Black Star Rising

Living to Tell the Story: More Safety Advice for Photojournalists

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

A round of ammunition goes where it's sent. It may drop some. It may blow slightly left or right, but it won't stop until it hits something. If we outthink the person who sends the round, we might live to tell the story.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((photographer safety)), ((photography advice))

Eye on Image-Making: Portfolios

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Eye on Image-Making: Portfolios

By David Weintraub, photography instructor and Black Star Rising columnist

Mastering the Art of Observation

Wed, 14 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

To understand anything in life, we must do our homework and engage the things we feel, think and act upon. Human beings are dependent on our senses for the impressions we hold of the world around us. We rely on sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste for our survival.

Tags: ((photography advice))

Are All Your Eggs in One Basket?

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Putting all your eggs in one basket, as we know, is to risk losing everything at one time. For me, this maxim applies to two aspects of my business.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

In a Sea of Photojournalists, How Do You Get Noticed?

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Corporate work is what allows me to keep on doing the documentary projects I want to do. While at Magnum, Sebastiao Salgado followed a similar process; shoot highly paid annual reports for a few months and then go off to photograph "workers" in remote parts of the world. If it's good enough for him...

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

What's Next for Photojournalism?

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

What's Next for Photojournalism?

By Dennis Dunleavy, communications professor and Black Star Rising columnist

14 Blogging Tips for Your Photography Business

Fri, 09 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

As I've written here previously, blogging can be one of the most effective marketing tools at your disposal today. For those of you just starting out, here are a few words of wisdom gleaned from my two years of blogging consistently about my photography business.

Tags: ((blogging)), ((photography business))

Stock Photographers Keep Playing the Hits

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Jim Maxwell once wrote an essay on how to write a country song guaranteed to hit the Top 40: Include a done-me-wrong lady, a horse, a thief, a train, a jailhouse, a shotgun. Mix with emotion: jealousy, love, regrets. Add some action: a bank robbery, wreck at a railroad yard, a hard-driving rodeo. Deliver with a twang, weave in a refrain that can be repeated with five notes on the piano --and you can't lose.

Tags: ((stock photography))

A Nude Photo Scandal from the Other Side of the Lens

Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Sexy photo scandals are all the rage on the Internet these days. Just ask Vanessa Hudgens. Or Miley Cyrus. Or ... Amnon Bar-Tur?

Tags: ((Penthouse)), ((Miley Cyrus)), ((Vanessa Hudgens)), ((photo scandals))

What Part of "No" Don't You Understand? Explaining Copyright Law to Publishers

Tue, 06 May 2008 17:27:17 +0000

For freelance photographers used to licensing their photos, it's always a shock to come across an editorial stock photography buyer who thinks that payment for a photo covers both present and future use. Unless a work-for-hire agreement is arranged in writing between the photo buyer and the photographer, payment for the use of a photo is for one-time rights only.

Tags: ((photography law)), ((photography advice)), ((copyright))

Because Dead Photojournalists Don't Make Deadline: Tips on Cover and Concealment

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I've covered both hostage standoffs and warrant roundups with other shooters (mostly TV). I've also been consistently shocked by how little they knew about staying alive.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((photographer safety))

12 Ideas to Reduce Stress and Have More Fun on the Job

Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

It's hard to have fun at work during stressful times. Your stress builds after each media report about the recession. You start hearing whispers from your clients of a merger, layoff or the all encompassing "restructuring." Your agency does not listen. Your clients don't listen. The guy that sells sandwiches in the lobby does not listen. Maybe it is just easier to be cranky. Maybe your sales numbers are down this quarter. Clients are taking longer to make decisions. You start to worry about expenses. What happens next? You walk into your next important meeting a bundle of nerves, tension and worry. Do you really think you are at your best?

Tags: ((job stress)), ((photography advice))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: Taking Stock

Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Classes have ended here at the University of South Carolina, and it is a good time to take stock of the semester -- to see what worked and what needs to be adjusted for the fall.

Tags: ((photography instruction))

The Digital Influence

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Everything's digital, right? Well, now it is. I say that because I was talking to a design intern who's taking classes at a local college for graphic design. He said they're making him take a class on mechanicals. Not sure if I was more shocked that anyone still knew what they were, or that somewhere there was a school still teaching it.

Tags: ((graphic design)), ((digital photography))

Are Composite Images the Future of Stock Photography?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Quick: who is the most famous author in the English language? You probably answered "Shakespeare" -- and most people would agree with you. However, it's well known that Shakespeare (whose own identity remains something of a mystery) "borrowed" most of his plots from lesser known writers. Shakespeare's genius was to reshape contemporary or historical events, legends, and stories and rephrase them in rich imagery.

