Business Trends

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The Working Photographer’s Portfolio: Prints, Web, iPad…Or All Of The Above?
Maria Piscopo  |  Mar 21, 2014  |  First Published: Feb 01, 2014  | 

As technology changes so do methods of presentation. In this article I set out to discover what type of portfolio photographers have found work best and, from the buyer’s perspective, what type or types they prefer. As I conducted the interviews among art directors, photo reps, and photographers it all began to boil down to this: how do you get your work seen by potential clients and how do you craft an effective portfolio that makes sense to them and represents your craft and passion?

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Business Trends
The World Of “Event” Photography; Marketing, Selling, And What It Takes
Maria Piscopo  |  Jun 09, 2011  |  First Published: May 01, 2011  | 
While commercial advertising photographers (and other specialties) might be touched negatively by the economy and changing technology, event photographers continue to expand their work and markets. Yes, the economy has changed with every parent bringing a high-end digital camera to their kid’s school events. Yes, event photographers today must invest in equipment to print and sell photos online. But there is work here, for both the consumer and corporate event photographer.
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Business Trends
Thinking Of Getting Into The Wedding Biz?: Insider Tips From Today’s Top Pros
Maria Piscopo  |  Apr 18, 2014  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2014  | 
While Uncle Ned might be bragging that he can take care of the photography at his niece’s wedding with his D-SLR with built-in flash, amusing and sometimes bitter experiences have taught prospective brides that there’s nothing like an experienced photographer to do the job right. But getting yourself and your work in front of that group of brides and wedding planners can be a challenge, and that’s what this month’s column is all about. We’ll take a look at changes in the business model, including portfolios, marketing materials, networking with wedding vendors, and bridal shows.
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Business TrendsNewsPortrait Photography How To
Turning Portraits Into Profits: How to Run a Portrait Photography Business
Maria Piscopo  |  Sep 16, 2016  | 

As a photo rep, I have always had great admiration for the portrait photographer. You are catching people at their worst (“I hate having my picture taken!”) and at their best (“Yes, this is really who I am!”). Whether it is a toddler, high school senior, or CEO, you are responsible to keep people calm, work fast, overcome technical and travel obstacles, and manage all the details of composition and lighting. In this column, we talk about all these issues as well as marketing your portrait photography business, the skills required for business success.

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Business Trends
Update That Website—Now!
Maria Piscopo  |  Jan 01, 2007  | 

Tips To Make Your Site A More Powerful Marketing Tool
The marketing and business aspects of websites is an ongoing process. Unfortunately, many photographers fall behind in keeping their websites up-to-date with new images, cleaner navigation, search engine optimization, and getting clients to respond to the site. It may be due to the purchasing aspect...

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Business Trends
Use Your Website As A Marketing Tool; An Interview With Veteran Shooter Gil Smith
Maria Piscopo  |  Oct 01, 2007  | 

A 27-year photo veteran, Gil Smith (www.gilsmith.com) is an internationally-recognized advertising photographer specializing in high-action automotive and sports-industry images. Smith is currently one of Canon U.S.A., Inc.'s prestigious "Explorers of Light," a small group of professionals chosen to push the...

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Business TrendsNature Photography How ToNewsOutdoor Photography How ToWildlife Photography How To
Walking on the Wild Side: How to Turn Your Passion for Wildlife Photography into Profit
Maria Piscopo  |  Jul 05, 2016  | 

For this month’s column, we look at how to turn your love for wildlife photography into a serious business. I interviewed the husband-and-wife team of David and Jennifer Hemmings who have been particularly successful in the wildlife photography field.

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Business Trends
Want To Be A Photographer’s Assistant?; Here’s How To Get Started
Maria Piscopo  |  Apr 01, 2010  | 

All of the photography business owners I spoke with emphasized that they need good assistants as much as the assistants need them. They mentioned two things above all: do good follow-up when looking for work and, when you get a job, stay focused on the shoot. Another common concern was the lack of marketing information for the photo assistant trying to find work with a photographer. Hopefully...

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Business TrendsPhoto How To
Want To Work As A Photo Assistant?: A Great Start To A Career In Photography
Maria Piscopo  |  Sep 30, 2014  | 

Beyond learning how to handle cameras and photo equipment, working as a photo assistant will teach you many lessons that will go a long way toward helping you build a successful career. Skills you’d most likely garner include learning about project management, studio protocols, location procedures, dealing with clients, preproduction and postproduction work, and more. These are all essential business skills and can often be learned only “on the job.” Indeed, talk to many established pros today and you’ll find that’s how they got their start.

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Business Trends
Websites: Best Practices; Marketing, Presentation, And Clients
Maria Piscopo  |  Nov 01, 2010  | 

Every workshop I give, someone asks, “How important is a website for marketing my work?” Marketing with a website is still a relatively new technology compared with print marketing, and most pros agree it mainly serves as an addition to the marketing mix and does not replace other tools. If there’s one thing I learned when researching this story, though, it’s that we are...

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Business TrendsNewsWedding Photography How To
Wedded to It: How to Win in the Wedding Photography Market According to 3 Top Pros
Maria Piscopo  |  May 02, 2018  | 

For our annual discussion on the business of wedding photography, I spoke to three wedding photographers who are finding success in doing what they love. One of the keys to their success is that their marketing ideas and tips illustrate top-of-mind awareness, which helps keep them foremost in their clients’ minds.

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Business TrendsNewsPhotographer ProfilesPortrait Photography How ToPortrait TipsWedding Photography How To
Wedding Tips: R. J. Kern On How to Be Creative & Competitive as a Wedding Photographer
Maria Piscopo  |  Mar 15, 2016  | 

R. J. Kern is the owner and photographer of Kern-Photo, a Minneapolis-based wedding photography business. He started the company eight years ago after spending five years with the National Geographic Society. His wedding photography locations range from backyards to destinations around the world. He also teaches photography workshops and has won many awards, including making the “50 Top US Wedding Photographers”.

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Business TrendsOpinionPhotographer ProfilesSports Photography How To
What Killed Editorial Sports Photography?: You’ve Got To Hustle As A Sports Shooter These Days
Maria Piscopo  |  Nov 27, 2015  | 

Professional sports photography for the editorial market is an endangered species. Unfortunately, a lot of it has to do with editorial clients turning away from the professional photographer to sports enthusiasts who are willing to trade their photos for season tickets.

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Business Trends
What’s New In The Wedding Business?; Challenges And Opportunities
Maria Piscopo  |  Aug 01, 2009  | 

Successful wedding photographers have been through a lot of changes in the past year. Couples who turn to a professional (instead of someone’s cousin with a camera) are looking for more than ordinary snapshots. Today, you need to offer more style and greater value to maintain a successful business. Current industry trends for wedding photography styles include fine art, photojournalism...

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Business TrendsTravel Photography How To
When Disaster Strikes: How Photojournalists Balance Documenting Scenes Of Tragedy & Destruction with Running a Business
Maria Piscopo  |  Apr 07, 2015  | 

The photography of natural disasters and human tragedy—from earthquakes to suicide bombers—is an area of photojournalism filled with challenges. Photojournalists often face both physical and emotional obstacles but still need to keep a cool head and continue capturing the images. While their photos will tell the story of the event, photographers have their own personal stories to tell as well. The accounts told here are mostly about business but also touch on the heart of why someone takes on this area of photography and keeps going despite the emotional toll. We discuss issues of privacy and model releases, working at a disaster scene, what agencies to coordinate with, handling injury and trauma, and the pros and cons of pursuing this work.

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