A popular myth maintains that those who know how to do something can teach others. Not True.

The ability to communicate a concept to another person and teach them is more than just knowing how to do something. Giving instructions has a lot in common with teaching. Giving assignments to creatives about something which can be very abstract requires more than an understanding of what you want. I know it when I see it isn’t a good teaching technique.

I have written this blog for two different audiences: 1) those giving assignments and 2) those doing those assignments.

Assignment Photography

Just because you know what you want from a photographer does not necessarily mean you know how to communicate it to a photographer for an assignment.  One of the biggest mistakes made in communication is making some assumptions.

Everything is “Clear Only If Known.” We can make assumptions as simple as telling someone directions and assuming they know where certain landmarks are along the way. Another example is telling someone to turn on something. Sometimes there are many steps to turning on something. They need to know where the place is to turn something on and sometimes there are multiple steps before it will turn on.

There are two standard ways many people making assignments like to communicate: 1) written and 2) spoken.

Most likely the person you are giving instructions to doesn’t do well reading or listening. To be sure you have covered your bases you are best served speaking to the person and sending them written instructions.

The problem with using only these two methods is there are some people who don’t listen and read instructions very well.  Understanding instructions can easily be linked to someone’s learning style. This is how they best learn to do something new.

You see there are seven different learning styles:

The Seven Learning Styles

    Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
    Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
    Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
    Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
    Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
    Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
    Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

One thing I think that can really help in addition to spoken and written assignments is some examples.  Many clients have given me and I have given to others have included visual examples.

Sometimes when the clients talks about a style or approach I will look for my own examples and send these to them for confirmation of an approach.

Besides conceptual approaches just the business side of the assignment can cause problems. For example, if a client needs photos sent to them electronically using a ftp site, then it is a good idea to do a dry run. I have done this to find out that the information they gave to me wasn’t correct. It is better to find that out before you are on a deadline.

The dry run is a great way to verify understanding of the instructions or at least most of them.

If you are the person giving the instructions then you want a balanced approach. Here are some tips that will increase the odds of understanding and implementation of your instructions.

1. Spoken instructions – Be sure to give your instructions orally and in person if possible. This helps with them asking you to repeat things and getting clarification. Your tone of voice also helps communicate. When in person your body language will also help inform them.
2. Written instructions – Be sure you also have all your instructions presented in writing. This will help you also review all your desirable outcomes. You have now a permanent record of your request. Sometimes this helps avoid problems in your voice tone or body language.
3. Visual examples – If you have examples of past assignments and what you liked from other photographers please send this to them. If you have examples of how it will run in a printed piece or a link to a website then send this as well. 
4. Test shots – Try to have a contact on site or be there yourself to look at what is being produced. You can ask the photographer to email you an example of what they have setup. Let’s say it is a portrait of the CEO. You can have a model stand in and take some test shots, then if the style and/or approach is off or just perfect you and the photographer can verify or make changes.

How do you learn best?

If you are on the receiving end of instructions you need to know your learning style to be successful. If you get an email asking you to take on an assignment and you know you are a verbal learner you may ask if they mind you calling them to clarify a few things.

When writing your contract it is always good to spell out the deliverable. I have even put photo examples into a contract and stated that the deliverable will be similar to what is in the contract.

Ask questions and clarify those expectations so you can meet and exceed their expectations. Even if everything is sounding really easy and routine, take the time and restate their expectations in your words to show you understand the assignment. It is very important when this is your first time working with someone to be sure you have complete understanding.

If you do better with written instructions and the person is just calling and not sending instructions ask them to send it in writing. Stress that you want to be sure they get exactly what they want and having the written instructions to refer to will help you. Now if they for some reason cannot send you instructions, make written notes. Be sure to stop and clarify points.

Use an App on your smartphone to record the phone call. Google Voice needs no introduction, its features and uses are well known, but one feature that not many know exists in Google Voice is the ability to record calls. This can be achieved by pressing the number four while in a received call. With the price of free and no hidden fees, Google Voice is a winner. If you really want to get a lot of features for phone calls that happen to include recording then go with Google Voice, you will not regret it.

