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Souther n Exposure magazine is an online publication of SEPPA and is published monthly. Editor V ictoria Kelly vkelly@SEPPAonline.com 919.818.0726 Ad Sales & Business Manager Rick Gibbons ExecutiveDirector@SEPPAonline.com 866.982.4856
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an open letter to new photographers Missy MWAC I read an article recently entitled: “Open Letter of Apology to New Photographers”. It’s an old article, it was written a year and a half ago, (that’s ancient in our industry) but, like that cute pair of jeans I just bought at the thrift store, it’s new to me. In the letter, the author apologized on
behalf of all the non-new photographers out there, and while I’m all for apologizing when an apology is due, I’m not sure that the right group is apologizing. Let me explain. I think I can bring it all home with one sentence: There’s money to be made off of NEW
Missy MWAC cont’d... photographers. And not just a little money, but A LOT of money. Like, I can buy a vacation home and a Tesla, kind of money. As cameras became cheaper and technology became more accessible, photography folks saw a Cash Cow in the form of new photographers. It was like an untapped gold mine. Just like the Gold Rush, the folks who prospered were not the ones panning for gold, but the businesses selling the pick-axes and gear to the prospectors so full of hope and promise. They were ready to buy the dream. And buy it they have. I mean, who doesn’t want to hear that by listening to a coach or a workshop giver that they, too, can achieve “Photography Riches.” And, even better, they can do it in a snap on a FastTrack to Success. It’s like those diet pills that promise 10lbs gone in a week without dieting. Sign me up, right? We have packaged up the dream, complete with templates and one hour monthly Skype calls and put it on sale. It doesn’t matter that the same folks doing this have been in business for a total of 2-5 years; oh no. Because the package is so darn attractive and marketed so well. Let’s face it, I have underwear older than the business licenses of most of today’s photography workshop givers. And the masses grow.
The Facebook Photography Pages multiplied faster than Tribbles on the Enterprise. And those who AREN’T new looked at the explosion and got, well…frustrated. It’s completely understandable; they owe no one an apology for that. So, in the interest of taking it waaaay down and keeping it real, I have created a NEW Letter of Apology to New Photographers. Feel free to copy and paste it. It’s kind of the thing now in our industry. ;-) Dear New Photographers, You are owed an apology. You wanted to harness your creativity and explore the possibilities in photography and, for that, who can blame you? It’s pretty great, right? But you’ve been targeted. And not the fun Target with the $1 bin and the Starbucks inside the door. I wish. No, you’ve been selected as a “market.” A previously untapped revenue stream. A “business.” An opportunity to make money for other photographers. And that can’t feel good. Now, no one is going to come out and tell you that. No one is going to come out and say, “Oh, you’re new to photography? “Ka-ching!” And, make no mistake, you are not owed an apology from ALL workshop-givers,
because there still are those folks who run an actual business and who dedicate a few times a year to teaching. They owe you nothing and in fact, we owe them a debt of gratitude. So, the question remains, how do you know who owes you the apology?
you should not hang out that “Open for Business” sign until you are as prepared as humanly possible, for to succeed, you will need to be 100% committed in every aspect, and that no one but yourself and your determination will get you there: no forum, no group, no organization… nothing but your willingness to do what it takes”…then they owe you an apology.
Well, here’s a little checklist:
I don’t know if you’ll get it, but I just wanted you to know that you deserve one.
If their Facebook pages are filled with nothing but workshop info.…they owe you an apology.
So, welcome to the industry; we’re all in this together.
If they have a shortage of actual paying client work on that page…they owe you an apology. If they, themselves, are new to the industry but have decided to pursue speaking instead of shooting…they owe you an apology. If the words “Shortcut,” “Fast Track,” “Next Level,” “Passion,” or “Secret to Success” are anywhere on their workshop info… they owe you an apology. If they build into their workshop the need for the product they sell…they owe you an apology.
And last but not least, if they tell you anything other than “running a photography business is damn hard work, and
And remember, if it feels like hard work, it means you’re doing it right! xoxo, Missy
For more of Missy’s out-of-this-world view of (p)rofessional (p)hotography, visit her website at www.missymwac.com
Suck it Up, Buttercup: A Guide to Success Christine Walsh-Newton, M. Photog., Cr., CPP I've had some newer photographers ask my opinion about the future of the photography industry and whether I thought they could make a living as full-time photographers. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I'm sure I feigned some convincingly supportive answer while I hoped my own thoughts weren't flashing neon signs on my face. Because what I was thinking wasn't very
positive, and if I was a magic 8 ball, the answer would have been “outlook not so good.” But that's not what anyone wants to hear, especially someone looking for solid answers. And hope. And I've been thinking about that. So here's my new answer: “Suck it up, Buttercup.”
