We see a lot of talk about ‘vision’ and ‘style’ and they are difficult to put into a specific, detailed set of parameters.

Style – noun (OnLine Dictionary)

1. The way in which something is said, done, expressed, or performed: a style of speech and writing.

2. The combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era.

3. Sort; type: a style of furniture – a type of photography.

4. A quality of imagination and individuality expressed in one’s actions and tastes: does things with style.

5.a. A comfortable and elegant mode of existence: living in style.
5.b. A mode of living: the style of the very rich. (Photographers… heh)

6.a. The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue.
6.b. A particular fashion: the style of the 1920s. See Synonyms at fashion.

We have talked about style before on Lighting Essentials:
“Style: It’s Not What You Shoot. It’s How You Shoot It.”
“Salina Maitreya: 4 To Do’s for Photographers (Interview in Three Parts)”
“What Makes a Photograph ‘Great?’”
““Breaking Out” as a Professional Photographer: Daron Shade”
So take a look at those articles when you get a chance.

Pretty good definition list, but what do we make of them. (5b is a given for photographers, so we won’t get into that one. My Bentley driver may have a few words later, but only after he fuels up the jet for the weekend MM shoot.)

Let’s see what we can attach to some of the photographers I have listed here. Spend some time at each photographer’s site. Note how the definitions above start to make sense as we view the images.

Rodney Rascona is a fellow Phoenician. His work has always been top of mind for me in this area. A talented photographer who has maintained a strong presence in the national advertising scene and still lives here in the desert. Rodney’s work ranges from portrait to automobile to travel… and he has a style that is so prevalent in his work.

Photograph by Rodney Rascona, Phoenix. www.rascona.com

Photograph by Rodney Rascona, Phoenix. www.rascona.com

Spend some time with Rodney’s work and note how he creates his style. Composition and light as well as presentation are consistent. A drama that is created by formal design and light with contrast to define. Colors are vibrant.

Across the genres of portraits, automobiles and even the photojournalist like shots of the tsunami, there is a consistency of vision.

Joni Sternbach is a huge favorite of mine. Her work ranges from portraits to landscapes.

Joni Sternbach, Photographer : www.jonisternbach.com

Joni Sternbach, Photographer : www.jonisternbach.com

Sternbach chooses an older process for her prints, and uses large cameras for perspective control and limited Depth of Field. But it is beyond the choice of camera and process that makes her images take on a specific vision and style. Study how she approaches the “Surfland” images and compare that to the imagery in the “Salt Effect” series. Portraits of surfers and landscape work tied together by a vision and execution that show a single photographer’s style.

Kurt Markus shoots fashion, sports figures and landscapes… how’s that for variety. And yet the distinctive vision that Markus displays is across all genres.

Kurt Markus, Photographer: www.kurtmarkus.com/

Kurt Markus, Photographer: www.kurtmarkus.com/

A great example of it being not ‘what you shoot’ but ‘HOW you shoot what you shoot’, Markus’ clean style and intimate, natural approach to his images keep his vision consistent. Classical, almost historically iconic approaches to his subjects combine with a fresh, natural feeling seems to run through his work. Modern classicism? Maybe. See what you can find as you go through the images slowly and with deliberation.

I love Kate Orne’s work. It is approachable, natural, elegant and totally free of conceit. It is an approach that lets the subjects be the subjects. No banks of lights and Photoshop magic, just honestly beautiful images.

Kate Orne, Photographer: www.kateorne.com

Kate Orne, Photographer: www.kateorne.com

Notice also how Orne’s style crosses over to her travel work and studio work. It is a vision that is hers, and the style is in the work itself. Beautifully photographed and simply presented imagery.

Nick Onken is a guy I go to often to just smile and take in great imagery. He keeps his work fresh and identifiable by keeping the style consistent. And that consistency has led to major campaigns and recognition from all over. His book “PhotoTrekking” was reviewed here on LE and is a fantastic addition to any photographer’s library.

Nick Onken, Photographer: www.nickonken.com

Nick Onken, Photographer: www.nickonken.com

Nick’s color palette, natural light approach, fun and witty composition and strong emphasis on Point of View gives some consitency. His attention to detail, in every instance, brings an excitement to the images and draws the viewer in. You will have a lot of fun looking through Nick’s work.

Damn, I am a big Mark Tucker fan. Such compelling work and with such conviction of style. Whatever Mark shoots, it is presented in what seems like the most perfect way. There is a pronounced absence of ‘over-the-top’ processing or faddish types of lighting. The work is consistent in color, composition and vision.

Mark Tucker, Photographer: www.marktucker.com

Mark Tucker, Photographer: www.marktucker.com

Mark’s work can be quirky and fun as well as serious. His use of old lenses, tilt-shift lenses and textures also makes the work accessible and seem like a blend of art and commercial… with an emphasis on personal style. As you go through his images, think of the choices he is making as he is designing the shots. What you see in Mark, and all the artists here, is a deliberate attention to detail. If it is in the shot, it was meant to be. The light is chosen to set the subjects off in a specific way… and that approach is taken across genres in his work.

Last up is Bill Phelps, a fantastic shooter that I recently discovered. I am so in tune with this work. Personal, engaged and without the vestiges of over-commercialism, the work Phelps delivers is most definitely his. Not a lot of compromise shown in the vision… it is tightly held and demonstrated in every shot he shows.

Bill Phelps, Photographer: www.billphelps.com

Bill Phelps, Photographer: www.billphelps.com

I am captivated by his post-modern style and the way he uses the frame to isolate sections of the world, and presenting them as slices of reality. A reality that is charged through the use of black and white. The work has a film look to it, although I have no idea if it is film or digital… nor do I care. The careful use of light that is infused within all of his work is intriguing and elegant.

As you look through the images of these photographers ask yourself these 5 questions:

1. What is the thing that ties the work together for you?
2. If the work was presented within different post-processing would it still stand?
3. What is the compositional approach that the photographers use to bring their work cohesiveness?
4. How is light used to enhance or alter the reality in the work?
5. Quick, describe the photographer’s work, style if you will, in less than 8 words.

Of course not every single image will contain every element of a photographer’s style, but taken as a whole – a “body of work” – the images belong to each other. And to the photographer that created them.

A challenge:
Can you find the elements that tie your photographs together and show how they work to present a body of work? Are they cohesive enough to show you as a photographer with vision or just a photographer? And, hey, it is great to be a good photographer. Let’s step it up a bit and be a good photographer with style and vision.

It’s damned hard work. It is a gray area, a nebulous enigma entwined in the emotional ties we have with our work. It is the ability to grasp and let go at the same time. It may mean a slight tweek to what we are doing. It may mean a total disc wipe and on to a new chapter.

But whatever it is, it will be important for us in the long run to have developed a style. Doesn’t mean we are locked in to only one, but one is good to get started.

Thanks for tagging along and I hope I have your juices going on what style may be, how to look for it in the work of others, and your own. It is a journey that can have lots of pulling of hair and gnashing of teeth. Sometimes you feel isolated and fearful and sometimes joyous and victorious. All part of the next climb in the journey.

Please note the workshop schedule, and follow me on twitter if you are so inclined.

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Well, that went fast. And not as I expected at all. Faster and crazier than planned, and it left little time for writing and posting. My sincere apologies on that. I am way behind my time on keeping the blog fresh, I am afraid, and will try to correct that this and next week.

Before we get on to the trip, there have been some wonderful posts on the net you should be aware of:

1. The ongoing controversy over Larry Lessig and the Creative Commons movement (I wont link). I am not a fan, to say the least. It seems like a transparent grab by large corporations to take the creative ownership from the creators to the distributors. Promises of glory and fame are empty and stupid. There is some more of the travesty that I believe Creative Commons is over at Burns Auto Parts. Leslie Burns is fighting the good fight, and read the comments to see how convoluted the language has become to deny value to what we do. Part One and Part Two. A follow up deconstruction of Lessigs ‘speech’ is here. A recent post does serve to remind us that Lessig plays fast and loose with the truth. Beware of Creative Commons and the incredible way it changes how we feel about art and the value we place on it.