Tags: ((stock photography)), ((copyright))

To Survive, Photojournalists Must Not Only Inform -- But Also Entertain

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Change is a good thing. I hear that a lot, mostly from people trying to convince themselves that change is a good thing. Change is tough and seems to get harder the older I get. But as a freelance photojournalist, responsible for my own income, change is something I must embrace in order to remain competitive and keep the bills paid. In fact, we must all ask ourselves how to stay relevant at a time when amateur photographers are flooding the Web with images.

Tags: ((photojournalism))

Barter Your Way to Marketing Success

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

One of the fundamental truths in the photography business is that everyone (and I do mean everyone) needs pictures. They might need pictures to advertise their business, or they might need pictures to remember an important life event, or they might need pictures simply to appreciate their beauty. Whatever the reason, there is always a need.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

Seven Tips for Making Photographs in the Jungle

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

The jungle can be a mysterious and frightening place. It is a place where strange animals roam without inhibition, where the humidity can be nearly unbearable, and where Mother Nature reigns supreme. It is a domain where humans often feel we have no control.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((photographer safety))

Cutting Corners Cuts at the Heart of What Motivates Photojournalists

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

There is a heaviness in the air in newsrooms today. You can feel it pressing down on you as soon as you arrive at your desk. It is as if everyone is in a constant state of grief, and I think it is because we are grieving. We are grieving for our colleagues who have left the business, by force or choice. We are grieving for the way things were just a few short years ago, when we could cover a story despite the expense of mileage or a plane ticket. But most of all, we are grieving because we are losing our profession as we know it.

Tags: ((newspapers)),((photojournalism))

The Supreme Medium of Truth?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

With the advance of digital photography, a disquieting and incessant murmur has rumbled into the public discourse -- one that challenges photography's claim as the "supreme medium of truth." How people have come to believe that a photograph could ever reveal anything other than partial actuality is hard to imagine. Nevertheless, since its inception, the insistent assertion that "seeing is believing" has been hard to dismiss.

Tags: ((digital photography)), ((photojournalism))

Rethinking Relationships

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

How relationships change in a digital age becomes an important question when so much of our understanding of truth is predicated on the trust we have in the relationships among storyteller, story, and viewer. The notion of "relationship" seems to help explain some of the underlying precepts in photography -- immediacy, intensity and intimacy.

Tags: ((digital photography))

Direct Mail Ideas That Just Might Not End Up in the Trash

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Photographers sometimes ask me if it's a good investment to send a CD of their work to a mailing list of photo editors. The answer is "no" -- it's almost never worth the money.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography tips))

The Value of Being Paid in Advance

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Two years ago I basically stopped shooting editorial assignment photography. One reason I discontinued this kind of work was the way I was compensated. I was always paid after the job was done and the images were delivered. Many times, payment was late by several months; in some cases, I never received it at all.

Tags: ((photography advice))

Share Your Calendar with Your Clients to Get More Bookings

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I recently got a BlackBerry Curve after some friends convinced me it would help me in my business. They were right; it's made a huge difference -- particularly in conjunction with Google Calendar. Here's how I've used these tools to communicate better with clients -- and to win more bookings.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

Maybe Rights-Managed Photography Just Needs a Better Name

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

What we call things makes a big difference in the world of public relations. In fact, you might be surprised how often it seems to make all the difference in how the public views an issue, industry or product.

Tags: ((stock photography)), ((rights-managed)), ((royalty-free))

Eye on Image-Making: Business Aspects, Part 3

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Tax season is upon us, a perfect time to talk about profit. For those of us sole proprietors filing a Schedule C, "Profit or Loss From Business," the magic number is found on line 31, "Net profit or (loss)." So what, exactly, does this number represent?

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

Photojournalists Have a Life Wish: Tips for Surviving Dangerous Assignments

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Hurricane Rita was still blowing when I left the office. The streets were flooded. Those streets were located somewhere under the piles of trees, downed power lines, broken glass, misplaced roofs and twisted steel objects. I had recently returned from covering Hurricane Katrina, so I was trained and mentally prepared for what I might find. I had a first aid kit, food, water, gas, spare tires, an inflatable raft, emergency illuminators and a truck full of other possible needs.

Tags: ((photojournalism))

Are You as Good with People as You Are with a Camera?

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Magazine editors, art directors, wedding couples and even portrait subjects place a priority on people skills. It's probably the most overlooked and yet most important quality that any photographer brings to the job. It's the one that's most likely to get you hired again -- and again and again.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

11 Reasons for Buyers to Choose Rights-Managed Photography Over Royalty-Free

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

At first glance, it might appear that royalty-free stock photography would offer the better value for the money, so why would any photo buyer choose rights-managed stock instead? There are actually a lot of good reasons to choose rights-managed photography -- many of them too often overlooked by buyers.

