Monday, October 22, 2007

Speculative Photography - The Credentialing Spectrum

There is a continuum of those needing credentials to cover sports and news events, they are:

  • Employees of media outlets on assignment - these are actual employees of the company being paid their normal salary to cover the assignment.
  • Retained Contractors of media outlets on assignment - these are contractors who regularly serve the company, and the work they are doing is covered by their retainer. These contractors usually have a contract which transfers specific rights and also details liability for the company and for the contractor.
(Continued after the Jump)
  • Freelance Contractors of media outlets on assignment - these are essentially "day laborers", working only when called, for a set rate, often plus expenses, but not always. These contractors always have a contract which transfers specific rights and also specifies that the contractor is liable for all work done on assignment, and absolves the company from all liability.
  • Speculative Photographers - These are photographers who, in exchange for a credential, have agreed to cover the event for free, absorbing all expenses associated with the work, in hopes of making images that will be sold and generate enough revenue to cover their costs and generate a profit, or to produce images which they can then use in marketing themselves. Further, they're almost always NOT on assignment for a specific publication, but rather, they are there collecting image assets they hope to sell.
  • Purchased Credentials - These are photographers who have paid a fee for a "press credential", and the service of having letters written on their behalf from an organization set up for the sole purpose of selling press credential kits and the letter-writing service.
    For example:
    "Lifetime dues are only $74....IFPO gives you the affiliation and back-up you need to get you and your camera where you want to go. To start you off right, you receive a handsome laminated membership ID card and parchment membership certificate..." which then goes on to promote"THE GAIN ACCESS PROGRAM." The Gold Press Credentials will get you and your camera where you could never go alone - behind the scenes at sports, entertainment and breaking news events. The unique IFPO PRESS program which includes the Press Passport and Badge Credentials is available to IFPO members only. The backbone of the IFPO Press Program is Today's Photographer magazine. IFPO member photographers who participate in the program are on assignment for the magazine and often submit their work to be considered for publication.
While coverage of news events includes a 1st amendment right to be present for media in almost all cases, courts have held that these rights do not wholly apply to entertainment activities such as sports, suggesting that, save for a significantly newsworthy event such as a riot, or other major incident, sports is entertainment, taking place on private property, and governed by restrict-able rules of privacy. Many SID's and team PR offices are familiar with the "pay for access" credentialling offered by IFPO, and others, but some may not be. However, it's critical that freelance photographers on assignment not be confused with speculative photographers "on assignment". Freelancers have been paid by a media outlet to be there, and the likelihood is very good that their images will see ink-on-paper, whereas speculative photographers' images often only go as far as the servers that proffer the images.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Monday, October 22, 2007 1 comments  

Labels: ,

Speculative Photography - The SPEC-photographer's Mentality

"... I don´t have to do the assignment if I don´t want or don´t need to...."

"...I never thought of sticking with them in the long term, really...I´m already in the changing process, since I need to shift my focus to more reliable assignments/clients. Time to grow up..."

Gone are the days where your ability to be hired was based significantly on the source of the tear-sheet/clip. Yet, far too many people think that getting established should be easy - or easier. If you've not put in your time covering the non-glamourous work, learning the craft, then being able to make images at "the big game", is going to mean giving up something - revenue.

(Continued after the Jump)

Just because, however, you understand the argument against spec, doesn't mean you have a valid counter to it. The prevailing attitude is a combination of "I make my money elsewhere, I don't have to care if I am hurting others" combined with "it's not really hurting others...". Others then write "Really the bottom line is this. What I do should not affect you.", but it does. If a photographer is willing to shoot for free, that diminishes the value of the work that everyone else is doing. The argument from drunk drivers caught is "I didn't hurt anyone", and smokers opine about how their smoking isn't hurting others, despite reports to the contrary about second-hand smoke risks. It certainly does increase the costs of healthcare to everyone. Shooting spec does affect others as well.

Another photographer suggested that shooting "on 'spec' meaning give back to the community type of work for some small colleges and high schools. I also made money on them from parents and relatives of the players...", which reveals not the magnanimous nature of the photographer, but rather, the profit-making angle, as he then goes on to say "don't brand me as someone who gives away his work. Just ask my kids if I EVER give anything away and they'll tell you NO in an instant." Thus, this photographer is, in fact, operating a business on the sidelines - turning up to local games and making images with the intent to sell prints. If these are semi-pro or youth-sports leagues he's doing this at, there may be limits on earning income from non-professional athletes.

One photographer, who, after 20 years in the business of information technology, suggested that "perception is reality for everyone", and, were that the case, anarchy would rule the day. Reality is not maleable to one's circumstances or perspective. Just because very smart early historians perceived that the earth was flat, didn't make it a reality.

Further, the attitude is that photographs of pop warner football, to demonstrate ability, just won't cut it. This just isn't the case. In fact, at pop warner games, you can actually make arrangements with coaches and staff much easier to get access into the locker room beforehand, and afterwards, to be able to make the same behind-the-scenes great images that an SI or ESPN photographer can get of the major sports leagues of athletes "preparing for battle", celebrating victory, or wallowing in a bad defeat. Showing that behind-the-scenes coverage along with strong game-time imagery will let prospective paying editors know that you can tell the whole story, not just what happens within your narrow purview of your 400 2.8.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Monday, October 22, 2007 4 comments  

Labels: ,

Speculative Photography - Leveraging League and Team Assets to Promote External Income Sources

The frequent defense of spec photographers' actions is the "intangibles" defense. Some sentiments that might be being expressed could be - "I can get more work if I can just show that I can shoot well in the big leagues", or, it was actually said that " For me it's a great trade off and I have gotten business in my youth sports photography from people seeing images I shot on spec." This suggests that the purpose for their being there is to garner images to be used in marketing. In other words, you feel you're being 'paid' by being able to have these images because you can then use them as marketing/advertising tools for your business. Yet, the idea that shooting on spec is a "building block towards getting paid", is a loosing proposition for almost all providers, and moreover, you're building a foundation on clients who don't pay up front, only when they like your work. That's not a solid foundation, it's one built on sand.

