Paul Simon sang about it and millions of photographers worshipped it.
Kodak has at last pulled the plug on this classic film stock.
We old folk (I'm only 42) can cry a little at seeing yet another old friend join so many others - so quickly.
Full story - interesting too - here
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Finally - someone - charging for value
As a ex-news/editoral photographer I have lost out on many great photo opportunities as major newspaper's cut away what they consider unnecessary all whilst driving their businesses into the ground with free internet versions.
Why would you buy a newspaper when you can get it for free online?
Here's a newspaper who figured out the basic plan that does work.
So long WP - So long NYT
Why would you buy a newspaper when you can get it for free online?
Here's a newspaper who figured out the basic plan that does work.
So long WP - So long NYT
Newport Daily News: Charging for news online from Nieman Journalism Lab on Vimeo.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Paying Once - the right photographer
This is really just a brief tale of what might be a false economy.
Go for the cheaper person and the saving might be $100 then again sometimes $1000.
However, a lot might depend on that image let alone the cost of producing a full re-shoot if the photographer entirely chosen for price turns out not to be able to produce the goods.
Recently, due to the economy I've been considered the somewhat expensive freelancer which I of course reject because I bring a lot of gear, creativity and experience. Many times now I've had to save-the-day for clients when choosing the cheaper guy say $50-200 cheaper didn't pan out.
This saving might seem like a good idea to a daily publication where the drop in quality can be absorbed by the daily turnover but to a monthly magazine, corporate client or advertising job it's a big mistake.
Here's the brief:- Tiki-esque cocktails for the cover illustration. (I don't necessarily consider myself a food shooter)
Tiki-esque had me stumped when I walked into a local very high-end white table cloth restaurant.
There was nothing Tiki to be seen, no tiny umbrellas, no palm tables - nothing.
I spotted after some anxiety a dark wooden table and a high back rattan booth. Next - steal palm fronds and a flower from planters down the street. Add light and some gels.
Here's the photo they had done previously before they called me. (Pretty uninviting isn't it?)
Here are the images I produced. (Below)
Presto - instant Tiki and photos worth every penny.
Drinks you want to reach in and enjoy on a hot day. (Blur - Canon 45mm Tilt Shift lens - no photoshop)
This is a pretty light shoot with just two lights since the budget had taken a hit from the previous photographer.
Go for the cheaper person and the saving might be $100 then again sometimes $1000.
However, a lot might depend on that image let alone the cost of producing a full re-shoot if the photographer entirely chosen for price turns out not to be able to produce the goods.
Recently, due to the economy I've been considered the somewhat expensive freelancer which I of course reject because I bring a lot of gear, creativity and experience. Many times now I've had to save-the-day for clients when choosing the cheaper guy say $50-200 cheaper didn't pan out.
This saving might seem like a good idea to a daily publication where the drop in quality can be absorbed by the daily turnover but to a monthly magazine, corporate client or advertising job it's a big mistake.
Here's the brief:- Tiki-esque cocktails for the cover illustration. (I don't necessarily consider myself a food shooter)
Tiki-esque had me stumped when I walked into a local very high-end white table cloth restaurant.
There was nothing Tiki to be seen, no tiny umbrellas, no palm tables - nothing.
I spotted after some anxiety a dark wooden table and a high back rattan booth. Next - steal palm fronds and a flower from planters down the street. Add light and some gels.
Here's the photo they had done previously before they called me. (Pretty uninviting isn't it?)
Here are the images I produced. (Below)
Presto - instant Tiki and photos worth every penny.
Drinks you want to reach in and enjoy on a hot day. (Blur - Canon 45mm Tilt Shift lens - no photoshop)
This is a pretty light shoot with just two lights since the budget had taken a hit from the previous photographer.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
PhotographersQuote.com - not likely.
The internet is amazing with boundless potential so I was really intrigued when I received an email to the newly launched PhotographersQuote.com.
DesignersQuote has been around for a while it would seem with many happy and equally unhappy people. The jist is that an individual can post a job request and a photographer bids on this 'opportunity" with credits purchased from the site.
Each credit costing $4 and each job having a credit score.
This may work in the "designer" site since you can design for anyone in the world but photography is very much bricks and mortar so the job (usually low budget) has to be in your region -okay - walking distance and use your iPhone.
I "had" to sign up to see if my suspicions where correct. Job postings existed in the $100 for headshots and $500 for a full wedding. Locations - North Carolina and Michigan - Good luck getting a real professional for that!
Anyway, it's a great idea in this economy so we'll watch this site for improvements and maybe a realistic job request. It didn't cost to join after all.
Bidding which uses time and paying for the honor be it $4 to $24 for a $100 job just isn't going to catch on.
DesignersQuote has been around for a while it would seem with many happy and equally unhappy people. The jist is that an individual can post a job request and a photographer bids on this 'opportunity" with credits purchased from the site.
Each credit costing $4 and each job having a credit score.
This may work in the "designer" site since you can design for anyone in the world but photography is very much bricks and mortar so the job (usually low budget) has to be in your region -okay - walking distance and use your iPhone.
I "had" to sign up to see if my suspicions where correct. Job postings existed in the $100 for headshots and $500 for a full wedding. Locations - North Carolina and Michigan - Good luck getting a real professional for that!
