PhotoPlus Expo Day 2 - Highlights

Well, it seems that YouTube likes to CRUSH the audio of some videos when they compress the piece, and they must really be low on storage, for them to have destroyed mine for the Day 2 highlights.

Enter Brightcove. Brightcove seamlessly (and, I might add, with much more control) allowed me to re-process and present a much better broadcast. The downside? Well, for it to be free, they may have slipped in an ad on the front end.

If you'd just like to watch one segment of the broadcast, with my introduction, those links are after the jump (yeah, it seems there's a limit to the number of players that can appear on a web page from Brightcove at the same time.)

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Jaincotech

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Jaincotech
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Gautam Pai of Jaincotech discussing their analog to digital services.
• Watch Jaincotech segment only

Wacom

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Wacom
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Wacom tablets and an explanation of the mouse vs. tablet debate by Karin Silber.
• Watch Wacom segment only

Photoshelter

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News - Photoshelter
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Photoshelter's Grover Sanschargrin and Allen Murabayashi discussing the Photoshelter Collection and their Personal Archive.
• Watch Photoshelter segment only

Triple Scoop Music

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Triple Scoop Music
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Triple Scoop Music discussing their music and how it can solve photographer problems of permission to use music in their presentations and offerings.
• Watch Triple Scoop Music segment only

Rololight

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Rololights
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Rololights continuous lighting solutions and Lightools soft egg crates for the lights, explained by Terry Woroniak.
• Watch Rololights segment only

Digital Railroad

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Digital Railroad
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Chris Beauchamp and Tom Tinervin discussing the Digital Railroad Marketplace, Research Network, and their Digital Railroad Archive offerings.
• Watch Digital Railroad segment only

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PhotoPlus Expo - Day 1 - Highlights

Here's a review of the first day of the PhotoPlus Expo, in New York City.
If you'd just like to watch one segment of the broadcast, with my introduction, those links are after the jump (yeah, it seems there's a limit to the number of players that can appear on a web page from Brightcove at the same time.)

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Nikon

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Nikon
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Steve Heiner of Nikon, demonstrating the D3.
• Watch Nikon segment on YouTube
• Watch Nikon segment on Brightcove

Livebooks

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Livebooks
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Tricia Gellman Holmes of Livebooks discussing their new packages.
• Watch Livebooks segment on YouTube
• Watch Livebooks segment on Brightcove

PLUS Coalition

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, PLUS Coalition
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Jeff Sedlik, CEO of the PLUS Coalition discussing their offering.
• Watch PLUS Coalition segment on YouTube
• Watch PLUS Coalition segment on Brightcove

Hensel USA

• PhotoPlusExpo 2007 - Photo Business News, Hensel
• Highlights from the 2007 PDN PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City. This excerpt features Sharon Gottula of Hensel USA discussing their products.
• Watch Hensel USA segment on YouTube
• Watch Hensel USA segment on Brightcove

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JUST ANNOUNCED! The AssignmentConstruct

I've launched another blog AssignmentConstruct - this time, it's a breakdown of assignments - lighting details, concepts and objectives, and everything that went into the shoot. There's assignments that have been back-filled going back to January of 2006, with over a hundred already online, and more to come, both in the future, as well as past. This blog was inspired by the "3 minutes" breakdown below, that originally appeared here back in February.

To find out more about the blog, check this - AssignmentConstruct.com:

Below are 10 varied postings:

• A recent assignment at Arlington National Cemetery
• A magazine assignment that was just over 3 minutes long, on Capitol Hill in DC
• Another Magazine assignment:
• Coverage of President Ford's Funeral
• A Portrait of NBC's Tim Russert for an in-flight magazine
• An assignment with Kirsten Davis and dogs on Capitol Hill
• An assignment covering the President at the Library of Congress
• Making a server room look like it's interesting
• Behind the scenes at a Democratic Presidential Debate
• Behind the scenes at a Republican Presidential Debate

So, go, check them out, and pass it on!