Christine Walsh-Newton cont’d... Yes, it can be done, and now's the time to put on those big girl panties, hitch up your suspenders, put on the waders and swim. Or something like that. You're going to make sacrifices, lots of them. Make sure your family supports you in this quest to become a pro, because they will be sacrificing right along side you. In reality, they're gonna have to suck it up, too. In the “Suck-It-Up Buttercup” method there are 10 basic guidelines: 1. Work VERY Hard. You're going to work hard; harder than you've ever worked in your life. You're going to keep your day job and invest every spare cent and hour you have into photography. Yes. Keep your day job. For as long as possible, hang onto that sucker. The fact that you have a job at all is a good thing. Some people aren't that fortunate. Hopefully, you've got benefits. No matter how much you hate your job, DO NOT QUIT, because it is going to help you build up your arsenal of equipment and pay for the education you absolutely need before you “go full time.” When you make that final decision to leave your old job for your new photography career, you want a solid photography income stream already in place with a couple months of safety net in the savings account. Do not make this step before you're ready. 2. Get VERY Smart. You're going to build your knowledge bank and your skill set. You're going to learn about photography, finance, marketing and customer service. The world is your mentor. Watch every YouTube video and webinar that you find. Go to every class that's free and as many of the paid ones as you can afford. Switch
to peanut butter sandwiches so you can save your lunch money for an affiliate school. Learn to convince your spouse and children that hanging out at the hotel pool while you're at convention classes is the most fun they've ever had because family vacations are probably one of those sucky sacrifices they're gonna have to make. 3. Play less. Forget watching television or playing sports of any kind, your down-time isn't down-time any more. If you're not actively photographing, you should be actively practicing. Or watching videos. Or reading tutorials. Suck it up, buttercup. You talked the talk, now walk the walk. Whatever hobbies you used to fill your time with need to go on the back burner. For a very long time. 4. Invest. You're going to start building up your gear pile. If you think you're going to go into business and use your profits to re-invest into your business to get the gear you need, you are wrong. In the airyfairy land of perfect photographer-ville, maybe. In real life, no. You probably will not have profits for a very long time. Your best bet is to fund your business start-up with your personal income and hope to recoup the investment later. Buying a camera and a flash and then hoping that client work will fund the rest of your gear is like hoping grandma will stop buying you cheesy Christmas sweaters. Not gonna happen. 5. Learn Accounting & Business Basics. Get real about numbers and business theories. Suck it up, buttercup – being a photographer has very little to do with photography
Christine Walsh-Newton cont’d... and a lot to do with math. Learn what ROI and COGS means. If you don't, hire someone who does. Know what dollars come in and why and how quickly they go out. Pay yourself a decent wage and charge for your your services commensurate with your skill and business plan. 6. Stick with the Plan. Oh, and about those dollars; you will be broke. You're going to be spending money. A lot of it. On stuff that's not that interesting to anyone other than yourself. And even you might be tempted to buy tickets to a concert instead of a soft box, but again, we're in “suck-it-up” mode. You're gonna spend money that you'll be tempted not to. Suck it up and do it, anyway. Never let your professional organization dues or insurance policies lapse. Find some other way to suck it up budget-wise if you need to, those items should be non-negotiable. 7. Network. You need other photographers. You need their input on your work, their advice, their guidance and honestly just to reaffirm that others have done this and are still doing so. You're not in this alone. Go out and meet them, but be very careful when deciding who your peers are that you network with. Don't just pick any Joe Schmoe who owns a camera. Align yourself with greatness. Join a professional organization. I don't care which one; any one. Make an effort. Go to meetings, go to classes they sponsor, make friends with the members and network as often as possible. 8. Admire & Aspire. Look around you at photographers whose work you admire, whose accomplishments you'd like to see
on your own resume' some day. There's no shame in having a photographer crush as long as it's someone who carries themselves with class and respect. Find out what organizations and events they participate in and check it out. Perhaps they're into print competition, perhaps they're educators on a national level or speakers on a more local, personal level. Perhaps they're solid business owners who have been able to keep their head above water. They're doing something right and deserve your attention. 9. Stay Humble. There's always going to be someone better. There's always going to be competition and there's always going to be someone that says your work can be improved. Pay attention to them all. Don't let them tick you off, but inspire you to kick butt. And when that day comes that you've made it, you've achieved and the world is your glorious oyster, keep it in perspective. Cheer, post, update your FaceBook status and send out a press release, but keep it real and keep it humble. You didn't get the Nobel Prize for Photography and tomorrow the playing field will be rendered level once again. This is the time to remember that although you've gained a measure of success, which may very well serve as an inspiration to your colleagues and peers, the way in which you carry yourself will speak volumes more. 10. Big Girl Panties Required. And last, but not in the slightest way, least... people are gonna say things you're not going to want to hear. Part of improving is putting your work out there for critique and assessment by your peers. And that's not always easy to take. But I'm really going to encourage
you to make an extra effort at sucking it up during these cases. Why? Because the more receptive you are to input, the more others will be willing to give it to you. Yes, there's always going to be that random jerk that's going to be insulting, but just take it with a grain of salt and use it as a lesson in how not to act towards others. This industry isn't always kind, and the better prepared you are to deal with that, the further ahead you will be.
