Anantara Bophut Web Commercial from Mott Visuals on Vimeo.

Miki Johnson: Tell me about what you’ve been working on these days.

Justin Mott: My calendar has been pretty diverse since I began to organize and market my commercial work halfway through 2009. Getting my commercial work organized and branded has eaten up a huge chunk of my free time. Work in Vietnam is pretty diverse so you have to be able to do a little bit of everything.

My assignments over the last two months came from; German Red Cross, the United Nations, Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, three 5-star resorts, Microsoft, the World Health Organization, and the Smithsonian. I shot a wedding and I have been involved with a commissioned book project in Beijing and Shanghai about Chabad communities. I’m also working on my own book along with shooting a few other long-term personal projects.

The most lucrative has easily been the resort work because I’m able to sell packages of both stills and video. Commercial work simply pays more, a lot more, and in this region the market is expanding. I’m still searching for the right balance of commercial work and editorial but I completely love both in different ways.

Trangire Treetops. ©Mott Visuals

MJ: Tell me about this video you did for Anantara Bophut (above).

JM: I’ve built up a good relationship with a luxury line of resorts over the past year shooting stills for them. I’ve worked for them in Thailand and Tanzania shooting more than seven resorts.

I first pitched the video as an add-on for a stills shoot I was scheduled to do for them. It’s hard to pitch a product without a good example piece already, so I offered to do it for free, knowing the potential was huge.

I know many photographers get upset hearing things like that, but I wasn’t giving anything away. I was upfront about wanting to show them one piece in hopes of doing a series for them on an agreed price. Without having a strong piece to show them, I had to offer a preview instead. I was also confident that we could deliver them something they would be excited about.

My producer, Camille Faylona, scripted the story for them using stills as visual cues of what the final product might look like. In a face-to-face meeting we talked over the script and about pricing. We also discussed videos that had been done for them in the past and why they were unhappy with them. I was pitching them a different technique with a more TV-commercial feel and more of a story instead of just footage of their facility.

I shot the whole piece all on the Canon 5D Mark II, frequently using a Merlin Steadicam to give a first-person perspective. It’s a new process for me, so we figured a lot of things out on the fly, but overall everything worked out really well. That way I was also offering the client new technology. I could give a cinematic feel to the final piece at a fraction of the former price. They were extremely happy with the final product and we are now discussing a 6 resort video shoot.

Anantara Lawana. ©Mott Visuals

An important thing to realize about the pitch is, not only do you have to pitch the quality of the video, but you also have to help the client understand potential outlets for it. With stills they know how they are going to use them for their website, brochure, email promos, etc. For the videos you have to help them see the potential for more than just a video for their website. They can be used as web commercials on travel magazine websites, DVD’s for travel agents, in-room cross commercials, and more.

MJ: You said you see this part of your business’ growth in the future. In what ways and why?

JM: I feel like digital magazines are right around the corner, and with the iPad being released, the potential for video content demand is massive. Editorial and commercial clients need videos as their marketing outlets become more digital, so I see huge potential in both markets. I envision travel magazines doing videos more like a Discovery Channel piece, rather than just a slideshow of images. With new technology it’s affordable and not so intimidating for the photographer.

Video DLSR’s are still in the “wow” stage, and it’s easy to excite clients with their amazing footage when coupled with nice lenses. I’m not saying that the camera will do all the work, but the technology is rather revolutionary so it provides a great head start. Pretty soon it will be standard; but for now I plan to capitalize on this “wow” factor – the feedback so far has been extremely positive.

It also helps that we can offer  a one-stop production. Packages from Mott Visuals include stills and videos that have a similar style, so it’s one less thing for the client to worry about.

Anantara Phuket. ©Mott Visuals

MJ: Is this the first promo video you’d done with a DSLR? What did you learn from the process?

JM: This was our fist piece using the steadicam and time-lapse, so there was a learning curve to figure out how to use the device technically and stylistically. Plus the whole production process takes more time than with stills. We have to script the story before and get the client’s approval, then we  do the same at the end of shooting.

It’s also different because I’m working with a producer who has creative input, so we have two heads instead of one, which is good for video. I tend to think like a photographer; I want to leap from one thing to the next, while she reminds me we need to find a way to get there.

MJ: What else about this project was interesting or challenging for you?

JM: The challenge for me was not having a system in place yet like I do for stills. I know my “go to” shots for commercial shoots; after getting those I can experiment. For video I’m still fairly new, so I’m learning on the fly.

For me, transitioning has been the biggest challenge, making sure I visually lead the viewer from point A to point B. I’ve learned the value of a good producer who understands storytelling — and I also learned I need to pay her more so I don’t lose her.

The other challenge is how to market this work myself, online and through my agency, Redux Pictures. I’m still trying to figure out better ways than to simply include clips and trailers on my website and blog, but for now that is what we are limited to. Hopefully that will make for another blog post further down the road.

Here and below: Some favorite film images by Clark Patrick.

We all know that over the last few years digital photography has grown by leaps and bounds. Digital image quality is getting better almost exponentially and computer editing tools are getting easier and faster for professionals and non-professionals alike.

What I would like to argue, however, is that analog, film-based forms of photography will make a huge comeback in the very near future — in fact, it’s already happening.

In 2007 Kodak conducted a survey of 9,000 professional photographers asking them if they still used film. Over 75% of those surveyed responded with a ‘yes’.