Tags: ((stock photography)), ((rights-managed photography)), ((royalty-free photography))

On Mice, Eagles and PhDs

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I sat watching the gecko on the wall for 7 minutes and 11 seconds. How did I know this? Well, because the clock I had set for one hour next to the computer said I had 52 minutes and 49 seconds left. I was following the advice I had seen in the article "How to Write a Thesis in One Hour a Day."

Tags: ((photography education))

Canned Outrage Diminishes Photojournalism's Credibility

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

The market of ideas has always had its malcontents and misfits. The rage sector of the economy, as I like to think of it. And nobody in the world today knows how to trade in rage credits like Geert Wilders, the Dutch politician who has invited more than his fair share of flowers, praise, controversy, and death threats -- except, for the most part, without the flowers and praise.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((media criticism))

Photography Budget? What Photography Budget?

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Rare is the day that I don't need a photograph of some sort in either my day job as the creative director of a news-related Web site or in my freelance graphic design work, most of which is for authors and small business owners. Unfortunately, my budget generally precludes a custom photo shoot, or even a high-end stock photography site.

Tags: ((microstock)), ((stock photography))

What Stock Photography Sites Are Top-of-Mind with Marketers Today?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:55:06 +0000

The Marketing Executive Networking Group (MENG) is a networking organization of more than 1,700 senior-level marketing pros who have reached at least the VP level. Most have worked for Fortune 500 companies and graduated from top business schools. In other words, if you're a commercial stock photographer, MENG members are great clients to have.

Tags: ((stock photography))

Remembering Larry Burrows

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:07:13 +0000

In the early 1970s, I found myself quietly sitting in our local library sifting through back issues of Life magazine. I was looking for some way to make sense of the tumult of those times -- Kent State, Vietnam and the civil rights movement. In the graininess of those Life pictures, I found myself drawn to images that could bring reason to a world that seemed out of control and chaotic.

Tags: ((photojournalism))

Building a Client Profile Is the Key to Finding the Work You Want

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:57:21 +0000

Photographers often forget that everyone needs pictures. I know that sounds obvious, but it's often overlooked in the rush to make photographs. Photojournalists, fine artists, weddings, paparazzi -- every kind of photographer caters to someone who needs photographs. Photographers may insist that they make photographs for themselves, but in the professional world it's really the other way around.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

How I Escaped My Newspaper Job to Start My Own Business -- and How You Can, Too

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I have made one of the hardest decisions of my life; I'm leaving the newspaper business -- this Thursday, to be exact, when I will work my last day at the Daily Press of Newport News, Va. This is the first time a career decision has kept me up at night, because I am still passionate about photojournalism and love being a newspaper photographer. But the recent changes in the industry, and years of job instability, pushed me to explore other options.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((newspapers)), ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: Career Pathways

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

A student came to see me recently and asked an intriguing question: what is the best way to prepare for a career in photography? This student is in my Introduction to Visual Communications course at the University of South Carolina, but she has never taken a photography course. Her current interest is in photojournalism.

Tags: ((photography careers))

If Nothing Else, LeBron James Dustup Proves That Photographs Still Matter

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I never figured Annie Leibovitz as a covert operative of the KKK, but apparently I'm just naive. Here's what some commentators and bloggers are saying about Leibovitz's magazine cover shot of LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen -- the first Vogue cover featuring an African-American man:

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((LeBron James)), ((Gisele Bundchen)), ((Annie Leibovitz))

New Gallery to Showcase Black Star Photojournalism

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Toronto has been abuzz over a new photography gallery planned by Ryerson University to showcase the 300,000-item Black Star Collection. The Toronto Star says the venue, scheduled to be completed in early 2010, "will instantly become Canada's most important" photo gallery, and "one of the most significant in the world."

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((Black Star Collection))

Case Study: Juggling Photography and Video at a News Event

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:39:27 +0000

As the transition from film to digital photography continues, there is general agreement that the new medium offers distinct advantages in productivity and creativity over prior wet processes and routines. For many photographers, however, the shift to digital has also included the addition of shooting video for the Web. While some embrace the challenges of shooting video along with still images at events, others express frustration over what they perceive as an additional burden.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((videography))

Blogs Are the Future of Marketing for Photographers

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

In my area I've seen at least three professional wedding photographers (my competition) shut their doors since December. They were all competent photographers. They serviced their clients to their best of their abilities. And at one time they commanded a good share of the wedding business here. But they've closed their businesses, at least temporarily, for lack of bookings.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((wedding photography))

For Stock Photography Buyers, Reality Is In

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

In 1987, I can remember talking with a California stock photo agency director who waved his hand toward his office files with the exclamation, "Editorial photos? We have plenty of those!" The pictures he referred to were clean-cut models in a simulated work situation smiling at a computer screen, or an immaculate housewife pleasantly choring away with her modern vacuum cleaner. The viewing public in those days, it was assumed, preferred fairy-tale "editorial" pictures. Today, that is changing.

