding important fights for photographer’s rights, APA was there, as with the formation of The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL), a new, not-for-profit organization dedicated to securing and distributing equitable compensation to authors and rights holders for the use of their visual works. Our recent support of House Resolution 1695, along with other creative content organizations, was a huge success. We generated grassroots support for the passage of this important Bill with over 760 people contacting their Representatives in Congress to urge passage of the legislation. We could not have passed that Bill without you! But let us ask, with all the photographers in this country, why wasn’t there a larger response? Your voice needs to be heard. The easy way to be heard is to join APA and let us speak for you with our numbers. The next best way is to contact your Representatives directly – heck, you should do both! As HR 1695 now moves to the Senate for approval, it’s not too late to step forward and be counted. We realize what is always on the minds of our members: getting more work and building a successful business. Behind the scenes, APA supports you by promoting our members whenever and however we can: by producing our National Sourcebook, by organizing Portfolio Reviews, and by creating this magazine, a vehicle to promote our members. Growing your social media reach is a great form of promotion and APA|NY is happy to push your events or accomplishments to our many followers on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Soon, we hope to initiate a “Member Takeover” on our Instagram platform. The third major BTS activity we do at APA is to negotiate discounts and other benefits for our members. In fact, the many and varied benefits can save you MORE than the cost of membership. Yes, some benefits are only accessible at the higher membership levels, but we work hard to make sure everyone can save money by being a member. Please check out all the benefits available at: http://apanational.org/member-benefits/
We love seeing you at our networking parties or educational events and it’s great when you introduce yourselves as members, but please remember, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes then you ever realize and we always need more of your input and support. n proof sheet Spring 2017 5
APA|NY DIRECTOR PROFILE
p e t S A
d r a Forw
Your New York Chapter has taken a significant step to move our organization forward and enhance our communications with members and, ultimately, our recognition and status in the community. We have hired a part-time employee to run the day to day administrative activities of the Chapter. We are pleased to introduce Jessica Foley as our new Director.
Jessica is a talented photographer and has impressive organizational and marketing skills; her experience with social media marketing campaigns makes her the perfect fit to move APA|NY forward. In her first week on the job, Jessica has already mapped out a game plan for invigorating our Chapter Instagram account with new work and has designed plans for using IG to promote members to the photo buying community. The overall results will be a higher degree of name recognition in the community, more photographers joining APA for the increased benefits and, hopefully, more work for members.
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Jessica is fairly new to New York having moved here less than a year ago from Los Angeles. In addition to her work with APA|NY she also heads up marketing for Street Dreams Magazine (@streetdreamsmag or www.streetdreamsmag.co) and shoots lifestyle, travel, landscape and street photography. As Director, Jessica will be the go-to source for action and information about APA|NY. Feel free to reach out to her at director@apany.com if you have any questions or to simply welcome her to the APA family. n
Photo by Professional Member Eric Piasecki | www.ericpiasecki.com
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The Beautiful Botanicals of Photographer Beth Galton:
From the Majesty of Roots to the Magic of Silver-Lined Clouds
By Hope Lourie Killcoyne
In our high-tech, personal-information-saturated age of over sharing, it seems that you can find out just about anything about anyone. Especially someone whose much-lauded commercial work has been featured on screens and magazines, with exceptional fine-art work having been displayed in the toniest of galleries. Not so for photographer Beth Galton. When asked about her various online platforms—listed below—places where so many of us gush about this or rant about that, Galton sticks to the matter at hand: photography. “What’s personal about me is what I put into my imagery.” And her imagery runs the gamut from apple juice to zucchini salad. But her roots, if you will, are roots, and the beautiful botanical splendor they evince.