More recently, San Diego-based commercial shooter Robert Benson took a small survey of fellow professional shooters, asking who still uses film and for what purposes. The answers highlight why film is still an important choice for professionals.

In this interview Brian Finke says, “I almost exclusively shoot film … I get the, WOW, reaction when I pull the first Polaroid and everyone on set sees I’m shooting film. I am instantly seen as an art photographer…” I love Bryce Duffy’s explanation of how film differs from digital. He says, “It’s like listening to a vinyl record on a turntable through a Macintosh tube amp through good speakers versus listening to a high quality MP3 on your iPod through a pair of expensive speakers.”

©Clark Patrick

Everybody’s Favorite Crappy Camera

To further understand why film will remain a serious force within the future of the photo industry, take a look at the skyrocketing popularity of the Holga film camera. In the past few years, websites like Lomography have made this camera a must-have for many hip young aspiring artists as well as established shooters reconnecting with their roots.

The Holga is also, arguably, the worst film camera ever made. It is made of cheap plastic, the lens is plastic, it only allows for minimal focusing control, its poor design and construction allows light to leak onto the unexposed film, and it almost requires modification to work. It’s like a little handheld photographic chaos creator. And in this way it epitomizes the best aspect of ‘analog’ imagemaking: You never really know what you’re going to get.

Plus, since the camera is so inexpensive, people also love modifying it and creating their own new cameras to further their own specific creative visions – on film. That whole idea is even at the core of the Lomographic Society’s 10 Golden Rules.

I feel the rise in digital photography has actually inspired many shooters to go back to using film, especially with simple cameras like the Holga. And there will be further digital backlash instigated by younger photographers who reject many aspects of the current digital world. These are the same types of people who will take down their on-line social network profiles, start handwriting letters, and block text messaging from their cell phones (or get ride of them altogether). These artists are the future analog creators. Growing up in a digital world, they have a fresh way to look at what the analog world means.

©Clark Patrick

Give Me Polaroid or Give Me Death

More proof that film still matters can be found in the public’s response to Polaroid’s announcement that it would cancel its instant film lines in 2008. Save Polaroid was formed immediately and there was a massive response on Flickr from photographers all over the world. I personally received at least 10 e-mails from professional photographers the day it was announced.

The Save Polaroid movement was so strong, it inspired The Impossible Project, which lobbied to bring the instant film back. The Impossible Project has now taken over one of Polaroid’s former production plants and is set to release a black-and-white version of instant film within the next month. I’m excited to hear that 8×10 instant film might be back this year as well. You can watch a great video about all of it here. (Dave, I dig that hat and beard combo.)

In case you missed that timeline, Polaroid instant film production was canceled, production plants were disassembled, then they were brought back to life by a very dedicated fan base less than 18 months later. After that, let’s just say I’ve got a lot more faith in the instant film business than I do in the auto industry.

As a little aside, I’d like to remind you all the Fuji did not stop production of their instant film lines when Polaroid did and is still making various lines of instant film.

©Clark Patrick

Art School Kids Grow Up Fast

As a professional you might be yelling at me through your computer something like, “Clark, that’s great that a bunch of hipster kids love playing with a Chinese toy camera and crying about Polaroid cutting off their fun instant pics, but come on, there is no serious market for this type of imagery in the commercial agency environment…” Although that may be true right now for agency work in general — I believe there is potential for its growth in the near future.

Here’s why: I personally know one under-30 commercial shooter who was commissioned for a fairly substantial agency assignment last year using a Holga and/or other types of Lomo cameras, specifically for that ‘look.’ And guess how old the art director was who wanted that ‘look.’ 24.

Film has a potentially big place in the commercial world because those fore-mentioned hipster kids are in art schools all over the country right now and in a few years they will be the art directors and creative directors hiring professional photographers. And they will want to see something else, something interesting to them, including something that isn’t digital. Obviously, digital isn’t going anywhere and will continue to grow and develop as the technology changes, but film is already on its way back.

A New Film Future

One major barrier I’m sure someone would bring up if I didn’t is the processing costs associated with film. In many ways, that was a huge part of film’s downfall in the first place as digital technologies became the cheaper option. My thought on this point is fairly simple. The use of film within the future of our industry will come back as a stylistic choice as opposed to a price-point choice. If a given shooter has a film look, he or she will be able to use film and the client will pay for it.

I also think photographers today can use much less film they did before digital options were available. It is possible to do a whole shoot using only a single sheet of film. Plus, there are always digital tools to back up your film shoots in case that one sheet doesn’t turn out. Part of the reason professional shooters used so much film before digital was because there was no back up. It had to be right on at least one piece of film.

The way I see it, film will come back strong before it even gets a chance to go out of style — just like ’80s fashion. Plus, I’m sure Terry Richardson will be partying with a junky 35mm camera somewhere for the rest of his life. As long as he is kickin’ it, we can all … keep on rockin’ in the film world!

What are your thoughts on the use of film in the professional photo world of the future?

Miki Johnson: How did the idea for the Menuez Archive Projects arise?

Doug Menuez: After Stanford Library acquired my archive they began to preserve, research, and scan the 250,000 images from my Silicon Valley documentary project from the ’80s and ’90s. A few years ago they called and said their budget was cut and asked if I had any ideas for funding.

