There are no rules with this sort of thing (for me, at least). If you do good work and are productive and operate smoothly, 2 is probably even better than 1. I would think the toughest part would be splitting the profits, but if you are doing well then everyone wins. I wouldn’t worry about that aspect of your desirability. If it works for you, it will work for others, assuming you are making terrific pictures and everyone gets along and communicates well.

Best of luck!

thank you so much for your time and input!
Michelle

Yes, I love doing it, actually, as editing is one of my greatest pleasures. Please feel free to contact me directly so we can schedule something: maren@redeyereps.com.

Best,
Maren

I hope you’re doing well. I was wondering if you do any sort of consulting… helping a photographer (that you don’t rep) edit their website/book to really make their true work shine.

Thanks so much for your time.

Cheers,
Lou

http://www.loumora.com

My question is along the lines of the first one, from Brian. Without Agency Access or Adbase, what is a good way of finding the right person to contact at a company, what title should I look for in their staff list? I’m in New York where there is a huge number of companies, do you think cold-contacting companies that work in an area I’m interested in would be worth while? I’ve contacted a number of graphic designers, but few of them assign photography, so are the companies themselves the place to market myself to?

Or is part of the value of Adbase and friends that they have already found companies that are explicitly looking for photography?

Thanks!

- Eric
http://ericmehl.com

Anyway – Yes, I’ve seen others set up their ‘publicity’ to be ‘websites’ first, with ‘blogs’ attached. Many have attached a ’stand alone tab’ that promotes their services and/or merchandising , (like PhotoEditor, and/or even this site). I might try this ‘broader’ approach later once I become more familiar with the ‘technical aspects’ of managing web-publishing …

As for my diversity, yes, it’s true I’ve done ALOT of different things. I’ve been very fortunate to have had a good run in several disciplines. The trouble with ANY of it though, is the Reality of making a on-going sustainable living as a living breathing artist. It’s never ‘easy’ unless you go fully ‘corporate’, ie. specialize to such a degree that you name is ‘branded’, (like Dreamworks!). If anything, that’s the point where I am not ‘committed’. Because I’d really rather do what I WANT as a WELL-ROUNDED artist then ’specialize’ or limit my self to other’s expectations. And yes, that’a a bit of Catch-22 for me …

As an example, I recently finished a complex conceptual for a wall mural 20×7feet. It’s not something I would normally think of doing or even pursue as a ‘job’, yet, the opportunity just fell in my lap. Luckily, my OTHER disciplines enabled me to visually articulate what needed doing. It got done, and ended with a VERY NICE cheque & a VERY happy client. I’ll be posting the end result soon on my blog, if you care to take a gander:

http://canadadaPHOTOGRAPHY.blogspot.com

Thanks too fo the heads up re: reps fees. I get the distinct impression it’s a ’sliding scale’, and depends very much on the relationship between the two ‘principals’- and their respective industry contacts.

Best to you,
Lindsay

Perhaps don’t blog if it’s just for self-promotion or to garner income. I say this without reading your blog, so please don’t be offended, but no one will want to read a blog that is designed to bring in work. Do a blog if you love doing it. It’s too much work otherwise!

That joy in sharing something you have to say that other people are not saying, will come though and make the blog successful over time, but who’s to say when. Once you start putting pressure on your blog to bring you income– if it brings you no other satisfaction– it will lose it’s vitality (see the failed publishing model of recent years). That doesn’t mean you can’t make money off of what you love, just that it will be garishly transparent if that’s your only motivation and will probably ensure its imminent failure.

As for your eclectic strengths, maybe separate them. Have separate books, separate sections on your site or separate sites altogether. The separation will show your disparate types of work as purposeful and not aimless. As time goes on and you add more bodies of distinct work, it’s possible they will soldier up to prove you as a strong artist in many different medias as opposed to one who hasn’t committed.

Finally, agents’ percentages tend to be in the 25% range not the 50% range, just so you know!

Best and good night,
Maren

Yes, you are at that point where you know you are a professional photographer, but you want to be at the next level. It’s a quantity thing. You’ve got to try LOTS of different things and see what sticks. Sending promos is good. Maybe send emails too, just to the people who have shown specific interest in your work. I don’t know you and what your other passions are, but I bet there are some ideas in there for getting your work out there.

Also, talk to your 1-2 big clients and ask them to recommend you to their friends. See who else they think would like your work. I rarely hand over such helpful information without people specifically asking me. If people like working with you, they will want to help you, but there are so many things to do in a day, that they won’t think to offer up such information without a request. That make sense?

I guess the answer to both of your questions is the same.

How do you make a living without a rep whilst up against a million other photographers out there and how do you get a rep? Make work that no one else can make. With every picture you publish and put online you should filter it through the question of can any other photographer make this image or is it a uniquely Nathan image? If it’s not an image that reeks of you– no matter how good it is– it should not be on display. Because then you free-fall into the void of the masses. Your voice is all you have to set you apart, and I promise you, if you find it and keep producing that work that is honest to you, good things will happen. Maybe a rep, maybe direct clients, maybe a gallery, maybe fame and fortune. ;-)

After working out your voice and being terribly prolific, the next step is getting people to see it, so that means sending it out to the people you admire– again, agents, designers, art directors, blogs, reviews, self-publishing. Anything that comes naturally to you. If this seems like a nightmare and not something that excites you, you will have a tough road. If this sounds like fun, you are in good stead.

Remember, being a successful photographer is not only about making good pictures, it’s about these last things I mention as well– constantly producing and participating in your photo/art/design community. Good luck!

Yes, I see the similarities between your work and Noah Kalina’s for sure. I also see some Philip-Lorca diCorcia. It’s beautiful and you have a lot of it. Which is a perfect first step. But it does not a commercial photographer make. Not right off the bat at least.

Your work is strong enough that some agents might take you right away, but why not get some experience first? Then you can choose the agent who is best for you rather than feeling like you have to go with the first person who says yes. Plus, you will be way more attractive to the top agents after you have some editorial work under your belt and a handful of commercial jobs.

There’s work to be done, like forming a team you are comfortable working with (assistants, digitechs, stylists, etc). You also will want to start meeting with potential clients, forming relationships, and creating a design and promotional materials that suit you. Because these things take time to get under way, my guess is that most agents will want you to do this on your own before signing with them. They can take 2-3 years to work out, and no agent will not want you blaming them for not getting you work during this period.

I’d suggest getting some advice from me or a consultant or anyone else you trust to get yourself positioned to find the best agent for you. You might as well go down this road, even if you are not sure about leaving your day job, so you can find out whether this is a path you want to pursue. Worst case, you find the commercial route grossly unappealing, and you still have a strong body of fine art work and a good, paying day job!