Five Towns | One Goal Anyone from or near Long Island, New York, may be familiar with the term “The Five Towns.” It refers to well, five towns just west of Queens on the south shore of “the island” (as many natives refer to the peninsula). Beth was born in Glenn Cove, then lived in Baldwin, Merrick, and Hempstead before settling in New York City. Her parents divorced when she was around ten. She and her mom and sister stayed on the island; her dad moved to the city. Visiting him there opened up her world. Galton credits her dad with being the guiding light of her life. (More on his inspiring story later.) Having gone to a small liberal arts college in the Midwest, himself—Antioch, in Yellow Springs, Ohio—he wanted the same for Beth. Thus she headed to Hiram, Ohio, to attend the eponymous liberal arts college there, with a student-body size of just over a thousand.
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At this point, the teenaged Galton didn’t yet have that singular vision that would define her august body of work. Graduating from Hiram with a degree in fine arts, she had indeed fallen in love with photography. But thanks to the broad panoply of courses offered at there, she took many classes in environmental science, which spawned a deep affinity for biology, and her job working on the campus farm. Those two strands—photography and that which comes from the good earth—would eventually entwine much like the classic DNA strands themselves, to form her artistic DNA… but not yet. Upon graduation, the 21-year-old had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do. While that seemingly blank canvas was unsettling for her, it had the benefit of leaving her open and open-minded to pursue her goal: finding work.
Cue NYU Galton’s first job out of school sounds pretty darned good: working as an administrative assistant in the theatre program of New York University. Creativity there abounded. For everyone, that is, except her. “I was bored out of my mind. Everybody was being creative… except for me. I was a terrible typist. I was just terrible.” But as we all know, many a cloud contains a lining of radiant silver.
Act Two Curtain Rises. We see a 21-year-old Beth, sleeping on her dad’s couch (he had bought a brownstone in the ‘60s). She awakes, pursing her lips at the prospect of yet another day at the office. But this day will be quite special, for she will learn about a weekend workshop in photography. Cut to the workshop. One of the women there suggests that rather than assisting in the theatre, Beth should try assisting a photographer. Light bulb! Back at work, another woman, one of Beth’s coworkers, tells her that her husband IS a photographer’s assistant. “Why don’t you got talk to him!” Flash! We’re now in said photographer’s studio, where he and said assistant spend two hours trying to convince Beth that photography is a dying business, and that she would be wise to walk away. “They were real characters. I left and said, ‘This is what I want to do.’”
Curtain.
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She quits her job and sets out to claim her place in the world of commercial photography.
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The Aforementioned Vision There is nothing quite so thrilling as discovering your destiny. Knowing in your bones that you have found your yellow brick road. However, getting to Oz ain’t exactly easy; the road can be bumpy. Quite bumpy. We’re talking the mid-70s here. Yes, there were job-placement agencies for photo assistants. But there was a huge moat around Galton’s goal—one that still exists today, albeit to a lesser extent: male chauvinism.
Women Need Not Apply The people at the agencies laughed at Galton. There were no women assistants then. Certainly no photographers. Wake up and smell the coffee! (And would you make me one, too, doll? Just milk. No sugar.) Remember, this is the commercial world, not the art-gallery scene of Dorothea Lange. It was Phil Marco, Arthur Beck, and Tony Petrucelli. All guys. “I was offered a job at a catalogue house, but I called the photographer, Phil Koenig, the one who had tried convincing me not to be a photographer. He told me not to take the job (which I did turn down). He invited me to his studio to look at the Black Book for names of people. Then I talked my way in.” Thing is, she had no experience, and got nowhere fast. So back to Koenig she went. He was in the middle of a huge shoot. “Want some help?” “Yeah, sure. Unpack those boxes over there.” Thus did Galton become Koenig’s second assistant for that weeklong shoot, earning $20 daily. One week led to two, with Galton doing anything and everything—from styling to bookkeeping, magazines to packaging, and most importantly, learning what she wanted to do— and what she didn’t. Through it all, Galton recalls Phil as being so very kind to her. After working for him, Galton left to freelance for a year. She then landed a full-time job working for the famously talented Michael O’Neal, a big-name in still-life photography. Under his tutelage, Galton says, “I was trained in the real traditional way of photography.”