(Continued after the Jump)

One photographer on the Sportshooter thread wrote "...this type of shooting is basically a third job. I have a day job and photography wise my main source of income comes from youth sports..... I don't have the time to work at this anywhere near fulltime at the pro level. I also don't have the time to try and market the images nor do I have the contacts even if I had the time. The last thing I want right now is a $50K job in full time photography. ...it helps my youth sports business because I actively shooting at the pro level", yet, this photographer would no doubt be upset if the DWC and MWC (Dad's with cameras, Moms with cameras) came along on picture day and started shooting over their shoulder, because that is where their livelihoods come from. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, so too are your actions detrimental. When I've photographed a wedding, and family has done this, I'm less bothered because, while it may hit my print sales a few dollars, I am earning all my major revenue from the package fee. this isn't the case here.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Monday, October 22, 2007 1 comments  

Labels: ,

Speculative Photography - The SPEC-agency's Mentality

Simply put - aside from storage and server space, and a phone call/e-mail, there is little effort required to procure images from a free source. Yes, after the assignment, there may be an edit done of the work, and a rating of the photographer's overall ability - relevant to potential future assignments. But spec agencies - Cal Sports Media, Icon, and US Presswire are not sharing any of the financial risk of having you cover a game - and they are reaping 50% of the profits.

If, on the other hand, the agency said "we'll guarantee you a minimum of $400 against future sales from the game we assign you to", that would begin to be fair. They participate in the costs of coverage, and you don't see any income beyond the $400, unless they sell $800 in images from a game. After that - if you've got a winning shot, both you and they participate in the revenues from the images.

(Continued after the Jump)

One photographer, who reports working in this way, says "I don't think CSM or Icon really expect too much out of you. They pay for my parking pass and other than gas I'm in and out of the venues with very little cost." Really? Why wouldn't you want to work for an organization that has high expectations of you? The reason they have such little expectations is that, A) there's little (no) cost to doing so, and if you mess up, they're not out anything. Where's the commitment to excellence? The drive to be better, or, dare I say, the best?

Cal Sport's Media's John Green, said "I can’t speak for anyone other than CSM", and then went on to say "We decided to invest our capital, our time, and our heart and soul, no matter how daunting the task, and take control of our destinies, instead of have the terms dictated to us by others. If that’s destroying the industry, then industry be dammed." Yet, the the limited capital you've invested is in paying for the Digital Railroad platform, at $800 a month for 50GB of space an all the photographers you want, plus $50-$100/month per 50-100 additional gigabytes, to store all of the photos you're selling, and the rest is your time, and heart, and soul. Where's your "heart and soul", when trying to think about your photographers? You say "we understand, and value, the hard work of the photographers that contribute to us", yet, you're unwilling to compensate them - give them a commitment of payment, for doing so. How is that valuing them? You write "we charge industry standard rates" - of your clients, generating a profit to you in excess of that of a Getty because Getty has to pay it's photographers and their expenses " and we pay the photographers above industry standard rates", but only when you happen to make a sale for them.

Green suggests " I don’t think a lot of places would be in business if they were paying $400 day rates to their photographers, sad but true." Yes, that's correct if you have the wrong business model in place. As Mark Loundy said later on - with an average of 100 assignments for a freelancer in a year, that equates to $40k gross, less expenses and taxes, leaving you with little in the end.

"it’s not our goal to threaten anyone’s livelihood. Unfortunately, we can’t stop pursuing our goals because they affect your goals and vise versa I’m sure", said Green. Try that same reckless sentiment, as referenced in another piece, as a drunk driver - "it's not my goal to crash my car into yours, but I have to get myself home somehow. I can't not drive home because it might affect you." Just as a civilized society has precluded, by law, drunk driving, so too does a civilized photo community look with rightful disdain at anyone or anything that actually or potentially does harm to the profession.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Monday, October 22, 2007 8 comments  

Labels: ,

Friday, October 19, 2007

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.)

(Continued after the Jump)

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

Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Friday, October 19, 2007 2 comments  

Labels:

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.)

(Continued after the Jump)


Nikon
Livebooks
PLUS Coalition
Hensel USA
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Friday, October 19, 2007 5 comments  

Labels: ,

Thursday, October 18, 2007

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:

So, go, check them out, and pass it on!
(Comments, if any after the Jump)



[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Thursday, October 18, 2007 1 comments  

Labels:

Monday, October 15, 2007

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.

(Continued after the Jump)

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.
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Monday, October 15, 2007 3 comments  

Labels:

Sunday, October 14, 2007

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?

(Continued after the Jump)
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.

Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Sunday, October 14, 2007 1 comments  

Labels:

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:
(Continued after the Jump)
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:
Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.


[More: Full Post and Comments]

Posted by John Harrington at Sunday, October 14, 2007 19 comments  

Labels:

Newer Posts Older Posts
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)