Business
The Business of Photography
Operating a digital photography business is no small task. Our experts cover all the issues related to the business of photography from copyright issues to studio concerns, here.
Monday, June 18, 2007Getting Through The Down TimeThe unique lifestyle that we have as professional photographers can be challenging when the work isn't flowing in “What do you do all day?” she asked. She was an upwardly mobile, fabulous clothes-wearing corporate mover who made truckloads more money than I did. She was 23 and calling me out. Her assumption was that a 23-year-old photographer like me plodded through the day pretending to be important and made very little money. To dispel that rumor, I immediately ordered a round of drinks for her and her five friends. Everyone was impressed and, for the moment, I quelled the condescending suits. I quietly excused myself and called my credit card company from the bathroom to make sure I had enough room left to cover the looming tab. |
Tuesday, June 5, 2007Offsite Asset ManagementNew services do much more than provide safe storage for your image files For the past few years, we've been operating under a sort of ad-hoc series of image-delivery options. Falling back on the usual way of doing business, professional photographers have sent digital files to clients on CD or DVD or, more recently, have used the Internet and FTP technology. Image management, storage and delivery will become a more streamlined and standardized process in the future. Some of the leading companies are already moving to act like a hub in a wheel, interfacing between the photographer at one end and the client at the other. |
Friday, June 1, 2007Photojournalism In The Age Of YouTubeFor freelance photojournalists, these are chaotic times. But in chaos there's opportunity if you have the daring to go for it. The age of traditional freelance photojournalism is no more. Newspaper and magazine markets are shrinking. Editorial budgets are at an all-time low. Assignments and opportunities have decreased dramatically, even for the top-tier photographers. The glory days of months-long assignments with large advances and a big chunk of magazine space waiting at the end of the job are gone, too. In these changing times, freelance photojournalists can still make a living and fulfill the calling to get the story out by adapting to a new paradigm. |
Friday, June 1, 2007Market YourselfA custom photo book gives you a tool to show off a tailored collection of images in a package that makes an impact with a client Being a great photographer is no guarantee that you'll be a successful one. Talent is important, there's no doubt about that. But if you don't find effective ways to let your talent be known, you'll flounder. Today, it's promote or perish. You must market yourself. |
Thursday, May 31, 2007Future Perfect - The Lab In The Digital AgeOnce thought to be on the verge of a dodo-like extinction, labs have made a strong comeback as they gear up to serve photographers' digital needs In the extraordinary transition that has taken place as we evolve from film to digital, the lab, the mainstay of the photo community, is in the midst of a quiet revolution. While many businesses struggle to find their way, the leaders in the industry are interpreting the technology, advancing along with it, and staking out a clear path as they innovate services vital to the photographer in the digital era. It may be a quiet revolution, but that doesn't make it any less momentous. |
Thursday, May 31, 2007Control Your Casting CallThe process of finding the perfect model is a matter of art , science and more than a little luck Modeling agencies are crazy places. Someone, usually an agent, is always having some level of tantrum. Everywhere you look, there are stunning faces and provocative bodies. It can be intimidating if you're not used to it. |
Thursday, May 31, 2007Tax Time Tune-UpDeveloping healthy accounting practices throughout the year will save you when tax season begins In his 20-plus years as a professional photographer, Louis Lesko managed to avoid the most dreadful word of tax season: audit. That was until last year, when he received notice from the Internal Revenue Service that his 2005 taxes were getting a second look. |
Wednesday, May 30, 2007How To Work With ModelsAs photographers, we should pause and occasionally remind ourselves that the life of a model isn't all manicures and massages. They're among the hardest-working people in our business. The symbiotic relationship between photographer and model is the rough equivalent of the relationship between ocean coral and their companion algae—take one away and the other will die. Forget the supermodels, those pampered darlings who end up on reality TV shows and bear little resemblance to the vast majority of models who end up working long hours for modest sums. Like any glamorous business, the reality of the modeling world as a whole is far more interesting than the glimpse most people catch on America's Next Top Model. |
Tuesday, May 29, 2007On The Set With Jill GreenbergDigital Photo Pro went along for the ride on an all-digital Hollywood photo shoot. What's it like on a Hollywood photo shoot? To find out, Digital Photo Pro recently spent a day with Jill Greenberg as she did a shoot for Fox Television. At the Quixote Studios in Hollywood, Greenberg and her staff set up for a day of shooting a steady stream of models who came through the spacious studio. The team consisted of Greenberg, her producer, three assistants, a team from Industrial Color, a DJ and a caterer. This was a moderately sized project by Hollywood standards, but for the photographer, the stakes were still high. After all, if you don't get the shot, you won't get the call next time. |
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Contender: Alexander Hankoff
