Five Things Photographers Should Do if They Want a Future in Photogaphy

An RKO publicity still of Astaire and Rogers dancing to “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” in Roberta (1935) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Understand there’s no such thing as “just do it”.  Nobody “just” does anything; even the folks that make it look that way. I used to watch old Fred Astaire movies and he always made dancing look effortless and easy. But he worked every day of his life on perfecting his skills. It takes a lot of hard work to make a life “your own”, rather than follow a more conventional path.  If you want to sustain yourself financially with a profession like photography, you have to be prepared and willing to do what it takes to make that happen.

Don’t just say no – come up with alternatives. About a decade ago, photographers started rallying together to stand up and say no to bad contracts.  It didn’t work and still doesn’t because there’s always going to be somebody that will say yes.  The problem with “just” saying no is that photographers are only focusing on the problem and not coming up with better options or solutions.  These days photographers have the benefit of technology that has made possible a variety of new options photographers can use to promote and market their work. If we all start focusing on what we can do, instead of just saying no to bad deals, we’d all be better off.

Collaborate/Partner with other creatives.  Photographers have always been fiercely independent creatures.  That has its benefits creatively but can be a real detriment in business.  These days it is a lot easier to connect and collaborate with others, even virtually, and in the process we become stronger as a team of creatives.  Think about teaming up with people who are good at skills you don’t possess, whether it is video or CGI or graphic design.

Walk the Walk – Don’t Just Talk the Talk.  If you have something to say, then by all means say it.  Don’t be a whiner or hang around other whiners and say, “somebody should do something”.  If you don’t like what is happening around you – then do something about it. I am on the board of directors of my trade association, ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers).  I feel that my role on the board is to share my knowledge and skills at this “table” so our members may benefit and the industry stays healthy.  I can only do that if I have something to share and that means I need to be walking the walk – not just talking the talk.  If you are an ASMP member and feel you have something to share with your colleagues, I encourage you to run for the board and become part of the solution. You can declare your candidacy up until December 31^st.

Don’t aspire to be part of the status quo.  That just doesn’t work in photography.  You need to be better than the rest to stand out.  What does that mean and how does one do that?  There’s only one way – listen to the voice inside you – and shut out the “noise”.  If you can remember to be true to who you are, you’ll knock the socks off the status quo.

 

Forcing Accountability

Yesterday was one of those days that I had a hundred things to do and only a few hours to do them.  I had to give final approval of an ePub I was wrapping up, package and send out exhibition Blurays and posters to film festivals that I have been invited to and finish a video job I was editing, all before heading into NYC to moderate a panel discussion on video for the NYC chapter of ASMP.  My mom used to say, “If you want something done – ask a busy person”.  I never did understand that when I was younger but I know now, that the busier I am – the better I am with utilizing my time.

I was also fine-tuning the presentation that I was going to be giving to the students at Brooks Institute next week. As an alumna of Brooks,

Gail Mooney as a student at Brooks Institute
© Chad Weckler

I was honored when I was asked to speak. I was also taking this responsibility seriously and I was getting a bit stressed over it, which is uncharacteristic for me.  I’m usually very comfortable with public speaking.  I knew I wanted to talk about the value of “community” and how being part of the ASMP has played into that, but I didn’t want to sound “canned”.  I knew that I needed to personalize that message and really boil it down to what that has meant to me.  But I also knew I needed to come off as someone who is still relevant and not be perceived by the students as just someone whose their mother’s age. I needed to show my spirit inside that hasn’t aged at all since graduating from Brooks all those years ago.  I knew I needed to put myself in their shoes and see through their eyes in order to really connect with them. I started thinking in terms of what I know now and what I wished I had known back when I was a student at Brooks.

So, as I headed into NYC, I had a lot going through my mind.  The ASMP event was great.  It was a packed room with an engaged audience and terrific panelists.  But the best part of the evening was the networking after the event.  That’s where the real sharing of information happens and a sense of community is felt.  It’s easy to get disconnected these days from the human connection because we all spend so much (too much) time online.  That human connection will never be replaced by technology. That was one thing I wanted to point out to the students when I talked to them next week – to physically get “out there”.