2. Lots of questions about pricing at every workshop. Rob at A Photo Editor has a fantastic post on working with magazines. Day Rates and Space Rates can be confusing to those who are not familiar with them, but it is the way many magazines determine the fees for photography.

3. Keep up with Robert Wright, a New York photographer at his blog. Postings are sporadic, but the content is creative and a good insight into the life of an editorial photographer in New York.

4. James Danziger has a little blog that is quite interesting. He is an fine art photography gallery owner and a staunch advocate for photographers. Check the site out and say hi.

5. Looks like the call has gone out once again for “Certification” of photographers. Absurd, elitist, knee-jerk-stupid and sad. In professions where measurable outcomes can be defined, and where health and safety are at risk, certification is important. I don’t want writers to be certified… painters, sculptors, poets and photographers. Here is a post I wrote about the nonsense. And, a follow up one for fun.

Fight the urge to become automatons and komrades. Ask yourself who certified the certifiers? What aesthetic do they bring to the decision of whether or not another photographer is ready for the show? Who decided that the test would be able to determine excellence in vision? In art, the end product is the thing… and there are so many wonderful approaches to the creation and enjoyment of the work. Adding a layer of bureaucracy on top of it simply diminishes the relevance, and creates a draw to the center – the ‘good enough’ mediocre arena of banal.

I know some really bright people who have no degrees. And I know some pretty freakin stupid people with a whole wall of degrees conferred on them by other people with walls of degrees. Reminds me more of incest than excellence. Passing a test doesn’t mean anything other than you can pass a test. Fear creates this kind of thing. Busting your ass to create great work is a catalyst to the fear. Choose that instead.

Now on to New York:

I arrived with plans on visiting the city a day earlier than the workshop start. Didn’t work out. BTW, if you are looking for a ride from say, La Guardia to Secaucus (16 miles) and get a page that offers a flat rate… ask for confirmation on what that includes in the flat rate. Flat Rate means flat rate… in ‘car service’ land it means a sort of maybe estimate. My flat-rate $80 ride was actually $155. But, hey… close enough I guess. Thank goodness that was the only glitch and it happened the first day.

Friday evening we met most of the workshop attendees in Penn Station at the TGI Fridays. A truly great group of people who were excited to learn and work with lighting. We hung out and chatted for a few hours and then hit the train back to Jersey.

Weekend workshop was great. We had a fantastic studio to work in. Guler Ugur Studio, (646 319 6777), is a nicely appointed 1600 Sq Ft Studio in the Photo District on 20th Street. Nice natural light and amenities to make it well worth considering if you are looking for rental space in NY City. Tell them Don Giannatti at Lighting Essentials recommended them and they could be even more accommodating. Depending on availability. 6th floor with elevator and security entrance. Rent full or half days.

Shooting spilled out onto 20th Street and we hit Union Square for some great late day light. The students were attentive and creative, and the talent was amazing. Thanks to all who attended.

Monday we did some tourist stuff starting with a trip to B&H. Charles, my compatriot for the week, needed a B&H fix, and we wandered around that place for quite awhile. If you haven’t been there, it is really amazing. I saw some lighting gear that I liked a lot… probably going to add to the arsenal… heh. (Yeah, even a non-gearhead can still love gear… ya know.)

We then hit the MOMA for a look at their photography on exhibit there. On the third floor the show, Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography, was amazing. Wonderful imagery. Oh. and the small Irving Penn show in the lobby was really wonderful.

But of course, the real reason for our visit was the totally incredible “Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century”, April 11–June 28, 2010. One of the masters of our medium.

There are 300 images there, one of the largest photographic exhibits I have ever seen. Works that were familiar (the Bicyclist) and those that were not, carefully shown in a timeline/geographic display that was simply breathtaking. One of the myths that Bresson’s work seems to carry is that he only photographed those people who were unaware of his camera. Wow, is that put to rest. There are posed and attentive subjects in many of the photographs and they were as wonderful as the “Decisive Moment” work that is more well known. If you are anywhere near NY, you should take the time to visit.

On a personal note… it was really terrific to be in an art museum that was freeekin packed! Thousands of people in that building. Wow… that is soooo cool.

Escalator, MOMA: iPhone image.

We next hit Central Park up near Columbus Circle. We took a walk, and then met Prescilla, a skate boarder. We asked for a few moments of her time and shot some fun images. I worked at getting some portraits everywhere (maybe the Bresson show carried over in my mind?) so I snapped a few whenever I found the opportunity.

On the Streets, a Portrait. iPhone image.

We then took to the streets with a model from the workshop. I wanted a shot of someone with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. That led us to the “A” train and Brooklyn. Chloe was a true sport as it was still a little nippy down on the water. The weather had held off for most of the day, but now the clouds rolled in and it started to get a little dicey. A bunch of the guys came along and we all shot with Chloe down on the banks of the Hudson. With that many guys we had some true lighting toys to play with. I ended up with three speedlights to do this shot.

Chloe and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Tuesday it rained. A lot.

I looked at Charles and said… “maybe it isn’t raining in the Hamptons.” Seemed plausible.

It was. A lot.

But we got some photographs anyway, and the inclement weather made it even more fun for me. I have lots of sun shots, the shots I got on the water in the Hamptons were very different than what I shoot mostly. I was able to keep all my gear dry, even though I was soaked and freezing. That is until I got excited about a shot and left the car door open. As the rain wasn’t falling verticle, but rather at a 45 degree angle, all my gear got wet. And the car seat. And the dashboard… heh. Luckily no damage. (Gibbs swat to the back of the head.)

Hampton Island, NY. iPhone image.

Thank goodness the rain abated Wednesday and we headed down to the Village to see Jen Bekman’s Gallery. Small and fun, the work on the wall was worth the walk. (We walked a lot in NY.) Jen works hard on behalf of photographers, and her “Hey, Hot Shot Project” is a wonderful project for emerging photographers.

Right across the street is Jay Maisel’s incredible building. I thought about knocking to say hi, but thought better of it and snapped a shot of the door. (Images) Close enough.

We headed for Battery Park, and had a blast shooting till dark. Shawn came along on that day, and we also hit Canal Street looking for bargains. WooHoo… shopping!

Each night found us t a cool little restaurant and getting back into Jersey about midnight. We rose early and headed back to the city. Breakfast at the Chelsea Diner was a must, as was hitting the financial district for some tall buildings shots.

In the city. iPhone image.

Thursday we hit the town to see Wall Street and took the train to Coney Island. Bright, sunny day. My goodness it reminded me of Phoenix, and I started to want the rain to come back. Got some shots and a hot dog at Nathans. (Tourists… waddayagonnado.)

Oh, and lunch found us on a little street in the East Village having great little sandwiches with Andrew Hetherington. That was really a fun time. Andrew is fun, engaging and a wonderful photographer. We swapped stories about working in the city now versus back in the day when I was working there (mid 80′s). Some things remain, and some things are changed forever.

Andrew Hetherington, Photographer. iPhone image.

A final visit to an icon, Grand Central Station, and we were off to the hotel for a final night in the city. The next day we left to go to Baltimore for an advanced workshop that was also really exciting.

I love NY. I have made some decisions based on my recent visit. The energy that is found there, the culture and the incredible feeling of legacy overwhelms me, but yet I feel drawn to it. Alicia Keys says it well here, but I also think that I love Liza’s version too (goosebumps, man).

Vendor, NY. iPhone image.

Thanks for taking a walk with me through my week in NY. It was a changing experience for me, and there will be repercussions… heh.

If you are considering a workshop this year, take a moment to visit Learn to Light, and if you want to follow along with me on Twitter, well, there ya go.

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You guys are still the best damn forum pool around. And I have a set of 26 photos that really impressed me. Getting harder to narrow them down now. Lots of great shots in the pool these days. Thanks.