I was sitting on a couple hundred thousand model-released, timeless lifestyle advertising images that we’d often thought about doing something with, but I was always busy with assignment work. This was the catalyst. I was very lucky to meet an experienced and creative entrepreneur, David Mendez, and together we wrote a business plan around selling high-end stock to this growing niche in advertising. Amazingly, we managed to secure funding from investors despite the down economy.

MJ: Who do you imagine being the primary audience and/or buyers for the archive? What kind of imagery is it providing?

DM: Ad agencies seeking never seen before, intimate, emotionally-compelling moments from everyday life for high-end ad campaigns. We have been getting a lot of calls over the past few years as more big brand campaigns go to stock and creatives seek images that are more special and not so widely seen as what’s offered by the giant houses. We are a boutique and are bringing old fashioned research and service in our collaborations with creatives on their campaigns. You can search our archive easily, but you can also send your layouts and we will custom search and present the results to you.

We are including a lot of my personal documentary work that is released, and we just completed our first shoot in Miami, covering a wide range of stories, including a working mom, an afternoon with a Hispanic family, a teen house party, Parcours daredevils, an older boomer couple traveling, and much more.

What’s exciting is that we researched and found real stories of real lives, just as on any other personal project I do. These stories and images are therefore compelling and authentic, but also model released. We also have a variety of editorial material, some historical, some current, and we are selling limited edition prints of my fine art projects.

From the Menuez Archive Projects' first guest curated gallery, LOVE.

MJ: How does MAP fit in with your larger business plan?

DM: MAP is a huge breakthrough for me in that it allows me to develop all the work I’ve done over the years, and create revenue from material sitting in boxes. That new material from assignments and stock shoots will help me stay relevant and replenish the archive over time.

I have so many projects and images that it’s hard to finish any one thing. MAP will provide a platform to build on for the next phase of my career. That includes continuing to produce documentary projects, films, and books.

MJ: How do you plan to publicize your collection of images? Will they be indexed for online searches, for example?

DM: Yes, the images will be indexed through our own website, PACASEARCH and search engine optimization. We will also be using as many channels as possible to get the word out and are taking ads in Communcation Arts, doing direct mail, email blasts, Facebook and Twitter. But the most important will be our existing clients.

We have also partnered with my agents Stockland Martel to distribute a key selection of images and they have been very helpful getting the word out. Most of my advertising relationships go back years, and it’s nice to have a new resource to bring them to help them do their jobs. Our super-charming and talented sales and marketing director, Christopher Beauchamp, will be reaching out to creatives and art buyers directly to get feedback as we launch the site.

MJ: How many people are dedicated to managing MAP specifically in your studio?

We have built a fantastic team. Dave Mendez, our president, is in charge of operations and will manage our growth. The legendary picture editor Karen Mullarkey (Newsweek, SI, Rolling Stone) is doing the edit with stock industry veteran editor Lindsey Nicholson — an amazing duo.

We have brought back Josh Dick, a talented digital tech, and as I mentioned, Chris is doing sales and marketing. We have an attorney, Matt Riportella-Crose, who is vetting all our releases and usage rights, and we have an assistant editor, Cristina Faramo. Our multi-skilled studio manager Tobias Hutzler holds down the fort.

MJ: Did you create your own stock site or work with an archiving and sales provider? How did you make that decision?

DM: We decided to leverage the leading European stock agency distribution channel and site provider, PictureMaxx, rather than start from scratch. Our core is built on Apple Aperture, which uploads to PictureMaxx. We looked at all the solutions and they offered the broadest package, including CRM and a European network of agencies already participating in their marketplace. We plan on expanding worldwide so that was a key part of the decision.

Another big decision was where and how to scan. We were lucky and have found a fantastic partner in National Geographic. Although a bit more expensive than our original plan to scan in India, the quality is outstanding and being close by allows film to go back and forth by hand.

It’s important to repeat that I am continuing to shoot assignments, so it’s critical that my assignment web site remains vital and relevant. For that we found a fantastic solution, as you know, in liveBooks with our custom site. That has been very rewarding and exciting and we will also keep building on that.

One of the first narrative movies shot entirely using DSLRs (Canon 5D Mark IIs in video mode) launched its trailer online on Tuesday. The Coming Soon page for Betrayed was big news when it went up in August, so we’re excited to bring you an exclusive first interview with director Joshua Grossberg on RESOLVE.

Mark Gordon, digital tech and founder of G10

Emily Miller: How do you simplify the photographer’s job?

Mark Gordon: Our services boil down to digital capture, from start to finish: pre-production, capture, deliver, and post. Within each of those steps, there’s equipment provided: computers, cameras, vehicles, and printers.

Within pre-production, there’s a dialogue that opens up what the job looks like from the eyes of the photographer. I will make efforts to also have that conversation with the producer. Each has their interpretation of how the job is going to be executed. I offer a package that fits best for the photographer and his/her needs, as well as the producer and their budget.

EM: How does your tagline “Watch Your Back” relate to your work as a digital tech?

MG: It’s basically a willingness to operate within the production, be a part of the team, and look out for the best interest of the photographer. I’m there to be their right hand. I give support so they can focus on the creative process. Providing that support and comfort eases their concerns about the technical side of things.

