I have now woken up to the fact that despite all the "expert" opinions on marketting claiming that blogging is essential for modern business (what a load of crap) that in fact blogging is for GWC's and wannabes, and actually getting out and photographing and flogging photos is what real photographers do , and in fact what they have always done.
Therefore this blog will only be added to when there is something important to say, purely related to flogging photos, or when the weather, the relatives or the general nature of the world prevents me from actually living a life.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Haunting the Internet
Doing business via the internet is a modern day reality , not only for a photographer, but just about every one else who wants to stay in business:- this usually means full email inboxes with lots of interesting information hidden within.
Some emails however are a bit beyond reality, even from those who should know better: for instance amongst the stock photos wanted lists recently:-
action photos of Genghis Khan in battle:
photos of prison ships and convicts arriving in Australia:
and believe it not:-
a picture of Moses parting the waves.
At least this requestor had the good sense to add (although ignoring copyright) "a photo of an illustration will do".
But it is emails from "ordinary everyday people" which stretch the sense of good humour to the limit!
The daily dose of young (and not so young) women wishing to become models is probably the bane of every photographer, and while endeavouring to answer every email I receive with some constructive advice, I have given up explaining that modelling is a job needing dedication, talent, training and hard work, and not something to turn to when you can't get a "real job". And of course the largely vain hope that one in perhaps a thousand emails may reveal some inate talent to be nurtured, still lingers.
But it's the emails from the "boys" which provide the most perverse humour tickling insight into humanity at large. I seem to average one of these emails a week, all very much the same, and I quote: "If ya eva wanna a guy for male/female photoshoots jus gimme a bell"
Which to me says far more than I ever wish to contemplate, doesn't it?
Some emails however are a bit beyond reality, even from those who should know better: for instance amongst the stock photos wanted lists recently:-
action photos of Genghis Khan in battle:
photos of prison ships and convicts arriving in Australia:
and believe it not:-
a picture of Moses parting the waves.
At least this requestor had the good sense to add (although ignoring copyright) "a photo of an illustration will do".
But it is emails from "ordinary everyday people" which stretch the sense of good humour to the limit!
The daily dose of young (and not so young) women wishing to become models is probably the bane of every photographer, and while endeavouring to answer every email I receive with some constructive advice, I have given up explaining that modelling is a job needing dedication, talent, training and hard work, and not something to turn to when you can't get a "real job". And of course the largely vain hope that one in perhaps a thousand emails may reveal some inate talent to be nurtured, still lingers.
But it's the emails from the "boys" which provide the most perverse humour tickling insight into humanity at large. I seem to average one of these emails a week, all very much the same, and I quote: "If ya eva wanna a guy for male/female photoshoots jus gimme a bell"
Which to me says far more than I ever wish to contemplate, doesn't it?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
How do I become a photographer ?
And in these days when anybody with a mobile phone thinks he can make a fortune selling pics from Flickr and the microstock sites, making a liviing as a photographer isn't easy.
Apart from needing at least a quality digital SLR with a couple of interchangeable lenses, so you can at least be versatile and produce varying compositions on the subjects you choose to specialise in, you need plenty of time to create, edit and upload, asndf more importantly, market your best (and only your best) pics.
two points there worth repeating : 1-specialise in a subject or a couple of subjects, and become known as an expert producing quality pics in those areas
and 2-work on ratio of about 60/40 marketting and self promotion/picture taking
And then, maybe you will begin to make inroads on the long track to becoming a successful photographer, and maybe eventually you may also become a professional.
Apart from needing at least a quality digital SLR with a couple of interchangeable lenses, so you can at least be versatile and produce varying compositions on the subjects you choose to specialise in, you need plenty of time to create, edit and upload, asndf more importantly, market your best (and only your best) pics.
two points there worth repeating : 1-specialise in a subject or a couple of subjects, and become known as an expert producing quality pics in those areas
and 2-work on ratio of about 60/40 marketting and self promotion/picture taking
And then, maybe you will begin to make inroads on the long track to becoming a successful photographer, and maybe eventually you may also become a professional.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Welcome
This blog, when viewed in conjunction with www.thedefinitearticle.smugmug.com is meant to be nothing more than the sometimes inspiring, oft times knowledgeable and at all times provocative, frustrating and annoying ramblings from the confused, biggotted and awe-inspiring mind of a working photographer of almost forty years experiience, as he goes about the daily existence of keeping ever aging life and soul together with a camera in hand.
Written basically to entertain myself by causing argument and hopefully friction amongst the current crop of artisans, artists, vagabonds and miscreants who ply or aspire to, the trade of picture taking, I hope also that someone, somewhere, be they carrier of Hasselblad or mobile phone camera, will maybe find their own small pearl in the tons of excrement.
Written basically to entertain myself by causing argument and hopefully friction amongst the current crop of artisans, artists, vagabonds and miscreants who ply or aspire to, the trade of picture taking, I hope also that someone, somewhere, be they carrier of Hasselblad or mobile phone camera, will maybe find their own small pearl in the tons of excrement.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)