Tags: ((stock photography)), ((photography trends))

Ashley Dupre and the Muddled Mess of Fair Use

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:15:08 +0000

The issue of fair use of copyrighted photographs has surfaced in the Eliot Spitzer scandal, with Ashley Dupre's lawyer blasting media outlets for publishing pics pulled from the call girl's MySpace page. High-profile attorney Don Buchwald said he would take steps "to protect Ms. Dupre from any unwarranted exploitation of her name, picture, voice or likeness for purposes of profit."

Tags: ((Ashley Dupre)), ((Eliot Spitzer)), ((fair use)), ((photography law)), ((copyright)), ((photojournalism))

Yes You Can: Eight Ways to Make the Case for Change with Photography Buyers

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:34:59 +0000

If you follow presidential election coverage, you know the upcoming contest has been characterized as a "change" election; the presumption is that people are seeking a change from the status quo. Candidates like Barack Obama, with his "Yes We Can" slogan, are making the case for change.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography tips))

Eye on Image-Making: Business Aspects, Part 2

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:51:41 +0000

In my previous Eye on Image-Making column, I passed along some advice from travel photographer Cliff Hollenbeck: your job, as an image-maker, is to get your images and yourself in front of the people who use the kinds of images you love to make. In this column, I'll discuss the next step in the long march toward creative success -- what to do when you have found people willing to pay you for your creativity. Much of this advice comes from the extraordinary portrait and wedding photographer Joshua Ets-Hokin. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ets-Hokin, who is based in San Francisco, when I was a staff writer for Photo District News.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

For Paps and Porn Stars, Fame Trumps Shame Today

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:47:23 +0000

As I recently read photographer Nick Stern's account of the mounting guilt that ultimately drove him to quit Splash Pictures, it reminded me of the quaint apologies we used to get from porn stars like Linda Lovelace when they left the adult-film business. Whatever the financial consequences, Stern proclaimed, "I can sleep at night."

Tags: ((paparazzi)), ((photojournalism))

Royalty-Free Orphans: Why the Current Distribution System Doesn't Work

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000

It sometimes is a bit charming how people compartmentalize their logical facilities, using them selectively to justify emotion-based conclusions. We all smile and shake our heads at a wealth of stories that highlight inconsistencies in the human decision-making process.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((stock photography)), ((royalty-free))

Seeing Eye to Eye Isn't Always Best

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:08:22 +0000

In Psychology 101 we learn the value of relating to others at eye level. Many books on photography discuss unusual angles such as a worm's eye or a bird's eye view. Such perspectives can create interesting photos, but there is much more to the choice of the angle of view than just making a nice picture. Indeed, the angle from which you photograph a person sends a message to the viewer about that person. Do you know what message you're sending?

Tags: ((photography tips))

11 Ideas to Enhance the Creative Process

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000

It is time to think about reenergizing our creative process. We know how our minds create. All creative minds, such as photographers, artists, and writers, know what works best to inspire their creativity. What happens when we start bad habits? If we are in a rut, can we jump-start our creativity?

Tags: ((creativity)), ((photography advice))

One Day, Everything Will Be Photographed

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000

After reading David Weinberger's book, Everything is Miscellaneous, I realized that the impact of digital technology on culture is even more far-reaching than previously imagined.

Tags: ((digital photography))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: Exploring Journalistic Ethics

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000

We're nearing the semester midpoint at the University of South Carolina, and I've had some interesting discussions with my Advanced Photovisual Communications students about journalistic ethics. Most of my students are flexing their Photoshop muscles -- using the software to crop, resize, and adjust color and contrast. Some are taking the next step (or should I say plunge?) into the world of image manipulation -- by retouching their photographs, combining elements from several pictures into a single image, and/or selectively changing sharpness or density in parts of their images.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((journalism ethics))

How Much Do You Cost?

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

My stepson looked at his first paycheck and asked, "Who is FICA?" This was his first hard lesson about where the money goes -- the cost of doing business. A lot of the money we pay for a service doesn't stay with the service provider.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

Don't Sell Pictures; Sell What Pictures Do

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

A picture isn't worth very much. Everyone has lots of them. They clog computer hard drives and spill out of boxes. Children cut them out of magazines (or download them from the Internet) and paste them into school projects that will be discarded in a few days.

Tags: ((photography tips)), ((photography business))

Isn't It Time You Made Something of Your Photography?

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:50:01 +0000

If you're a professional photographer, ask yourself this: "How is my photography used to make something?"

Your photographs might be used to make a newspaper. They might be used to make a magazine advertisement. Or they might be used to make a Web site. But if your images aren't used to make something, then they're purposeless. See the hundreds of thousands of images online at Flickr. Great to look at, but unless they're used to make something -- purposeless.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((photography business))

What Does the Getty Images Sale Mean for Photographers?

