The Business of Photography

August 12, 2014

Mini Docs

Learn storytelling in motion and promote yourself through short documentaries and behind-the-scenes videos

By David Willis
With the Nikon D90 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, video was introduced to the still camera. The immense popularity of the devices for filmmaking caught the manufacturers by surprise in many ways, as they had originally intended the feature as a way for photographers to provide supplemental material for still clients. Only five years later, and video... Read more
February 12, 2014

Promotional Benefit Or Rights Grab?

Is social media synonymous with a loss of rights over your images?

By Samuel Lewis
There seems to be no shortage of commentary regarding the potential pitfalls associated with posting photographs on social media. Even discounting the more emotional aspects of the debate, there’s reasonable concern among photographers that posting images to social media will result in a loss of rights and/or control over such images. One aspect... Read more
December 19, 2013

Make Use Of Instagram

The service is frequently scoffed at by professional photographers, but it can be a boon for your business

By Jim Goldstein
Among professional photographers, Instagram may be one of the most reviled photography websites today, but its success is a reminder that we need to remain open-minded to succeed in our quickly evolving market. Looking past the novelty of photo filters and a square format, Instagram has filled a large hole—easy publishing and distribution of images... Read more
November 13, 2013

DPP Solutions: Model Release Basics

When it comes to both image sales and protecting yourself from liability, this simple form can be a lifesaver

By Staff
A model release is simply a liability waiver from the subject of a photograph that allows the said imagery to be published. Model releases can be complicated, but they don’t have to be. Even a handwritten note with signatures, if properly documented, is all that you’ll need to cover your bases. If snapping a picture of an interesting subject... Read more
October 7, 2013

Pay Attention To The Details

The social world of the Internet gives pros a lot of benefits, but you need to understand the Terms of Use to understand what rights you’re giving up

By Samuel Lewis
In the course of setting up an online account, I was presented with a license agreement spanning 24 screens. As I started to review the terms of the agreement, I was struck by the thought that most people’s eyes would glaze over by the third or fourth screen, assuming they even made it that far. And since the window with the license agreement... Read more
June 2, 2013

Search Engine Optimization

How to get your name and website to rise to the top of a potential client’s search

By Jim Goldstein
Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most important tasks you can undertake for your photography business website. SEO is the art and science of optimizing the code and content of your web page so as to maximize the likelihood your website will surface to the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone makes a search query pertaining... Read more
April 5, 2013

Make An Impression

The 11 secrets to creating a successful online photo portfolio

By Grover Sanschagrin
How is your portfolio website like a car door? Give up? At PhotoShelter, we like to use this analogy to explain how people perceive the experience of interacting with a website in ways that you may not realize or expect. It’s common for car shoppers to slam a car door and make judgments about the car based on the sound the door makes. In many... Read more
February 20, 2013

Click On The Dotted Line

From model releases to job contracts, know how to use electronic signatures to get the most benefit for your work

By Samuel Lewis
Technological advancements are being made in photography at such a tremendous pace that it’s often difficult to keep up. Increasingly, letters and faxes seem downright antiquated, having given way to email and text messaging. Even the act of entering into a contract has changed. The days of the parties to a contract meeting for the purpose of... Read more
January 3, 2013

Case Study: Producing A Successful Estimate

Craig Oppenheimer of Wonderful Machine walks us through the details of a winning job bid for a restaurant’s photo shoot

By Craig Oppenheimer Of Wonderful Machine
As a producer at Wonderful Machine, I work with photographers around the world on a daily basis to help them connect with clients and estimate projects both big and small. One of our members recently asked me to help him compile an estimate for a shoot with an agency working for a steadily growing restaurant chain. The photographer was a food and lifestyle... Read more
October 16, 2012

Arbitration Friend or Foe?

As a professional photographer, should you beware of alternative dispute resolution

By Samuel Lewis
If there’s one aspect of contracts frequently misunderstood or rarely given due consideration, it’s provisions relating to dispute resolution, and specifically, the increasingly common use of the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures of mediation and arbitration. Those who fail to fully appreciate the relative advantages and disadvantages... Read more
October 4, 2012

Social Media & ­­­­­Copyright

Navigating the potential pitfalls of having your work circulating in social media

By Jim Goldstein
In the past several years, social-media websites and their everyday use have been rapidly evolving. Through it all, copyright protection has been a constant concern for creatives of all types, but particularly photographers. In my prior article "Social-Media Marketing Essentials," I covered a variety of topics surrounding social-media marketing,... Read more
August 21, 2012

The Pinterest Conundrum

Photographers struggle to determine whether Pinterest is a marketing savior or a copyright nightmare

By William Sawalich
Like so many commercial photographers, I’m always looking for new ways to market my work. We’re browbeaten constantly by the knowledge that we must use whatever technological advantages we can to reach out to new customers and engage with an audience that may be interested in paying for our work. New methods for marketing spring up like... Read more
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