It’s also asking simple questions: Are you doing verticals or horizontals? And it’s very subtle, simple things presented in a manner that is not alarming. I think the appropriateness of on-set behavior is big. A lot of photographers are not comfortable with an art director interacting with a digital technician, but it happens. The support mechanism is truly to understand where I am and what the expectations are in advance. So when a situation presents itself, there’s an understanding of how that situation is going to be handled.

EM: What do you need to know from the photographer, producer, and client?

MG: Typically, it would start with the producer: Shot count? Are we in the studio or on location? Will there be multiple location changes? If we are on location, what’s the environment? Power supplies? From the photographer, the dialogue is typically getting an idea of how they approach the creative process, and how their approach is going to meet this specific client’s needs.

It starts to build a picture for me to understand how I’m going to plug-in on set. Even down to having the computer close by, having it tethered. We’re shooting the cards, does the client have access to the monitor? Do they want to do a formal present with the client?

It’s discussing a shot before it happens, like a walk-through of the shot. That way I can pick up the process they want to approach the job, facilitate accordingly, and also make it fit within the needs of production and the client.

Editing on location for Sony's image library in Mount Hood, Oregon

EM: How do you customize your gear and process to fit the specific location you’re working in?

MG: A big component is staying abreast of the latest technology. Every morning I have about 20 websites that I visit, to review announcements and product releases. Having relationships with the local manufacturer representatives. Staying in touch with camera assistants nationally, we keep a dialogue open of what’s going on the East Coast, West Coast, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Each region has their own preferences.

Capture station for a catalogue shoot in Montauk, New York

The G10 packages are constantly being refined and include three options: FAST, FASTER, and FASTEST.

FAST has the highest mobility. It’s a laptop configuration on a tripod and allows the technician to be anywhere very quickly without the weight of a bigger capture station or a tower. It’s a good fit for an editorial or a catalog shoot where there’s a higher volume and more location changes, or a budget need.

FASTER is the capture cart with an iMac or a tower that can be switched out according to the job and whether we’re on location or in the studio. Typically that’s running in dual display. More horsepower with the equipment but also a longer setup and breakdown time.

FASTEST is a combination of a few different factors, with two technicians and the capture cart. We have the Sprinter van now, so we’re able to offer an edit bay for client review and/or create an edit bay for the creatives. If there is an improvised shot they’d like to go explore, we’re able to move to the laptop and follow the photographer. We can bounce back and forth to the bay station. Then, from the bay station, be moving files to the edit bay. It’s the best solution, because it facilitates the client, creative, and photographer’s needs simultaneously.

Load-in on location in San Francisco, California

EM: What is your process of capture and color management?

MG: The process starts with identifying the brand and its needs. It’s a combination of a conversation with the creatives and the photographer, regarding look and feel, the direction the photographer wants to go with it, and also an understanding of what has already been done within the brand. Or, if it’s a new campaign, it’s an opportunity to discover what this new look and feel is.

There are layouts for placement within the capture process so we can consider copy, the orientation of the image to the copy, and even the aspect ratio of the page.

We use a combination of a color meter and a color checker and have a very clear understanding of mixed lighting environments so we can go into a scene and come out with the image that’s expected.

A shoot day starts with packing up, getting the look and feel identified, getting the files prepped for placement received. Then there will be a once-through of the day with the producer. Then there’s a conversation with the creative team about the naming convention that meets their internal needs, and then building out the shots.

Moving into the day, we’re getting images in their proper place. Organization is key. Things have to be done on set correctly. We’re now doing preliminary grading, so this goes into the color treatment. With files coming in, we’re now able to apply a preliminary color grading that has the identified look and feel. We drop the images into the overlay and present to the client: This is what your ad will look like.

Behind the capture-cart curtain for an advertising shoot in Lake Tahoe, Nevada

EM: What’s next?

MG: We’re immersing ourselves in how the industry is changing and supporting photographers in their transitions into motion. Basically the motion world is the equivalent transition that photographers have already gone through from film to digital. The motion world is going into a purely digital workflow. We’re able to apply a lot of models that we’ve established within the still process to the motion process. Being able to see new content created and new processes being explored, it’s an exciting time.

G10 Sprinter van on the road for a multi-location production in Oregon

David Lynch by Nadav Kander (Courtesy Stockland Martel)

Kristina Feliciano: How do you find photographers? Through referrals?

Maureen Martel: Always. We’ve never solicited photographers. Except for Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, who we approached after viewing his work at Mary Boone Gallery. I think it was 1986. And Nadav Kander — I had met his studio manager at the time [in 1984]. And when I saw his studio, met him, saw his work on the walls, I had said very casually, “If you’re ever looking for a rep in the States, we would absolutely be interested in talking with you.” He was very methodical about how he was rolling out his career, and he contacted us nine months later.

BS: We’ve been in this industry so long that even if they didn’t come by referral, there’s some association through art directors or other people. We got John Midgley through Liz Von Hoene and Jeff Lipsky through Kwaku Alston.

MM: And Matthias Clamer also knew Jeff.

BS: But I knew of Jeff myself. You could see Jeff in all the editorials.

By Jason Hindley (Courtesy Stockland Martel)

KF: How do you know a photographer is right for you?

BS: Personality is huge.

MM: A huge, huge part. Application for the marketplace is also key. Key key, key key, key. If you can’t apply it, you can’t satisfy the client. You also have to be dedicated to the medium. Some photographers want to love them and leave them. They want to come in and make a lot of money, and leave.