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:21:44 +0000

Not so long ago, the folks at Getty Images seemed to hold the business of stock photography in the palm of their hands. Together with Corbis and Jupiter, they dominated the market. But as the Big Three have learned over the past couple of years, control is an illusory concept in the world of Web 2.0. And so we have Getty, battered by Wall Street, being scooped up by a private equity firm so it can lick its wounds and try to figure out what to do next.

Tags: ((Getty Images)), ((stock photography)),((Hellman & Sachs))

It's Time to Add Video to Your Web Site

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:41:07 +0000

Web video is here to stay and broadband is the vehicle that is fueling the boom. Just about every size and shape of digital camera that is sold today includes the capability to take motion pictures. Depending on the camera, you can record both audio and video, ranging from a four-minute segment to 20 minutes or more. And what can you do with these segments? Advertise your work, of course.

Tags: ((Web video)), ((photography business)), ((photography tips))

Standardize for Success

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

While reading the agenda for the American Society of Media Photographers' Strictly Business 2 seminars, I couldn't help being amazed at the breadth and depth of these three-day sessions. The seminars cover all the important business skills that have little to do with photography per se. They are about essential though admittedly boring subjects like paperwork, legalities, marketing, pricing and negotiating.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography tips))

Learning to Communicate as an Art Director

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

I think it's safe to assume that nearly every designer out there who has worked in either print or digital media has encountered a job that required custom photography. It's true that low-cost stock photo sites like iStockPhoto.com and Creative Commons-based sites like Flickr have become ubiquitous, but plenty of jobs require a designer to hire and directly work with a photographer. As an early-career designer, I thought it might be useful to describe the process I've used for organizing and art directing a shoot.

Tags: ((art directing)), ((photography advice)), ((graphic design))

Showing Moms with Cameras How to Do It Right

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

One of the many problems for photographers is how those who couldn't care less about the business of photography do damage to the business of photography. Often, these are people who have other jobs that pay the bills, and they look to photo credit to give them pleasure, acclaim, and notoriety, getting their satisfaction at the expense -- literally -- of those who earn a living making pictures. Many times, these are "moms with cameras", or MWCs. What I'd like to highlight today is something different. It's a MWC who is endeavoring to do things right.

What Do You Do, Exactly?

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:16:50 +0000

Who are you?

Not as a human being, but as a photographer, designer, or image distributor. Who are you as a businessperson? What exactly do you do? What do you bring to the table that someone might buy? What are you not so good at? What would you rather not do?

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography advice))

Eye on Image-Making: Business Aspects, Part I

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:32:28 +0000

I've been thinking recently about the business aspects of image-making. Perhaps this is because some of my students have taken, or are about to take, the plunge into "the real world." Or, perhaps it is because I find discussions about the profession of image-making inherently interesting. In any event, Black Star has asked me to branch out and write about more than just my classroom experiences as a teacher of visual communications. So, "Notes from the VisCom Classroom" will be posted at the beginning of the month, and this new column, "Eye on Image-Making," will be posted at the middle of the month.

Photo Contest Is a Referendum on the Human Conscience

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:51:48 +0000

The World Press Photo competition has a history of selecting images for its "Best of" prize that defy the "wow" factor so common among contests. This year's winning photo by Tim Hetherington is no exception.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((World Press Photo)), ((photography contests))

Five Ways to Build a Relationship with a Small Agency

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

How do you catch the eye of an agency art director with an attention span of 3.5 seconds and no time to look at your work?

Like many small creative agencies, my company sees, hears from, and works with photographers every day. Only a handful, however, have captured and maintained our attention to the point where we collaborate regularly. Why? More than anything, talent drives business. But over the years, we've noticed a few promotional and relationship-building tactics that are consistently effective for photographers trying to stand out from the crowd.

Don't Settle for a Life of Stock Schlock

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:06:26 +0000

All aspects of creative expression go through phases as styles and public preferences change. As the ability to gain new information accelerates with the Internet, we're seeing these preferences change more rapidly, whether it's in women's fashions, men's hairstyles, or stock photography. Following the fads may sometimes seem like a professional necessity -- but if you're not careful, it can also drain your passion.

Tags: ((stock photography))

Give Your Customers What They Want -- and More

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:34:25 +0000

Everyone has heard Marshall Field's famous admonition: "Give the lady what she wants." Making sure your customers get what they want is, of course, a respected practice. But another Chicagoan had even better advice. Samuel "Roxy" Rothapfel strongly suggested that Field didn't go far enough.

Photojournalists Are Getting Artsier -- But Is That What Audiences Want?

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Walter Benjamin once suggested that there is no single, absolute, or correct interpretation of a picture, since every viewer brings something unique to the process. At the same time, photojournalistic conventions often constrain how a viewer responds emotionally and intellectually to pictures.