I got home late and woke up early and needed a good jolt of coffee while I checked my emails.  One email jumped out at me. It was a newsletter from Jonathan Fields who I started subscribing to after hearing Jonathan speak at the World Domination Summit this summer.   The newsletter had a link to a video of Jonathan interviewing, Chris Guillebeau the founder of the World Domination Summit.  Chris writes a blog that I follow, called the Art of Non-Conformity.  As I listened to the interview, it became clearer as far as what I wanted to say to the students in my presentation next week. Chris said one thing that was right on target.  He was talking about pursuing an idea and he said that by putting your idea out to the world – by telling someone about it – you were in fact “forcing accountability”.

I thought back to when I first had the crazy notion of traveling around the world with the purpose of creating a feature documentary about individuals on six continents who were making a positive difference in our world.  The idea had been tossing around in my head for months before I told anyone.  Then one evening as I was walking back from dinner with fellow ASMP board member, Blake Discher, I decided to put the idea “out there”.  It was something I did on impulse, but as I look back on it now, Blake was probably the right one to “test run” this crazy idea on.  He responded with an affirming, “thumbs up”, but not overly exuberant, which was exactly what I needed. Blake is a very grounded person, so for someone like him to not look at me and tell me that I was out of my mind, was the nudge I needed.  So, it was that short, impulsive, casual conversation that forced me to be accountable with my idea.

I went on to make the movie that I set out to make and even better, I got to share the experience with my daughter Erin.  It has changed both of our lives for the better.  That’s not to say that everything has worked out in ways that I may have wanted or thought I wanted.  But it has been a journey that I was meant to take. I have met people that I never would have met in the process and that in turn has led to so many more incredible experiences and adventures that I couldn’t have possibly imagined.

I started thinking about my life’s journey and all the things I have learned since my days as a student at Brooks.  And then I thought,  “what if I knew then what I know now? “  The thing is, if I had already known all those things back when I was a student, I never would have had the journey that I’ve had.  Everything happens in its own time and when it is meant to happen.  And that’s what life’s all about – the journey along the way and that only happens when we leave room for the unexpected.

Saying Goodbye to a Friend and Colleague

Today the photo world is mourning the loss of Susan Carr.  Susan died yesterday after her long battle with cancer.

Susan was perhaps the strongest woman I have ever known.  She was also the most giving.  She gave above and beyond, everything and anything she put her mind to. She tirelessly gave to ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and many of her colleagues will attest to that.  But I will remember Susan beyond her work for ASMP  I will remember Susan for her positive spirit.

One fond memory I have of Susan is the day my daughter, Erin graduated from Northwestern University.  My husband, Tom and I were the only “family” members to attend Erin’s graduation because most of our family lives on the East Coast and Chicago isn’t exactly around the corner.  We were going to have a nice, but simple celebration lunch and I called Susan and asked if she would like to join us.  She happily accepted our invitation and was humbled to be included in our celebration. Her presence that day was so joyful and she made the day even more special.  She was part of our family that day and she helped us celebrate one of life’s wonderful moments.

Susan and I didn’t always agree, but we always had the utmost respect for one another.  We were both women in a business that was dominated by men – at least that’s how it was when we first started out in our careers.  That’s changed over the years as more women have entered into the business of photography, but back then – you had to be a strong woman to compete in what was then, a “man’s world.”

But as strong as Susan was, she also had a heart of gold and a deeply intuitive nature. You could see that in her work. Her ongoing project, photographing people’s environments, really showed her spirit to be true.  She gave her still images of these environments  a “voice”,  even though there was no sound. Even when no people were present in her photographs, you could hear and feel the inhabitants of the environments that she selected to shoot.  She leaves behind a wonderful legacy with her work and a testament to the time she lived in.

I will miss Susan in many ways, but mostly in how she encouraged me.  When I first started giving seminars and had a few bumps with some negative feedback, Susan had faith in me. She supported me  and gave me helpful advice that was right on target and just what I needed.  She was also a big supporter of my film, in many ways.  On September 20^th, Opening Our Eyes will screen at Valencia College in Orlando, FL as part of a celebration for International Peace Day and The Global Peace Film Festival.  After the screening, the students will congregate outside and make a human peace sign – each one bearing a lit candle.  Those candles will be for you Susan – your life on Earth was far too short but you burned so brightly while you were with us and you will always be remembered.