People like Nadav [Kander, whom Stockland Martel has represented for more than 20 years] and Lauren Greenfield [whom they signed in 2003] — they are artists in their own right. But they embrace the process. And they’re not just in the mix to make money to be the carpetbag to pull into another business.

BS: The people we represent live and breathe the subject matter they shoot. Matthew Rolston is obsessive about style. Luca Zordan is kids. He’s a good photographer on landscapes, he’s a good photographer on adults, but he’s a great photographer of kids. Walter Ioss lives and breathes sports. Our philosophy is that it has to be the person’s very nature to shoot the subject they’re shooting. They’re not doing it just for commercial reasons. You say that and people might think it’s a real sales pitch, but if you look at our talent, it’s no surprise that they shoot the subjects they do.

MM: I want them to be passionate, really passionate about photography. That means that they have their own projects going. One of my big problems today in marketing people is that they are not producing enough photography because they come from an old school of “I will get paid to make the images I need for my book.”

The next thing is how organized they are or the people around them are. Think of all the assets that are moving: the estimating, the presentations that have to be done. You have to be very nimble. Or if you’re not nimble, you have to have people around you who are. So we’re not only looking for a great photographer — we’re looking for everything around that great photographer.

By Jeff Lipsky (Courtesy Stockland Martel)

KF: What if a photographer’s business is a mess but their talent is fantastic. Would you take them?

MM: It depends on the mess. If they are really a mess, we can get them to the level where they are functioning business-wise, but that won’t be enough. To be a superstar, it’s not just talent. It’s business sense.

Also, we are very clear: We’re not the muse. We don’t want to be. They have to come with a muse or their own inspiration. They have to do personal work. Personal projects, editorial outside of the advertising arena so that we can take that work and package it and bring it to our communities.

KF: You recently signed still-life photographer Jason Hindley, who was one half of the duo Giblin & James. How did you find him?

MM: He had come to us before when he was in Giblin & James. He knows us, and he knows us through Mark George, his rep in London, who we are close with. He wanted to be associated with us. He’s now independent, so he came back once again.

KF: What kinds of questions did you ask Mark about Jason?

BS: I asked him how difficult it was selling one member of a partnership. I asked him how original Jason’s work was. Because you really have to show a brand new body of work and sell him as an unknown. You can sell a little bit of the past reputation, but I’m beginning to feel you just have to frankly sell him as a new talent. Because it’s too convoluted what that partnership was or wasn’t.

KF: How will you market Jason? What potential have you identified that makes him attractive to you?

BS: Technically extraordinary.

MM: Humor.

BS: Whimsical. Conceptual.

KF: What about people coming to you? You must have…

BS: All week long.

KF: What don’t you like to see from people who are approaching you for representation? What turns you off?

BS: When they don’t know who we are in the first place. When they reach out and they haven’t done their homework. They don’t know who we represent. Some people don’t follow up. It’s surprising the people who send elaborate mailings and don’t follow up. And I really don’t like the letters that say, “I want you to turn me into a star. I’m ready now.”

MM: X-rated presentations are really a turn-off. We have had several keepers.

BS: Like nude yoga. Of themselves. “Here’s me.” [Laughs]

One of Peter Lik's "destination" galleries showcasing his landscape photography.

As I explained in my first post, a brand is not a logo or a website or a design. A brand is a promise, what people trust, feel, and believe you or your product to be. Branding is how you express that promise to people. Here’s some tips to help you define your brand — only then can you express it through branding.

First, your brand will ultimately be defined by other people, mostly your customers and potential customers. They will make up their minds about you and you will usually have to live with it. Your job in building your brand is to try and influence them before their minds are made up. It is easier when they don’t yet know you and harder when they do.

Therefore, your brand can not be just anything you want it to be. It needs to be based on some truth about you, as well as client needs. Otherwise your brand will be rejected as not credible. Your brand also needs to be flexible so that it can evolve as you or the market change over time.

For example, while Polaroid’s brand was successfully built around innovation in instant imaging, its brand become too closely associated with chemical imaging in the minds of consumers and has struggled to stay connected with people in a digital world.

Second, be clear about what you need your brand to achieve at a strategic level. For most people this will be to set you apart from your competitors, to make you top of mind and memorable. By default, a brand should also say who you are not. A strong, healthy brand never tries to be all things to all people. Strategically your brand offers a way for clients and potential clients to quickly and easily categorize you. When they need what you’ve got, you want them to know exactly who to call. Ideally your brand should also make you look like the original or the best solution, making it hard for others to copy you.

Here are some great examples of photographers who have done this successfully.

Terry Richardson has one of the strongest brands I have ever seen. He has no logo and no real design to his website. Yet he stands out. He is unique, highly memorable. He shoots some of the world’s most famous people with a small, inexpensive digital camera. Why is his brand so strong? In a world full of smartly presented photographers who all look, shoot, and feel similar, Terry is distinctly different. (Check out the video, where Terry talks about his approach and his new Belvedere Vodka campaign.)

Another example is Australian landscape photographer Peter Lik. In a market saturated with great landscape photography, much of which never sells, Peter’s business generates more than $30,000,000 per year (US!!). Peter’s photography, while brilliant, is hardly the sole reason for his success. The essence of Peter Lik’s brand is the creation of a photographic experience. In particular, his galleries are must-see destinations. What you buy is not just a beautiful picture but a small part of everything that you experience in Peter’s world.

