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Tag Archives: Business
Fine Art Photography – Is It Still Viable?
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Dear friends, you will notice three differences in today’s photography podcast:
- Rick is missing (he’s in Naw’lins) but we’ve got an amazing guest to fill his shoes.
- There’s no featured artist or photographer this week as our guest, on behalf of galleries, features all artists.
- 95% of the show features intelligence and well-articulated thoughts – because our guest spoke for 94.5% of the show! But don’t worry, bizarre behavior and poorly-formatted thoughts will return next episode!
And [drumroll] Introducing… Ginger Fear!
Can photography still be a viable piece of art sold by a gallery? If you’re a fine art photographer, you need to listen to this episode. As it turns out, there is actually a lot of potential and hope for photography (and other art) in the digital age and Jason even suggests some surprising actions to take.
If you shoot fine art photography, the information in this book is worth far more than the selling price
Seriously, this has to be one of our greatest shows ever. Jason Horejs, the owner of Xanada Gallery in Scottsdale AZ drops by and gives us incredible insights into the role of an art gallery and how photographers can do a better job getting gallery representation. His wit, knowledge, charm, and insight into the gallery world provided the show with a lot more information than we were expecting.
If you’re interested in learning more about the art world and Xanadu Gallery (where, in fact, they do not roller skate and wear satin pantsuits to Tony’s dismay), look for Jason at:
- His blog, Red Dot Blog
- Xanadu Gallery
- His Facebook page
- His book Starving to Successful
What do you think? Let us know here and on Twitter!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Art, Fine Art, Framing, Future, gallery, hybrid photography, inspiration, Jason Horejs, Nudity, Photography, Printing, RedDot, Sales, Scottsdale, Social Media, Xanadu Gallery
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Is Software the New Barrier to Entry? PI41
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The New Barrier to Entry?
We start off with Rick trying to dial back his (seemingly) hatred of the French but then he turns his attention to the Basque region of Spain. But, hey, he does an Irish friend. If you’re familiar with the other podcasts that Tony is involved in, you’ve gotta be shocked that he is the voice of reason and sanity on Polarizing Images!
And don’t forget the new segment! Send us the name of a drink via our Twitter account – @PolarizingImage – and we’ll have Rick drink it through a Red Vine straw. Remember to tag the Tweet with #RedVineDrink.
Anyway, lots of good stuff in this episode once you get past our usual goofiness (A.K.A. the reason you keep coming back). Topics today include:
- Do we really expect Tony to do any heavy-lifting? *Can* he?
- If E&J is good enough for us, it’s good enough for hillbillies. Let’s just call it “domestic”… I wonder if Rick is blind yet?
- With the cost of software, does that make it a barrier to entry? How about the learning curve of software?
- Does keeping on top of software updates prevent the guys from updating their gear?
- Is there a perfect tool or piece of software?
- How terrible or lazy are actions and filters? (hint: Rob has changed his opinion)
Even just 20 years ago, it was quality camera gear that posed the greatest barrier of entry to being a professional photographer. You would never have dreamed about becoming a wedding photographer with “just” a 35mm camera and a couple of inexpensive zoom lenses. Today? Different story! But you need something for post production. Whether you’re buying high end applications like Photoshop (still the “gold standard”), paying less for a more appropriate version of Light Room, or stand alone apps and filters, your collection and library of software is going to grow and, regardless of how much you spend (or don’t) it all takes time to learn. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the time required to hone your craft as a photographer!
Our Artists
Starting with our photographer, we look at Italian photojournalist Clay McLachlan. Want to see how a working (and successful) photojournalist sets up a seemingly easy food shot? Check out this behind the scenes video called Blue Bottle.
As an homage to Rick’s father, Rick chose the German-American architect, Helmut Jahn. Jahn was the architect behind the United Airline’s terminal at Chicago’s O’Hare airport. And yes, at one time, O’Hare was an example of modern architecture. Chicago is a city filled with architectural history and relevance but, beyond that, a city of artistic importance. Anyone who wants to be a travel or architectural photographer will, at some point, need to travel to Chicago and see the works of influential designers such as Jahn.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Actions, Amateur, barrier to Entry, Clay McLachlan, Clients, Comfort Levels, Critique, editing, Facebook, filters, Future, Helmut Jahn, hybrid photography, Like, obsolete, Photography, Photoshop, post production, Professional, Software, Techniques, Twitter
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When Does (or Should) Your Photography Hobby Become a Profession?
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Photography: You Ready to Go Pro?
Holy shit, this sucker is one long show. Two freaking hours! Anyway, this show is based on a question that Rick and I (Rob) get on a regular basis. It usually goes something like “I’ve been shooting for a while and I get lots of positive comments on my photography and now I’d like to start charging. Am I ready?”
Ugh.