“To find your calling is a gift.  A purpose provides the drive to pursue
excellence along with an unwavering belief that your work is of value.
When you can take this resolve and turn it into a vocation you achieve
a rare and extraordinary feat.”
~ Susan Carr, “The Art and Business of Photography”

Vision vs Trends

I find that many creative (and not so creative) people confuse the meaning of the two words – vision and trends.  When someone has a vision, they see past the status quo, whereas by the time something becomes a trend – it is status quo.  Seems clear to me, and yet for the most part, the common perception of what a trend is – hot, successful, youthful, revolutionary – really isn’t visionary at all, because by the time it becomes a trend – everyone is doing it.

Case in point.  Four years ago, when I joined the board of ASMP, some may have seen me as a visionary because of my early foray into video.  Four years later, it seems like everybody is doing video.  Does that make me a visionary?  Perhaps.  But I need to make a very important point here, and that is when I started shooting video almost 15 years ago, it was not because I had a vision, that the future of photography would be video.  It was because I saw myself then – and still do – as a storyteller and one who delivers the visual message, with whatever creative tools do it best.

I get super frustrated with people who define me by the type of camera (tool) I choose to use.  Anyone who has heard me speak, knows my mantra is “it’s not about the tool”. So for anyone to narrowly define me by this one particular medium – video – instead of  understanding that I foresee the  “future of photography” in the broadest sense of the word “photography”,  – are only seeing me through their own “narrow” lens.

I’ve spent a lifetime, trying not to pigeonhole myself into one genre or medium and to stay true to myself and what my instincts are telling me, rather than to jump on the latest trend. I can tell you this – by the time something is trendy – there’s nothing gutsy or visionary about jumping on that bandwagon.

Being visionary is:

• Taking a risk based on instincts instead of emulating the latest trend.
• Being concerned about the substance of something – not just the packaging and the veneer. Thinking that way will make you outlive any trend.
• Being afraid, yet still being brave enough to act on what your inner voice is telling you.
• Managing to be bold enough to come forward with an idea that is not the popular opinion du jour.
• Not getting in your own way by seeing yourself through only one narrow lens – In the early 1900’s, when the automobile hit the scene, the folks in the horse and buggy business who saw themselves in the transportation business survived – the ones who saw themselves as in the horse and buggy business………well we know what happened to them.

I won’t get into politics here, except to say that sadly these days, so many of our world “leaders” are not visionaries and we desperately need leaders who are. But that takes courage and going against the status quo.  It’s far easier to follow others, after they have paved the way.  That’s not only a lack of vision – that’s bad leadership.

ASMP and Motion

I’m on the National Board of Directors of the ASMP, The American Society of Media Photographers.  About four years ago, I was asked if I had ever thought about running for the board.  The person who had asked me this question, knew that I had been shooting video in addition to still photography and thought that it might be a good idea to have someone on the board who had an understanding of this medium.  That was four years ago, and even though I had been shooting video for over 10 years – the “explosion” of this medium (in terms of the demand) had really just started.

I did run, served three years, ran again and got elected. I’ve shared my knowledge of this medium through meetings, seminars, blogs, emails and during Q&A’s when I screen my film.

Gail Mooney, Tom Kelly and Chris Hollo at ASMP booth, DV East

This past Wednesday, I spent my day manning the ASMP booth at DV East Expo. Former national board member (and now President of the ASMP Tennessee Chapter) Chris Hollo and my partner Tom Kelly joined me.  We were well prepared with a large flat screen monitor displaying a loop of our members work. I was intimate with the reel as I had just finished editing it and I was very impressed with the quality of the work.  It certainly was an attention grabber.

So, what was ASMP, a trade organization of still photographers, doing at a video expo? Essentially, we were there to provide a community and reach out to other professionals who are shooting both mediums and provide information about sound business practices.  If this demographic does not understand the value of copyright or value the concept of licensing, then it will ultimately affect the way business is done in the still photography industry.