IMPORTANT: IF YOU HAVE ATTENDED A LIGHTING ESSENTIALS WORKSHOP, please see the Workshops Page.

Before we head over to look at the shots, a few thoughts.

Last week, the NYT published a piece, “For Photographers, the Image of a Shrinking Path” that has caused a bit of a mini-firestorm. One that I think will stay smoldering for a while.

I won’t even begin to summarize here, you should read it yourself. And then read these followup articles for other perspectives:

“Don’t Panic: Thoughts on the NYT Article about the Future of Commercial Photography” – Heather Morton.
Money graphs:

“There is no way to compete against stock in the jobs for which stock is appropriate so I think you should mostly stop trying (and definitely stop bitching about it). Instead, make sure you’ve got a look and feel that the brand needs; that you are an innovator, offering solutions. And take heart- as per Jaffe’s article referenced above, these are the same demands that clients are making of the ad agencies.

There will always be some demand for commissioned, generic, safe imagery but this is a field that is enormously oversaturated. On the other hand, there is tremendous opportunity to find new ways of working right now. So don’t panic, just figure it out.”
Check the comments for some great fun.

UPDATE: Heather has added a second, follow up post:
Don’t Panic: Part Two by Heather Morton
Money Graphs:

“This is the same thing I’ve been hearing for a couple of years and I just don’t know what I can do to help on this one. Because of where I work (if you’re an agency who can hire a freelance Art Buyer, you at least understand that you have to pay for good photography), I haven’t experienced this dramatic assault on fees. But I also can’t insist that the client shoot every image. If shooters like Mariano Pastor are offering product shots to own for $250 and my client finds out about it, there’s only so much I can argue that the shot needs to cost 30 times that.

But I do argue with them because I don’t want y’all to leave the business. I need to know that when the good tabletop jobs come up, you will all still be there so that we can really delve into the skill and style that a great photographer can bring to the brand and elevate it beyond the value of a $250 photograph.”

“NYT: Pros and Amateurs Debate: Is Photography in Trouble?” – Bruce DeBoer.
Money Graphs:

“My feeling is that once the “good enough” market is saturated, photographers with the skills to “make” images will find new business models that return a decent lifestyle. We are in transition. The current angst is mostly fear of change but also about the heartbreak of all those career photographers watching their greatest love walk away. I hold grief for my profession but also excitement about possibilities since imagery is gaining importance in the marketplace.

It’s a time of disruption but disruption means high creativity – watch this space – good stuff is bound to happen.”

“Creatives & The Hope Economy: What Do We Do Now?” – Bruce DeBoer once more.
Money Graphs:

“The market is most robust for what’s good enough and good enough is less than it was. Once there were professional type houses but now desktop publishing – good enough. Once there were staffed million dollar music production studios, now we have a garage and Pro-tools on a PC – good enough. Once there were journalists, now there are bloggers – good enough. No time or money for more than good enough unlike there once was.

Spend 10,000 hours on proficiency and the world will have moved on to something else. Don’t look now but your expertise is obsolete. One might be better off learning a little about a lot, settling for good enough and cashing the check: the DIY culture.”

“Professional photographers’ commoditization covered in mainstream media” by Carolyn Potts.
Money Graphs:

“I still believe the very best strategy to deal with these changes is having both real talent (that is ever-evolving) and the right attitude. I feel that having a pro-active attitude instead of a “victim” attitude is probably the most critical element.

What did those professional photographers do to survive? Every single one of them refused to focus on what was wrong with changes; they focused on the opportunities! They use a business slow-down to reinvent themselves. They update their portfolios; become proficient in new software; grow their business network; and learn more effective sales and marketing techniques. “

Of course, you must first read the NYT article, which I found to be very full of holes, mis-representations, omissions and ironically stupid to have the guy from Corbis on there… sheesh.

On the workshop front, I am coming to Omaha, Cleveland, New York, Baltimore and a bunch of other great places. I have a few spaces at most of them, and it is always fun to come to markets that are not well covered as well as those that are saturated. The workshops are much different than most you will take. We combine classroom theory and real world shooting to make sure you understand and can repeat the concepts and techniques taught.

Take a look at Learn to Light for more information, and if you are thinking about a workshop this year, consider ours. Inexpensive, and filled with real learning.

Now… off to the images!

This shot pretty much puts that ‘rule of thirds’ in it’s place. The use of sky/space augments the subtle lighting and adds power to the subject.

This shot just draws you in. The light is sumptuous and warm.

I love the homage to classical portraiture in this shot. Wonderful light and gesture.

Use the light like this to tell a story.

I just like this shot so much.

I think this photographer understands negative space really well.

I would say that this shot is a ‘knock out” but… well, you know. It does have a lot of punch doesn’t it?

A Fantasy shot that has some wonderful texture and light.

Soft and natural light for a natural beauty.

Composition, light and limited DOF creates a powerful portrait.

A very clean commercial look of a beautiful girl and some Canon gear.

Light as a subject itself.

Beauty Light on a beauty.

Nice use of light and texture. The pose is well executed into a vintage look.

Just cute.

Gesture, pose, light.

Classic glamour. Classic light.

Using light to enhance a sense of place.

The light is calling from outside the frame. Adds mystery.

Light can make even the most mundane set more interesting for a portrait.

Simple beauty light.

Nice lighting and gesture.

Perfect… LOL… just perfect.

I love the flare, and the crop.

Beautiful color and edge light.

Thanks for following along. You can stalk me on Twitter, visit my other sites, and view my iPhone images here.

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I ran across this quote today:

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
– Leonardo da Vinci

It gave me pause.

The “urgency” of doing.

Pretty much says it all. Doing is the thing that makes it work. Not reading or listening or studying or being desperately in love with the idea. One must ‘DO’ what one does. It is the only true path to becoming better and stronger.

Imagine a weight lifter who reads all the weight lifting books, listens to 6 or 7 weight lifting podcasts a week, gets a couple of weight lifting magazines a month, and can quote weight lifting stats that amaze his friends. But he only occasionally ever goes to the gym to actually lift weights.

How well do you think he does at the lifting when he gets around to it?

Same with photographers. We must make pictures to be photographers, otherwise we are not. We only discuss, read, and study the subject. Occasionally pulling a camera out to make a shot or two won’t increase our skills. Are there exceptions, maybe… I think I read about an art photographer who thinks about his shots for weeks before executing. But that seems to be his particular way of working, and the images reflect that, I’m sure.

But for the majority of us, doing is more important than learning or wanting. I have always ascribed to the philosophy that it means less what one says and far more what one does. Actions speak louder than words is another way of putting it.

Action. Doing. Progressing. Achieving.

When I teach the workshops, I blend all the different modes of learning together. We talk about what the light does, we look at what the light does, then the students do it with the lights. Hear, See, Touch. It forms a bond of learning that encompasses all the different approaches we humans bring to the ability to understand.

What struck me about this quote was that I had just finished reading a couple of post questions asking things like; “What is the difference between a shoot-thru umbrella and a beauty dish?” And, “Has anyone ever used a bounce card for a reflector, and what does it do to the image?”

In my mind it is nearly impossible to answer these questions with simple words, or even pictures and words. Maybe we can add some words to the pictures, but even then we cannot even come close to the knowledge that would be gained by simply doing it. Get an umbrella and a beauty dish and see the difference. Grab a bounce card and add it to the mix… what then happens to the image?

Of course one should know how to get hands on both a shoot-thru and a beauty dish, but that is a logistical problem, not a photographic one. Knowing where to put the bounce card can be learned by charts and graphs, but what it does the image is purely look and see. And move it a little to there… a little more. That kind of thing.

Applying the knowledge that one achieves through different means is the balance to the learning. Shoot. Shoot everything you see. Make it an urgent and immediate project.

And wanting to won’t get it done. As Yoda said to Master Luke… “Either do or do not, there is no ‘try’”. Truer words were never spoken. Telling me that you plan on or want to or should… whatever… means little. Only that you have idle time to plan dreams that will be gone in a few days or years.

