Making Travel Photography Pay

Airports offer great opportunities for producing concept stock photos.

A Strategy To Make Travel Photography Pay Off

Invariably the travel I undertake facilitates stock photography that not just pays for the trip, but generates considerable profit as well. The one caveat here is that it can take years to reach the level of revenue to qualify as profit, but that is true of most investments and something that I take into consideration when planning my travel. What I am going to share here is my strategy to utilize travel to generate stock photos that sell.

Travel and Concept Stock Photos

The key, for me, to making travel pay is to take more than just travel pictures, but also to create concept stock photos. Travel offers a great opportunity to open one self to new possibilities, especially photography possibilities. In a new and different environment, senses are awakened and one sees through fresh eyes. Seeing through fresh eyes is a potent enhancement to creativity.

Fresh Eyes, Intent, and Stock Photos That Sell

Seeing through fresh eyes unlocks creativity: Adding intent turns that creativity into action and results. For me, that intention is to find concept stock photos. That search for stock photos begins even before I get to the airport. On the Airporter, on my way to the airport, I have my camera in hand and am shooting out the window, down the aisle, through the windshield. On my last trip to the airport I sat in the “shotgun” seat and was shooting the oncoming traffic, blurry from the raindrops on the windshield of our bus. Did I get some great stock photos? Well, not in that particular case, but I think you get my point. Travel gives me the stimulation and the opportunity to get concept stock photos that sell.

Airports, Tarmac and A Concept Stock Photo

Airports are a goldmine for concept stock photography. In a recent trip to Thailand I shot through the glass of the passenger lounge at the tarmac below. The light was soft and warm, the surface textured with interlocking paving stones, and cropped just so, free of aircraft and vehicles, but still with the markings identifying it as an airport. I did not know how I would use that image, or even if I would use it, but into my archives it went. Last week I had a few moments to peruse my images from that trip and I when I saw that airport shot I paused. I loved it, but what could I do with it? Then it hit me. All I had to do was add a single suitcase and I had a concept stock shot about loss, risk, challenge and who knows how many other concepts…and an image that had plenty of room for cropping in various formats and the placement of headlines and copy. It may take some time, but that image is going to bring in some significant revenue.

Iconic Destination Shots, Detail Pictures and Tourists Enjoying Themselves

As I mentioned, shooting stock photos is an investment. Like any good investor I think it astute to diversify my portfolio (stock photos in this case). I try and shoot everything. From Tribal people in their daily life, to airliner travel I am always looking for a wide variety of travel imagery. Things to look for include  “iconic” destination shots, particularly ones that I can put my own twist to, detail and pattern shots, and especially these days, shots of tourists enjoying themselves in exotic locales.

Concept Stock Photos and A Profitable Travel

Travel photography is an investment, and like any investment, safety lies in diversity. By adding concept stock photos to the traditional travel shots the chances of creating a profitable photography trip are greatly enhanced.

Former Getty Staff Photographer Siri Berting Interviewed

Siri Berting, freelance photographer and former Getty Editor, Art Director and staff photographer.

Siri, I first came to know you as my editor at Getty Images.  I went through a number of editors at Getty, so I don’t really remember the circumstances of losing you…but here you are all these years later with almost 5,000 images on Getty, a slew of awards including the Communication Arts Photography Annual, and what looks like a pretty enviable career as a freelance photographer.

Can you catch us up on how you ended up as an editor at Getty…and in turn how you transitioned into photography?

I am a firm believer that you need to ask for what you want. I wanted to be an art director. I wanted to work with the photographers and be involved in the image generation process. Since I was already employed there as a Digital Coordinator (better term for data entry) I asked often to work closer with the creative’s and one day I was finally given the chance to try my hand at being a photo editor. 6 months later I was promoted to Art Director and from there my path opened up in front of me.

 A few years later I saw things changing in our department and saw an opportunity to make a move for a Staff Photographer position. My goal, since high school actually, has always been to be a photographer so while I loved being an Art Director I knew I had to jump on the opportunity. So again, I asked and made my interests known to my boss. Then the opportunity to be involved in a multi photographer shoot, as one of the photographers, was offered to me. So I put my heart and soul into it, worked my butt off and proved myself. That night driving home from the shoot I saw a shooting star fly right past my car window, in downtown LA no less, and I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. The universe confirmed it.

I am dying to know what life was like as a staff photographer at Getty. Can you share some of your experience with us?