Your self perception of the assignment is based on what you see and what you think or know and not what is actually there. What I am saying is that just because you are using the same language and words as the person talking to you or writing to you it is still very easy to have different interpretations as to what you are talking about. This is where having some samples of previous assignments to refer to will help you clarify the expectations. You might just follow up on the phone call and summarize your take on the assignment and then maybe attach or embed a photo or two saying this is an example of what they are looking for.

Your individual temperament and motivation are the personality traits that must be taken into consideration. Temperamental variables include impatience, mood swings, and a distorted perception of goals. As we get older we become more aware of how some of these traits of ours can interfere in our communications. If you like taking pictures and cannot see yourself doing anything other than this for a career and you have bills this will help motivate you to suck it up and learn to compensate for the few moments it takes to get an assignment.

You want to practice with some friends to be sure you are being perceived as a good listener and test to see if you are comprehending instructions. Even if you think you are polished it is a good idea to work on your replies that you will use with people. This is very important when you are maybe dealing with your own learning disabilities and need a few things from the person to help insure you are understanding them correctly.

You may find in practicing you need to work on your delivery so the tone of voice communicates your desire to help and not so blunt as it puts off people. Your friends can help you evaluate how you are coming across. It is much better to get experience through practice than with clients. Making the mistakes in practice will help you avoid a failure with a client.

Do a great job with a client and not only do you get repeat business they tell others about you. Do a bad job and the reverse is true.

Liliuokalani Park in Hilo, Hawaii located on Banyon drive.

One of the best ways to get a job is to have a job. We have heard this comment made to people looking for jobs or career change.

Some reasons for this being said so often:

•    It’s a lot easier to explain why you want a better job than why you were fired from your last one.
•    You are already plugged in
•    They say that a friend in need is a friend to avoid.
•    You are already battle tested. Someone else’s already taken the risk and keeping you

•    Saving clients on travel expenses.
•    Great way to show to your present clients and potential clients that other clients use your services
•    You are not a needy photographer
•    Shows you are thinking of them

Stanley at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

 

How do you consume photography?

I think way too many photographer wannabees are skipping past the most basic understanding of making a living as a photographer. Who buys photography? This is a basic question that is overlooked.

You would think that photographers themselves would be one of the largest consumers of photography. However, too many photographers don’t even buy photography themselves.

Now if a photographer isn’t moved to spend money on photography and they are one of the most interested in the subject why are non-photographers willing to spend money on it?

Here is a big clue to you as a photographer wannabee; if you are not purchasing images on your photography interests then it is a good indicator no one else is either.

If you want to be a sports photographer you should be subscriber to Sports Illustrated, the local newspaper or some other publications that use sports photos. If your attitude is those publications are not as good as they used to be and therefore that is why you are not taking them then maybe this is an insight to a dying area of photography.

Client needs an expert

First of all for the most part you need to be somewhat of an expert on a subject to truly make money shooting it today. People can take a photograph with today’s cameras themselves. They can even take a pretty good photo without our help.

Your understanding of the subject will help you to make photos that those are interested in the subject would appreciate.

When I took golf lessons the club pro started teaching me how to swing a golf club with a 5-iron.  Once I could hit this consistently straight we moved on to each of the different clubs to make minor adjustments. This is how most professional photographers end up working their entire lifetime in photography. They start with one area and master it and then transfer their photography skills to other subjects.

I started shooting for my college newspaper, which gave me a lot of access to shooting sports. While my camera skills were focusing on sports I was also majoring in social work, where I was being trained to understand body language and helping to apprehend people’s situations.

After college I was able to to continue to shoot sports for a regional newspaper. I was also able to take the social work training to help me capture better moments to help tell stories in every day life of people.