Tags: ((photojournalism))

When It Comes to Burning Photos, How Much Is Too Much?

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Now that contest season is upon us, we are digging through the year's work for the gems we hope have a chance of placing somewhere. I've noticed that many recent photojournalism contest winners feature such heavy burning around the edges that I'm reminded of photographs taken 30 or 40 years ago. Photographers defend the retouching by saying it "creates a mood" or "helps your eyes focus on the subject" or "gets rid of distracting elements." But is the practice ethical?

Tags: ((photography contests)), ((photojournalism))

Are Newspapers Dinosaurs? Only If They Refuse to Change

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:41:05 +0000

Let's get over the perception that newspapers are dying. They aren't.

They're changing and they will continue to change and evolve. The Internet allows everyone to be a journalist. It's sort of like how the digital camera allows everyone to be a photographer.

Tags: ((newspapers)), ((photojournalism))

I Survived Another Layoff; What's Next for Newspaper Photojournalists?

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:04:33 +0000

As I survive my sixth layoff in five years, I question the future of photojournalism and am worried about the path we are headed down. Almost every newspaper in the county has laid off, bought out or done away with positions in the last few years. Everyone is trying to cut back on expenses, trim the fat, and keep profit margins up as the economy starts to take a dive. "This is necessary, these are hard times, it has to be done," we're told. Newspapers cannot afford to have investigative reporters, or fat staffs, or experienced journalists with higher salaries.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((newspapers)), ((layoffs))

Wearing an Extra Camera Around Your Neck -- and Other Ways to Get Past "Officials"

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:00:21 +0000

These days, it's difficult to make photos without first having to ask permission from someone. Security is tighter at both public and private venues, and it's likely you'll encounter officials in many forms: gate attendants, receptionists, police officers, bureaucrats, teachers, secretaries, security guards. You'll even encounter "unofficial officials": janitors, ticket takers, bystanders, relatives of officials, and the like. My word of advice for these barriers -- I mean, good people? Handle with care.

Tags: ((photography tips))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: The Career Pyramid

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:23:02 +0000

I taught my first photography course in 1988. Many things have changed since then, but some have remained the same. Over the years, students seem steadily drawn to two genres of photography -- fashion and photojournalism. It is easy to understand why: these are two of the seemingly most glamorous careers in professional photography. And these genres are also among the most visible and recognizable. Nearly every photography student, at some time or other, has probably glanced through Vogue, Elle, National Geographic, or Time. And I am willing to bet that many of those students have dreamt of being in some remote, exotic location, working with talented models, or documenting culturally interesting or newsworthy events.

Tags: ((photography advice))

Get to the Decision-Maker -- But Don't Forget the Gatekeeper

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Get to the decision-maker. This is basic advice frequently heard from expert sales people. And good advice it is.

Few business situations are more frustrating than selling a "gatekeeper" only to learn this contact person has been overruled by someone with more power.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography tips))

Fully Hosted Solutions Are In Our Future

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

As the photography industry touts the latest professional software tools, namely Adobe Lightroom, behind the scenes the industry is experiencing a shift away from these standalone software applications in favor of a Web 2.0 implementation.

Your Sentence Is Your Message

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

In the world of 1,001 photographers, you need to have a message.

Photographer Alec Soth explains it this way:

I have a theory that everyone will say one sentence about an artist. "He's the guy that photographs Weimaraners." "She was one of Crewdson's students at Yale." "She took disturbing pictures of her children."

He calls it "the sentence." I think he's right. And I think every "sentence" has a message. And my message is what drives my business.

How the Library of Congress Screwed Up By Putting Its Photos on Flickr

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

It's been said that everyone and their uncle are putting their images on Flickr. That's now become literally true. Uncle Sam has just uploaded some of his photographs on the photo-sharing Web site.

Tags: ((Flickr)), ((Library of Congress)), ((photography)), ((photo-sharing))

The Beauty of the Slideshow -- Now Available to Everyone

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Even before the Internet, I appreciated the slideshow. I created presentations with multiple projectors and audio, and I was always impressed with what the combined media could communicate. Even compared to video -- where you move right through a moment so quickly you can miss the subtlety of it -- the slideshow has its unique charms.

Tags: ((photography)), ((slideshows))

Multimedia Photojournalism: Why Is It Taking So Long to Catch On?

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:00:27 +0000

The world of photojournalism, since the grand old days of Life magazine, has changed dramatically. Beginning in the late 1980s, photographers have steadily moved out of the darkroom and into the brave new world of digital media. For visual communicators, the digital technologies have intensified processes, especially given the immediacy of the digital camera.

Tags: ((videography)), ((photojournalism)), ((multimedia))

Beate Chelette: Life After Corbis

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:13:14 +0000

Beate Chelette will relax and spend some quality time with her "intelligent, beautiful, opinionated" 15-year-old daughter Gina now that she has the opportunity to relax a bit. But don't expect the energetic stock photography industry veteran to sit still for too long.