Life as a staff photographer is great. You have resources, ideas, support staff, gear, a budget and people who ultimately want to see you succeed. It was a dream job. We were always shooting different things and always learning and expanding creatively and technically. No two shoots were ever the same. Plus, since I had been working with most of the people for many years, we had an easiness in our communication. I was always hustling to get the shot and move on. If I was sitting still for too long I wasn’t shooting enough. If something wasn’t working, or a model wasn’t conveying the right emotion, I had to find a way to make it work. For example, one day I was shooting at the beach. I was my own art director on set so I called all the shots. It was REALLY windy that day and my nice calm workout-on-the-beach shots were just a mess of hair and teary eyes. So we changed gears used the motor home as a windbreaker and figured out some other concepts to shoot that would work with the wind. I think a lot of photographers would have given up in the gale, but I had to come home with pictures so I found a way to make it work. That is what it means to be a staff stock photographer. You always find a way to make saleable images even if you go off script a bit. There was pressure to fulfill the price-per-picture, but there was freedom to creatively make the shots happen.

 In regards to the process, we would have a general concept we would focus on for 3 months or so i.e. technology in the workplace. We would brainstorm shoot ideas around this concept and then those ideas would get assigned to an art director to manage. Since I had been an art director and knew the drill sometimes I would be assigned to take a shoot from a germ of an idea, flesh it out, produce it and shoot it. I owned the project from start to finish. Other times though I would be shooting another art directors idea, helping their idea come to a visual form.  Then once the projects were divvied up they would get on the calendar and the team would get to work to make them happen.

What was the biggest challenge for you as a Getty staff photographer?

I would say because of changes in photography at the time, the biggest challenge was making the transition from film to digital. I fought it for a long time but ultimately I feel quite fortunate to have gone through the transition, with all the resources Getty had to offer, available to me. I wasn’t alone in the transition; the whole team was making the switch from shooting to workflow.

As a creative person though, I would say my biggest challenge as a staff photographer was finding a sense of self and personal style in my work. Because I had to shoot everything and anything, I never felt like I really had an opportunity to perfect my brand of images. It wasn’t until some time away from Getty, and some help of consultants and my rep, that I was actually able to find myself in all 4500 images I had shot for Getty and see how I was going to market myself as a freelance photographer.

What was the best part of shooting for Getty?

The best part about shooting for Getty was, not having to market myself to get work and not having to negotiate budgets with a client. I won all the jobs automatically. With 20/20 hindsight I see what a luxury that was. Nevertheless, if you asked me this question while I was working at Getty I would have said the best part was that I could shoot basically whatever I wanted within reason. If I had an idea I could bring it to life and find a way to make it work within a budget. Plus I really honed my skills at conveying a concept or moment that speaks to people in one image.

I can’t help but think that with your art direction background, with years of what I would imagine would be pretty intense shooting, specifically for stock, and with all the research available from Getty, you must know as much about shooting stock as anyone.  What tips can you pass on to us about what makes a great stock photo…and or a great stock photographer?

The thing that makes the best stock photos in my mind is a connection between the subject and viewer, easy read, and clear concept. People aren’t just smiling in front of the camera but they are living in front of the camera and the photographer is just documenting that. It is not as easy as it sounds though. A stock photographer needs to be able to look at the scene they are shooting and ask themselves “What is the point? What is the Moment to capture in this set up?”

I track all of my stock sales…and when I review the sales history I always come to the same conclusion…everything sells…and I can seldom predict which images well be those stellar ones.  Do you track your sales…and if so, does your sales history help you in producing new stock imagery?

I do track my sales, only my sales that I have submitted while not at Getty though. In this market I don’t think looking at my stock sales is the best way to gauge what I should do next. Right now only the safe imagery seems to be selling. The areas in stock I want to focus on moving forward are areas where I don’t have any imagery in that subject. For example I shoot a lot of lifestyle for my portfolio and some of that makes it into stock, but I need to focus on shooting more business concepts in order to fill out my stock offering. It is very similar to investing ones finances. It is not a good investment to have all your eggs in one basket.

Do you research the needs of agencies…scout out where the “holes” in their collections are?  If so, how do you go about that?

I will do that on a shoot-by-shoot basis if I have something come up that I am going to shoot for stock. I look at collections asking myself “How can I make this different from what they already have?”.

Where does your inspiration come from? Magazines, Catalogs, Movies, Large group photography shows?