(Comments, if any after the Jump)

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I'm Presenting at PhotoPlus Expo

There's a lot happening at PhotoPlus Expo this year, and I am very excited about it all. I'll be spending a fair amount of time at the PLUS booth, giving them a hand. My presentation, sponsored by the good people of ASMP, is first thing Thursday morning - "Best Business Practices", where we'll be giving a number of things away, and discussing several case studies regarding assignments - one from this past Sunday. For more details, hit the Jump.

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Best Business Practices

How do you operate a successful freelance photography business? How do you determine your rates, negotiate contracts and serve editorial and commercial clients? This seminar will answer these questions, and many more, so you can run your business better and more efficiently. Join John Harrington, a 2007 United Nations Leadership award winner, freelance photographer and author of the best-selling book Best Business Practices for Photographers, in this frank and open discussion. All levels.

Track(s): It's Your Business
Date/Time: Thursday, Oct 18 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Format: 3 Hour Session
Level: All Levels
Session ID: TA6

Make sure to come up and introduce yourself...I look forward to meeting anyone who reads the blog, or is looking for more insights into how to run your business better.

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80/20-80/20-20/80 - 20....wha?

There is a general rule of thumb that says that 80% of the money is held by just 20% of the population. For me, I want those people as my clients. In fact, the next rule is that 80% of your business' income comes from 20% of your clients, and that's certainly true for me.

What about customer service issues?

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Yes, sadly, 20% of your customers are the ones responsible for a full 80% of the problems/complaints/issues that your customers present.

Further, there is another rule - if 20% of your customers are not complaining about your prices, you're not charging enough.

Concentrating on the 20% of the clients you have and you'll be doing all that you can to continue to maintain 80% of your profits.

Simple?

Yes.

Let me state it another way - if I spend all my time focused on handing out my business cards to people at an event I photograph, the net revenue from those prints will be far less than what I could have earned with all the time making prints and billing them, and collecting $20 here, $40 there, than if I took a billable assignment, or worked to cultivate more assignments during that time.

Or, identifying the class/type of clients who, for you, are responsible for that most profitable 20%, and work to grow them. I can't know which type they are within your business, but it's a truism that applies cross-industry.

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From The "Are You Kidding Me?" Department

This classified ad was forwarded to me, found on SportsShooter:

Cal Sport Media is looking for experienced sports photographers to cover NCAA/pro sporting events in the Louisiana area. All work is paid on a comission basis (spec). Must have 400 2.8 and ability to transmit live from events. Quality and experience a must. Please email portfolio. Thank you.

Translation:

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POST JUMP TEXT.
You must have a $7,000 lens and $3,000 laptop with $60/mo cellular card to work for us, in addition to every other wide to zoom lens and body (bodies), and we're not going to pay you one red cent for all the time you put in both before the game, during the game, and doing post-production and captioning after the game, or for the use of your equipment. You also have to have done this before (which makes you realize what you're giving up when shooting spec, by the way), and, oh yeah, you have to be good at it. Further, your photos will have a brief shelf life until the next game, so there's a narrow window of opportunity to generate revenue, oh, and you'll be competing for those limited dollars with every other photographer there, many of them actually being paid to be on assignment including the covering of their expenses.

And, when you get a photo sold, we'll take - yeah, 50% of what the photo sells for (or a close approximation of that percentage), and if you have to pay to park at the arena/venue, get hungry/thirsty, and so forth, you're on your own.

No doubt, several people have already responded, giving creedence to the person who coined the phrase "there's a sucker born every minute", even two centuries later.

Or, to bring the mentality into the current generation, with thanks to Forest Gump: "Stupid is, as stupid does." Just because these organizations can get you a credential doesn't mean you should be bending over and shooting for them on spec. There are a number of other ways to get great photos and experience without selling your soul. If they give you a guarantee of $X-hundred dollars a game, plus expenses, paid out against your sales, that's another thing - but they're not doing that. They make no commitment to you, and you're the one literally paying for the privledge of working for them because it will definately cost you actual dollars to go to the venue for the day/evening, not to mention all the required equipment.