After moving on to shooting for a Christian mission agency I went to seminary to get more training, which helps me today to shoot for a variety of church groups and nonprofits. I was trained to understand the nuances in theology that helped me to communicate even more specialized messaging than just taking a picture of what I see in front of me–I am helping tell a story.

What are clients buying?

You really need to know who uses photos of any subject. I wrote a blog on this earlier and here is a link to it.

This requires some investigative skills. You need to trace the life of the photo to the consumer.

Sometimes you maybe so lucky to have an eureka moment. This is when you see a need that is going unfilled by professional photographers. You also realize you are an expert as much as any other photographer could be. This is when you can capitalize on an opportunity to fill a void.

Steve Jobs did this with Apple. The times Apple came out with new products that created new markets is how they dominated. Apple was first to introduce a graphical interface for computing in the 80s. They were the first to introduce the tablet. Most importantly Steve Jobs helped understanding how all your technology works together where you main computer is the digital hub between your smartphone, tablet, iPod and the cloud.

Having a eureka moment is the flip side of a saturated market.  You see something that you could be doing that no one else is supplying. This is really what can catapult you to financial success.

Sports as an example

Once you know the audiences for your photos, you should easily be able to see if your photos are what they’re using. Great example is that shots that can be used for a players page in a media guide is one of the staples in sports. A similar use for this photo would be trading cards.  Those photos are rarely so artistic that you cannot recognize the player.

When I wrote about race cars I pointed out how so many interested in NASCAR buy the opportunity to get their logo somewhere on the car.

Now the number one place for sports photos as far as income potential is a business that stands to make money from your photos. If you have such outlets then the potential for income is good.  Now if the places using photos doesn’t really make money off the photos (some blogs, editorial) then they cannot pay that much if anything for photos.

As far as sports go today, you need to shoot a lot of sports where you will make almost nothing to build a portfolio to rival not just those who already have those contracts but the long list of other hopeful photographers. 

There are more photographers willing to shoot for free sports than any other subject matter that I know of in photography.  You just don’t hear of photographers lining up to shoot a brides wedding for free just to get access to shooting weddings, but the number of photographers as sporting events doing it for free just to get access is ridiculous.

Many of these weekend shooters have disposable income that lets them afford better gear than many of the full-time pros. So having a 600 ƒ/4 and a 400 ƒ/2.8 doesn’t make you a pro and make your images look better any more.

I can tell you a long list of places to get access to build a portfolio, but I cannot tell you a single sports venue in Atlanta that will pay you a livable wage to shoot their sports. Most all those have people already on staff or contracted. All the area high schools parents of the athletes shoot the games for free and share the photos with each other. They may pay a pro to do the team photo and some posed shots of the players in uniforms. 

Most of the pros shooting sports that make a living are shooting for the equipment manufactures in addition to some of the editorial market and the combination gives them some income.  Most of these still must shoot other things to break even.

My suggestion is to follow the money rather than just what you want to shoot.  Find those sports no one is covering and they may pay you to shoot since they cannot get good photos. 

Portfolio

I cannot tell you how many times clients have asked if I had examples of a certain subject. You see many of them knew I could shoot, but needed to help others on their team know I have done that before.

You would be crazy to create a portfolio showing every type of subject to get hired, but my point is it is just as crazy to have a portfolio of images which doesn’t reflect what people are needing.

There are basically two types of photos you need in your portfolio: 1) Examples of what clients are buying and 2) Examples of things they might buy. The second type of photos are where you are showing things were not looking for, but once they see your work will want to have.

The examples of what they are buying will show how your work provides both the quality in the industry and hopefully a style that separates you from the pack of photographers.

Does your portfolio show the subjects you like shooting or does it show what clients are buying? Those making a living are showing what the customers are buying. The best photographers in the industry are doing both. They show what people are buying and it is what they enjoy shooting.

Studio Musicians

Professional artists are rarely satisfied with what they have produced. Ask a professional musician what of their work they feel like is just perfect for them and you will most likely hear nothing.