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Galton was O’Neill’s assistant for a year and a half. Sensing it was time to move on, she left with one really good client in hand, for whom she created black-and-white ads. But that’s ONE client. Galton certainly wasn’t averse to continuing as an assistant. Unfortunately, the only person for whom she wanted to work, Irving Penn, never hired women… except in the darkroom. It’s the ‘80s, and we’re still pre-digital and more to the point, pre-the-plethora-of women photographers we have today. “Although I was hesitant to go out on my own as a photographer, I felt that working for Michael had taught me everything I needed to know. Luckily for me, as I became a photographer, art schools were turning out young women art directors expanding their base. At times, male art directors wanted to work with male photographers. But because of the influx of women into the field, there was work to be found.” So she went into the business side, becoming an art designer. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. “Maybe my route to photography isn’t as easy to duplicate today,” she says, “I’m afraid we’re making everybody less creative; by encouraging young people to focus on a career rather than exploring and expanding their horizons, we are limiting their chances to learn how to think creatively.”
First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage …then comes baby in the baby carriage. The ultimate feminist dilemma, today as it was then: how to balance family and work. In the ’80s, when Beth and her husband, Fred Phelps, had their son, Ben, Beth was “…hell-bent on living and working in the same building.” Unlike now, when it seems as though the only expense skyrocketing faster than the price of NYC real estate is that of college, the silver-lined cloud of living in a non-residential, unappealing area was the relatively low cost. “We found a commercial co-op loft building that had nine legal residential spaces on the edge of Chelsea.” It was not a great street at the time, one strewn with “… crack vials, needles, and condoms. Before Ben we had bought a small empty residential loft space and turned into an apartment. After his birth, a commercial space opened up on the 12th floor, which Fred and I bought… with a little help from Dad… for the studio space.”
Jim Galton We’re not just our failures. As much as they hurt, we learn from them. —Peter Parker, aka Spiderman Talk about a cloud. At age 50, Beth’s dad, Jim Galton, suffered the career casualty of losing his job when CBS bought Popular Library Books. proof sheet Spring 2017 19
Jim spent several months looking for a new job—no easy task in middle age—when a magazine distribution company approached him. Their first task for Jim? Reports Beth: “We own Marvel Comics. We want you to go in and see if our suspicion that the president is pilfering money is accurate. See what’s going on.” After a couple of months’ of going through their books, Galton learned that the president had been stealing. He reported his findings. Beth continues: “‘Thank you so much for figuring this out. We want you to fire the guy and… will you take his job?’” So my dad became the president of Marvel Comics in 1976. He started when it was on the decline re licensing; everything had pretty much been sold off. He worked really closely with Stan Lee to get a lot of the licensing back. And start an animation company.” Pow!
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree Like her father, Beth turned a liberal-arts education into a platform for expansive thinking, adversity into art. It is, in fact, her art that is blossoming. Now that her commercial images are all but omnipresent—Galton’s cut-food series earned her a ton of attention and recognition—she is also developing a fine-art side to her business. Beth has had gallery representation with the Marlborough Gallery, and has had her work shown in various venues such as the Staten Island Museum and the Aperture Summer Show. At the time of this writing, she has work at the Beth Urdang Gallery in Boston.
Why Upset the Apple Cart? With a thriving commercial presence, why look beyond? “Because I love taking photos. And will do so ’til the day I die. Instead of putting them in boxes, it would be nice if I could get them out there and be selling them.”
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In the summer of 2016, Galton went on what turned out to be a life-changing experience. Called The Photography Master Retreat, it is an annual one-week program run in the south of France by fineart photographer Martine Fougeron. Beth brought both prints (which she had done herself) as well as digital files. “It wasn’t about taking photos, but rather taking stock of your body of work and discussing it. The first thing that Martine said to me was, ‘Your prints can be so much better.’” ?? Enter Gabe Greenberg, of Greenberg Editions in New York. “It’s like light-years’’ different.” Beth decided that unless she wanted to go back to school to learn more about printing, she’d leave her large printing jobs to the experts.