Do the thing you want to do. Now… it is urgent. Urgency builds energy, energy builds desire, desire spills over to action and the thing gets done. I am not talking about procrastinators, I am talking about the “terminally planning”. Make images today, it matters not what you photograph, only that you make the images yours.

The urgency that Leonardo must have felt is obvious in his level of production. Books, paintings, flying machine drawings, architectural renderings and more. He had to get as much done as possible.

Maybe he knew intrinsically that our moments here are shortened by our existence. Yesterday is over, and will never be repeated. It has no bearing on what our today brings. And tomorrow… well, tomorrow is a great place to be, but not yet.

A talented young photographer I know just sold most of his gear and is moving back to the small town he grew up in. Talented by the work that was actually accomplished, but unfortunately the call of partying and ‘livin’ large’ was too overwhelming. He shot all the time when he got to LA, but after a couple of years, he wasn’t shooting any more new things, but trying to get by on what had been done. His work grew a little stale, and he began to complain about the business. His failure was other people’s fault. He rarely picked up his camera unless it was for an assignment, and the work started showing it.

He lost his sense of urgency. He forgot what he was, and what he wanted to be, and, most of all who he NEEDED to be. I hope he gets to a point where the action takes hold of him and he starts to produce again…with new eyes and a renewed sense of himself as a photographer, not a “business man with a camera”.

Knowing about business is of course vitally important, but if it becomes more of the focus than the photography itself, then other challenges, some even more devastating than not knowing spread sheets, enter the fray and the love of the craft can be lost.

Being a photographer is one of the coolest careers one can have. And no shooter I know of does it for the money alone. They do it because they love it. And the really successful ones push themselves hard… inventing and re-inventing and pushing themselves. With a sense of urgency.

So ask yourself if you have a sense of urgency about your work. Do you push hard enough, or depend on someone else to tell you what you should do? Find your vison/passion and DO IT with your cameras. Do it every day… push and refine your work and get over the hurdles as quickly as possible.

I am not a big fan of patience… preferring to push and shove and run and leap and fall. A lot. Patience is a slower, easier to set aside type of habit. Urgency, along with terror and fear, is a motivator.

Get urgent and get going.

Thanks for visiting, and follow me on Twitter if you would like. If you are thinking about a workshop this year, take a look at the schedule here at Learn to Light. See you next time.
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We present a three part look at the current business of commercial and editorial photography through the ‘lens’ of Selina Maitreya, photographers coach and consultant. Selina’s 30+ years experience working with photographers all over the globe has given her a unique and deep understanding of what it takes to compete in a crowded market.

First things first: Selina’s website is 1PortAuthority.com, and it is there you can read about what she does for photographers. You can also download a free chapter of her amazing audio series “The View From Here” and purchase her newest book “How To Succeed In Commercial Photography: Insights From A Leading Consultant.” If you do purchase the audio series, be sure to enter the code FOSLE to get $100 off (50%) the purchase price.

Now on to the 4 ToDo’s for Photographers.

I asked Selina if she had only four things to tell photographers to do – now – what would they be?

1. Shoot Photographs that are compelling and represent your vision.

“It is interesting that photographers will sometimes go to market without understanding what buyers needs are or with a full product to sell..A product ready to sell is a defined vision that is showcased via a full, deep body of work.

Taking the time energy and effort to develop a visual product before going to market is key. Ask yourself what do I shoot and what is my visual approach to my subject?

Am I shooting architecture or portraiture? Do I have an affinity toward shooting people in environments or is the comfort of a studio where I will find my muse?

What are the components that make up my visual style?

How do I use light ? Composition? Angles? Where do subjects fit in? Are they props in my shots or is the connect through the camera important? How important is the location, and what part does it play? Is it informational, or an element of design? Is post a style element that ties your work together? Once you have that vision and style across the type of photography that you want to shoot…

2. Edit the images down to a set of photographs that create a Body Of Work that will b shown on both your website and in a print portfolio.

“With the vision and style and preferred subject matter decided, Look at the images you currently have in your portfolio and on your web site. In addition look at your files and see if any images there match your vision, and create a core body of work. Look at them all together as a whole group… do they say what you do? If you are an architecture photographer who likes shooting intimate spaces with natural light… does your portfolio represent that? Would someone looking at your book KNOW from looking at it that you are an intimate spaces architectural photographer who favors natural light? If so do you need any additional image s to complete the collection.

It is important that you know where your body of work is and that you finish the job of building your client offering before attempting to market or sell. Clients are not interested in a partial representation or being asked to know that if you can shoot his type of work of course you can shoot another type. They have many photographers offering them complete portfolios. And you need to make sure that yours is ready to go before you begin to sell.”

3. Determine who that work should be shown to… choose the markets that you would be consistent with.

“There are many different industries that may be interested in your work. Advertising Magazines, editorial, graphic designers, corporate, educational non-profit. Discover at least four or five markets for your work and begin to develop a data ba e of contacts.

Let’s say you are an architectural photographer. There are architectural magazines, architects, construction firms who build the architects vision, and interior designers that bring the building to life, product manufacturers (think flooring, windows, kitchen cabinetry, appliances )That’s five markets right there.

Find those markets, those industries that will be a possible client for your work. Get access to those people with lists. There are a lot of good database services out there who can help you define who to get your message in front of those buyers. Do your research and develop a list that makes sense for you. Unless you live in New York City, it will be necessary for you to market regionally and or nationally”

4. Get Your work in front of the people who will be interested in hiring you to make images for them.

“Make sure your message and vision is consistent across all of your sales and marketing materials. Your website, your direct mail pieces, visual email, postcards, blog, portals and print portfolio. Build your campaign with the list you have created. Of course budget must be considered, but that is really up to you. There are costs involved from emailing programs that will send your emails for you to postage for direct mail. These must be taken into account as you begin. Use sales visits, on line social networking visual email, direct mail, web portals, and your web site to deliver a constant and consistent message over time that will drive home your style, and help the clients to think of you when considering hiring a photographer.

The idea is to send the message to as many people as you can consistently throughout the year. Plan on committing to your plan ,observing short term results and making changes every 6 months as needed for 2-4 years before you will see your investments paying off handsomely. This timeline and the work involved may seem a bit daunting but taken step by step it is very doable and what is needed! If you were building a house and had to think of all the steps that you would need to put into place from establishing credit, to choosing land, to hiring an architect, to finding an builder, your head would spin.But when you take large projects one step at at ime each step reveals the next.

If you are ready to service clients thoroughly and completely, handling your process as a professional, take inventory. Where are you in the process I have outlined? Start at your beginning point and begin to build a business that will serve you and the needs of your clients!”

Thanks Selina.
Part One of this interview.
Part Two of this interview.

These are of course highlights and a very general overview, but there is a lot to take in here. (Again, I recommend the audio program that Selina has created… with the FOSLE code at checkout it is only $99… and with 12 hours of solid info, that is an amazing deal.)

As photographers we are daily being bombarded with new technology, new software and hardware to purchase, new markets replacing old markets… and a lot of young fresh faced competitors (many of which are reading these pages right now).

And we constantly hear about the challenges and the shooters who are closing studios and having a rough time. That saddens me. But there are also new shooters stepping up and there are stories of shooters having great years… great success. And the market be damned, there is good news out there in the world of commercial photography.

And the overwhelming consistent thing across all of the success is shooting a lot of images. Shooting a lot of images. And making those images striking, powerful and representative of your vision.

Have you checked out the Learn to Light site for information on my workshop coming to your town? We are heading out to Seattle in a few weeks, then San Diego. We have Houston on the schedule… New Orleans… how cool will that be? Santa Cruz is looking great!

If you enjoyed this article, tell your friends. You can follow me on twitter and see more of my work at my personal site.

See you next time with a kinda quirky little article… well, you’ll see.