The critical third stage in defining your brand is determining what the attributes are that make up your brand. Attributes are like brand DNA. These are the tangible and intangible, emotional and functional characteristics that you and your business, product, or service are — or could credibly become. If expressed and managed correctly, these attributes become the reasons for people to trust and do business with you.

Here’s an example. I asked 10 people who know of Peter Lik to give me 20 words that describe what they believe him to be. I put every word, including those repeated, into Wordle, which creates a prioritized word cloud showing most-used bigger and least-used smaller. This this is a visual representation of Peter Lik’s brand attributes, according to these 10 people.

You’ll notice that the functional description of him as a “landscape photographer” is rated low. From a brand perspective, this is excellent because being a landscape photographer is just the cost of entry, it is not enough to define him as unique. Peter has purposefully built his brand around the attributes that help set him apart. That is how a strong brand works.

So, how do you determine your attributes? Here are eight questions that will help you find them. The depth and honesty to which you answer these question will determine the ultimate quality and strength of your brand. Other people’s input is also important, so also ask your friends, family, staff, and customers.

1. Why do people buy products and services in your market?
   List the functional reasons (a record of my wedding, thank-you gifts for friends & family) as well as the emotional reasons (memories, a sense of family and belonging).
2. What are people’s specific needs that influence their purchase?
   Needs can also be functional (photographer needs to have a good reputation, work weekdays, be affordable) or needs can be emotional (photographer needs to be trendy and hi-profile, I need to like him/her). People’s needs can be based on fear (my friend’s wedding pictures were awful, she was devastated) or on hope (I remember looking through my grandparents’ wedding album, I want to have the same thing for my grandchildren).
3. How do you meet these needs?
   These can be functional or emotional, tangible or intangible. Try to break them down into things you share with your competitors and things that only you (or very few people) do.
4. In what areas can you prove superior performance?
   What are you absolutely the best at?
5. What special advantages do you have?
   (e.g. ownership, accreditations, endorsements, famous people you have shot)
6. In what areas would you like to move into and specialize in?
   (e.g. video weddings or off-beat weddings)
7. What do you and or your business stand for?
   Think about your values and beliefs and identify personal passions you have that might help you connect with customers.
8. What is surprising, original, or memorable about you?
   (e.g. you drive around town in a specially painted bright pink VW beetle with white hubs… and always wear bright pink glasses.)

If you don’t have a list of 50 or more answers from the above questions, you need to dig deeper. From this list you can cull the attributes on which to build a strong, ownable brand. I’ll talk about how to do that in my next post.

©Lisa Wiseman (2)

Name: Lisa Wiseman
Website: lisawiseman.com
Age: 27
Location: San Francisco
Full-time job: Photographer

Personal project name and short description
The New Polaroid — This project is shot completely with my iPhone and is an exploration of iPhone as the new Polaroid. As the iPhone is becoming a ubiquitous and trendy accessory, on-the-go picture taking is now the norm. I see people using their iPhones to take spontaneous photos in the same carefree way that cheap Polaroid has been used in the past. In concept and ideology, the iPhone mimics Polaroid; however, it pushes the aesthetic forward by utilizing a new non-film (but technologically infantile) medium. Just like traditional Polaroids had a specific size and unique look, iPhone photos are unmistakable because the technology limits them to a fixed size and resolution and imbues them with a unique chromatic aberration that says “iPhone” and nothing else.

©Lisa Wiseman (2)

When and why did you start it?
I have been shooting with my iPhone since I got it approximately two years ago. I started showing The New Polaroid alongside my portraiture portfolios on my website and in my book in June, 2008, along with other personal work including a project shot on traditional Polaroid film. It was important to me to show my potential clients another side of my shooting personality — I wanted creatives to have a feel for what the world looks like to me and what I photograph when I’m not shooting portraits. With a wider breadth of work encompassing still lifes and interiors, I wanted to show that my vision carries through everything I shoot. Showing personal work has directly led to jobs, and when I show my work in person my work seems to resonate more with the viewer because it includes the iPhone images and traditional Polaroids.

©Lisa Wiseman (2)

Do you have a particular image you are especially drawn to so far?
There are always a handful of images that I’m partial to at any given time but it changes frequently! I am drawn to shooting windows, lamps, and empty beds, so there’s often one of those in there. (My favorites right now are the photos included with this blog post)

What has been the most challenging thing about the project?
Because this project is about showing the work that I see and shoot all the time, it’s more inspiring and exciting than challenging. Of course there are snags here and there, but the excitement of showing work that I love overwhelms any challenges I would face.

©Lisa Wiseman (2)

What has been the most rewarding thing about it?
To have other people resonate with my personal intimate work is lovely and very rewarding. I also really enjoy that The New Polaroid has sparked a lot of conversation and interest around my work, including people sending me their own projects or iPhone photos or telling me stories about what my images evoke for them. I love to know when one of my photos causes someone to remember or feel something from their own history. When there is a link between past and present through my images, that’s my favorite thing.

In your ideal world, where would this project end up?
Currently I include iPhone images and traditional Polaroids in my fine art work and gallery exhibits and I would be thrilled to be assigned to shoot a job on my iPhone.