Anyway, it's a great idea in this economy so we'll watch this site for improvements and maybe a realistic job request. It didn't cost to join after all.
Bidding which uses time and paying for the honor be it $4 to $24 for a $100 job just isn't going to catch on.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The belt tightens for Newsweek
Newsweek owned by the Washington Post Company has undergone a new design but also recently announced it's withdrawal from the White House photographer's pool coverage which shares coverage and provides the daily photos from the White House to other publications. I have been expecting such a drawdown for several years so it's no surprise that the axe finally fell in this recession.
Thankfully, two great photographers Khue Bui and Charles Ommanney (freelancers) will still have some sort of work with the magazine.
Ommanney, if you remember created a stunning portfolio from his coverage of Obama on the way to winning the White House. Look here on Flickr for this selection
Anyway, this is just another slow degradation of photography which once was so lauded.
Check out the new redesigned Newsweek and see what you think. The plan is to reduce (drive away) readers by going long form and raising the cover price. What happens if everyone loves it and more subscribe? Seems an odd sort of business plan - kind like giving everything away at wp.com.
Thankfully, two great photographers Khue Bui and Charles Ommanney (freelancers) will still have some sort of work with the magazine.
Ommanney, if you remember created a stunning portfolio from his coverage of Obama on the way to winning the White House. Look here on Flickr for this selection
Anyway, this is just another slow degradation of photography which once was so lauded.
Check out the new redesigned Newsweek and see what you think. The plan is to reduce (drive away) readers by going long form and raising the cover price. What happens if everyone loves it and more subscribe? Seems an odd sort of business plan - kind like giving everything away at wp.com.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Get your newspapers 'err! Going fast - Read all about it!
The Boston Globe was the first newspaper to enact it's predator freelance agreement and thus lower the boom on it's loyal freelances, me included. Forcing freelancers further into unprofitability and more or less working purely for the cashé. The Washington Post and the The New York Times quickly followed like lemmings off a cliff.
Freelance rates had been static for years as if that wasn't enough but now they wanted even more, multi-use, all rights and much more for no additional compensation.
Notably the heros of the situation were the Globe freelancers, who held out in an unofficial strike to change these policies, only to be overcome by less experienced writers and photographer eager to sell their souls for nothing more than the clip and the web credit.
It it therefore no wonder readership and advertising is down when so little respect is given to the content or those that provide it. Why should anyone care for these behemoths?
The great newspapers are sinking faster than the Bismark but as before they can only follow each other over the cliff, than pave their own way to profitability with sensible business practices and common sense.
As a newspaper buyer, reader and contributor I'm gutted buy this ineptitude - (let alone the goons running the automakers into the ground) - Yup I'm a GMC owner. --There should be panic in the street at this point or at the very least public executions.
Newspapers need some way out and this might just be it. - The irony - this from the BG. - read here
You can see many photos I made for the Washington Post here - Virginia photographer, Maryland Photographer, Washington, DC photographer
Freelance rates had been static for years as if that wasn't enough but now they wanted even more, multi-use, all rights and much more for no additional compensation.
Notably the heros of the situation were the Globe freelancers, who held out in an unofficial strike to change these policies, only to be overcome by less experienced writers and photographer eager to sell their souls for nothing more than the clip and the web credit.
It it therefore no wonder readership and advertising is down when so little respect is given to the content or those that provide it. Why should anyone care for these behemoths?
The great newspapers are sinking faster than the Bismark but as before they can only follow each other over the cliff, than pave their own way to profitability with sensible business practices and common sense.
As a newspaper buyer, reader and contributor I'm gutted buy this ineptitude - (let alone the goons running the automakers into the ground) - Yup I'm a GMC owner. --There should be panic in the street at this point or at the very least public executions.
Newspapers need some way out and this might just be it. - The irony - this from the BG. - read here
You can see many photos I made for the Washington Post here - Virginia photographer, Maryland Photographer, Washington, DC photographer
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Coolest Mac Ever - Mod that thing!
Yes, I know this is the most usless post for some but today I got my sticky fingers on the professionally built "mod" mac or ModBook by Axiotron.
What's a mod? From Wikipedia: Modding is a slang expression that is derived from the verb "modify". The term can refer to the act of modifying a piece of hardware or software.
This is model airplane building for the technology geek/creative artist. Yearly their are dozens of Mac addicts who "mod" and pimp out their old Mac's with lights, paint jobs or new shells. Here's a great example of lighting withing an old mac but some if not most are unbelievable (check out the MacWorld link). Here's a wacky one - The Millenium Falcon mod.
I'm getting somewhere with this to the most practical of them all. But.. here's MacWorld on modding : Here
This Axiotron model I handled at Mac Business Solutions today pictured above is just gorgeous. It's heavy but it would be wonderful for free ranging tethered shooting. Everything is done by the stylus pen with a virtual pop up keyboard.
If your done with your old boring MacBook send it off to be Mod'ed by Axiotron and get this beauty back. They run from $1150 for an upgrade of your own and $2200 or so new. Call MBS if your in the DC area for a test drive or quote. You'll be the "mod'est" geek around.
Makes a great gift for your local Virginia photographer - err - yours truly!
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