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We present the second of a three part look at the current business of commercial and editorial photography through the ‘lens’ of Selina Maitreya, photographers coach and consultant.

First things first: Selina’s website is 1PortAuthority.com, and it is there you can read about what she does for photographers. You can also download a free chapter of her amazing audio series “The View From Here” and purchase her newest book “How To Succeed In Commercial Photography: Insights From A Leading Consultant.” If you do purchase the audio series, be sure to enter the code FOSLE to get $100 off (50%) the purchase price.

I asked Selina about what was trending now:

“Well… (laugh) I don’t really look at trends. Great work is the best trend.

But there are some great things going on with Post Pro color pallets that help photographers create a consistent color ‘look’ for ones work. This creates a cohesive look to the body of work, and seems to be a growing trend for a lot of photographers.”

Yes. That seems to be something a lot of shooters are looking into. I know that when I look at a photographer’s port, it can really be noticeable when the images are taken as a whole.

“Another thing I am noticing is how many photographers are returning to film. A lot of film is being shot out there. Not as a change from digital, but in addition. That is really interesting. Some are older film shooters who remember and love film and some are younger shooters for whom film is a new medium.

Film gives a photographer a hands on feel. And it can be quite challenging.”

I think I have shot more film since last summer than in the past few years for sure. Just purchased a new film camera and looking forward to shooting some large format this week. Any other ‘trending’ things that are out there.

“More photographers are once again adding one on one visits into their sales programs. Print books have always been important to buyers. It was photographers who felt that clients no longer saw shooters. They were convinced that their websites alone were enough. Big Mistake. I kept hammering this home and finally the message is getting heard. No more and more prose are realizing how important it is for them to see clients and they need to show their work via a print book – not on a computer. The print book NEVER left the mix.

The website creates a place for people to see your work and decide if they want to see more from you, or initiate a meeting. The book is your front end sell and is what your clients will reference when looking at assigning work in the final pitch stage. Having one that is ready to go and represents your vision is still very important. Maybe more important now than ever.”

I think the ‘book’ forces a photographer to really define and refine their work to a small group of images. Just going through the process is so enlightening.

“And that is so true. When you start to look at your work as a group, you can start to see where the holes are, and where the vision is working.”

Where should the photographer be marketing now?

“It is so important that photographers know and understand their audience. Who are you shooting for and what is their interest in the work? It isn’t enough to just make pictures, you have to get them in front of the right people… and you have to show the right images for them. That is why having your own vision… and “bringing it” every time you shoot is so important.

If you are a lifestyle photographer does the “feel, the visual approach” you take to your topic appeal to mainstream clients or hip cutting edge products and services? Once you know what you are shooting and what the “feel” of your imagery is, research potential target markets. Choose 3-5 markets to service.

Maybe you will be aiming to service advertising, design firms, editorial and corporate direct with your visual product. There’s 4 markets right there. Funnel down and search the contacts in each area that hire photography. Determine your geographic parameters, there’s your database right there!

Show up. Show up with the talent and the passion and the drive. Show up with your work and be ready. Make the calls, introduce yourself. Show up when it comes to the business of photography. That is something I tell every photographer… show up. Understand what that means and do it at every level, Every time.

Social networking is important but so is face time.

The internet can become an echo chamber. We are all talking to each other (Twitter) and that is fine, but photographers have to find a way to get out of that echo chamber of photographer to photographer and find the ways to reach the buyers.

You know, it is competitive out there, but being a photographer is still an amazing business to be in. I love being around photographers, they really are some of the most interesting people I know.”

Who do you follow on Social Media?

“I love Heather Morton’s blog. And I follow Chase Jarvis and Rob at APhotoEditor, with whom I
did an interview recently. I did an interview with SESHU (@PicSeshu) and with Craig Ferguson in Taiwan, I love @Photojack @zarias, Rodney Washington,and YOU! (We also have an audio interview here at Lighting Essentials as well.)

So many people have asked me to create a Blog. But Creating a Blog is not in my immediate future, though I am trying to think of a new way to approach that. Right now however TVFH is really taking off. I’ve received emails from photographers from 7 different countries around the world who have purchased the program, love it and took the time to write with ideas on future topics and requests to build a community around TVFH.

Currently I am working on creating a forum for people who have purchased the audio program that will let them talk to me and among themselves.Its all very exciting!”

Thanks, Selina.

BTW… I carry Selina’s Audio Book with me all the time. It is the only thing I have on a little iPod shuffle (pretty much takes the whole thing to load it) and whenever I have the time I just clip the little shuffle and hit play. The parts are easy to listen to without necessarily being in order.

I just wish I had heard this about 30 years ago. Heh.

Tomorrow: 4 Important “To-Do” Items for Photographers.

Portals for portfolios:
CarbonMade
Photoshelter
FormatPixel
Photoserve
That’s a short list.

Here is a good article on portals by ASMP.

Part One of this Interview is here.
Part Three of the Interview is here

See you tomorrow.

Follow me on Twitter, and visit my workshop site at Learn to Light.

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We present a three part look at the current business of commercial and editorial photography through the ‘lens’ of Selina Maitreya, photographers coach and consultant. Selina’s 30+ years experience working with photographers all over the globe has given her a unique and deep understanding of what it takes to compete in a crowded market.

First things first: Selina’s website is 1PortAuthority.com, and it is there you can read about what she does for photographers. You can also download a free chapter of her amazing audio series “The View From Here” and purchase her newest book “How To Succeed In Commercial Photography: Insights From A Leading Consultant.” If you do purchase the audio series, be sure to enter the code FOSLE to get $100 off (50%) the purchase price.

We began the interview with the question that so many photographers are asking:

What’s Working Now:

“Vison. Style… and great photography of course. The ability to create a solid body of work and get that body of work into the website, portfolio and portals that are so necessary for getting in front of the people who are buying the work. It isn’t enough to just have great pictures, they have to relate to each other through the personal vision of the photographer.

It has to be what I call a “body of work”, not just good pictures assembled in a portfolio, They have to be connected by the vision, the style, the eye of the photographer. Tell a story through a single image or multiple images… images that can tell a story are very powerful.

Finding that vision is the hardest part, but so is putting it together in a cohesive presentation. The basics haven’t changed… you must create wonderful pictures. That will never change, but that isn’t enough. The pictures must show something more… a vision that is unique, or at least unique enough to interest a buyer into calling your book in.

Passion.

What are you passionate about? That passion should be so much a part of what you do. Get passionate about what you want to do and your vision and your work. Develop that personal vision to get the photography you feel best depicts what you do and who you are.”

This is somewhat a more difficult thing to do for photographers in smaller markets. Creating a magnificent portfolio with few to show it is making some photographers think about making huge, career shifting decisions.

“I have always believed that photographers should market regionally. Take two hours from your home town and draw a circle. That’s your target now. You must market to that region and not just focus on your own backyard. Narrow your scope to the buyers that make sense to what you do and get in front of as many people as you can.

Even smaller 2nd and 3rd tier cities are being marketed to by European and other foreign shooters these days. Getting your work in front of people in cities within a couple hours of you is one way to make your reach wider. This is especially true for advertising photographers where there is a lot of challenges now.”

I live in Phoenix, so two hours north, east, west all have nothing, and south of me is Tucson… a much smaller market than Phoenix is. I can only imagine what shooters in Vegas are thinking at this moment…

“Then widen the circle to at least a couple of cities as close to you as possible. And find the people who are interested in your work.

Identifying who would be a possible client is sometimes hard, but find at least four channels that make sense for the kind of work that you do. Industrial, design, lifestyle and portrait for instance… then find the clients who use that kind of work and get your work in front of them. The same basics that have always worked are working today… but there are other forms of marketing today… websites, email and portfolio showings are all important. Finding the buyers who are looking for photographers with vision and style is more important than ever.”