Pam Goldsmith is an emeritus winner of the ‘most valuable player’ award from the national academy of recording arts and sciences. Her viola playing has been heard on countless records, films and television shows. She is vice president of the American viola society and she also plays the viola d’amore. Her articles on the application of scholarly research to performance style have appeared in many journals.

Our family knows Pam because she was my brother-in-laws partner for more than 20 years. This spring our family is going to visit Pam.  Our daughter is looking forward to her first time meeting Pam and playing her viola for Pam.

The last time I was in LA I had dinner with Pam. This is when Pam shared how she was talking with her friends in the viola society and asking when was the last time they played something they liked. They all said they cannot think of one time.

Pam was listening to a piece of music on the radio and liked how the violist sounded. While listening she then heard a part of the music that gave it away–she was listening to herself. She said this was the first time she liked her work. It was by accident.

I could related to Pam’s comments as a photographer.

Portrait Photographers

Imagine being a school portrait photographer and trying to remain creative. Your photos all need to be similar so there is uniformity in the yearbook. To increase their sales these school photographers have been offering variations in addition to the traditional photo.  They now have costumes and props to help increase sales.

I am pretty sure that the initial reason for the offering came from a photographer feeling bored and looked for something to offer to keep their own sanity. They came up with some variations and then the sales went up.

For most of these photographers they send out order forms where the subjects must select what they want before they even are photographed.  This helps the photographers stay on schedule. It will not take long before you realize that there is very little room for different treatments.

Common Thread

What does the professional studio musician have in common with the professional studio photographer?

The musician and the photographer are both asked to do something that has been done to death.

The very best portrait photographers and musicians in the world are paid a great deal more than the rest of the musicians and photographers.  Why is there such a disparity between the studio musician playing on all the recordings for TV, movies and radio?  Why are some portrait photographers being paid insanely amounts of money for head shots and the rest of photographers are scrapping by?

Maybe the creativity edge is in the execution of the mundane rather than the unique.

I am an amateur trumpet player. I played in school and college in many different groups. All of these musicians enjoyed recordings of the musicians at the top of the profession. One of the groups many enjoy hearing in person is the White House United States Marine Band.

The band is known for impeccable execution of music.

Excellence is Execution and not Exploitation

photo by: Don Rutledge

My dear friend Don Rutledge’s photos make you always feel like the fly on the wall and you never feel like you are invading a personal space when you were not invited.

Take this photo of the young girl reading a book with the cats next to her. As you can tell she is awake and most likely aware of Don’s presence. You feel like you have been allowed by the subject into her personal space like a close friend.

Many photographer I see today go after the picture rather than the story. If they get right into you face and do so maybe when you are sleeping you can sense the lack of honor dignity and respect.

photo by: Don Rutledge

Don’s photos are not graphic gimmicks to pull you into the photo. They are straight forward and due to this approach the moments are so much more real and inviting to the viewer to join in the moment.

photo by: Don Rutledge

My favorite photo of all time by Don Rutledge is the Eskimo family in Alaska. You see the family as real people that even in the midst of extreme poverty you are not looking down on these people. You are enjoying a warm loving moment with a mother and her children welcoming guests to their home.

Think about it for a while, can you name just one other photo of an impoverished family where the honor, dignity and respect paid by the photographer has you enjoying them like this?  I find it so hard to think of any photos ever like this. I know they must, but they are rare.

Too many photographers are telling their stories and not the subjects. Let me show you how poor they are so you will feel sorry for them.

There is a powerful story where Jesus saw a widow give a mite at the temple for her offering. Jesus celebrated the giving not the poverty.  I think Don’s photos are as powerful as Jesus telling stories to teach us about the love of God.