Save the date The “Suck-it-Up” method is a semi-humorous look at how hard it is to become successful. It can be done, but there's no instant success plan. You're going to put your head down and work hard. You're going to ignore your competition and figure out what is best for your business. You're going to look for answers to your questions and mull them over until you find what's best for you. And then you're gonna suck it up and do it. Because you CAN.
Go!
Christine is a portrait photographer and owner of Gallery C in Dover, Ohio. She is a co-author of “The Daily Book of Photography” and authors “Wootness: The Big Girl and Guy’s Guide to Starting a Photography Business.”
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The Twelve Elements DeMystified: presentation Janet Boschker, M.Photog., Cr., F-ASP
This month’s topic is presentation. It’s something we hear about during the judging process, sort of like this “I really like the presentation” or “the presentation bothers me – it’s distracting” or “it needs some presentation”. It leaves us with so many questions – what is enough? What is too much? Aarrgghh@!!! It’s enough to make a person crazy. Here is what the PPA website says about the subject : “Presentation affects an image by giving it a finished look. The mats and borders used, either physical or digital, should support and enhance the image, not distract from it.” Can it get any more vague, you ask? Like so many things in our profession, it’s subjective – there are no rights or wrongs –
what one person finds pleasing, the next may find distracting. Rule of thumb for me – simple is best. I gravitate toward a fine art look for my entries, it’s just what I like. However, if you choose to present your image with a border that has a tone or color, I have found there are some things to keep in mind. • The presentation should not dominate the image – it’s as simple as that. When choosing a color or weight of the pin line and “mat” think in terms of value – light, midtone and dark. The pinline should not be the same value as the lightest value in the image, but something between the lightest value and the midtone. Then choose the mat color somewhere between the midtone and darker values in the image. A subtle contrast is always more effective that a harsh in your face high contrast. This will allow the mat to recede while giving a finished look to the image. • Another thought on presentation – as a judge, I sometimes see images that are jammed into the corners with oddly weighted borders, images tipped within the mat or layered image-over-image – why? Someone, somewhere gave the impression that it was effective presentation but keep in mind that it must make visual sense – simply doing that without a unifying reason will just be distracting to the main image.
Try several solutions before settling on one, then come back to them after a day or two and ask yourself when you open the image on your computer – did the presentation work? Was it overpowering or was it a pleasant finishing touch? First impressions are usually correct – trust your intutition!
Janet has been judging for many years and advises photographers as a competition coach. Her studio is in Charlotte.
get your foot in the door with seniors! Carmen Schettino, M. Photog., Cr.
Don’t forget the senior market...you know...the often-overlooked market with REAL money! During the past year or so I have photographed some senior residents on commercial shoots for one of my advertising agencies. The job was to createa brochure showing the life style of this beautiful place. While on the assignment, the residences' marketing director hired me to photograph their upcoming Halloween party and provide a 5x7 to each guest. The job was a riot because of the fun costumes and the attitude of the subjects. After delivery I got additional orders for more prints. The next event coming up was the Valentine's dance and was booked right after the Halloween Dance. Being dressed in more formal clothing, the people enjoyed these images even more and the reorders were even better than before. Again the marketing department paid for the original 5x7s for each. From these images I sold 8x10s , 5x7s and wallets just like (high school) seniors packages. Getting one's foot in the door and doing a good job is the key to building a good relationship with your client. Oh yes! Deliver on time.
I will be returning again for a mystery night where the group will be doing a play and I will do candids of the activity. Again the management company will pay for the photography. Hopefully this will lead to additional portraits to be passedon to the children. This is a great opportunity to capture professional images before these older folks pass on. Another plus from this contact is the recommendations that have come for other types of jobs. I got a few single portraits, a couple of family groups and a 80 piece Russian orchestra shoot which turned out to be a $500.00 job. Then the marketing director's husband interviewed me on his weekly television show which featured local artists in Sarasota. I had a chance to talk to a wider local market, showing my portraits and my pictorials. I think there is a whole new market opening up because these facilities are springing up all over the country and one is better than the other. P.S. A bonus surprise that came out of this job was the opportunity to have a exhibit of my scenic photography in the hall way to the beautiful dining room. This gave me more exposure to all the residents for future business. So...are you looking to grow your business? Consider seniors...again, the ones with the REAL money!