Marketing nationally is as important. Don’t let the geography get in your way. Local, regional and nationally it is important to get the website into as many channels of presentation as possible. You want buyers to find you by reading your blog post, then seeing your portfolio, then a personal phone call. Get your site listed on portals where buyers visit and attract them that way. Interacting on social media can mean a potential client sees your FaceBook Fan page, and checks your blog and then heads over to your web site. Mix it up and make as many entry points as possible.”

What do you think is happening with social media these days? Is it something that photographers should spend time with?

“Oh yes. It may not be what we all want it to be at all times, but it is here to stay. Getting involved now means not catching up later. I have a twitter account, but the blog thing has to wait. I am terribly busy right now and taking that on is not happening right now. You have to be committed, you know.”

I think that commitment is so important to the entire life of a photographer as well. I don’t think you can compete unless you are totally committed to it.

“It is really like having a child, you know. Total maintenance. You have to want it and love it and be so totally committed to your photography that nothing else can replace it. Photography is a wonderful business, you know, and I have known so many talented, committed and successful photographers. Even the struggling photographers keep on… they have to. It is in their blood.

I asked my first husband why he kept struggling at music (you think photography is a hard business… music is so hard and full of heartbreak). He said “I can’t not do it.” That is what I mean be commitment… you can’t not do this thing you love.”

Wrap up for part One:

• Create a portfolio (body of work) of images that shows a vision and a style. (More coming on this)
• Market regionally
• Find markets close to yours and identify clients that would be interested in your work
• Identify at least four types of buyers who would use your work
• Create multiple channels for the clients to find your work and you
• Be committed and passionate about your work

Thanks, Selina.
Part Two is here.
Part Three is here.

Follow me on Twitter, and visit my workshop site at Learn to Light.

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This is kind of a personal post for me. There are challenges that I face as an artist and writer. And photographer. And sometimes those challenges can take its toll on me, and us. Creativity, for me, takes nurturing and constant practice.

I have always felt that photography, was more than what I could do. It was a big part of what makes me. In my DNA so to speak. It partly defines me more than any other endeavor that I involve myself in.

I came to photography the usual way. My dad was a photographer / writer and his enthusiasm was contagious. I would go into the field with him and he would photograph fishing ‘flies’ and how to sight in a rifle and such. I would be his note taker, and he would talk to me as he was working and I would write down the distances or the exposures. He wrote and illustrated magazine articles for outdoor magazines. I miss my dad.

When I was a kid I would wait every Wednesday by our little mailbox to get the issues of Life and Saturday Evening Post. Cover to cover by nightfall. I cut out images and stuck them in a little box. Names like Eisentaedt and Margaret Bourke White started to become recognizable.

The images were so beautiful, and sparked such interest… I would go back again and again to look at the photographs. Moments in time caught forever in a frozen tableaux… to be shared and remembered. Film (movies) doesn’t do that for me. I rarely want to sit and watch a movie again and again. But I can pick up my copy of Ansel Adams Monographs, a Minor White collection, or my old dog eared Cheyco Liedmann book and enjoy a few quite moments.

There has also been some stuff online recently that lets me know that other photographers are talking about and thinking about this stuff as well. Chase Jarvis, Zack Arias, Scott Bourne, Jack Hollingsworth, Kirk Tuck, and others have posted on creativity.

I have been feeling the burn of captivity lately. Seems like I am tied to a desk as I am working on two books, redoing the curriculum for the workshops and editing/post processing images for clients.

So I wanted to go out and do something that spoke to how I was feeling. I generally don’t try to make ‘pretty’ pictures, others do that very well. I like environments that show themselves to be involved in life. From decay to renew, old contrasted with new, and the mark of man on the environment.

Since I am feeling a little isolated and in need of a recharge, I decided to take an afternoon and do something photographically that made sense to me. At this moment… where I am and what I am feeling now.

More after the jump below. I just wanted to remind you that our new feature “Rants and Raves” are shorter form articles that are just that… rants and raves. I have the first few months of the schedule up at Learn to Light, so if you are considering a workshop this year, check the schedule out. I think my workshop is one that will change your lighting and photography for the better.

This is the road that I chose. It is fairly close to where I live and goes through some rather flat and mundane farming land.

View Larger Map

It isn’t a long drive, and it offers no typical ‘beautiful’ scenery. I had a nice slightly overcast sky and it seemed right for my project. I wanted to capture in my images what I was feeling and this light, environment and somewhat desolate landscape was exactly what was called for.

Abandoned migrant worker facilities.

I find that just getting off your ass and doing something, anything, can get the juices going and create situations that allow vision to be explored. I had nothing in mind as far as photography and gear, I just wanted to make images that would help me understand what I am feeling.

My gear was simple: Canon, 20-35 L, 80-200 L, 4 speedlights, several stands and modifiers, a small boom, and a kit of Mamiya 6×7 film cameras. Tripod, extra batteries and my “lighting’ kit was also along. At the end of the day, nothing but the Canon and the 20-35 was used.

The lines caught my eye and the clouds added some beautiful texture to the sky.

I guess that was fitting looking back. I am looking for simplicity in the images and the gear seemed to follow. I like the way the wide angle lens adds so much to the field of the image… letting the subject be more isolated within the environment.

Simplicity is the thing for me right now. I want to narrow my acquisition of things and increase my understanding of the ways creativity are manifested in the soul. Too much time spent chasing the material world can create havoc in the creative world. At least it does for me.

The simple, or minimalistic, aesthetic is one that appeals greatly to me. It runs through my photography and design, and it needs to be brought into my self as well. I wanted the images that I do to speak to the minimalist in me.

I didn’t leave the house with the intention of shooting only one lens, or to do ‘that shot’ I have been wanting to do. I tried to clear my mind of all that stuff and just think about the emotion of the world in front of me… and how to get that into a photograph. Without expectations, I am open to serendipity and that allows the world to present itself.

Remove the filters of self-imposed arbitrary limitations.

The trees made me stop and turn around. I knew there was a shot there and I wanted to find it

I drove right by the trees. I was listening to some music I had brought along and thinking about something I had just seen. The trees just wizzed by my passenger door with only a glimpse. I kept on driving for a mile and realized… that was part of what I need to do. Stop going so damn fast and missing the moments that can be created.

I turned around and went back to the three trees. Closing the car door it looked kinda hopeless. Access was denied due to the fencing and there was a fairly soggy ditch between me and the trees.

The more I didn’t see a shot, the more I wanted a shot. I needed to make that image. I didn’t know what image, but there was one here. I refrained from making images that I knew would not cut it. I worked the camera like it held precious film… not taking the shot till I knew I had something.

That was important to me. I wanted to come back with as few images total as possible, with the maximum amount of images I like. I finally found the image I was looking for, and made a few exposures.

I was feeling less melancholy at this point. I knew I had a few images that would make the day worth it, so I got in the car and headed further south with the feeling that I was making some images.

I have always been drawn to the frame within the frame. It says something metaphorical to me.

This is the power of the personal project. Some projects are large in scope and some are small – like this one. It doesn’t matter which you are on at any one time, but having projects to focus intent on makes a big difference when you are shooting.

Some projects are driven by external elements, a desire to do something to help or elevate or bring attention to a cause or an interest. And some are driven by internal elements… like this one.

Projects help open the mind to opportunities, it let’s the images that may not be seen get through. Awareness of parameters and goals helps refine the creative self to find the answers and solutions.

Finding emotional meaning in images is so important. The image as metaphor, the image as a reflection of one’s soul. The image as an iconic touchstone for people to refer to in thought and action. A great image can transcend the reality of the object. A piece of paper with some ink or emulsion on it is NOT what a photograph is. We bring so much TO that little piece of paper from our own perceptions, emotions, community and culture. The fact that images can provide that for people of diverse situations is a testament to the power of the still image.

When I got to the ‘destination’, actually the turnaround spot for me, I found that the “Burnt Buns Cafe” had been taken under new management and was no longer.