Tips to remain creative

• Who are the photos for? Are they for the photographer or the client? Keep your focus first on meeting your objective and be sure it isn’t focused on you.
• Treat all your subjects with honor, dignity and respect–don’t exploit them
• While you need to try new things to see what will help you tell stories better–be sure they are not just gimmicks. To make this photo will I be grabbing a fantastic graphic image at the expense of the subjects.
• Shoot everything you do in a way that the people will want to invite you back. Be sure not just how you act while you are there is kind, but how the photos are used will be just as kind and respectful.
• Spend your efforts in executing flawless technical, aesthetic and moments which help tell the subjects story in the most accurate and truthful way.
• Be careful not to take the idiosyncrasies of a subject to make your photos stronger.

You will be surprised that doing the small things well takes a lot of creativity.  I think it takes more creativity to approach each job with the same enthusiasm you did when you first picked up the camera. While you may have done over a 100 portraits in a day, the person in front of you will be their first and only experience with you. Make this moment with them special as it was for you with the first person.

If you are still looking for a present for the photographer friend then consider a gift certificate to a workshop. If they don’t have one then give a VISA or AMEX gift card with a print out of the website to tell them you are giving them the funds to go to the workshop.

Difference between Photography Workshops/Seminars and College Programs

First of all for the most part all your Photography Workshops and Seminars are put on by working pros. Most of the college programs have people teaching who have academic credentials.

Some college programs do have working pros teaching, but this is the major advantage of a workshop and seminar. You get to talk to the pros shooting for National Geographic Magazine or Sports Illustrated.

They will teach you tips that will help you use what equipment you already have better and the recommendation for new gear will help you navigate that next purchase.

I continue to go to workshops and help put them on as well. I just attended earlier this month the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar.  That was a great refresher for me and a chance to talk to other pros doing what I am doing.

Advice to Students

If you are in a college program you need to go to a workshop/seminar to help you meet people in the industry. You may find a great place for an internship.

I have learned more in a week workshop doing nothing but photography than I did in college classes. One of the best reasons for this is that is all you are doing when you are there.

You don’t stop after an hour and then go take an English class and then later to a history class. You are not working on other papers and projects at night that are not related to photography.

One of my favorite programs is the Youth With A Mission’s School of Photography. This is a 12 week photography program where guest speakers are brought in to get the students hands on training.

Many of the students have gone on to create their own businesses in photography and many have incorporated photography into other careers.

Tips to make the most of a workshop/seminar

• Always have business cards. Gives you opportunity to share with not just the speakers, but those in class with you.
• Always have a portfolio with you. With iPads, Laptops and photo books you should never not have your most recent portfolio to show for feedback and to help you grow.
• Eat with the instructors if you can. Ask them if they have meal plans and take them to lunch.  This will be your best investment ever. Ask questions and listen. Don’t take them to lunch to tell them all about you. 
• Take notes.
• Write down notes from speakers
• Audio record them if they will let you.  Always ask first.
• Take notes with your camera. (again ask)
• Get to know as many of those in your class as you can. Sometimes the people sitting next to you are just as valuable of a resource as the teachers.

Cost saving tips

• Register earlier to take advantage of discounts
• Find the social media pages for the workshops. This is a great way to share rides or even rooms. I find many college students will fit a few people into a hotel room and save.
• Find out if Nikon or Canon and sometimes a camera store will provide free cleaning for your cameras. They may limit how many items, but if they will clean two cameras that can save you $30 to $50 for each camera.
• Try and eat at the meeting space rather than driving all around for lunches and dinners. You will find many of the speakers eat right on site to save on time. You can pack a sandwich and get something small just to sit at their table with other attendees.
• Always let people know you are going that are potential jobs in the area. If you go to a college be sure and check to see if any of the sports teams are playing nearby. going early or staying later you may tag on a paying assignment which will help lower your costs.

Southwestern Photojournalism Seminar’s
2-Minute Shows 

This is March 1 – 3, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. They still have some slots left for the student practicum that takes place February 28 – March 1.

2-Minute Shows: The conference has a great opportunity that I don’t know any other seminar or conference offers. The first 45 to signup can show their work to everyone in 2 minutes or less.  This is such a great tradition that everyone loves to see everyone’s work.