Usually an idea starts from something I saw in a magazine or in a movie. They are usually lighting ideas I want to try or concepts and moods that I want to explore. Then the idea will sit and germinate a bit in my mind until another image will spark it back up. I like when different parts of an idea are generated by different inspirations. My final idea might congeal after another spark of inspiration. So my ideas come from all over. If I need to come up with an idea or want to plan a new shoot for my portfolio, I can actually very easily look through a pile of tear sheets or magazines and then spend some time delving into those pictures in my mind. From there I go on a little mental visual journey, pulling from my inspiration bank and let the images I want to create come to me.

Are there any photographers that you particularly are inspired by?

Amanda Marsalis, Mona Kuhn, Lisa Wiseman, Dana Neibert, Henri Cartier Bresson, Edward Burtynsky, Phillip Toledano, Richard Misrach, Robert Polidori, Christa Renee, Margaret Bourke-White, Nick Onken, Duane Michals to name a few

Some stock shooters I know plan their shoots out a year ahead of time, while others like to be spontaneous to a fault. How do you work?

I have a list of stock shoots I would like to do, mostly smaller things with clear concepts that I can pull together pretty simply or known perennial needs that I haven’t done yet. When I get some free time I look at my list and see what I might want to do and who is available to me to shoot.

Do you have any target number about how much per image you need to limit yourself to for productions costs?

At this point a lot of my financial resources are going into marketing my freelance career so most of my stock stuff is shot on the cheap or for trade.  I can do a lot with very little and that comes from my experience working at Getty, pre-visualizing shots, getting to the core of the moment and finding great faces and personalities.

As an art director, what kinds of common mistakes did you see photographers make when shooting stock?

Not moving around enough. Stuck on a tripod. Putting everything in the center of the frame. Just by moving ones POV a little bit can really change the meaning of an image or create a nice composition with space for copy etc.

One of the most successful stock photographers (Sam Diephuis) I know also edits the most tightly…and in the gang shoots I have participated in with him, he gets the most accepts. He theorizes that making it easier for the art director or editor influences things in his favor. Is there any truth to that theory?

Absolutely. An editor’s job and natural instinct is to edit out, so if you take the guesswork out for the editor and provide different points of view on the same subject you will have better chances of increasing your selects. It is much more refreshing for the eyes of an editor to see a couple of very different shots back to back rather than editing from a string of sisters just looking for the best expression. This comes back to my comment about the biggest mistake for a photographer is to not move around.

Any other advice for those of us (that still have editors or art directors) who would like to make our editor’s lives a little easier?

 I don’t think it is about making their lives easier. I think it is about getting as many images into the collection as possible. Editing tighter is good so there is not a lot of repetition to be edited out. Gifts at Christmas were always appreciated too.

How are you finding assignment work different than shooting for Getty?

 I find on assignment the pace is a lot slower. The shoots don’t have the same hectic pace of a stock shoot. Some times I think to myself “Really, that’s it? But we could do so much more.” If a client only needs 6 shots in a day I wonder what they want me to do with the other half of the day? Nevertheless, I think clients appreciate that I can move fast, find the shot, nail it and move on. When it comes to library jobs that is a good skill to tout.

What other agencies do you work with?

Corbis, Moodboard, Blend

What is your strategy for allotting images to various agencies?

One strategy is thinking about which images haven’t had fresh work of mine uploaded in a while. Then I might do a shoot to that agency or collection to refresh my offering. Another strategy I use is to research what other agencies are offering in my selected subject matter that I would like to submit and then see where the imagery might be best suited for maximum sales. In the instances when I am shooting a subject that I know will sell, but might not knock the socks off of an editor, I will put it into Photographer’s Choice on Getty Images.

Do you sell any of your stock photos directly?

No I don’t sell my stock directly. I will make lightboxes from the different agencies I am with and send them to clients if they have specific requests. I see this trend in a lot of editorial clients trying to fill their picture needs. They might not be commissioning shoots but will just put a call out for images in the subject matters they need. So that is when the light boxes come in handy.

Do you think personal branding is or will be important for stock photographers?

No I don’t think personal branding of a specific photographer really matters in stock. It wasn’t during the heydays of stock so I don’t think it will be now when things are becoming even more homogenized.

Do you believe that social media is important for stock photographers to engage in?