No problem. I made my photograph anyway. I didn’t dwell on the loss of an old friend, I instead made an image that showed the distance between. The loss that I felt, instead of the cafe itself. I hope you can see that in my images, but if you can’t, that is fine as well. I cannot guarantee that my images will do what I want them to do. And I don’t make images that scream the message or are so totally flagrant in the metaphor. At least… I try not to.

In the end, the trip was well worth it. I got these 6 images and 7 more that I really like. And I got off my ass. And I took my cameras and gear and set out to do something. Anything.

But I also left with a plan… to make images for ME about the way I am feeling and hopefully to share those images with people who will enjoy them…even IF they don’t know what I am trying to say.

Other projects: I have a 365 iPhone project here, and I am working on a few books and new site for art photographers. In March I will start a photograph/article per day project that will culminate in a book.

I hope that you found the article interesting, and have started a personal project for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a big project, it can be as little as a few hours on a lonely county road.

Post processing was on my mind from the first image. I wanted to mute the colors and increase the contrast from the very flat light. I used overlay layers (soft light), highlight painting, luminance masks and localized sharpening on the images. I then desaturated the image and added a tone of warmth to all the images.

Follow me on Twitter, and visit my website for more of my work.

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A recent posting elsewhere with “5 Essential Photography sites” or whatever, didn’t sit well with me. I don’t consider a vendor an essential. My vendor may be essential to me, but they are not essential to you. I found the list rather dreadfully full of vendors.

So I decided to do my own list of sites I consider to be the most useful for photographers, from beginners to emerging professionals. This list is by no means complete, and it does not reflect any vendor/affiliate relationships. Some you probably know about, and some may be new to you. My criteria is that the site actually add something to my knowledge and experience as a photographer. Buying stuff is just buying stuff… We may have some posts on that during the year, but I leave it to other sites to talk that much about gear (unless I get really excited about it… stay tuned).

These are NOT in any particular order:

1. Heather Morton’s Blog (Heather Morton Art Buyer)
Her extensive insights into the real world of advertising art buying should be a beacon for all photographers working commercially. And the “Day in the Life” series following two emerging photographers is excellent.

2. A Photo Editor (Rob Haggard: A Photo Editor)
Rob takes a look at the professional photography world through the eyes of a former photography editor at several well known magazines. Opinionated, passionate and connected, his daily posts will entertain and make you think about photography.

3. DP Review (DPReview.com)
Thinking about buying that new wizbang camera? Check DP Review for full coverage of every whistle and bell and dinglyshinyreallycoolmegapixel stuff you want to know before purchasing.

4. Scott Kelby’s Blog (Photoshop Insider)
Photoshop and Lightroom are staple photographic gear. We all need to know the stuff we work with inside and out. A check at Scott’s blog will lead you to things that you may want to do with your images, or not. No problem, but the info is tight and well presented and solid, and the knowledge will lead you to new discoveries with the program.

5. Zack Arias’s Blog (zarias.com)
A genuinely nice man, and an emerging photographer in the Atlanta music scene, Zack gives insights to shooting experience, working with clients, keeping the creative fires going and essentially having fun with photography.

6. Chase Jarvis’ Blog (chasejarvisblog)
Chase is a consummate, and articulate photographer who’s enthusiasm cannot help but rub off on you. His blog runs from personal insight to business trends.

7. Andrew Hetherington (What’s the Jackanory)
A busy editorial based in New York, Andrew takes us with him as he shoots for magazines and celebrities all over the globe. The background info on working with editors, clients and subjects is an amazing look ‘behind the curtain’ so to speak.

8. Nick Onken (Nick Onken’s Shoptalk)
I love Nick’s work, and his shoptalk blog is very well done. He presents a professional photographers view of the business, the gear and the excitement of working with great clients and subjects. Enthusiasim… Nick has it in spades.

There are other great sites out there for beginners, intermediates and hobbyist photographers. I will get that list together as well, but this list is for the semi-pro photographer, or someone working at the entry levels of this business. Hope you enjoy the work these folks put in to delivering content we can really use.

Recent Articles from December:

Images from the Toronto Workshop
Stay Current, Stay Fresh, Stay Visible
Branding Your Photography Business: A Realistic Approach
Pittsburgh Overview: A fun and challenging workshop
42 Wonderful Images from the LE Flickr Pool

See you tomorrow for a years end rant.

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37,000 feet over the Great Plains of these wonderful United States and I find myself drifting off a bit, as the days have been long and nights short lately. The workshops are the most fun I have had in a long time, and they keep me pretty busy. As well, time must be given to this site and the other sites I manage. And I am photographing a project, working on a book, and running my design business.

I don’t tell you these things to complain (or brag), but as a preface to the words I am going to write below. Loving what you do means that even being dead tired from the multiple endeavors that one is working on, one rarely ever ‘works’. My workshop folks can attest to the fact that we go full out for two days. And when it is over, I wish I could stay and do another day with them. I love what I do.

That is the gift that creativity has given me. Most of the things I have ever done have involved creative work… I crave it. From building competition class model cars when I was a kid to playing drums for a rock band that traveled the Caribbean. My own jazz quartet led to some amazing play dates, and sessions with musicians both famous and incredible. And I have stood on the stage at Grady Gammage Auditorium and conducted three of my original compositions for orchestra and voices. I have also loaded trucks, short-order cooked, washed cars, hauled dirt as a landscaper, and sat my ass in a chair as Creative Director of the third largest Advertising Agency in Arizona (2000).

But the act of taking images holds some of the greatest memories for me. Making a still image is one of the most powerful and exhilarating things I have ever done. It is ego driving, selfish, self-centered, magnanimous, charitable, and selfless all at the same time. The world of dimension and time caught forever – with no dimension or time. A laugh, a glance, a moment that will never be seen again, and I captured it. My way.

Think about it. Most people have the gift of sight and can perfectly see the world around them. But photographers take it a bit farther… we want to show other people what WE SEE. “Hey, I know you have seen the Grand Canyon a dozen times, but look what I SAW there. And I captured it and brought it back to show YOU what I did.”

Ego? You bet it is. Without the self-assuredness to believe I can actually show something to you that you have’nt seen before, it would be a totally empty act. Devoid of the surety that I would give you a glimpse into a place you ‘thought’ you knew, showing a picture of your hometown would be met with smile and a nod.

I want more than that. I want to show you something that has an emotion tied to it. I want to use cropping and color and light and shadow and gesture and point-of-view and size and dimension and texture and saturation or the lack of it to make an image that the viewer has an immediate reaction to. It is all important to me for the viewer to be engaged.

I recently read on a forum this statement “…anyone with some knowledge of Photoshop can take any old crappy picture and make it great.” I was simply stunned (yeah, like them interwebs don’t continue to stun… I should be used to it). I think that statement summed up a lot of young approaches to photography. And by young I am not referring to chronological age, but the amount of time that one has spent working their craft. It is a shame. No other art form seems to have that low self-image from the artists that create it.

Imagine a musician showing up on a gig without having practiced or played his instrument for a year or two. (“Anyone with some knowledge of ProTools can record shit and make it really great.”)

Imagine a poet telling an interviewer “oh, I just write stuff down and then type it up over coffee while watching the soaps. (“Anyone with some knowledge of Word can type up shit, hit “Auto-Summarize” and have it sound pretty good.”)

Or imagine a world-class cook telling you “I rarely cook anything. It’s Taco Bell and Panda Express for me. Occasionally I make weenies and eat them with mustard. (“Anyone with some knowledge of a Wok can cook up gourmet food with world class appeal. Just add ‘sun dried’ tomatoes!)

Put me in the skeptical column when talking to the above ‘experts’.

Musicians play every day. For hours and hours. Poets write all the time, and we see maybe 2% of what they do. Cooks… well, they cook. A lot.

I am a photographer. I make images. I use tools to do that. Cameras and lenses, lights and the sun, film and bytes, papers, chemistry, inks, and a whole studio full of gear that helps me do one thing… make the best pictures I can. If it doesn’t help me make images, I don’t really need it. But tools are merely a medium for capturing, they are not the art. Without a camera, I cannot make a photograph. But without the best camera, I can still make a photograph that I love. I love my iPhone camera, and my little red Kodak P&S.

