A Time for Change
By Chip Mitchell, ASMPCV-President
Several weeks ago, when the price of gas was approaching $4.00 a gallon I read an article about the sad state of the American auto industry, in which the CEO of one company, known for their large, gas guzzling SUVs and trucks, was asked how they had missed the surge in gas prices and the concurrent public’s desire for smaller, more fuel efficient cars. He lamented that they had been so busy just trying to pay their bills, they hadn’t had time to think about the future.
There’s a lesson to be learned from the auto industry. It’s no secret, except possibly to some politicians in Washington, that the economy is in a slump. OK, recession, and possibly a long one. When the economy gets tight, corporations look to maintain the bottom line however they can, and one of the first places they look to save money is on photography. If they even commission photography at all they don’t want to pay much for it. The danger in times like these is, like the auto industry, photographers can become so focused on just trying to pay their bills that they don’t think about the future and if you don’t think about the future then it will pass you by.
Award winning photojournalist, Vicent Laforet has an excellent article about the changing photo industry here, in which he says, “diversification is the trick to survival in this new market”. The same as newspaper photographers can no longer count on having a job tomorrow, commercial photographers can no longer count on being able to earn a decent living by just servicing a few regular clients. Certainly not when clients have access to an oversupply of hungry photographers, royalty free subscription services, $1 microstock, not to mention their own digital cameras and a copy of Photoshop. It’s time to think about the future and other sources of income from our photography. Not only are there multiple revenue streams for photography - assignment, stock, fine art, print sales, weddings, portraiture, video, multimedia, book publishing, web publishing, etc., but the internet has opened up a bunch of new markets, uses for photography and ways to market it. If you realize that things will always change and are willing to think about the future and change with them, the glass that was half empty suddenly becomes half full.
In the spirit of embracing change and looking to the future, the board has decided to mix things up a little this year. The chapter has done an annual Portfolio Night for the past ten years. This year, in lieu of Portfolio Night, we are planning a juried traveling photographic exhibition that will showcase the best of our member’s talent. The exhibit will consist of 25 to 30 selected prints of personal fine art photography – not professional work – submitted by our members, and will be exhibited in a variety of galleries, corporate locations and other venues throughout central Virginia. The first show is scheduled for opening on March 13, at the Guy Crittenton Gallery in the Manchester section of Richmond. It will be catered and all the photobuyers who are usually invited to Portfolio Night will be invited to the opening. We are in the process of securing additional galleries and corporate spaces for exhibition. We hope this show will expose our members to a whole new clientele and present some new opportunities.
In conjunction with the juried show, we have booked Thomas Werner to present his highly acclaimed, “Business of Fine Art Photography” program in Richmond on September 18th. His presentation will give insights into the fine art business world. It is critically important to develop multiple ways to promote and support your business. Werner explains how creating and properly marketing a body of fine art work can help you achieve these goals. You can get details for the program on the the chapter website.
So, for a moment, think about the past instead of the future. Remember the passion that made you a photographer and gather or shoot the work that you love and submit it. The call for submissions will go out soon.
Chip Mitchell
ASMPCV, President
- ASMP: "One Day, One Photo".
On July 16th we gathered to view the work of fellow ASMPCV members from the "One Day, One Photo" project. Members were given one day, June 28th, to shoot whatever they wanted and edit it down to one photo. We had a fun exchange about the realities of personal pictures on demand. There were also some interesting images. Here they are with some of the creator's descriptions.
Photograph by Lee Brauer.
Photograph by Joanna Calazans.
Photograph by Joshua Carpenter.
Photograph by Guy Crittenden.
Photograph by Chris Crumley.
Caption: A smoky haze from the long-burning Dismal Swamp brush and underground peat bog fire hangs over North Virginia Beach and this Crystal Lake scene courtesy of morning winds out of the South.
Photograph by John Henley.
Photograph by Allen Jones.
Photograph by Keith Lanpher.
Caption: On Saturday, June 28, 2008, I shot my mother.
Photograph by Chip Mitchell.
Caption - I spent a couple of hours Saturday morning wandering around Ashland shooting. There was a free dog wash at the Feed and Seed, but that wasn't as good as it should have been. So late in the day I rode over to the dairy farm, which is where I go when I can't find a picture anywhere else. This is Joel and his combine cutting the wheat (or maybe it's alfalfa ), while he talks on his cel phone. I'm not sure what he did to pass the time before cel phones.
Photograph by Elli Morris.
Photograph by Elaine Odell.
Caption: I don't do pregnancy portraits. But she called and wanted to shoot the Saturday before her due date, which happened to be 7-24-08. Seemed karmic, so I said sure, why not. Not having any experience in this genre, I looked online at what portrait studios do with expectant moms and saw all sorts of demure, shy, feminine stuff. Yuck, I definitely didn't want to shoot that. Thankfully, she asked to recline and said "I'm going for that Nubian princess-look". Worked for me. Sexy, proud and in-your-face.