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The highlight of the program? Feedback from both the mentors as well as the students. “Having spent the last ten years photographing the series of roots and potatoes both alive as well as dried, I never thought that these images actually worked together as a series. Spending time reflecting with the help of everyone gave me the insight as to how to show them.” What’s more, the encouragement she received to show that body of work was the best fertilizer one could want.
The Lights at the End of Tunnel No piece on Beth Galton is complete without mentioning her deep understanding of lighting and its dramatic impact on her work. “I learned with strobe. There was a period of time in late ‘80s/ early ‘90s, when film companies were courting photographers to be directors.” Galton cites Henry Sandbank, who directed many well-known TV commercials for companies such as Sony, Chanel, and Volkswagen. She was considering joining his company, and as they spoke he told her, “You have to learn to light with tungsten lights. If you want to direct, you have to understand what light does. Once you do, you’ll never go back.” “It was a real eye opener,” says Galton. I borrowed a couple of Inkies from a friend and then bought some larger tungsten lights. You can see what you’re doing—what you’re getting, what you want the light to do. I shot with them for many years.” ?Now she uses everything. “It really depends on job—strobe, daylight, tungsten—depends.” As for the current lay of the land, Beth is optimistic. “I do think it’s better today than when I started. There were only a few women shooting and now there are so many of us in the field. When I have students come for studio tours, at least half if not more are women. It’s not to say that there still are not barriers… you read industry magazines and women are rarely included in their mentions of influential art directors and copywriters.” But Beth knows that path-blazing women are out there, as do young women just getting their photographic sea legs. “… having women art directors, buyers, and editors has opened up the marketplace for women photographers: to have a voice, as well as jobs.”
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Her optimism is tempered, though, by her fears regarding the narrowing focus of today’s higher education, and its effect on young women and men, alike. “I’m afraid we’re making everybody less creative. By encouraging young people to focus on learning a career, rather than exploring and expanding their horizons, we are limiting their chances to learn how to think creatively.”
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What’s Your Favorite Piece of Equipment? It’s a Camera. It’s a Light. No: it’s… … a camera stand. Really? “Well, no one’s ever asked me that before. It’s a weird answer, but yes, my camera stand. I love my camera stand. You can put the camera there and lock it down and it doesn’t move. It’s not like a tripod that you can kick. That stability also provides the space and time to contemplate what I want to create.” Actually, that answer makes perfect sense for someone so deeply rooted to her work—and to the very ground below. ?? n
212.242.2266 studio@bethgalton.com
109 West 27th Street New York, NY 10007
www.bethgalton.com www.bethgaltonfineart.com
blog: http://bethgalton.tumblr.com instagram: bgaltonstudio Facebook: Beth Galton Photography
agents: True Mgmt. Martha North - Martha@truemgmt.com 212.243.1002 Ray Brown Pro- Charlie Holtz - Charlie@raybrownpro.com 212.243.5057
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ASSISTANTS Alessandro Casagli 5 years, 1st-3rd Assistant 646.881.4793 • ale@casagli.com www.casagli.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Still Life, Product, Portraits, Location
Adam Coppola 203.415.9851 • adam@coppolaphotography.com www.coppolaphotography.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Still Life, Product, Portraits, Location, Video
Dhrumil Desai 213.255.5145 • dhrumil@dhrumildesai.me www.dhrumildesai.me Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Portraits, Location
Tony Falcone 1 year, 1st Assistant 718.702.5563 • tony@tonyfalconephoto.com http://tonyfalconephoto.com Specialities: Portraiture, Location, Event, Lifestyle, Architecture & Interiors
Rebecca Grant 2 year, 1st-3rd Assistant 917.710.2570 • rebeccagrantphoto@gmail.com www.rebeccagrantphoto.com Specialites: Editorial, Fashion, Portraits, Beauty
Giovanna Grueiro 2nd Assistant 917.226.3733 • gg@giovannagrueiro.com www.giovannagrueiro.com Specialities: Editorial, Fashion, Portraits, Location
Dan Lidon 6 years, 1st Assistant 610.905.0208 • dan@danlidon.com
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www.danlidon.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Portraits, Location, Video
All assistants are APA Members in good standing and have the work experiences listed. If you are an assistant and would like to be listed, join APA and request our assistant form by emailing office@apany.com