Do you recommend personal projects to other photographers, and why?
Absolutely yes! Shooting what I love makes me feel driven and in love with my career. It also keeps my work fresh and complex and prevents me from becoming stale. I couldn’t imagine not doing it.

Irving Penn, one of the masters of photography, died Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at the age of 92 at his home in Manhattan. Penn leaves behind him a wealth of iconic imagery, from portraits of cultural leaders to obsessively exact still lifes. Photography Now has a great selection of Penn’s work online and the Getty Center in Los Angeles is showing Penn’s exhibition “Small Trades” now until January 10, 2010.

Scientists Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, inventors of CCD (charge-coupled device), will be sharing this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics with Charles K. Kao, the “Father of Fiber Optics.” Although the duo had moved onto other research projects, their discovery made digital imaging possible, from point-and-shoots to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Both Outside and Esquire launched a moving magazine cover this month, with the full videos available on their websites. Alexx Henry, the photographer behind the new Outside cover, made a name for himself doing a “Living Movie Poster” for the movie Mrs. Washington. It’s the second time Greg Williams has shot a moving cover for Esquire, after the first one featuring Transformer star Megan Fox.

Fashion label Ralph Lauren landed in hot water this week with a “poor imaging and retouching” job on one of their advertising images. After Boing Boing brought attention to a photograph of already thin Filippa Hamilton photoshopped to unltra skinny, Ralph Lauren’s legal department sent the blog a take down notice. Bad move. Now The Drudge Report, The Huffington Post, Yahoo!, Jezebel and ABC News have jumped on it. PDN has the details.

The Players

Producer Susan Shaughnessy

Client: AstraZeneca
Product: Crestor
Agencies: Digitas Health and
Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications Group
Photographer: Jayne Wexler
Artist Rep: Kevin Schochat
Producer: Susan Shaughnessy/SKS Productions
Location: Los Angeles
Total people on set: 30

1. Making the Call

The ad agency had three photographers in mind for the shoot, and the photographer Jayne Wexler was considered a favorite. The agency called her directly, and Jayne called her rep, Kevin Schochat. Together they talked about the concept, dates, and availability. Next, Jayne and Kevin considered which producer they wanted. Usually, the photographer or the rep has a relationship with a producer. Sometimes the ad agency has a relationship with a producer, and they will recommend one. In this case, Jayne decided she wanted to work with me.

2. Crafting the Estimate

Campaign layout

"Then and Now" concept

There were three bids submitted for this job, and the estimating process took more than a week, including several rounds of back-and-forth with the agency. We were trying to meet the agency budget, but we were the only team estimating traveling expenses, so our costs were higher. The agency was very fair and understood our numbers, but it took time to get the estimate and photographer approved.

I typically work with my favorite program, Excel, for bids, as does the rep. I turn my document into a custom-designed PDF, so it looks like a neatly presented document with my logo and client info on it. Excel allows you to make changes quickly and frequently, which is so useful when estimating and making revisions.

3. Getting Approval

During the estimating process, I have a crew in mind. Typically they are on hold from the beginning, especially the stylists. Once the agency awards the whole job and the money, then I book. I review the costs, rates, and expectations with each person, to confirm we are all clear. Sometimes the rates, expenses, and layouts have altered during the estimating process, so it’s essential to clarify at this point.

In this case, the casting and location line items were approved first, and then days later the rest of the job was approved. We began right away with a creative call between the photographer, agency, and myself to review layouts, casting specs, and location needs. I hired Eastside Studios in L.A. to cast, and I began researching locations with my coordinators.

Then stylists, photographer, producer, and agency have creative calls. These calls solidify the wardrobe direction and the prop needs. From there I can build a firm schedule, and manage expectations and deliverables for the team. As soon as the job is approved, the rep and I submit a request for the advance, to receive the appropriate percentage of the expenses up front. This money will get the job rolling and secure locations, studios, and all immediate out-of-pocket expenses.

4. Building the Crew

Wardrobe stylist Gillean McLeod, wardrobe assistant Lauren Burns, and photographer Jayne Wexler

When assembling a crew, I consider the photographer, the project and style, the budget, and the personalities that fit with the requests. It’s also important to have crew members who can work closely together to support each other. The wardrobe stylist and prop stylist know each other, work together often, and were able to help each other styling vintage clothing and props.

With Crestor, because everything was being shot in L.A., I suggested and hired the crew for Jayne. Jayne brought her first assistant, Piero Ribelli, with her, but I introduced Jayne to Mark Gordon, digital tech, along with Ubaldo Holguin and Joe Klecker, who were local photo assistants we used in L.A. Based on temperament, professionalism, and personality, I knew they would fit great with this team.

Having team members who know each other and work well together adds another layer of efficiency. Photographers often get in a groove with certain stylists, and definitely photo assistants and digital techs.

Often the crews stay the same, but sometimes we’ll add or lose somebody because of availability. Like Jayne in New York, we’ll have almost the same crew every time we work with her. For every photographer I work with, I specifically craft a crew that seems appropriate for them, based on their personalities, needs, styles, how fast paced they are, and what they expect in terms of styling.

5. Scouting Locations

On location: The painter's studio

For Crestor, we had a big assignment in a short time frame. We needed an authentic painter’s studio, a park that looked like it might have the Eiffel Tower in the background (to be handled in post), and options on a French café and cobblestone street. All in L.A.