If you come to SWPJC and do not sign up for the 2-Minute Show you will have missed a great opportunity–especially if you are trying to get jobs or do this professionally in the long run.

My suggestion to any photographer who wants to be sure their loved ones know what they want for Christmas is to forward this email to them and suggest a workshop you might want to attend.

When you do page setup in Microsoft products you get to choose between Portrait or Landscape.  Many other computer software programs have the same terms for how you want to print on a rectangular sheet of paper.

Language barrier

Abbott and Costello performed the classic “Who’s on first?” baseball sketch in their 1945 film “The Naughty Nineties.”  Here is the video clip of that classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M  If you have never watched this skit I highly recommend it. Sometimes in my household we have these conversations. We come to things from different perspectives.

When talking to your photographer you could easily be having this same skit except it would be about photography instead of baseball.

This is a landscape photograph taken in Cades Cove, Tennessee.

This is a portrait photograph taken in a home.

Portrait and Landscape

In photography these terms refer to a style of photography. When you are taking portraits the person is the main emphasis over objects. Portrait photography can be of one person or a group.

Landscape photography is another style of photography.  Landscape is about photographing nature vistas.

Neither of these terms portraits or landscape in photography are used to refer to orientation of the print.

While many cameras use the rectangular format there are many cameras that use the square format like the Polaroid camera and a Hasselblad.

Telling a photographer you need a portrait photograph when you are referring to the orientation of the print can get you into the Abbott and Costello sketch of “Who’s on first.”

Use the terms vertical and horizontal when referring to orientation of the final photograph.

When printing on a Mac the screen that will pop up will look like this where you are picking a graphic and not words to help you with the orientation. The one on the left is vertical and the one of the right is horizontal.

One of the places I worked in the past before the computer had really come to be so dominate would ask for vertical or horizontal photos. I would give her what she asked for and then she would be quite upset.

I would find her note and show her she did ask for what she got–her problem was she didn’t no what vertical or horizontal really were. She had them confused so often she started to draw out the orientation.

When you talk with your photographer or when photographers talk with their clients be sure you are talking the same language.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 2200, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

I was talking to my friend Gil Williams about how I look for photo assistants. Gil started his career in Atlanta doing photo assisting in the 1990’s.

We were talking about the do’s and don’ts of assisting.

Do’s

• Show up early
• Always ask about how to dress for the job
• Keep track of all equipment during a job
• Always be a second set of eyes. Pay attention and see if lights are flashing for example.
• Have your own little emergency kit. Keep things like a leatherman, gaffers tape, spring clips, etc.
• Look for ways to be helpful. 
• Be first to grab all the bags and carry them.
• Keep positive attitude all the time

Nikon D4, 85mm, ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/60

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/8, 1/160 with off camera flashes

My final image for this photo shoot was to be used as a Black and White in a book. To be sure the quality was as high as I could get I did a few things for this photo.

First, I communicated to the subject that please do not wear white and wear a solid color. While I could do everything technically right, the offset printing can be hit and miss. Not all black and white photos print the same on certain type of papers and one of the first places this will show up is either in the whites or the blacks.

Here you can see the photo as I shot it in color. One of the first things I was aware of in this photo was the hand gun. It is solid black. If I am not careful this would be turn out to be just a solid black object with no details.

I decided to use two hot shoe flashes to help give me 5500º Kelvin temperature light, which would give me the greatest dynamic range.

Photo by: Ken Touchton

My friend Ken Touchton was with me and took a couple shots of me working. Ken knows I do this blog and while I wasn’t using one of my cameras took some photos of me working.

I am using a Nikon SB-900 and a Nikon SB-800 on PocketWizard Flex TT5, which are held on to the Manfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stands with a Manfrotto 175F Justin Spring Clamps with a Flash Shoe.  To trigger the flash from the camera I am using the PocketWizard Mini TT1 with the AC3 to control the flash output in the TTL mode.