Alley Maher 5 years, 1st-3rd Assistant 203.733.7981 • alley@alleymaher.com www.alleymaher.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Fashion, Portraits, Location
Jeffrey Morgan 1 year, 1st-3rd Assistant 404.333.2941 • jeff@jeffwmorgan.com www.jeffwmorgan.com
Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Still Life, Product, Portraits, Food
Sharlene Morris 1 year assisting 949.929.9509 • sharlene.m.photo@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/smorrisphoto
Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Portraits, Location
Danielle Maczynski 1st Assistant 908.268.6142 • dani-mac@live.com www.daniellemaczynski.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Portraits, Location
Alyssa Meadows 1st Assistant 484.788.5534 • ameadowsphoto@gmail.com www.ameadowsphoto.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Portraits, Location
Dan Orlow 19 years, 1st-3rd Assistant 617.460.5773 • dan@danoassists www.danoassists.com Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Still Life, Product, Portraits, Location, Video, PA
Darren Sabino
8 years, 1st-2nd Assistant 206.914.7406 www.darrenjsabino.com
Specialities: Lifestyle, Editorial, Fashion, Portraits, Location, Video
www.rociosegura.es
Specialities: Editorial, Fashion, Still Life, Portraits, Location
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Rocio Segura 1st Assistant 917.993.1021 • hello@rociosegura.es
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Love, Ondrea
by David Byron Rice
You only have to talk to Ondrea Barbe for five minutes and you start to feel like you are catching up with an old friend. Warmth, laughter, love of family and friends, and an appreciation of beauty in all its forms pours out of her. “Love, Ondrea” isn’t just the name of a website, it’s the way she has chosen to live her life. Ondrea is a beauty and portrait photographer from Santa Cruz, California. After seven years in France, where she discovered her passion for photography, she moved to New York, where she now lives with her husband and two children. Ondrea’s fashion clients include L’oreal, Garnier, Olay, Clinique, Aussi, Bobbi Brown, Target, Aveeno, Jane Iredale, and Pantene. Her celebrity clients include Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Amanda Seyfried, Rita Ora, Amy Adams, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sally Field. In a recent email interview, Ondrea discussed her website, “Love, Ondrea,” her passions and inspirations, fathers and daughters, and getting closer. Many of the models in the “Happy” section of loveondrea.com are professional models, but they all look genuinely happy. How did you make that happen?
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I start every shoot from the premise that we are all here to create beautiful, in-the-moment photographs. I think that once the talent recognizes that I am going to capture the best of them, they give me more opportunities. We can all feel the intention of others, and I truly believe that at some point in the shoot all of my subjects let their guard down and just enjoy our brief moments together. I get excited when I glimpse a tender, funny, thoughtful, or soulful moment. I am a director in the sense that I am their biggest cheerleader! In the end, we should be having an all-out, unhinged dance party.
Mouths and flowers and fruit just jump out of your work. How do you go about capturing the surface—skin, eyes, makeup—but also something of the essence of the person? This has always been very important to me, capturing the essence of the person even when I am so close. Beauty photography did not come to me because I love controlled light and stillness. Actually, I just love gestures and emotions, so much so that I get closer. I want to swim in the mood of what we are shooting, so that colors turn into feelings, feelings turn into textures, and the closeness just amplifies the intimacy. The short movies from the summer of 2011 (two of 11 appear in the “Summer” section of “Love, Ondrea”) are very moving. In the voiceover you say that you expected to memorialize a moment, but ended up with a story. Can you tell a little bit of it?
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My mom was diagnosed with cancer that year and had her surgery and was going through chemo. I thought of giving friends and family a camera for that summer to document their moments, then I would make a visual scrapbook of our moments. I was hoping to capture the universality of what makes us happy, whether we are young, old, sick, healthy. These fleeting moments are what make up most of our fondest memories (summer in particular). In doing the edit after everyone sent me back the cameras, I realized that, like photography, once you have captured a moment and “put” that moment alongside other moments, it no longer represents the singular moment that it was. It turns into its own story, with its own journey.
