Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 5000, ƒ/4, 1/100
I have been at the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference for the past few days. Over the years, many who have attended the conference have been members of either NPPA or ASMP. Many, like myself, have been members of both organizations.
Don Winslow, in the photo above, is the editor of the News Photographer Magazine for NPPA. I commented to him about combining the two organizations, and he said that would make a great blog post.
I am tired of being a naysayer about industry changes. I can continue to whine about them, or I can propose this idea that many of my friends and I have discussed over the years.
I think their members should combine them because when I looked around the room, I saw people like Stacy Pearsall, Anacleto Rapping, Brad Smith, and Dave Black, and none of them were the staff. They are now all freelancers or, a better term, independent contractors.
The most significant difference between the two organizations is that NPPA employed primarily staff photographers, while ASMP employed freelancers.
In an earlier blog post, I wrote:
You’ve probably heard that by 2020, 40% of the U.S. workforce will be independent workers. Today, there are already 53 million Americans (34% of the workforce) that fall into this category. That number is growing based on a number of factors. Some from employers who see this as a better choice and many employees who want more control over their lives as well.
Chauncy Lennon, who runs JPMorgan’s workforce initiatives said:
“The workforce of the past was organized around company. The workforce of the future is organized around the worker. If we can’t find the right people, it’s going to hurt our bottom line.”
Many NPPA members like Bill Bangham [pictured above] are joining ASMP for similar reasons to those I did in 1987. They see how important it is to help the freelancer.
NPPA has had to catch up with ASMP to help its members understand business practices.
Due to the decline in staff jobs and even the number of independent photographers, these two organizations have fewer members. At one time, the NPPA had a membership of 15,000+; today, they are closer to 5,000.
I believe that the members of both organizations have more in common than different and, therefore, would benefit from combining the two organizations.
I do not know how all this would happen, but I know they need each other more today than at any other time.
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the membership cost. So many NPPA members live in poverty or are so close that every little penny counts.
Here is Anacleto Rapping teaching a class at the workshop. He has always been on staff at the LA Times and Brooks Institute, but he has had to run his own business for the past couple of years. We need his talent and knowledge to help grow our industry.
Many NPPA members make around $24,000 salary. They don’t have the funds to join without employers paying their dues.
I know the cost of ASMP membership is well worth it for the freelancer. It is more valuable early in your career since they can help you navigate business better than going alone.
Since the executive director of ASMP was on the board of NPPA, and NPPA needs an executive director, why not combine the two organizations and let Tom Kennedy and the boards help lead us to a healthier organization rather than two struggling organizations?