Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/08

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Going Pro - not as grim as it sounds
From: Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 16:58:25 -03-30

Hi All,

Sorry I'm coming late to this one but I've been tied up on an assignment 
all week.

Mr. Ted Grant, the ranking pro on the list, offers the best advice and one 
I offer young people with Pulitzer's in their eyes....

..."...marry, well."

Seriously, it's a long road and could take up to 10 years before you are 
100% self sufficient and MAKING money.  It takes that long to hone your 
chops, define your vision, make the contacts and have people calling YOU on 
a regular basis.

This 10 year period can long and tough or it can formative.  Things to 
remember...?

Define your niche or vision ... learn it, live it, love it, hone it.
It's a business FIRST!!  Learn how to market your vision, have a lawyer 
help with contracts and copyright issue .... become VERY GOOD friends with 
an accountant.

Two types of photography.... that which you do for someone else and that 
which is your vision and you do it because it is your statement or 
expression of self.

If you want to be truly happy in this business work on getting people to 
pay you for YOUR vision, not simply pushing the shutter button for theirs.

If you are working on YOUR VISION, treat the project like any business.
- - do a business plan.
- - solicit investment capital
- - practice standard project management and scheduling

Finally, a photographers retirement fund is his stock library. Most young 
photographer totally disregard  this because, well... because, they're 
young, and young people think the weekend is the future.

Shoot or save images that have historic or repeat sale value. NEVER lose 
copyright of your work unless they agree to pay you obscene amounts of 
money.  Remember, you NEVER know how often an image will sell in a life 
time.... or longer.  My archive will be earning income for my family long 
after I'm dust.

If it was not for my stock library and good relationships with a few good 
agencies I would have very little income this winter. I have been living 
off of stock sales for the past 4 months since there has been little 
assignment work.  This fall I was selling stock images (Labrador, Berlin 
Wall, Disney World, Mother Teresa, Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, oil industry, 
icebergs, fishing industry, motor racing...) from as far back as 10 years ago.

Unless you are an exception talent, have a "style" and/or a VERY good agent 
in NYC or LA you can forget overnight stardom.  Building a photography 
career is the same as building a business.... it's a process and takes time 
and planning..... unless, of course, some venture capitalist drops a 
million dollars on you because he thinks you are brilliant and will be the 
next Ansel Adams, Eugene Smith, Weston, Dorothea Lange, Robert Frank, 
etc,etc,etc...

regards,




Greg Locke                         St. John's, Newfoundland
locke@straylight.ca              http://www.straylight.ca/locke
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Touched By Fire: doctors without borders in a third world crisis.
http://www.straylight.ca/touchedbyfire.htm
ISBN#0-7710-5305-3 McClelland & Stewart