I don’t feel social media is important for stock photographers to market their stock images that are with agencies. If they handle their own stock requests like Erickson Stock then it could be beneficial to their business.  To promote a freelance commercial business though I think social media is very important. It is just another way to tap into clients and keep in contact with them.

As far as the future goes, can you offer your thoughts on Rights Managed, Royalty Free…and heck, even micro stock?

You would think I would have some insight into this since I have been working in stock for so many years, but honestly I don’t know. The market has changed a lot since I worked for Getty due to the economy and onslaught of digital. Nevertheless, I think it comes down to the client and where they feel comfortable shopping. It is akin to the whole business model that Gap Inc. has with their brands Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy. They each have the same types of clothes items, ie jeans, suits, sweaters, lounge wear but with different production value and geared towards a different client/ demographic on a whole, with occasional crossover. I think a good stock shooter, who is in it to maximize the business of it, will have imagery in all platforms: RM, RF and Micro. Then their images will come up for all kind of searches by all kinds of clients, giving them greater potential to make sales from those different markets. I can’t say that I have personally organized my stock business like this, if stock was my sole focus for photography I would spend a lot more time on putting more eggs in more baskets.

How do you decide on whether to put an image or a shoot into RM or RF?

I mainly focus on RM because I feel like RF and micro are merging closer and closer and getting too saturated. I like having the opportunity for an image to make larger sales as can happen in RM but will never happen in RF or Micro. With that said though I will create shoots for both RF and RM depending on subject matter mostly. A lot of my still life imagery goes into RF but I really focus my people/ lifestyle imagery to RM. I feel in my imagery I can capture a moment, connection and sense of place well. That is what I personally bring to the images as the photographer. Because of the added level of connection and content in the images they are better suited to an RM collection.

Do you shoot motion, or are you considering getting into motion…and what is your reasoning?

Yes I am getting into motion. I have always loved motion and I feel it is just another way to tell a story. I think with the rise of online magazines motion is going to be what sets some magazines apart from others. It adds richness to content. I think still imagery is very important but motion and stills will co-exist together in the online space.

Do you think that the brand an image goes into in the Getty family, say Stone vs. Image Bank, vs. PC, makes any significant difference in the performance of a stock photo? 

By performance do you mean what price it sells for or how many times it sells? I have Stone images selling for $10 so I don’t really think it matters. It might if certain clients prefer to make their searches easier and only look in one brand in order to narrow the results. But by looking at my sales nothing tells me one brand is better than the next.

Can you share with us a current favorite image of yours and the story behind it?

Image ©Siri Berting
This is an image I shot while on location on Oahu. I hired the model for the day and set out with a general idea of shots to get around the concept of wandering and relaxation. On our way to one beach we came upon this amazing Banyan tree and spent an hour here. The light was amazing and it inspired me to do what I do best and find the moment.

The future of stock, are you optimistic or pessimistic?

My views are more optimistic this year than they were last year. However the industry is not where it used to be. I believe stock is a great model for the photography industry and a great way to generate passive income. I believe stock still has a place in the commercial photography industry. Nevertheless, Photographers just need to stay on top of their collections, constantly building the offerings and not to expect the same returns as were being generated back in the 90’s and the 10’s. The lifespan of an image is much shorter than it was 10 years ago and that means that we have to shoot more often and not rest on our laurels.

To see Siri's work check out her website: http://www.siriberting.com

                 

Putting All Your (Stock Photo) Eggs In One Basket

All Of Your Eggs In One Basket

If you put all your eggs in one basket, you’d better be sure that it is the right basket. But, of course, since change happens we can never be sure we have the right basket. We may have the right basket at any given time, but, at least in the world of stock photography, things can change quickly and I believe it is important to diversify in terms having images in royalty free and rights managed, as well as having your images with several different agencies.

Diversification And Anxiety

The biggest problem with diversification for me is anxiety. I’ll give you an example. A couple of years back I rented a nightclub in Buenos Aires and did a gang stock shoot with several of my photographer friends. We hired about twenty or thirty models and spent a half a day shooting. A few weeks ago I came across the raw files as I was looking through my archives for ideas and decided to create a composite image to capture the energy and fun of the club scene.  Once I had my image it was time to get it into distribution. That is where my anxiety comes in.

Creating a vibrant image of a nightclub, rave or disco is one thing, figuring out how to distribute it can be quite another.