Tags: ((stock photography)), ((Beate Chelette)), ((Corbis))

Even Student Photojournalists Fear "Amateurs" These Days

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:20:30 +0000

The University of Southern Mississippi came up with an interesting idea for its latest recruitment campaign; it gave video cameras to a cross-section of students and asked them to document their lives at the school. The result, USM's Student Powered Videos (SPV) program, has been a hit -- drawing media buzz and traffic to the college's Web site.

But not everyone is happy with the campaign.

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((videography)), ((Southern Miss))

Public-Domain Photographs Can Be a Source of Revenue

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0000

While you probably spend most of your time as a photographer thinking about making images, occasionally an editor or commercial client may request your help in finding images -- such as historical photos -- to illustrate a project. Fortunately, some of the most amazing images ever captured are freely available; they're in the public domain.

It's the Age of Opportunity -- and All Photographers Are Invited

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0000

It's no surprise that there seems to be a mad rush to become a professional photographer today. The technology is priced right. The cameras are smarter than most people care to admit. Education is available online for free. And the economy has been trending toward self-employed small business owners for the past 20 years.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photography courses)), ((microstock))

Video at Newspapers Is About Profits, Not Storytelling

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:17:25 +0000

For my first post for Black Star, I thought I would lead off with the subject that drew attention to me in the first place: video at newspapers.

I first posted my opinions on this subject on SportsShooter.com in August 2007, and received a lot of feedback from other professionals facing this new challenge. I do not want to repeat myself but to continue this discussion. (You can read the SportsShooter post here.)

Tags: ((videography)), ((photojournalism)), ((newspapers))

Hey, Know Any Good Photographers? How to Get on an Agency's Radar Screen

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Agencies need photographers just as photographers need agencies. So if you're a photographer looking to work with an ad agency or design firm, it helps to understand how agencies look for you.

When it comes to finding photographers, word of mouth rules. For years, I've scanned all the photography books and the ads in them, the photography annuals, online portfolios from reps, and so forth. I've learned that nothing is as reliable as WOM.

Tags: ((photography business)), ((photograpy marketing)), ((advertising agencies))

Photographers Can Bring a Fresh Eye to Video

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0000

At my design and branding agency, we produce a fair amount of video, and we have always worked with DPs from the film world or shooters with years of video experience.

Now, for the first time, we've begun to look to still photographers to handle some of our videography needs. It's not that traditional film and video shooters have done anything wrong; we're just intrigued by the idea that photographers may bring something new to the table.

Tags: ((videography))

Macro Photography: The Magic of Nuance

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:37:46 +0000

I remember the moment clearly. I had just finished playing Haydn's Concerto In E-Flat Major For Trumpet for the first time without any mistakes.

"Now you are ready to start working on it," my music teacher said.

I was so disappointed; I thought I had nailed the piece and was ready to move on to something else. But while I had played each note on the page correctly, I was being taught an important lesson: only by mastering the nuances could I avoid sounding like a robot on the instrument.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((macro photography))

Best of 2007: A Look Back at the Year in Stock Photography

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0000

When we at Stock Asylum looked back at the highlights of 2007, we found a couple surprises. For one thing, we were not able to award the honor of "best image collection" to a single distributor. We had to split the category between Getty and Corbis. Yes, Corbis is catching up.

Additionally, we decided that no company really deserved a mention for publishing an exceptional marketing piece. Marketing this year seemed to be based on price alone, which is a shame when you work with a product that offers so many selling opportunities. Frightened by micropayment stock, the traditional side of the industry apparently got a bad inferiority complex and failed to look at and promote all the positive benefits of quality photography. Let's hope the traditional side does better in 2008.

There were, however, many high points in 2007, as you will see when you read on. Our picks for the best of 2007 are below.

When Do You Need a Model Release?

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0000

The recent case of Virgin Mobile using a Flickr photo in an ad campaign without the model's permission has once again raised the issue of model releases. When are they necessary, and when are they not required?

Six Steps to Banish Dust from Your Digital Images

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:57:00 +0000

Dust has been a source of frustration for digital SLR users from the beginning. Those little specks are like blood clots in the digital workflow -- slowing you down or even ruining your best work. Sure, you can remove imperfections in Photoshop, but when those specks get on your sensor, every single photo will need to be fixed until the problem is addressed.

You're much better off preparing on the front end, aren't you? Here are six steps to ensure a dust-free photo shoot:

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: A Tale of Two Students

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:46:24 +0000

This is a tale of two photography students. One sold some pictures to a client and was bummed out. Another failed to land an assignment but ended up feeling good about the experience. Why?