I take photographs with them. I make snapshots with them. I record moments and places to share with my daughter with them. I make pictures that help me relive the workshops or the shoot with that great model, and without any muss or fuss. They are capturing devices that let me make photographs everywhere, anytime and without thinking about anything but the image. They are practice tools for seeing.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book “Outliers”, talks about 10,000 hours of practice to get to a level of proficiency to make one a contender for being an expert. I don’t think he is referring to exact numbers, nor should it be taken in that black and white sort of way. (“Yep, next Tuesday will be 10,000 hours and I will be great on Wednesday.) If you are not great at this point, you most assuredly will NOT be great next Wednesday. I would bet the farm on that.

And if you think that you can approach the work with a half-assed, half-hearted attempt and amass enough time to put yourself over the top with the hours spent, sorry – that wont work either. A figure skater who practices a jump wrong for two years will do that jump ‘perfectly wrong’ when given a chance. If you practice crappy photography for 10,000 hours you will be a crappy photographer on 10,001 hour. Just a fact.

It takes focused practice, with levels of outcome expected and reached to become good at something. There must be a progression of competency, with deltas and points along the way to measure the result of the work. Is it getting better? Are there places to improve? Are there new things to try to help move the level up to the next? It takes even more and a little special thing called talent to be great at something.

Perseverance to stick with something difficult until it is no longer difficult, but something that is second nature, can be a challenge. It isn’t taught, nor is it revered in most of our culture. Working and practice are no longer held in esteem. At least that seems like the case to me. I see and speak to too many people who are looking for an easy, fast and simple way to reach the point where people recognize you for your achievement. Fame without excellence is fleeting and daft.

Wanna be a famous singer? There’s a reality show for that. Just show up and “baddabing!” You are America’s Next Top Idol/Model/Talent. Hell, it’s easy. Watch the show in the first few episodes and you will see dozens of people who show up with NO PRACTICE or PREPARATION then are devastated when they don’t make it. They suck, but they showed up and wanted it. Dancers who can’t want to be famous at it. Singers who don’t want to be famous at it. (And while this may say a lot about the insipid fascination with fame, I think the same correlation can be made in the search for excellence in the arts.)

I find those people to be pathetic, and insulting. Do they think that all Ella did was show up at Basie’s gig one night? Do they think that Bonnie Raite just picked up a guitar and BAM – she could write and sing music that touches people across all genres? Baryshnikov simply put on some ballet slippers one day… and flew? Is it really a stretch to understand how long the great creative talents in our culture have to practice and work and work and work to get to that level? What an insult to the great artists who work so hard to think that all it takes is a lunch-break audition to catapult one to the top. Morons.

(Caveat: Disney. As far as I can tell, one can be devoid of any talent at all and be a star on the Disney channel. Kids and adults who cannot deliver a line spew from the tube with the ever-present laugh track – needed, because the crap isn’t funny. (Why don’t you tell us what you really think – ed?) )

Sorry for the digression. We were talking about practice and hard work. It is the fuel for our successes. It is the only sustainable fuel. Fame wont do it. Money wont do it. The newest camera on the block wont do it. Neither will a bag full of gear.

You, a camera, and a lens. Making images. That is the essence of photography. Not “The” camera… any camera. A P&S, an iPhone camera, an old film camera… just a tool to transfer your vision of the world into a two dimensional representation… a photograph.

I talk about two different types of photographers in my workshops. One type of photographer loves the act of taking photographs. The gear, the tools and toys, the challenge of getting the image captured on card or film is fulfilling and exciting for them. The images may not have that emotional grab of an art piece, but the image is perfect for the challenge presented.

Many commercial photographers are in love with the process. The finesse it takes to shoot a jewelry shot, or food, or even a catalog of auto parts with lots of chrome that the client wants to see shot on a nearly impossible background. Get to work… struggle with it – get it – got it! Will that image go on someone’s wall? Nope, probably not. But it is a perfect image for the job it is to perform in the ad or catalog. It is a successful photograph. It is a point of excellence for the photographer. Pride in the work.

The other type of photographer is the one who is looking for a ‘final’ image. A print or final digital image that can convey what is in their minds-eye to a point to share with others. Utilizing the tools in the best way, and meeting the challenges of getting that image down is just as important as the previous shooter. This photographer wants to take it to one more level… an emotional level. A connection with the audience means success. Editorial, portrait and fine art photographers readily come to mind for this type of photographer.

Neither type is better, or more creative than the other, but the goals may be a little different. And most of us who do this for a living find that we shift between the two types of photographer depending on the job. I may want to connect with that portrait I am doing on Tuesday, and struggle to get the highlights just right on a tabletop setup of hard drives for a catalog on Thursday. Such is the nature of a professional photographer in a smaller market.

I know many of both types of shooters. The ones who are successful work very hard at what they do. And they are taking pictures when they are not Taking Pictures, ya know. Looking at, studying, taking workshops, giving workshops, reading and practicing. Finding new ways to do old things. Finding old ways to do new things. Striving, striving, striving to be better than yesterday. Every artist I have ever known was in a constant state of striving for excellence.

My kids often laugh when I will simply stare at the way light is playing against a wall, or highlighting the edge of a building. I love to look at light. My iPhone lets me capture the simplest things to simply delight me. Not earth shaking images that will rock the art world. Just a play of light, or an interesting shadow fall. I dunno, I just love to get that captured so I can look at it. I love to look at photographs. (My youngest is developing a pretty good eye…maybe she will inherit dad’s love of the medium of still imagery.)

So what is the point of this column? We have talked about creativity, perseverance and work ethic. Now we tie it together and we get:

Passion. A passion for the medium of photography. A passion for the captured moment. A passion for connecting with people, the still image and a passion for perfection of the craft.

It’s all passion, baby. Without it, there are no tears, no desperate longing, no amazing joy no glow of success. Without passion there is no striving. When the road gets hard, the gear goes up on Craigs List. And the challenges are many, and they come at all levels. Without something driving you to get from where you are to where you want to be, the climb can be more difficult than imagined.

So now it is time for the self-exam.

Do you have a passionate desire to make images? Images!

Do you take pictures, images, photographs every day? Or does it seem that there are thousands of “reasons” that you don’t?

I love it when one of my students, or a photographer I am working with one-on-one has that moment… an epiphany maybe… where they realize they would rather make photographs to nearly any other activity. The quest for images becomes insatiable, and the gear become the conduit… not the art. Focus turns outward from megapixels to dancing light, from transfer speeds to sublime smiles, from steel and glass to images that delight.

I read too frequently about how hard photography has become as a profession.
“There are too many photographers.”
“There isn’t enough work.”
“How do you compete against the CL guys who do it for free?”
“The bar has been lowered too low.”
“Digital means everyone can be a photographer.”
“I live in a place where no one will pay for photographs.”

Bullshit. A photographer with PASSION wont be stopped by that crap. There are lots of people with cameras, there are still few ‘photographers’ in relation to the GWC’s. There ARE jobs, there are. There is no reason to compete with CL shooters if you aren’t one. The bar has been lowered at the beginning level, no doubt… but it has been raised at the top. And at the top is where you want to be. That rarified air can fill the senses. Of course digital can make everyone capable of making a well-exposed image – so what… if you think that is the mark of a ‘photographer’ think again and research the great work being done by photographers all over the world. And if you live in a place that wont support you, and your work… move. Just move. Yeah, its hard to do and all that… Passion will sustain you if you have it.

Being passionate about the work and working hard to better oneself at any endeavor is probably one of the most successful methods of achieving more than one imagined.

Work hard, practice, revel in the successes, and learn from the failures. It is a recipe that has worked for creative people from the beginning.

Thanks for joining me at LE for a somewhat different post. I hope you enjoyed it.

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