A new macro lens, a new mini adventure!

May 12, 2013

Ok, so this post isn’t about the business of photography, but it’s about my new Canon 100mm f/2.8 lens which arrived this week. I’ve coveted this lens for YEARS, and found the money by selling a piece of jewellery that I no longer wore. I acquired a Zeiss lens this way a few ago – in this household, we call it “re-purposing assets”.  So really, the lens kinda came from bonus bucks. And as I’m married to another photographer (who shoots with Canon gear), the purchase of new gear for the communal kit bag never really requires much negotiation.

As well as terrorising my kitten all week with close up shots, I’ve played with water drops and leaves out in the backyard. I also have a collection of lego minifigs which find their way into all manner of mischef (and my photography).

When we were out for lunch today, I came across these little figurines. They apparently come from a cartoon series which I’ve never seen, but they looked like a bunch of interesting critters….endless macro fodder! I set up the light tent and had a bit of a play – at one point the kitten wandered into the light tent to see what all the flashing was about. Screwy cat!

The one business parallel I can draw from these little dudes, is that you constantly have to find a way to differentiate yourself – to stand out from the crowd. These little characters demand attention because they are quirky and different (they did with me, anyway!). They’re also a bit out there. Perhaps think about what you do that is different from every other photographer. Is it your photographic style? The way you process images? Your pre- and post-shoot service? Is it your marketing? It all ties in with my previous posts about articulating what you can offer to your potential clients.

Meanwhile, I invite your thoughts as to what each setof characters is saying to each other below 🙂

When your photos go viral

May 11, 2013

Photographer Ben Roberts recently wrote an excellent article for PetaPixel, about his thoughts on having photographs go viral.

Ben describes how his series of photographs, Amazon Unpacked, which were commissioned by the Financial Times Weekend Magazine to accompany an article published in February, have since gone viral on other news sites, blogs, Facebook pages and Tumblr sites.

It’s an interesting dilemma for photographers. Social media makes it easier than ever to promote and share your work, and it’s a great medium via which to build awareness of your business – but it can be so easy to lose complete control over where the images end up.

Despite acknowledging that the whole scenario has provided more exposure for Ben than he could have otherwise imagined, his main gripe about his photos going viral is that not one of the news outlets or sites that republished his images contacted him to seek permission – and many of the blogs published 8-12 of the 13 photos, giving the reader no incentive to seek out the original article.

The article goes on to discuss the big issue of “fair use” vs “theft”, and the comments which follow provide a great read – although confusion still seems to reign about the copyright and intellectual property laws that are applicable to cases like this.

I remember a case a couple of years ago, when Adele Enersen shut down her hugely successful blog, Mila’s Daydreams, because she was justifiably outraged that the gorgeous photos of her daughter were being used without permission all over the place. I believe she even identified examples of where the images were being used in advertising campaigns. The Mila’s Daydream blog is back online, and has a pretty clear (and firm) press and usage rights statement, but Adele has since started another blog.

Some of my photography buddies and I were discussing the article, and the things we do (or could do) to better secure our images:

• Don’t publish photos online at all (yes, this is extreme, but it prevents image theft!)
• If you are going to publish photos online, reduce their size substantially
• Use visible watermarks on your images
• Use programs such as Digimarc which digitally embed watermarks into your images
• Check out the Digital Watermarking Alliance, which has some great resources about digital watermarking.
• Have a press and usage rights statement (like the one on the Mila’s Daydream) blog, to at least outline your expectations about the use of your photos, and the laws which govern their use.

As a marketer, there’s a small part of me that wishes my photos (even just ONE!) would go viral in the way Ben Roberts or Adele Enersen’s images have. But as a photographer, I completely agree with the points Ben makes about the downside of this happening.

What are your thoughts about photos going viral over the internet?

Baby, you’re a firework!

Apr 14, 2013

It’s the first post of a brand new blog, and I’m super excited! As my friends will know, I’m a passionate photographer and am constantly amazed and inspired by so many photographers whose work I follow.

I’m also a passionate marketer, and have been marketing various products and services in Australia and internationally for over 15 years.

The purpose of this blog is to combine my passions and write about how photographers can better market themselves in order to develop and grow their businesses.

These days, creativity and technical skill alone do not guarantee the success of a photographer. Even having the best and latest gear won’t guarantee your success. Those photographers who clearly define their market, craft and refine their product, stay on top of their marketing and deliver great customer service, are more likely to succeed than those who do not.

From a professional and personal perspective, it’s been fascinating to watch how marketing has evolved over the last 15 years, and I have  watched with almost obsessive interest, how social media is impacting the way we live and do business.

With social media, I believe it’s easier and cheaper than ever to carve out targeted niches and create awesome businesses. On the other side of the equation, there are more people waving cameras around, calling themselves photographers – so competition is fierce, and the general public are wary.

“My mate has a pretty good camera, why would I need to hire you as a professional photographer at my wedding?” – I’m sure many photographers have come up against this line of questioning from prospective clients.

This blog is going to be dedicated to helping photographers better understand the many elements of marketing and business, and how to make it all hang together in order to grow your business! I’m going to share my own observations as well as call on professional photographers who are doing great things in their fields. What I love most about the photography community is the willingness to share ideas (and gear), and I want this blog to be the place were that happens.

If you have questions or ideas for future blog posts, feel free to contact me through the blog (see the Contact Us) page.

In the meantime, let’s get going on making your business POP!