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Maybe it was the red balloon in your short film about New York, or reading that you spent several years in Paris, but I couldn’t help wondering whether French films of the 50s and 60s had an influence on you. Are there particular filmmakers and films that have inspired you?
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I can go on forever on this! Really it is just Santa Cruz—which is still stuck in the 70s and is where I was born—but also France. I love quirky French music, I love the Mod era of fashion and feeling--the 70’s seem more raw to me then the 80’s. Anyway, yes, I am a film collector. I still buy DVDs so my kids can have them (I should buy DVD players, too!) for the future. The other day I just watched, again, Daisies, from the Czech Director Vera Chytilova. It is so funny, adorable--I love many films.
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You seem to be equally at home in the studio and on a mountainside. Can you tell me one thing you love about working with light in the studio and another thing you love about working with light in nature?
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I never ever thought I would be a photographer working in a studio. I felt too confined . . . and alas, that is how I have made my business, being in the studio! Maybe the need to feel unconfined is what propels my studio shoots. I love the mood that light creates and I love using different lights that, for the untrained eye, could feel the same as the others. I really believe in small details. It is the details that speak to the soul.
What is it about you and your work that encourages your clients to call on you again? Hmm, I think a client would have to answer that. I always work very hard to get them what they want and need, but then show them something different, too. Can you tell me about another section on your site, your love letter from daughters to fathers? When Trump was elected I was sick to my stomach. I read the letter that Aaron Sorkin wrote to his daughter [quoted on the site], and I wanted to also be a voice of a woman who knows so, so many wonderful, amazing men, and of course Lolly’s dad (my husband). So I wanted to just put that out in the ether. Really, it was just that, trying to kill with kindness. And my friend Amber Power is a writer and she has a little girl with a great dad, so I took pictures of them, too.
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No, I never hear anything about my work except reading what you are saying here, that’s what makes this interview so nice and fun!
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Your site includes Doisneau’s quote about allowing the person viewing the photo to finish it. Have you found that people who spend time with your work finish your photos in fascinating or unexpected ways?
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One of the photographers profiled in Proof Sheet rebuilt old stage lights until he could control the light in every inch of a shot. Another has photographed dozens of redheads. Have you had a similar experience in your work life of having something grab your attention and refuse to let go? One thing: LOVE. n
See more of Ondrea’s work at www.ondreabarbe.com and www.loveondrea.com Contact Ondrea in NY at 212-571-2637 or by email at: Justin@ondreabarbe.com
For licensing requests, please email info@augustimage.com
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In Los Angeles, contact Weiss Artists, 213-716-2484 or by email at Caryn@wreps.com
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S TUDIO RENTAL S
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Studio Name
Neighborhood
website
Member Discount
2Stopsbrighter
Chelsea
www.2stopsbrighter.com
10%
20/20 Kre8tivHauS StuDiOs
Chelsea
www.2020studio.nyc
10%-15%
Hudson River Studios
Union City, NJ
www.hudsonriverstudios.com
varies
Créer Studio
Philedelphia
www.creerstudio.com
no
Warehouse Studios
Brooklyn
www.warehousestudios.com
15%
30th Street Studios
Chelsea
www.30thstreetstudios.com
10%
42ndphotostudio
Midtown West
www.42ndphotostudio.com
10%
1887 Townhouse
UWS
www.1887townhouse.com
10%
Bathhouse Studios
E. Village
www.bathhousestudios.com
10%
Capsule Studio
Union Square
www.capsulestudio.com
10%
Gary’s Lofts
Garment District
www.garysloft.com
10%
Hudson Yards Loft
Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen
www.hudsonyardsloft.com
5%
Loft 402
Williamsburg
www.loft402.com
$50 off
Michelson studio I