Tags: ((photography tips))

Why Photographers Hate Creative Commons

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Last week, Creative Commons turned five years old -- five years of phenomenal growth, thanks in no small part to advocates like the photo-sharing site Flickr.

Now, I don't want to piss on CC's birthday cake just for the fun of it. But it does seem clear that an increasing number of photographers -- not just professionals but high-end hobbyists also -- have become disenchanted with the Creative Commons system.

10 Holiday Gifts for the Photographer in Your Life

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:00:00 +0000

There's something for photographers at all skill levels this holiday season -- and for all budgets. Here are a few of our favorite gift ideas, from relatively inexpensive to wildly extravagant.

$16

"The F Stops Here" T-Shirt. Hey, what do you expect for under 20 bucks? We like this T-shirt, too.

Photography Students Are Being Taught -- But What Are They Really Learning Today?

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:25:04 +0000

I recently was asked to teach a module at a well-known college here in the UK which hands out degrees in photography.

I say "well-known" as its students seem to get a large number of prizes for shots of discontented-looking people draped in studiously languid poses in scruffy locations ranging from hair salons to bedrooms to public toilets. Me, I thought heroin chic was passe, but clearly the "soul searching and honestly raw approach to the problems confronting the modern generation" (to quote one assessment of a shot of a girl shot sitting on a bed with a Che Guevara poster on the wall) shows that the wheel of fashion ever revolves and the 1960s are back with us.

Tags: ((photography instruction)), ((photography degrees))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: End of Semester

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:29:23 +0000

Fall classes at the University of South Carolina end on Dec. 7, so I want to take this opportunity to discuss what worked well (and what worked less well) in my two visual communication courses -- J337, Photovisual Communications, and J537, Advanced Photovisual Communications.

Protecting Your Images: The Myth of Creative Commons

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:55:16 +0000

One of the biggest problems photographers face online is keeping track of all the uses of their images. The recent case of an ad agency using a Flickr image for its client Virgin Mobile highlights this all too well.

Adding to the confusion is the Creative Commons (CC) license now in use. I won't go into the gory details -- you can review the history of it here. What is important to understand is that using a CC badge or credit will never prevent someone from using an image they see. The saying "locks are for honest people" was meant for situations like this. The vast number of creatives and agencies aren't out to rip anyone off; it's just not in their best interest, legally or ethically.

Tags: ((copyright)), ((Flickr)), ((photography law)), ((Creative Commons))

When Should Pros Give Away Their Photos?

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:00:00 +0000

Reading my way around the photography blogosphere, I've seen plenty of warnings aimed at amateur or hobbyist photographers urging them to never -- ever -- give their photos away. Most of these arguments are based on the belief that this sort of free licensing takes work away from professionals, or lowers the value of photography.

How does this same advice apply to a professional photographer? One would assume that if amateurs shouldn't give away licenses because it hurts the pros, then certainly the pros should never permit use of their photos without payment. But is this always the case?

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((Scott Dickerson))

The Integrated Photographer

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:00:00 +0000

When the camera merged with the computer to give us digital photography, the skills to be a successful photographer changed dramatically. Prior to digital photography, the professional photographer only had to know how to use a camera.

Almost everyone who was working prior to the computer becoming commonplace has experienced this phenomenon. The computer was integrated into many people's jobs. Everyone has had to learn how to do word processing and e-mail. Using the computer to maximize your efficiency for work depended on your comfort level with computers.

Tags: ((photography advice)), ((Stanley Leary))

Notes from the VisCom Classroom: The Documentary Attraction

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:24:30 +0000

For their midterm project, I asked my students in Advanced Photovisual Communications at the University of South Carolina to write about a photography exhibition currently at the Columbia Museum of Art. This exhibition, called "Seeing Ourselves: Masterpieces of American Photography," contains 155 photographs from the George Eastman House Collection. The exhibition has five sections: "American Masterpieces," "American Faces," "America at War," "America The Beautiful," and "American Families." Bringing this exhibition to Columbia, South Carolina, was a real coup for the art museum -- this is world-class photography, in original prints rarely seen outside major metropolitan areas.

Photojournalism Is a Life of Research Papers

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:41:33 +0000

My favorite thing to do when I was in school was the field trip. I remember going to the fire station when I was in kindergarten and getting to sit on the firetruck and see the firemen go down the sliding pole.

I can remember so much from these trips because I could see what I was learning about. Sometimes I even got to sample things -- like a hot dog in a meat-packing plant.

Tags: ((Stanley Leary)), ((photojournalism))

Photojournalism on the Rise as an Art Form

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:48:03 +0000

Jodi Mailander Farrell of McClatchy Newspapers penned an interesting piece last month highlighting art galleries in New York that are showing off photojournalism. Farrell adds that sales of photojournalism are also on the rise, in part because the images are less expensive than other art forms:

Tags: ((photojournalism)), ((fine art photography))