The Biggest Market Share, Declining Royalties and Petty Irritations

Do I give it to Getty, which has been my primary distributor over the years? Getty has the biggest market share. But my sales with Getty have been declining, I hate that they sell my images for such small amounts, and who knows, at any second they could be sold again and then who knows what might happen! Do I give this disco dance photo to Blend Images, of which I am part owner, and which would get even wider distribution than Getty? Of course, even as a part owner of Blend Images I would only get a percentage of a percentage. How about another agency I use, SuperStock? I believe in the SuperStock management and see them as a solid alternative and one that will continue to move up in the ranks. I have work with Corbis as well, but lately they have turned down several images that I believe in and so in a huff of petty irritation I am not sending them new work just yet.  Of course, the agencies I work with are not the only good agencies out there. But I have enough anxiety just trying to distribute work among them!  Then there is the question of RF or RM (and for some Microstock as well). BTW, I urge microstockers to explore some traditional agencies as well. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Rising Revenue and Successful RF Images        

In this case I went with RF and Blend Images. A big part of that decision is because my revenue from Blend has actually been going up…and I am finding that RF images are often making me more than RM images. Not always, but some of my highest earning images are RF even in this time when everyone is lamenting the demise of royalty free because of image over-saturation. Another big part of the decision is because with Blend my images end up with pretty much everywhere. I get a small slice of the pie, but the pie is bigger (hey, how’d I get from egg baskets to pie?), and if something happens to any one agency I won’t take as big a hit as I otherwise would.

A Jack-of-All-Trades and Basic Investment Wisdom

Of course, all my images go up on my web site, which is yet another way to diversify, and I consider Imagekind.com and Cafepress.com also part of my diversification plan. While I have major doubts about video, I am obviously, and cautiously, dabbling in motion as well. 3D is tempting, but I just don’t have time for everything. I am not advocating being a jack of all trades and a master of none, but rather being as much of a master as you can possibly be in your image production, and following the most basic investment wisdom (after all, you are investing in your stock imagery) in distributing your work: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.

Super Slow Motion Clips, Creative Souls and Best Sellers

A Cool Video And A Supernatural Force

I just had to share this cool video! It looks to me like some kind of science fiction scene, or maybe some horror flick where some supernatural being or force is about to erupt from the depths.  Some mysterious force is causing a void in the water. The edges bubble and froth sending out ever widening ripples in the otherwise placid water.  Of course the reality is rather tame. I held a can of air just out of the frame and shot the air down into the water.

Super Slow Motion Video and Compelling Clips
The burst of air into water was only a couple of seconds, but shot at 1000 frames per second (and played back at 30 frames per second), this HD video turns the scene into something otherworldly.  In a second version I tilted the canned air in order to have the propellant visible…which adds yet another dimension to the visual. This time it looks like smoke, mist or vapor is bellowing up from the depths. Each clip is compelling in its own way. I have to give a nod here to GVS Systems, my main computer and related equipment supplier...their GVS 9000 hardware and software set-up allowed us to be efficient enough with the Phantom HD camera to be able to "play around" with trying out these oddball ideas.

Slow Motion Videos, Creative Souls and Best Sellers

Perhaps these clips can be used in a title sequence, or for some science fiction short, or as part of an advertisement. I actually have no idea of what either of these super slow motion videos can be used for, but I am sure some creative soul will find a use and will therefore, in some small measure contribute to my financial well being.  One thing I do know…often my stock materials are used in ways I could never have imagined, and even images that I doubted would ever be used have sometimes turned into best sellers.

A Questionable Image And A $17,000.00 Sale

One good example of that happened many years ago when I created an image on a whim (see below), then began to second guess myself. What could anyone use it for? Should I even bother submitting it? Finally, I did submit the image, and the first sale was for a gross of $17,000.00! It continued to sell well for many years, though now it only occasionally licenses for a small amount here or there. But the lesson has stayed with me...you just never know which image, or which clip, will become one of your hottest (no pun intended)!

I almost didn't send this image in to the stock agency (Corbis), but when I did the first sale was for $17,000.00!

Interviewed: Jerry Tavin, Young Photographers Alliance Co-Founder

Young Photographers Alliance offers a helping hand to emerging photographers.

You have a long history in the photography business. Can you share with us some highlights of your photography career?