W. Village
www.michelsonstudio.com
10%
Michelson studio II
Middletown, NY
www.michelsonstudio2.com
10%
MWildsStudio
Chelsea
www.MWildsStudio.com
$15/hr
Photo and Video Studio
Little Italy/Chinatown
www.123bowery.com
5%-11%
Shade Studio NYC
Midtown
www.shadestudionyc.com
10%
Shooting Kitchen
Midtown West
www.shootingkitchen.com
flexible
Splashlight
SoHo/Tribeca
www.splashlight.com
varies
Ten Ton Studio
Brooklyn
tentonstudio.com
10%
Urdaneta Photography
Lancaster City, PA
www.urdaneta.net
15%
Alchemical Studios
Greenwich Village
www.atlnyc.com
no
CAMART Studio Rental
Chelsea
www.camart.com
no
LightSpace Studio rental
Williamsburg
www.lightspace.tv
no
NEO STUDIOS
NOHO
www.neostudionyc.com
no
Parlay Studios
Journal Square
www.parlaystudios.com
no
Ramscale Studio
W. Village
www.ramscale.com
no
Shop Studios
Hell’s Kitchen
www.shopstudios.com
no
Roger SallS Photography
Stratford, CT
www.rogersallsphotos.com
no
Photo by Professional Member Walter Dufresne | www.walterdufresne.com
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From Editorial to Advertising
I often work with photographers who are making the transition from editorial to advertising assignments. One of the biggest challenges for them is navigating through the process of estimating the photo and licensing fees.
For those stepping into this new world, this can be daunting at first. The scope of the jobs is likely more involved, they tend to have larger budgets and not to mention, there are generally more people involved in the process.
The world of advertising is very different than the world of editorial. Editorial photography’s sole purpose is to effectively tell a visual story or an idea and commonly has set fees for photography. These fees are usually pre-budgeted and relate to a one-time placement within the publication and/or limited online usage.
When I am asked to provide an advertising estimate, I first make sure I get all my questions answered upfront. I cannot stress enough the importance of understanding the details of the project. Having all of the details allows you to provide a more appropriate estimate for the client’s needs.
Conversely, advertising photography’s purpose is to generate awareness of a service or product to promote sales. These budgets can vary widely, as can their usage needs.
Start by confirming the nature of the shoot. What exactly is the client expecting as the final product? This will help you gauge the complexity of the shoot as well as the time needed. Is it logistically complex, is it stylized, is the content unique? The more specialized the imagery, the more a larger fee is warranted.
Confirm the number of images they want to license. Is each image a new set up or just a variation within the scenario? Sometimes this piece of the puzzle needs clarification and will make a difference in how you value the use. For example, if the variations are slight, I will not charge as much per image or maybe I will allow for 1-2 variations of each set up within the fee.
Spring 2017
If I feel there might be some doubt from the client on the final usage or if the usage is more extensive, I tend to break out the usage fees separately. I will also keep the fees separate if there are several unique hero images with extensive usage. In this case I will do a per- image usage rate. In the likelihood of ad-
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Customarily the usage rights the client wants to purchase are in the initial brief. Make sure it includes the duration as well as the type of use. I like to ask for the initial intent of the imagery. Are we shooting for national billboard use and print ads? Or is the purpose of this project to generate content for use in a one-time regional direct mail piece. These facts can help your flexibility with the rates.
Another important concern is whether or not to ‘lump’ the photo and usage fees together. It is hard to have a definitive answer on this but a few factors come into play when I am working through the numbers. If I feel the costs are going to come off intimidating or confusing to a particular client, I will lump the photo and usage fees together. I also consider combining the two fees if there is the unlikely chance for additional usage rights to be purchased at a later date or if the usage is very minimal, such as web and social only.
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“Aaron Greene has worked with Lynn in the past as he transitioned from shooting editorial work to advertising assignments”.
