Business Trends

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Maria Piscopo  |  Jul 05, 2011  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2011  | 
There’s no question that travel photography has long been a top pick when photographers look at career paths. The promise of seeing the world, making images, and getting paid for it all is a very attractive proposition. But does reality meet fantasy here? To find out we interviewed four photographers from the travel field to get their feedback on sales, marketing, and how they feel about the changes in the travel photography business. It is not an easy road. Photographers have had to adapt to new technology, to changes wrought by eCommerce, and to the shift from assignment work to stock sales. Each of these photographers have made many changes to compete successfully in this business.
Maria Piscopo  |  Jun 09, 2011  |  First Published: May 01, 2011  | 
While commercial advertising photographers (and other specialties) might be touched negatively by the economy and changing technology, event photographers continue to expand their work and markets. Yes, the economy has changed with every parent bringing a high-end digital camera to their kid’s school events. Yes, event photographers today must invest in equipment to print and sell photos online. But there is work here, for both the consumer and corporate event photographer.
Maria Piscopo  |  Apr 01, 2011  | 

Many photographers wonder about the state of stock photography now and in the future. There are many questions and a good deal of controversy about the answers. Some of the big questions include: how are traditional stock and microstock competing? Is there still money to be made in stock image licensing? How tough is it to sign up with a stock photo agency? Nature and travel images were once the...

Maria Piscopo  |  Mar 01, 2011  | 

With new technology and more savvy consumers, the wedding photography business has seen some big changes in the last few years. The photojournalistic “fad” has turned into an established style. The proliferation of digital cameras has turned everyone’s “Cousin Bill” into a photographer and has pushed the professional to create more and better services for their...

Maria Piscopo  |  Jan 01, 2011  | 

There is a long tradition of photographers giving workshops, either self-sponsored or within an established workshop organization structure. Workshops cover a wide range of topics, from fashion/beauty to nature/travel, and take place all around the world. Workshops can serve as both a marketing tool and an additional source of revenue, and while there are some who are constantly on the workshop...

Maria Piscopo  |  Dec 01, 2010  | 

These days every photographer and would-be writer has the ability to publish their own book. When you take it beyond the vanity press level, and look at it as a business venture, there are numerous pitfalls and considerations to be taken into account before you take the leap. To gauge the activity in this market, we talked to a number who have gone down the publishing road.

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Maria Piscopo  |  Nov 01, 2010  | 

Every workshop I give, someone asks, “How important is a website for marketing my work?” Marketing with a website is still a relatively new technology compared with print marketing, and most pros agree it mainly serves as an addition to the marketing mix and does not replace other tools. If there’s one thing I learned when researching this story, though, it’s that we are...

Maria Piscopo  |  Oct 01, 2010  | 

Next to people and products, fashion photography is one of the most popular areas of commercial photography. Images are used for a wide range of uses: to tell a story (editorial), to sell apparel (catalogs, websites), and to promote a fashion brand (advertising). Not to be confused with portrait photography, models are almost always used to achieve the highest level of focus on the products.

Maria Piscopo  |  Sep 01, 2010  | 

Like many aspects of commercial photography these days, the music industry has seen many changes that affect how a photographer finds clients and promotes their talents. One of the biggest changes, according to photographers we talked with for this story, is that there is no one single “contact” person anymore and that to broaden your scope you have to deal with numerous individuals...

Maria Piscopo  |  Aug 01, 2010  | 

As I did my research on model releases it became clear that this is not a black-and-white issue. The law and the practice of the law seem divided. The aim here, then, is to present you with a point of view that is both practical and supported by industry custom. First, let’s try to separate this discussion from copyright. Copyright law is the federal protection of your right as the owner of...

Maria Piscopo  |  Jul 01, 2010  | 

Getting work as a travel photographer has never been easy. Today, factors of the economy and technology have added obstacles that require even more knowledge and planning. The travel photographers we interviewed work with clients ranging from editorial to corporate and advertising. Each have their own story, but they all share certain thoughts about the business.

First, you cannot...

Maria Piscopo  |  Jun 01, 2010  | 

“I actually think that, as a society, we have a relatively clear understanding of copyright basics.”

Over the course of writing this column, I have received many questions on rights—copyrights, licensing rights, privacy rights, and model releases. When you contract with a client for photographic services, knowledge of these issues is critical to your business success and...

Maria Piscopo  |  May 01, 2010  | 

“The availability of professional-quality digital still cameras tempts many photographers to consider adding video to increase clients and business income.”

More consumer and commercial clients today want to add video to their still photographers’ assignments to get “one-stop shopping” service. The availability of professional-quality digital still cameras...

Maria Piscopo  |  Apr 01, 2010  | 

All of the photography business owners I spoke with emphasized that they need good assistants as much as the assistants need them. They mentioned two things above all: do good follow-up when looking for work and, when you get a job, stay focused on the shoot. Another common concern was the lack of marketing information for the photo assistant trying to find work with a photographer. Hopefully...

Maria Piscopo  |  Mar 01, 2010  | 

Nick Vedros (www.vedros.com) graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Photojournalism in 1976 and then quickly found his true passion in the world of commercial photography. From his Kansas City-based photo studio, Vedros has won top honors from the ADDY Awards, Effie Awards, Archive International, Communication Arts, the Top...

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