Some people may think that ASMP is becoming too inclusive or is creating more of a problem by suggesting that video may be the answer for its members, only for them to find out, that industry is glutted as well.  The old business models of bloated production companies with fat budgets are hanging on for dear life, along with the old business models of the film industry.  But if you think outside the box, especially in terms of how you structure your photography business – the opportunities are out there.

ASMP doesn’t cease to be an advocate for its still photographers who have no interest in motion – it’s actually making the entire industry healthier by educating the hybrid competition.  A lot of the people I talked to yesterday, shot both still photography and video, but even the ones who just shot video – called themselves “photographers” and they all had questions about “the business”.

I’m so closely associated with  “video” by members of this society; they tend to forget that I am a photographer.  I don’t call myself a photographer simply because I spend 50% of my time shooting still images, or call myself a videographer because I spend the other 50% of my time producing video. I don’t want to define myself by my tools, at all. I “see” as a photographer, with the vision of a filmmaker and the heart of a storyteller.  I also have a strong desire to stay in business doing what I love to do.  By being an advocate for sound business practices across these mediums, I get a lot more back than I give.  All photographers’ benefit, regardless of what type of cameras they shoot with.

Friend and fellow board member Ed McDonald, tells his own story about how he had become too rigid at one point in his career, as far as how he perceived himself and what kind of photographer he was. He found that when he became more flexible in how he “defined” himself, his business got better. As I think about Ed’s story, I know we have a lot in common.  For me, when I stopped restricting myself to just shooting still images – not only my business got better – so did my still photography. Shooting motion has made me a better still photographer because it has made me a better storyteller.

I got an email late last night from someone I ran into at the expo.  They wrote:

“Thanks for your vision and inspiration and all you’ve done for ASMP.”  So simple and so poignant and I thought – “isn’t that what I was supposed to do?”

Value

Thomas Alva Edison (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’ve heard this word an awful lot lately. I’m in Palm Springs, CA attending an ASMP National Board meeting. Our meeting has coincided with the timing of the Palm Springs Photo Festival, where dozens of photography influencers, buyers and makers of contemporary photography gather. Almost every conversation I’ve had in the last couple of days have been about “value”.

Most successful photographers or business people in general, would probably define “value”in monetary terms. To be successful, one has to sell the “value” of what they do, and how that translates to real dollars for a potential client. Now, in my opinion, to be good at any sales you have to either really believe in your product or be a very good actor – or both. My point is that to sell your “value” you have to start by first valuing yourself.

There have been days when I’ve beat myself up by allowing my self to feel “devalued” by how someone else acts toward me – it could be a client, a colleague, a relative, a friend – any human with an ego. I try to remind myself that my “value” is in staying true to myself, because that is what makes me unique and not just a commodity. There’s so many workshops and consultants these days teaching “how to’s” – from using gear, to selling photos, making a movie, branding yourself and on and on and on. I think we are all so overwhelmed at times that we don’t even remember who we really are.

At the end of the day your value is in how you perceive yourself and a strong sense of self has to come through if you want to sell your “value” to someone else. That sense of self usually comes from “doing”. When you are out there “doing”, you’re creating opportunity to happen. That’s something I am passionate about – the possibilities and the wonderment in that. When that passion comes through in your interactions with others – it’s positive energy that people can feel and most people are attracted to positive forces.

I must warn you though, that there are many people out there who will try to take advantage of someone who so passionate about what they do – and usually the human ego is involved. That’s ok, because when you determine your value and stop letting others determine it for you, it becomes much easier to deal with people who get gratification in undermining others.

There’s a wonderful scene in an old movie where Spencer Tracy plays Thomas Edison. Tracy (Edison) is in the office of a potential buyer of one of his inventions. (I’m using arbitrary figures to tell the story) The potential buyer was clearly an egotistical miserable guy and he throws out a price of let’s say $10,000 to Edison in a condescending way. Edison stands there speechless – literally speechless and the “buyer” begrudgingly says – “OK, $20,000” and Edison remains speechless. This goes on until the “negotiation” gets up to $50,000 and Edison finally manages to say, “OK” and they shake hands. The investor starts laughing in Edison’s face and shouts out “I was prepared to go to $100,000” and continues to laugh. Edison turns around as he is walking out the door and says, “I was prepared to accept $1,000”.