Scouting the painter’s studio was tough. We needed a studio space that was authentic, but more of a hobbyist painter versus a professional painter. The space needed to be big enough to hold a crew of 30 people, and it could not be too messy or too high-end. We also needed daylight, so we needed windows. We ended up at a real painter’s studio, but cleaned it up, pared it back, then propped it to our taste. We commissioned real paintings that were made to feel not too professional, but pleasing to many.

Since this job required me to work from N.Y. during pre-production, I needed solid production coordinators and scouts on the ground in L.A. Nima Ghedami is one person who can make things happen faster than anyone else I know in L.A. He helped by calling scouts and friends, and found painter’s studios for us to review online.

Michael McClellan scouted and permitted Griffith Park for us, handling the paperwork and fees. He also scouted various other parks and painter’s studios. We also needed to find options for a French café. Michael and Nima scouted the café for us, but the idea was finally killed, and we stuck with two days on location and one day in the studio, shooting on white at Pier 59 Studios.

I do a lot of the research for location scouting, but ultimately I send someone like Michael to take pictures and upload to a website that allows the photographer, agency, and me to simultaneously review the locations.

Logistically, shooting on location in L.A. can be very easy, but sometimes you need a site rep, you need appropriate insurance, you need money up front, and the contracts can be very detailed. On Crestor, the paperwork was fairly straight forward; we negotiated directly with the painter’s studio, and Michael handled the park permit. With the painter studio’s, I made sure that the building was aware of the shoot by passing out flyers ahead of time, making sure our electrical needs were in line with the studio requirements, and ensuring we had parking nearby. We also made sure all the equipment, catering, and props could fit in the elevator

6. Casting Talent

For this project, which was based on a previous T.V. shoot, we had to capture the concept of “Then and Now” — meaning we had to hire the talent for the primary roles, then find teens to represent those people 30 years ago.

We cast during two days with casting director Doug Mangskau at Eastside Studios. He provided links to the talent each morning for the agency, photographer, and me to review. Each day we made our selects and commented on what we felt was missing. We also added a link of comp cards for the agency to review, which added to the in-person casting days. Eventually, we made selects for the painter, the younger version of the painter, and the younger version of the couple at the park with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

7. Styling and Props

Wardrobe selection

Prop options

Because the concept involved a “Then and Now” theme, we needed to prop and style talent and locations that looked contemporary, and another with a vintage look. There was a lot involved to coordinate themes, colors, and believability. The props that conveyed “then” included vintage bags, cameras, and maps. The hair and makeup stylist brought in a mustache and wigs. The wardrobe was all rented from from vintage stores. It was very believable. The props for the painter’s studio included: custom paintings, easels, paints, paint brushes, boxes, and used clothing from actual painters.

8. Transport and Amenities

Good maps, planned parking, and orchestrated transport are essential for a smooth shoot. In the production book (details include: the call sheet – client/agency/crew/vendors names and phone numbers; hour-by-hour pre-pro and shoot schedule, locations/maps/directions, talent and wardrobe specs, weather, sunrise and sunset times, nearby conveniences – Starbucks, Target, FedEx, and favorite restaurants), I try to provide as much info as possible. The coordinators also help by handing out maps, setting up signage, and emailing maps and directions ahead of time.

L.A. can be tricky in terms of traffic. Scheduling early drives against traffic can work to a producer’s benefit. Being able to get online from wherever you are seems to be required these days – the agency essentially wants access to all of their work back at the office, and often we need to email samples of the photos to people who couldn’t make it to set. Also, having a digital tech who can take the photo and place it in a layout for agency preview is a real need.

The importance of good food and coffee also cannot be underestimated. Neither can: a clean bathroom, helpful assistants, efficient cleanup of garbage, flexibility, understanding, dinner reservations for the agency, and on-time car service.

9. Shoot Day

Mark Gordon's G10capture digital tech cart

Arrive 8 a.m., set up lights, breakfast, wardrobe, and props. Model arrives at 8:30 and gets wardrobe approved, then goes into hair and makeup. The agency works with Jayne on lighting and angle, modifies props and crop, and gets camera and digital all working in sync. Mark Gordon, the digital tech, comes with his own DJ set-up, so there’s always good music happening.

The model stands in for Polaroids, frame gets signed off on, wardrobe approved. Final touches, then shoot. The shoot day continues for hours, changing wardrobe, altering props, changing hair.

Once the model nails the emotion, and we get multiple shots, they are edited and approved by the agency, and a select is emailed to the director, who can’t make the shoot. Once everything is approved, we let the model go and shoot the set elements alone, (the props, the backgrounds), which will be manipulated in post.

Lunch inserts itself around 12:30-1 p.m. Usually we all stop and eat, at least for half an hour. Then back to work. We wrap by

Wardrobe ready, talent on set

5 p.m., using an hour to edit images and back up all digital files. At the same time, the crew cleans, empties garbage, packs props and wardrobe, and loads everything into vans.

Before I leave, I walk through the space with the owner/site rep and ensure nothing is damaged, broken, or out of place. Anything moved gets put back in place — we often note its place ahead of time by taking pictures when we arrive. I’m the last to leave.

The check is written if anything additional needs to be paid for. Maps or directions for the next day are reviewed and dinner reservations are confirmed. Call a rain day if needed. For the Crestor shoot, we bought weather insurance instead of calling a weather day, but the day ended up perfect. You just never know!