Angels with Tails
On Sunday, May 6, I photographed the 15th anniversary Angels with Tails adoption event, for PAWS Chicago. Over 200 cats, dogs, kittens and puppies from local rescues and shelters were featured at retail stores along Michigan Avenue and the surrounding area. PAWS Chicago found loving homes for 45 pets that day. Also, raising awareness of [...]
Are You Up For Bartering???
Hello all. Today I wanted to write down my thoughts on bartering. Bartering is the process of trading goods and/or services instead of using money. Personally, I have no problem trading my photography services for your product/service. I would like to make some ground rules regarding bartering. If you are thinking about bartering, please let [...]
Budget for Photography
In last week’s post “Getting a Product Photography Quote” I mentioned that if you have a budget in mind it would be helpful for me to know how much that is when quoting for a project. It seems that when asked this question, most clients answer with “I don’t know” or “As little as possible”. [...]
Getting a product photography quote
Often in the past I have gotten calls asking how much do I charge. Unfortunately that’s not a simple question to answer. As like most photographers today, I do not have a “Day Rate” of “Hourly Rate”. My rate is dependent on what it is that you want me to do. Basically, some jobs are [...]
Woulda v Coulda
I don’t know how many times I’ve shown a piece of work only to hear someone say “I coulda done that” Now with today’s technology, that may be true, in some instances BUT the real question is “Would you have done it that way?” Would you have chosen that angle? Would you have lit the [...]
In search of good enough
As I have stated numerous times. We are at a time when people are not taking their business as seriously as they should (or used to). Recently Fast Media magazine published an article “In search of good enough” in it they discuss the emergence of the amateurs into the stock photography world and how it [...]
What constitutes personal use of an image?
My boss has asked me to find some images for an internal presentation. Do I still need to pay for them? Yes, in most circumstances. You will still need to pay via What constitutes personal use of an image?.
Great Photos not Great Camera
Here is an excellent video proving that it’s not the camera but the photographer that makes a photo Although Lee is trying to prove it’s not the equipment, notice that… 1) Fantastic Model 2) Professional Make-Up and Stylist is used 3) Excellent Lights are used (with the exception of the ones he got from Lowes. [...]
Do you use photography?
Bravo to Smashing Magazine for their recent article How to Use Photos to Sell More Online If you are in business I HIGHLY recommend you take time and read this. Then take a look how you are using photography to sell your business. It might also help you if you were to print this out [...]
Who does your design work?
This is one of the funniest vids I’ve seen lately Scary thing is how many times I’ve seen this happen Thanks to A Photo Editor blog to turning me onto this As well as to “Why Design-By-Committee Should Die” at Smashing Magazine
Angels with Tails
I right now in the middle of editing the photos I made Sunday at PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving) Chicago’s Angels with Tails adoption event. 38 shelters and 63 participating business were all there for one purpose, finding homes for some great pets. This was my second year photographing this event and I am already [...]
Can I see your photo permit?
Did you know that if you want to take a photograph in a Chicago park you need a permit? Seriously! A while back I was doing a portrait for a friend in Wicker Park, When a person came up and said that commercial photography in Chicago parks were not allowed. I asked, “What makes you [...]
I Wub U !
Ah Grover, you’ve done it again. First Grover Sanschagrin at Photoshelter wrote “Top 13 Ways to Piss Off a Photo Editor” then posted “Top 10 Ways to Piss Off a Photographer“. Now he has posted “TOP 10 WAYS TO MAKE A PHOTOGRAPHER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU“. I’m only going to add a couple of points [...]
Don't make me angry, You wouldn't like me when I'm angry
Grover Sanschagrin over at Photoshelter has written a follow up to his blog post “Top 13 Ways to Piss Off a Photo Editor” with “Top 10 Ways to Piss Off a Photographer” I found it, in a way, kind of comforting to see that I wasn’t the only one who was bothered by some of [...]
What I do
Reading Chris Brogan’s blog last week, “What I Do“. In it Chris writes about his new logo and about people noting their dislike of it. That it doesn’t say, what he does. I then looked at my logo. Well, it says my name and Commercial Photography. When I think about it, does that REALLY say [...]
New blog
Well now I’ve done it. I’ have started a second blog. Technically I have reinstated my original blog over at WordPress.com This new blog will be geared towards my personal photography and such. If I can get onto a consistent schedule of posting (Once or Twice a week), then I may start a third blog [...]
Are You My (Potential) Client?
I’ve noticed that most photographer blogs seem to be geared toward other photographers. Looking at this blog I start to wonder at times, who am I writing for? One reason for writing this is, I hate to say it, but to raise my SEO (Search Engine Optimization). See, Google loves words, especially words about a [...]
Photography doesn't cost, it pays
Seth Godin not too long ago posted an article in his blog “Consumer debt is not your friend“. It has been my experience that too many business owners look at a photographer’s rate as “another bill” and not as the investment. I’ve said it numerous times here before, good photography sells your product, it promotes [...]
David Meerman Scott Values Photography
I just love it when people I admire tell why good photography matters. Recently David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR (2nd Edition) (read 1st Edition (Loved It), Got 2nd, Haven’t read it Yet) World Wide Rave (Read It, Loved It), Tuned In (Reading It, Loving It) and Eyeball Wars [...]
Intent, skill, and consistency
Here is an excellent article “Better Photo Tips- Photographic Standards” by Tedric Garrison, on what it means to be a photographer.
Chase Jarvis: I’D BE MORE CREATIVE IF…
The other day Chase Jarvis (photographer extraordinaire) post at his blog, “I’D BE MORE CREATIVE IF…” I left the following smart a$$ comment, “I’d be more creative if I wasn’t trying to come up with excuse as to why I’m not more creative” Afterwards it dawned on me, that hey, I am creative. I’m creative [...]
Good, Fast and Cheap!
Pick Two You can either get product/catalog photography that’s Good and Fast, but it won’t be Cheap. Or Good and Cheap, but not Fast, Or how about Fast and Cheap. Guess what? it won’t be Good How many times have you heard that old business saying? Not just for photography but for any business? Quite [...]
Shout Out to Rosh
Fellow photographer Rosh Sillars has just posted his 100th New Media Photographer Podcast If that weren’t his book “The Linked Photographers’ Guide to Online Marketing and Social Media” has just been published (Is there anything this guy can’t do?) Congratulations Rosh, I look forward reading the book as well as to the next 1000 episodes
New Directions
Lately Chris Brogan has really got me thinking and rethinking about what this blog is and why am I doing it. His most recent post How are You USING Your Blogging Posted using ShareThis again struck a cord with me as well as RETHINK YOUR WEB PRESENCE. Now truth be told, yes, I want this [...]