What does that say about value?

Being Yourself

Yesterday, I gave a talk and showed a bit of my film, Opening Our Eyes,

Movie poster for Opening Our Eyes

at the PACA conference in New York City.  I had been asked by ASPP to speak about the making of the film and my plans for distribution.  To tell you the truth, even though I’m always thrilled to show and/or talk about the film, I was a bit nervous with this crowd.  PACA stands for the Picture Archive Council of America and its member include some of the biggest stock photo agencies in the world, including Getty, Corbis, Masterfile and Alamy. I was nervous because part of my message was that I no longer needed the validation or others to get my stories to market.

I thought my message would be somewhat threatening, because I was telling the audience that content creators no longer needed the traditional gatekeepers of the past, to get their stories “out there.”  That because of technology, it was possible for the individual to have a global reach and if one is willing to do the work – the prize is all theirs – meaning the monetary rewards.

I had a tough time slot to speak – right after lunch  -  I knew that I would be dimming the lights for the film and that is never a good thing to do in that time slot.  But, Tom Kennedy had given his very inspirational talk about new media and new opportunities in the  marketplace.  I had heard Tom’s talk  as part of ASMP’s SB 3 series this past year – and I knew that my presentation was a great follow up to his – and in fact it was almost like a case study example of what Tom was talking about.

My presentation went amazingly well and as I looked out into the dimly lit audience as the film was playing – I couldn’t see any closed eyes.  I felt that I made a connection, and that perhaps in some small way, I had made a difference.  Maybe, I just got people thinking about what they could do to make a difference in their own lives.  And maybe I had influence beyond that.  But, I know that I stayed true to myself.  My intent was not to come off as threatening  – but I did want to make people feel a tiny bit uncomfortable.  It’s when we get uncomfortable that we push ourselves to a better place.

My message was simple.  Someone doesn’t need to lose – in order for someone else to win.

Women and Photography

I have to get something “off my chest”, so forgive this mild rant.

Yesterday, I attended a conference in NYC.  It was a trade show geared to video production with an educational track.  I was sitting in on one session and there were only a handful of people in the room – I’d say less than 10.  I was the only woman in the room. The instructor went to each person in the classroom and asked them what they wanted to learn from his workshop.  He went to everyone in the room – but me!

I was sitting next to my partner, who is also my husband.  I suppose the instructor decided that he didn’t need to ask ME that question. I didn’t count.  Maybe because we were together and he felt that he only needed to ask one of us.  But if so, why not ask me? I felt invisible. It was an all too familiar feeling that I have had in my 35-year career as a photographer and now a filmmaker. But I couldn’t believe that I was still feeling invisible after all that I’ve accomplished in those 35 years.

When I started my career in photography, it was definitely a man’s world.  I was one of six women at Brooks Institute and the only woman in my graduating class.  I fell in love with a “Brookie” and we headed back East to make our fame and fortune in photography.
We’ve done a lot of jobs together over our 35-year partnership and we’ve done a lot on our own.  I needed to do my solo gigs because I felt I had to prove to myself that I could deliver the “story” or the task on my own.  When I worked with my partner, it was always assumed by the client or our peers that I was the rep for my partner – never the photographer.  People have always asked us why we refer to each other as partners rather than husband and wife – that’s why.

Perhaps that’s why I try so hard – but then again maybe that’s just my nature.  And maybe because I always give it my all, I can’t help but be surprised when I’m treated like I’m invisible.  At this point in my life, I can either let it bother me or I can think about who I am and what I’ve done and contributed to my profession.  I focus on that and I take every opportunity to share and talk to young people – women and men.

The irony is, in photo schools these days the women far outnumber the men, yet there are still instructors out there like the one that I encountered yesterday.  I have to ask myself why? I do know that in giving seminars over the last two years for ASMP, I would consistently get comments from women telling me how refreshing it was to have a woman teaching tech.  But they also told me that I wasn’t intimidating like some male teachers they’ve had.

So what’s the point?