Still think Spec is ok? Then see a few of my previous posts:

• Spec Comparative to Salary
• Just Say No, Just So Oversimplified
• I Wish I had Written This

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The Week In Review, October 8 - 12, 2007

(Comments after the Jump)

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Your NYC Soirée Source, Right Here

Incase you're going to be in NYC for PhotoPlusExpo next week, you might want to make the rounds of two of the evening parties - Thursday is PhotoShelter's, Friday is DigitalRailroad's. Since after each day's activities, your head just wants to explode with new information, ideas, and equipment you "just have to have", winding down is the best way to do it each night.

RSVP sooner rather than later!

(Details after the Jump)

PhotoShelter party - PhotoShelter A Go Go 2 - Drink, Dance, Network and get your groove on with our go-go dancers at the hottest party of the Expo. Open bar all night long. Bring your promo cards. Hang them on the clothesline. Live your life the way you always wanted to.

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October 18, 2007, 7 to 11 p.m.
Lotus Space
122 W 26th St. (between 6th and 7th Ave)
reserve your spot at:
http://www.photoshelter.com/mkt/rsvp

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Digital Railroad cordially invites you to our party, co-hosted with APA National, on Friday, October 19! Come socialize and network with your fellow photographic community members.

Friday, October 19, 2007
8 p.m.-1 a.m.
Sandbox Studio
250 Hudson St., 11th Floor
New York City

RSVP required: http://rsvp.digitalrailroad.net/

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We Travel A LOT

We travel a lot, and carry a lot of equipment. Each case, before we go, is labeled with white gaffers tape with it's dimensions, and weight. This saves us a lot of time when, at check in, the gate agent assumes the equipment case is outside their maximum dimensions (it's not, it's designed to not be), or over 100 lbs (we never do do that either, kinda misses the point). Frequently, with excess baggage charges, it's been less expensive to bring along a second assistant and paid their airfare and get their baggage allowance to fill.

When we are packing, we weight each bag with our scale, ensuring that each are either 98 or 99 lbs. I have been known to put a superclamp or Hensel battery in my carryon bag (since they're not weighed) to hit the 98 lb max, to avoid hitting their 100 lb max, with that wiggle room for their scale being off.

We've set up freight accounts with several airlines, and that can be useful. However, what do you do when you're returning?

Other than remember the exact way everything was packed, I found this neat little inexpensive gadget - the Digital Scale, that's only $25, is compact, and weights in at just 8 oz. Check it out!

(Comments, if any, after the Jump)

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Collaborate or Suffer The Consequences

The mystery photo editor over a the A Photo Editor blog writes (Who is this Dan Winters Fellow?) about the challenges of superiors/colleagues being enamoured with Dan Winters work, "...he loves a photograph he once saw. Not, that he will love the photographs he’s about to get....Could a Photo Directors job get any easier then giving Dan an assignment? Right up to the point where you’re told to give him art direction."

Ah. This message is clear - just because you are a phenominal photographer, with a great style, doesn't mean clients will want to work with you. And, if you make it worse, you make it so that you can't take direction. This is a recipe for a lot of one-off clients, with little repeat business.

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We are in the business of making pictures. Pictures people want, pictures people need. And those they want and need are the ones that actually fit into a story, or a mocked-up layout for an ad. If you want to try something edgy, fill the request, and then shoot your "something different", and offer it up. In this way, the client has what they need, and if they like your second image, they might go to bat for it. Placing a client in a position where they have to take what you've given them, and only that, places them in an uncomfortable position, against deadline, or additional costs for a re-shoot. Apply, instead, the "one for thee, one for me".

We are also in the business of taking direction. Sometimes it's vague, sometimes (overly) specific. To presume that you wouldn't deign to take direction, or, worse yet, you consider direction something to work opposite of, ensures that you will get a reputation for being difficult to work with, or for people to only work with you when their superiors press for it.

I can't know how Dan Winters works. He may well be a fine and responsive photographer. The mystery photo editor may just be miffed at Dan for other reasons, who knows. But, the overarching point is, you have to be easy to work with, and deliver what the client wants.

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