I founded a company called nonstock with Janou Pakter, who was also my co-partner in Janou Pakter, Inc., a prestigious, worldwide recruitment agency based in New York. Our involvement with worldwide design and advertising agencies, as well as with photographers, was the catalyst for the creation of nonstock.  At the time, the name and the idea behind the name were not readily accepted by the stock photo industry. We chose to take a different road than most traditional stock companies. We edited the work of well-known and emerging photographers, which was, at that time, closely edited rights-managed images. Nonstock was highly successful in its approach and soon became a model for many other stock agencies.  Another highlight of my career was receiving the ASPP Photography Professional of the Year award in 2008, which made me extremely proud, as this was an award voted by my industry peers.

Additionally, in April 2009, I founded the Young Photographers Alliance with Deborah Free, Edward Leigh and Janou Pakter, which is an educational foundation providing scholarships, internships, mentorships and business education to deserving and talented young photographers worldwide.

Finally, as co-partner with Spencer Jones of Glasshouse Images, we continue to follow the path of high-quality and creative stock photography.

What led you to become a Founder of YPA?

My association with young photographers through the years was always important and exciting to me. Their obstacles and difficulties in getting a foothold in the industry were always part of our discussions. It was natural for me after much success to want to do something to help them in any way. At this point, in my career, it was an important time for me to start a foundation which would achieve those goals.

Can you bring us up to speed on YPA?

We have awarded 11 scholarships to date, in addition to completing our first mentoring program, Answering Adversity, which was generously funded by the ASMP foundation. This program includes 12 mentors and 38 mentees in 11 cities in the US, Canada and UK. We recently exhibited our full program, which includes 114 prints and accompanying student essays, at the Calumet Gallery in New York City. We are currently exploring new initiatives for our scholarship, and mentoring programs for 2011 and beyond. We have an active website and Facebook at: http://www.youngphotographersalliance.org/www.youngphotographersalliance.org that updates our progress.

What are some of the problems facing beginning photographers today that YPA is helping with?

In our focus groups with young photography students, they indicated that their lack of strong business knowledge was an obstacle. They also did not have networking opportunities with business professionals. They needed financial support and additional educational opportunities for their growth. Basically, it is a question of guidance and support in order to sustain their careers, which is our foundation’s mission.

How exactly does YPA help young photographers?

We help young photographers with financial support through our scholarship programs, with networking opportunities via our mentors and other experienced professionals in the field. We offer one-on-one guidance through the review of their portfolios. Many of our scholarship winners and our mentees remain involved with YPA as committee members and volunteers. Hopefully, they will become mentors to the next generation of young photographers. We hope to implement internships and business education programs in the future. And provide a global network of opportunities for emerging artists. 

How can individual photographers best contribute to YPA?

Individual photographers can best contribute to YPA by becoming members of YPA. They can directly contribute to future educational programs. They can provide images for our silent and online auctions, as these funds go directly to YPA programs. They can join our database of mentors, so that we may call upon them to provide leadership and guidance in future mentoring programs. They can provide internships and they can volunteer their services in many different ways to YPA. Each year prestigious photographers present the awards to our scholarships winners at our October event. Many photographers can assist in our future internship programs and educational seminars.

Do you believe that on a practical level helping aspiring photographers will also benefit established pros as well and how?

Most photographers know how difficult it was to get opportunities in our industry when they started out. They know that having support may have changed or accelerated their goals and careers. In many cases, this support kept them in their careers. We want to sustain young photographers in our industry. How can you keep an industry moving forward and remaining relevant without the help and support of the young photographers? Established photographers will certainly benefit from their fresh creativity and the perpetuation of our art through their support of aspiring artists.

There are doubtless pros out there that wonder "why bother?" when our industry appears headed for doom anyway.  What would you say to them?

“Doom and gloom” have been words used to describe our industry for the longest times. And every creative field echoes the same sentiment. We have been and still are a huge financial industry in all areas of photography and we will continue. I believe that photography, as an art form, will never die. As technology advances in our industry, new opportunities are being created. More people enjoy photography and more institutions display photography. As for all creative fields, it is a difficult road, but we should be optimistic that we are in such a great profession. Our artists should remain enthusiastic and optimistic because they are doing what they love, which to is the essence of life.

What is currently the biggest need or challenge that YPA has?

As with many foundations during these difficult economic times, we need financial support. We need sponsors who are as passionate as we are about photography and about its artists. Without financial support and in-kind services, grassroots foundations cannot survive. Of course, our existence depends on funding in order to maintain significant programs.

Does YPA cover all the various sub categories of photography including everything from events to advertising to stock (too many to list here!)?

