Many professions have been disrupted by technology over the last 20 years. Professional photography is one of them. For most of last century the journey to becoming a professional photographer was predictable. There were a few avenues for entry and several barriers. Now there are many ways to photograph “professionally”. Olden Days Measures for defining … Read more
In the middle of drafting this I attended a talk by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg where he said, “Kids learn teachers, not subjects“. Many subjects from school have proven useful in my photography career. The lessons that really stick with me were by passionate teachers who demonstrated them in unique ways. Art I’ve written before how my … Read more
For more than 20 years I’ve made professional school communication and education marketing photography for over 1,000 schools, preschools and universities. What I’ve learnt is the most effective images are those that show the students and teachers to your community. Parents, including myself, want to see the culture of your school and that’s best demonstrated … Read more
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Australian Photographic Digital Imaging Guidelines. Before 2004 there was no recommended standard for digital photography capture and delivery. At the turn of the century some professional photographers were doing more damage than good to the adoption of digital. They zealously over-sharpened, manipulated tone and colour, then delivered … Read more
Recently I was invited to speak with students at a photography college on the business of the profession. Here is some of what we discussed. Now vs “Then” How I started out and the way new photographers do today is very different – but only on the surface. Whilst I may have used mailers, the … Read more
The traditional path to professional photography started with a formal education at a brick and mortar college. Students could assist photographers during or after graduation for hands on practical experience before establishing their own businesses. Now, just as with photography itself, education has been disrupted by technology. Potential pro photographers can learn online through random … Read more
I’ve been attending photography conferences for decades, both as an attendee and as a presenter. As a professional event photographer I’ve also covered all types of conferences for corporate clients. Some Do’s And Don’ts For Attending Do register early online. Using a service like the Eventbrite platform makes it easy for attendees and organisers. Do research the … Read more
Like any profession photography has many aspects besides the actual service itself. Areas that don’t involve making photos and things the client doesn’t (need to) care about. It’s those essential areas that make it a profession and require far more time than the craft of photography. These can include: Client Relationship Management Strategic Planning Marketing … Read more
Photography storage and archiving can quickly become daunting, regardless of whether you’re a professional photographer or not. It doesn’t take too long to be inundated with hundreds of images and before you know it there are tens of thousands of them! Personally I’m managing over 400 000 images. Keep It Simple To make a storage … Read more
Imagine if you were no longer able to look at your family albums. Or some of Ansel Adams images began to disappear. And the news photos that recorded the history of humanity were lost. D1scussion was a mailing list by Juergen Specht for professional Nikon users. In early 2005 the list saw a growing concern … Read more