When I first started shooting the black ground went totally black, because I had the ISO set at 100.  I cranked the ISO up to 3200 so that the background isn’t going black.

While the window light would normally work well, it was an overcast day. So this wasn’t 5000º Kelvin temperature light. More like deep shade light in terms of color temperature.

I am shooting at ƒ/8 to keep the depth-of-field somewhat in focus from the subject to the gun.

In many ways this is similar reason to use a flash as when I shoot indoor sports under Sodium Vapor lights. I just want to clean up the light and take the quality to the next level.

The energy you exude has a lot to do with the jobs. Smile, laugh and be positive in your interactions and you will find clients will seek you out.

As a visual consultant for companies I am occasionally hiring photographers as well as shooting. I can tell you hiring photographers to shoot jobs has been one of the best experiences.

I wish I could have had this experience earlier in my career and I think I would have been better at negotiating.

Disclaimer: I am not the expert on this, but what I am sharing is my perspective and may help you working with other clients.

Who do I hire most often and why?

The first person I call is capable of doing the job and I enjoy working with them. Often this would be a good friend who I know can not only deliver, but will carry themselves in a way that all those they come in contact with will be pleased.

My database of photographers:

Friends – They call, email, Facebook and in general we keep in touch. The key here is I hear from them as much if not more than I am contacting them. 

Acquaintances – Photographers who I have met and seen their work. Many of these people have been to the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference that I help staff each year. Many others I have met at ASMP, NPPA and the Atlanta Photojournalism Conference. There are still others I have met while shooting events for news services. 

Friend of a friend – I like to think of these as blessed by people I trust. I need a photographer in a city and I don’t have connections to anyone there, but my friends do. Linkedin refers to these people as in your “network.” So while I have 1,224 connections on Linkedin I have 26,373 people in my “network.”

Photographers I think who do this well

Ken Touchton – Ken’s number one way of connecting is the telephone. I learned that on Sunday nights that Ken makes a list of those people he needs to contact this week.  He will call 5 new people and then he has a list of his clients that he will call that week to touch base.  When Ken calls he picks up where the conversation left off. How’s was your kid’s soccer game? How did your meeting go? 90% of the conversation is about how I am doing in life and only 10% is about business. Those questions are usually what are you working on.  Ken’s customers are often telling him they love hiring him because when he shows up he always has a smile.

Esther Havens – Twitter and Facebook are her ways of reaching out and she is touching base with so many people. She shares her life with her friends through Facebook and connects to the rest of the world with Twitter. Her content is so cool that people are sharing it with their friends and so on.  She has 4, 411 friends on Facebook and 9,450 followers on Twitter.  The girl is well connected.

Here is a typical tweet from Esther: The September Campaign hit its goal and 26,000 people in Rwanda will soon drink clean water http://charitywater.org/september http://instagr.am/p/Svzj_GGhF8/ 

Billy Calzada – Just always greets me with a smile in person and on the phone. Yes your smile shows on a phone. I always feel like I am talking to a good friend whenever I call Billy. He always wants to help. He is a great negotiator as well. His way of negotiating is low key and asking if he can do something. He doesn’t tell you he needs something. To me he is really asking the same thing, but the attitude makes you want to help the guy.  You need to just meet Billy and you will know what I am talking about. Everyone seems to like Billy.

These are just three photographers I think who create an atmosphere around them that makes you want to work with them. By the way not one of them is working for free or cheap these days. All three of them are making a living and have for many years as photographers.

How to answer the phone

After calling around the country and talking to many photographers the past few weeks for a project I am working on I have some tips for how to answer the phone for a job.

First sound excited to be talking with them. As they tell you about the job, even if you will turn it down sound excited about their project.

Be careful not to jump to quickly to the calendar. Yes you will need to see if you are available and you do need to get to this point right away to see if you can do the job, but remember you are also auditioning for future jobs and not just this one.