It is YPA's goal to encourage young photographers to explore all opportunities within the industry that would include all the subcategories of photography. Our education programs will include relevant information on all facets of our industry. We try to be relevant and coordinate activities with all the different areas of our industry that involve professional expertise for young photographers.

How would you answer the objection that there are already too many photographers and too few opportunities?

We have to encourage the young talent to pursue their dreams and goals within our industry, as it is these young photographers who will create new business opportunities and re-invent our industry. Can you ever have too many creative people in any creative field? Are there too many dancers, too many fine artists, too many musicians, too many actors? Well, there are certainly not too many photographers.

How has the response to YPA been in the photographic community?

The response has been incredible during our short tenure. There has been great voluntary support from many segments of the industry, as well as some much needed donations, especially support of our mentoring program through the ASMP foundation. While we still need funding to succeed, we are encouraged by the overwhelming support of the international community to our goals. This enthusiasm has really kept us going for the past two years.

Who are some of the Organizations that are sponsoring YPA?

Organizations such as APA, ASMP, ASPP, BAPLA, CEPIC, PACA, SPE, have been extremely supportive of YPA, as well as companies such as Alamy and Photolibrary have been equally as supportive, but we would certainly welcome many more organizations and companies in support of our goals.

Can you share any anecdotes about how YPA has helped young shooters?

Our anecdotes are in the dozens of letters from young artists, scholarship winners and mentees that have talked about their experiences and thanked YPA for its support. Our website has a few of the testimonials, which are quite uplifting and rewarding. Our focus groups of young photographers provide us with great insights, and sometimes great laughs, into what their needs and their desires consist of. We have some prestigious photographers internships and the mentees work on the program has yielded some interesting anecdotal stories.

How are you getting the word out to young photographers, and how can they approach YPA for assistance?

We reach out to many schools regarding our scholarships and mentoring programs. Students can find us on various social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as relevant blogs. We also have reached out to students via advertising, public relations efforts and through our website. Our advisory board is also doing great outreach. Also, SPE has greatly helped with our outreach program. Developing future programs to connect with young photographers is one of our priorities.

You have had a long and varied career in photography. What have you learned over the years that would be important for young photographers to know?

I've told my photographers to "follow your heart", if you persist in doing the things you love, and try to endure through the difficulties and challenges, the personal rewards are wonderful. Setting an example of giving back something to their profession can help make their lives more interesting and more exciting. As a photographer, you can make a substantial different in enriching the lives of other people. Your work is meaningful, your art is monumental and you are important in your contributions to society. Photography is a special art form.  Those who are blessed with that talent should count themselves as being fortunate.

Traffic and The Future of Photography

Building traffic is a long term endeavor that may hold the key for continued success in the photography market.

An Unpleasant Truth For Photographers

The recent sale of The Huffington Post to AOL for $315 million dollars underscores an unpleasant truth for us photographers, for us “content producers”. That unpleasant truth is that traffic is valued more than content; that the distribution of our images is, in a significant way, more important than the images themselves. After all, the greatest photo in the world, unseen, will return less revenue, and have less impact, than a mediocre or poor image that is seen by everyone.

Great Content Is A Building Block of Traffic and Distribution

Of course, it isn’t quite as simple as I just indicated above. After all, distribution requires content and great content is a building block of great distribution. But as we have all witnessed, great photography content is significantly easier to produce than ever before, and mediocre and poor content is, well, shall we say abundant?  But the question remains: With the knowledge of how important distribution, and traffic is, how do we photographers proceed?

Where We Want To Go, And Reality

In order to understand where we go from here it is essential that we understand where we want to go. It is also imperative that we have a relatively firm grasp on reality as well. One reality is that the price of photography has been and is continuing to drop.  Another reality is that the competition continues to explode both in the form of stock images and in the form of newcomers to the industry.

Making A Living With Stock Photography, And Building Traffic

In my own case, I want to continue to make a good living creating stock photography. Right now, as far as I can determine, the fastest route to earning money in stock photography is by creating exceptional images and getting them in to distribution through top agencies.  But taking a longer view I think it is important to utilize my content to create my own traffic. And for that endeavor you really do need a long view. After two years of diligent work towards that end, and getting 4,600 well key worded images up on my site, I am generating around a thousand visitors a day. I want at least ten times that number, and I will get it. It will probably take me three to five more years.  One day I will wake up and say to myself, “Man, I am glad I did that!”