Photograph by Jay Paul.
Photograph by Jeff Saxman.
Photograph by David Stover.
Caption - This is a collage of four photos from a project photographing details of the amazing Mamma Zu restaurant in Oregon Hill. The photos will be incorporated in the soon to be completed website for Mamma Zu.
Photograph by Medford Taylor.
Photograph by Christopher Winton-Stahle.
ASMPCV Juried Fine Art Exhibition 2008-2009
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Tired of showing nothing but commercial work. Want to be known for your personal work. Want to reach a whole new audience and expand your income stream. Here’s your chance. Beginning September 1, 2008 submissions will be accepted for ASMPCV’s first ever juried fine art exhibition. Subject matter for the exhibition is up to you, just so it’s personal and not commercial. It can be digital or film, darkroom prints or ink jet. Each member may submit up to five pieces. Entry deadline is December 15, 2008.
The jury will meet mid-December to choose 24-30 works for the exhibit. The show will be juried by National Geographic and Magnum photographer,David Alan Harvey, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts , Paul Mellon Collection Educator, Jeffery W. Allison and award-winning creative director for BCF Advertising, Keith Ireland.
The exhibition will open mid-March at Crittenden Gallery and will feature 24-30 matted and framed prints from ASMPCV photographers. The event will be catered and invitees will come from the ASMPCV Portfolio Night Photo Buyers list as well as from the fine arts community. The show will run for two months and will then move to a new venue. All sales enquiries will be directed to the photographer.
So here’s your chance to show people you shoot more than product on white seemless. You can download the rules and application from the ASMPCV website beginning September 1, 2008.
- The Business of Fine Art Photography.
Is the Fine Art Photography world a place for you? How do you analyze your work? How do you build a relationship with a gallery? And what happens when you get an exhibition?
Thomas Werner presents this fast-paced seminar giving you insights into the fine art business world. It is critically important to develop multiple ways to promote and support your business. Thomas explains how creating and properly marketing a body of fine art work can help you achieve these goals.
"Thomas Werner's experience as a photographer, educator and gallery owner provided intelligent and valuable insights into the Fine Art arena."
— Christopher A. Jablonski
"Thomas was most generous with his knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject of Fine Art."
— George Long
"Thomas brings this organized and well researched lecture to his audience in a gentle and professional style."
— Amy Blackburn
"This is truly a wonderful presentation."
— Paul Fetters
Seminar Topics:
• Provides an overview of the fine art market.
•A candid conversation on what is involved.
•Is this niche right for you?
•Learn to analyze if your work is viable as fine art.
•Marketing a body of work.
Thomas Werner graduated from The University of Wisconsin with a BA in Communications and an emphasis in film, as well as The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena with BA in Photography and a film minor, where he was a scholarship student and the speaker at graduation. Thomas is currently completing an MFA in New Media and Performance at Long Island University, New York. He is the owner of Thomas Werner Gallery in Manhattan's Chelsea art district and the Director of the BFA program in Photography at Parsons The New School of Design. Werner also works as a commercial and fine art photographer with a studio in Manhattan, his clients have included: Bank of America, Swiss Re, Courvoisier, Twentieth Century Fox, COACH, The New York Times, E! Television, William Morrow Publishing, Glamour, Face, Forbes and People Magazine among others. Werner was elected to a second term as a Director on the ASMP National board after serving three years as the President of ASMP's 900 member New York Chapter. He is the co-founder of ASMP's nationwide Fine Art Specialty Group, is the former President of the ASMP Foundation, and the former chairman of the Strategic Research committee. Thomas is currently working in the United States and abroad curating exhibitions and lecturing on The Business of Fine Art Photography, Contemporary Video Art and the Future of Video and Installation, and The Difference Between Commercial and Creative Vision. He has worked as a photography consultant for COACH and a consultant for Rodale Publishing on special projects regarding contracts, licensing, negotiations and image usage. His fine art work has been exhibited in galleries internationally, and is included in numerous private and corporate collections.
Date/Time: Thursday, September 18th, 2008
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Doors open 5:30pm for Social
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Program: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Crittenden Studio 201 West 7th St.
Cost:
$35.00 ASMP Member
$60.00 Non-member
$50.00 Professional Association Member
$20.00 Student with ID
Foto Week DC: A Week Long Celebration of Photography.
The week of November 15-22, 2008 will mark the launch of FotoWeek DC, the first annual gathering of a diverse and wide-ranging photography community in the nation’s capital, including photographers, museums, universities and all those involved in the profession across the metro D.C. area, including Virginia and Maryland. Unique among American cities, Washington, D.C. is a nexus of artistic, business, political and public sector energy, in which photography plays an integral role. FotoWeek DC seeks to bring together all photographers and imaging professionals from every discipline to join with the public in celebration of the medium.