If you are available communicate it like you just won something verses a flat response. Remember it isn’t the words you choose, but how you say it. You can say, “I am available” and sound excited or disappointed.

If you are not available also communicate with emotion your disappointment. “I am sorry I am booked, would you like me to get you someone for you?,” is an appropriate response.

Negotiating price. No customer needs to hear about your Cost-of-Doing-Business.  If they communicate a lower price than you hoped for, it is OK to respond with disappointment. However, do this in moderation.

You can say, “The rate is lower than what I normally get for this type of job. Do you mind paying for mileage in addition?” They can respond one of three ways: 1) Yes; 2) No or 3) Maybe or a little hesitation.  The last response is where you really need to listen for tone. Do they feel backed into a corner or something else? Give them time to respond.

Be careful at this point and if you negotiate farther to get them to come up don’t push it too far. Know your client at this point. Some clients may expect a little more back and forth, but some find this a turnoff.  Know which type of client you have. After going to junior high and high school in New Jersey I can tell you they negotiate a lot different than where I was born in North Carolina. Know the culture of the person you are negotiating with and you have better chance.

If they cannot move on the price this is where you must make a choice—accept the job or turn down the job.  If you take it—do the job with the same upbeat attitude as if you got the price you wanted.

Ask clarifying questions to be sure you know exactly how they want this shot. Be sure you understand their concept. Ask them to send examples if you are unclear. Offer an idea or two to see if it is OK for you to try something for them.

How not to answer the phone

Answering the phone with an attitude of let me wait and see. Let me hear about your project and then I will respond if I like it or think it stinks.  This comes across even if they cannot see you.

Don’t turn your negotiation into a lecture on how low their prices are for the market.

Don’t ask whose crazy idea was this to shoot it this way. You could offer some ideas and see if they are interested, but if they don’t bite on your idea, be careful that you are not communicating you have better ideas than the one they are giving to you.

If you don’t ask any clarifying questions you can communicate you know it all or are not very attentive.

It boils down to just one thing

Do everything you can to develop a friendship with those you want to work with.

Now if you are having a hard time wanting to do this, then it is time to market yourself until you find those clients you want to become friends with. After all wouldn’t the dream job be working with friends?

As you can see by my go to list, I work from friends to acquaintances to my larger network. I am sure most everyone else works in a similar fashion. You will not become best of friends with all those who hire you, but at least move from the fringes of their network to an acquaintance. 

Bill Bangham, Gary & Vivian Chapman and Ken Touchton sit on the front row of the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar in Atlanta on Saturday, December 1, 2012.

Industry Workshops and Seminars

Why do pros who have twenty, thirty, forty or more years of experience continue to go to workshops? You would think they know all there is to know about photography. Well for the most part they do know most everything to do for what they are currently doing. Sure they could use a tidbit here or there, but most photographers are not going to learn a tidbit at these workshops.

Michael S. Williamson is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who joined The Washington Post in 1993 after working for the Sacramento Bee from 1975-1991. He taught at Western Kentucky University (1991-93).

Review

Michael Williamson titled his talk to us “It Ain’t The Tool. It’s The Fool.” He was helping us to understand it isn’t about all the gear it is the what you do with it. While teaching at Western Kentucky University Williamson had two things he required the photographers put on the back of their cameras.

1. What am I photographing?
2. What am I trying to say with the photograph?

Michael Schwarz captures some of the event with his DSLR as video and is helping to put together a package on what the conference is all about.

1. Learn how to work your camera
2. Learn how to be a storyteller
3. Learn how to create a vision (How to find a story)
4. Continue to learn all you can about tools that will help you tell the story more effectively
5. Learn to collaborate

David Gilkey is a staff photographer and video editor for NPR, covering both national and international news. He has produced award-winning photo essays, videos and multimedia presentations for NPR.org, as well as radio reports for NPR.

National Public Radio

Besides calibrating myself, I was able to get my camera checked out and cleaned by Nikon. Hey there are many things to calibrate if you are a digital visual storyteller today.