Traffic And Success With Photography

The traffic I build will include visitors that will license stock (primarily by being routed to one of my agencies), generate revenue by clicking on ads, purchase photo imprinted merchandise, buy prints and provide me with a market for whatever else I might dream up. Hopefully I can build enough traffic to insure success with my photography over the long term. It used to be that photographers looked at stock photos as a source of retirement income. That view seems to have evaporated. Perhaps traffic will be the new replacement for that strategy. It seems to have worked for Arianna Huffington!

Traffic and A Base For The Future

I believe it will behoove all of us photographers to understand how to build traffic that will help us achieve our goals, and traffic that will provide a base for all the unknown twists and turns in the photography business that no doubt await us in the years ahead.

Online Security-Behind A Stock Photo Concept

Creating concept stock photos about online security, digital asset protection and computer viruses.


Internet and Online Security, Computer Viruses and Identity Theft
Internet and online security is obviously a hot topic and a growing problem as more and more of our lives, financial and otherwise, are conducted through our computers, our mobile phones, our tablets and so forth. The more we conduct business over the Internet the more our fear of problems such as identity theft, asset theft, computer viruses and worms, and the disruption of our financial lives beset us. That, in turn, creates both opportunity and need, the need for products and services that protect our online presence and the opportunity for those who provide such products and services to market themselves as such. 

Digital Asset Protection and Stock Photo Opportunities
This also brings up opportunities for content producers, stock photographers if you will, to create images that can be used for those marketing and advertising efforts. There is obviously a need for images that can serve to promote digital asset protection. But how do you show the concept of “digital asset security” in an image?
How do you create an image with the ambiguity necessary to provide for a large range of applications, but also has both the attributes for specific messages and the visual appeal to capture a viewer’s attention?

Online Protection, Bank Vaults, and Making Icons Your Own
One process I use for coming up with stock photos for popular or needed concepts by looking at the traditional iconic markers that apply. For example, if you are looking for concepts based around security I would begin with things like locks, chains, guards, and, yes, bank vault doors. Next, ask yourself what you can add to that icon that will take it the next step. How can you make it your own and add even more ambiguity and impact and still retain a strong concept specific message? How can you make the safe door of a bank visually compelling and applicable to digital assets, online applications, and Internet security?

Digital Assets, Binary Numbers and Online Security
In this case, for me, binary numbers is one possible answer. I think it is pretty universal that people now know that computers speak with 1s and 0s. Binary numbers are the language of the Internet, of digital assets, and of the online world. By combining two iconic symbols, binary numbers and a steel bank vault door, an image that speaks of online security, Internet theft prevention, and digital asset protection is created.

Binary Numbers, Iconic Visuals and Online Security
By having a mass of binary numbers, 1s and 0s, tumbling past the open door of a bank vault the headline or copy can use the image to describe moving one assets to a secure place, or the siphoning off or loss of such assets with inadequate safeguards. Because the image utilizes familiar iconic visuals a target audience immediately grasps that online security is the subject of the message, and if it is a message they are concerned about they will look further, the desired goal of any stock visual. This photograph of numbers and a bank vault can be used to advertise or promote a wide range of services and products for computer security, for online transactions and even for the secure content of social media and networks.

Digital Asset Protection, Stock Photos, and Maximizing Revenue
Because there are so many potential users of this stock picture of digital asset protection, including the editorial and corporate markets as well as advertising, I believe the revenue potential is best maximized by placing it as a Royalty Free image. I am always faced with my bias towards Rights Managed, and yet in examining my history of stock photo sales I have found that in many cases the right image in RF distribution will out perform an RM image in terms of total revenue.  I certainly hope that is the case here as I have somewhere between two and three days of work tied up in this one photograph…and that doesn’t even take into account the original photography of the bank vault (thought that was done ages ago for a paid assignment). To further insure that I get a sufficient return on my investment I went on to create several more versions of the bank safe for other uses including monetary security (the protection of cash and other liquid assets), and asset loss in general both with and without a “management” element.

Ambiguity, Specificity, and Multiple Concepts: A Stock Photo Strategy That Is Paying Off
This series of “security” images is a good reflection of my approach to stock photography. Find a need, create a visually interesting and compelling image that has the desired qualities of ambiguity and specificity, and place it in the appropriate distribution channels. In the last couple of years I have also payed a lot more attention to creating multiple concepts rather than focusing on just one concept image. This is a strategy that is definitely paying off for me.