I only have one point and that is don’t hire me because you need to fill the slot with a “female” – hire me based on what I’ve accomplished.  Hire me for who I am.  Think past the gender and teach your children well.

Resources, Sharing and Good Karma

I love the time we are living in.  If there is anything I want to find out about – and I do mean anything – and I can get “connected” online – I have access to a universe of information. For someone like me who always has a hundred questions running through my mind – it’s like the “time of Aquarius” – only better.

This morning I was poking around ASMP’s CameraCake, a cool new social bookmarking site.  It’s kind of like getting references to all sorts of interesting people, ideas and services from your colleagues. I posted a link to a great new online magazine that I had heard about from friend, David Sanger on Facebook.

So, now that information and link to Once Magazine will be shared with a lot more photographers and motion shooters than if it just appeared on my blog.  Why all this sharing?  I don’t know, but I do know that when you give, you get more in return and on many levels.

I spent two years, giving seminars for ASMP about transitioning to video.  In those two years, I got a lot of emails with questions from photographers as they added motion to their businesses and I  hope I answered each and everyone.  I’ve also shared a lot of info about video on this blog . That’s why I started it and titled it “Journeys of a Hybrid”, almost 3 years ago – it was a journey for all of us. I’ve recently started offering seminars in The Business of Video, because I see there is a hole to fill. There’s plenty of  “HDSLR” workshops out there, but rarely do any provide practical business models and/or guidance that speaks to the new media opportunities that are opening up in the hybrid area.

Giving seminars doesn’t provide me a living but it does help me in a business sense because by providing knowledge to my competition and people just starting out, I am helping all of us to sustain a decent living, working in a creative trade.

I also like to share because it makes me feel good.  I’ll be speaking at the PACA conference on Oct. 22nd, in New York.  ASPP asked me to talk about my film, Opening Our Eyes in a seminar entitled “Passion to Profitable Distribution”.  I’m delighted to do that because there’s nothing I like doing more than talking about what we as creatives are capable of doing and the global reach we have as individuals.  It’s an empowering time.

I’ll close with one small request and that is to share this link to our recently launched
campaign for Opening Our Eyes on IndieGoGo. The film is finished and is already making a difference, but we need to give it a push in order to “get it out there” and to be seen.

As Marian Kramer, one of our subjects said “We just have to shine each other up.”

Open Yourself to Possibilities

Thank goodness February is over. It’s been a long, cold, snowy winter here in New Jersey and February felt particularly brutal.  I can cope with cold weather pretty well but “cabin fever” can be deadly for me. And last month it almost killed me.  I had been in isolation editing video for 14 hours a day – every day. It was almost inhuman.

This weekend I headed down to Philadelphia to present a seminar at

©Douglas Bovitt

ASMP’s SB3.  It was just what I needed.  I needed to connect with people.  Conferences like SB3 are meant for stimulation and learning and everyone walks away with their heads exploding with new ideas – attendee and presenter alike.  But I walk away with so much more. What I get from interacting with people, learning from them, sharing with them is immeasurable.

Some things that stuck with me:

“Be awesome” Colleen Wainwright

“Hang out with people better than you” Blake Discher

And from Tom Kennedy
F.A.I.T.H

Freedom – to see – to be open to opportunities
Authenticity – be yourself
Intentionality – live intentionally – be proactive
Trust – in yourself
Hospitality – be open to the world

And I learned about a blog that truly resonates with me The Art of Non-Conformity
As all the conversations still run through my mind, I remember one in particular.  I was speaking with someone who had taken his own path – traveling a lot before going to college and pursuing other passions in life before settling down on a career.  He wanted to know if I would mentor him but he had so many questions, he was concerned he would infringe too much on my time. I smiled and told him that I was quite accessible and to feel free to call anytime. And that I’d let him know if he was wearing out his welcome He smiled back and said, “you have a hard time saying no don’t you?” My answer to him was “yes” and that I liked that word much more.  It opens up so many more possibilities.

If you haven’t attended on of the three SB3 events – there’s still one more in Chicago April 1- 3.  Check out what people are saying on Facebook. And then come and join us in Chicago and prepared for lots of “ah ha” moments. It could be life changing.  You just never know.