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Photos by Aaron Greene • www.aarongreene.com
ditional images being purchased at a later date, I will make sure to add an optional cost for the use of additional images over and beyond the initial buy at a per image rate. Note: If I am splitting up the fees, I don’t like to go too low on the photo fees to where it seems unbalanced with the usage rate. If the client needs a revised estimate with a lesser usage, I want to be able to accommodate them and reduce their costs without jeopardizing the photographer getting a fair rate for the shoot in general. I feel the photo fee is more about the expertise of the shooter, the time and the content, which is not to be devalued. Lastly, you can certainly ask if the client and or agency has a budget in mind. They might just give an indication that they are on a tight budget or, if they feel it would be helpful, they might provide you with the budget or a range. In some cases, the budget might not be relayed, in order to leave it open-ended to allow for your interpretation. This could be because they are not sure if the project is going to be approved or if they could be triple bidding and they want to see how you would approach the shoot logistically and financially. Either way, you will still need to come up with your own evaluation on appropriate fees. Estimating advertising rates is always a bit of a balancing act and requires a little give and take. Having a better understanding of the client’s needs can help you to evaluate the value of the project more effectively and give you the insight to provide a more appropriate estimate that you both can agree on in order to deliver that final product. Happy Estimating! n
Lynn Kyle is the Executive Producer at Found www.foundartists.com. Working with high-profile artists throughout her career as an Art Buyer, Producer and Artist Rep at top firms including Leo Burnett Chicago. Lynn brings a unique combination of agency and production experience when working with Found clients. proof sheet Spring 2017 51
APA MEMBER BENEFITS INCLUDE: APA Chapters’ Membership Benefits, Legal Consultations and Referrals, Premium Video Vault (Members Only) and Public Video Vault, Portfolio in APA Creative Network, Discounts on Events and Competitions, APA Member Pro Media Card, Access to Members-Only Content, Professional Insurance Plans, Join a Chapter Success Team, Chapter Portfolio Reviews Head over to http://ny.apanational.org/chapter-benefits/ for details.
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www.agencyaccess.com
Thank you to our generous vendors. www.l-db.com
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www.nobledesktop.com
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www.ai-ap.com/publications/ pro-photo-daily
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www.imagepowerhouse.com
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BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
Photo of Michael Seto by Sari Goodfriend
MICHAEL SETO
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As a Berkeley economics major, I take my cost-benefit analysis seriously. I had been attending APA events in New York for twoyears before I recognized the benefits of membership far outweighed the cost. And, after the constant urging of a couple of long-time Members, I attended a Board of Directors meeting then a couple months later, I raised my hand to officially join the board and contribute more to our creative community. As an all volunteer organization, APA|NY needs experienced and enthusiastic members to lead, mentor, and guide others through an evolving industry. Service has always been an important part of my life, whether as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, to Congressman Leon Panetta’s office on Capitol Hill, to my pro-bono photography for City Harvest as well as multiple non-profits through Taproot Foundation.
I have only been a full-time pro for a decade. However, photography has been a part of my life since childhood. I remember my father taking all manner of family photos with his Leica. His 1960’s era images of suburban California now remind me of Eggleston’s work. Inspired by that, I documented my classmates as our high school yearbook photographer, pushing rolls and rolls of Tri-x through my father’s Pentax K-1000. That bare bones camera taught me the basics of exposure, composition, loading, developing, and printing as I spent afternoons in the darkroom. After a foray into corporate America, in 2006 I returned to my passion, the still image, as a full-time professional. Organizations like APA led me to an abundance of business resources. Their Apple Lectures exposed me to inspiring photographers, their work, and their stories. Networking events with other photographers helped me navigate the world of commercial photography. Most useful was the supportive community of like-minded creatives, all striving to make their visions a reality. In addition, my Marine Corps instilled discipline and Wall Street client service ethic were instrumental in building a thriving photography business serving clients from JP Morgan to Victoria’s Secret, Billboard to the Metropolitan Opera. My future goals include expanding my cultural lifestyle work overseas for my corporate clients. As well, in continuing to give back and serve others, I plan to devote several months each year to pro-bono non-profit and social cause work globally. n
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PARTING SHOT
Photograph by Professional Member “Big Aaron” • www.bigaaron.com • New Haven, CT • 646.263.1145