It’s a tough question. Hell, we don’t mind answering it and for sure as shit’s sake we’ve been there, too. Rick and I are certainly tainted by their own experience, having been through the school of hard knocks, and would love to tell everyone asking this question to hang tight for a bit. But we also know that they won’t, so we try to talk about what we wish we had known and what we think every new photography professional needs to know before diving in. Here’s a hint, it’s a business so treat it like one!
Ugh.
Just as we were wrapping up the show, Rick asks an “innocent question” and then he and Tony start arguing for another damn half hour while I played Words with Friends. I think, dear listeners, that if you can make it through to the end of the show, you’re going to tilt on either what Rick says or what Tony says!
Our Artists
Since wedding photography is often the attempted path into professional photography, we look at one of the best wedding
Adrian Newey’s Red Bull RB&
photographers in the country, Chicago-based David Wittig. David’s photography shows his depth of experience with the wedding niche, an ability to connect with clients, and an ability to shoot great photographs that are unique to his style. If you’re thinking that wedding photography is an area you might want to get into, David Wittig is a photographer you need to be aware of.
Tony, never wanting to do anything normal, chose Adrian Newey as this episode’s artist. Newey designs Formula 1 race cars. They’re pieces of beauty and he creates game-changing designs.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Adrian Newey, Clients, David Wittig, Fine Art, hybrid photography, Meetup, Photography, post production, Techniques
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Photography Today, Is It Killing Off the Dinosaurs? Part 2
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Photography? No, really, we do talk about it eventually! As usual, the guys take the long way around to getting on topic as we have our usual discussion about what we’re drinking, why Rick will eventually play all seven dwarfs, whether Rob or Tony has the larger breasts and, well, you know by now…
Oh, and thanks to Mr. Sadie Breeze for preventing brain damage.
Photography, Dinosaurs, and When You Won’t Change
After the last episode’s emotional tirade about whether or not the photography industry still needs a traditional sales force, things come down in this second part. Instead, we talk about whether the film shooters and even the dSLR users today are being left behind by the advances of technology. Is there still a place for traditional print portraits? Is there still room for the fine artists? How about the RAW vs JPG argument: is that argument going to be irrelevant in the near future? And what about those guys who insist on only selling prints and not providing CDs? That’s an issue we need to deal with.
Let’s face it, photography is indeed changing and, as much as we want to believe differently, we don’t have the actual answers about what will still be viable five years from now. But one thing is clear – if you’re not going to be a visionary in photography then you’ll end up a dinosaur and, historically, we now how that ends.
Artists of the Fortnight
Tony points us toward the amazing photography of Dennis Hopper. Sadly, Dennis is no longer with us but his work in photography remains with us. Rob believes that actors often make great photographers because they live their lives being creative. Regardless of why, Hopper himself has a body of work that is poignant and strong. Anybody who wants to get into the fine art side of portrait photography would do well to take a good long look at Dennis Hopper’s work.
For our artist, we look at the well-known Rembrandt. If there was ever a true Renaissance Man, Rembrandt was it. Schooled in math, science, art, literature and history, Rembrandt used that learning to develop a style of portraiture known for its sharpness and, of course, it’s lighting.
Don’t forget – Our Photography Book Review
Head on over to www.PolarizingImages.com now and take part in our book discussion, The Art of Photography!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged change, Clients, Dennis Hopper, dinosaurs, editing, Fine Art, Future, History, hybrid photography, inspiration, Meetup, obsolete, Photography, Photoshop, Podcasting, post production, Rembrandt, Twitter
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Selling Photography – Photography Today Is Killing Off the Dinosaurs
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You want disagreement and yelling? Today we look at the people who are in the business of selling photography and are dragging their feet when it comes to change. But don’t worry, it’s a self-correcting problem.
We start off right on target until Tony asks a seemingly innocent question – does a store really need a traditional, trained sales staff? Then shit gets serious and we think Rick may have started crying. He didn’t: turns out he was just speaking into a muted mic. But before we get onto the topic about selling photography, we need to bitch and moan about why Australia just wants to fuck with you and how a shark got it right in the 1960′s. Tony also thinks a sting ray got one right a few years ago. Too soon, Tony, too soon.
Selling Photography – Do We Even Need To?
We actually intended this to be more photography-related than it ended up being, but the reason for this topic is because a large and well-established camera store in Chicago is closing its doors and the guys think it was their inability – or unwillingness – to adapt to the photography industry today. It certainly wasn’t the skill level or experience of their staff as that has always been top-notch. But the store died the death of a thousand cuts. An online presence that was virtually non-existent, major retailer for Nikon and Canon but where were the other manufacturers, a lack of related tools (no audio gear, very little video support, no computers or software…)
Winston Churchill by Yousef Karsh
So what is more important when selling photography: a sales team or an educational team? Tony vehemently argues for the education, Rick passionately defends sales staff with photography experience, and Rob finds himself leaning toward Camp Tony where he’d usually be the first to call bullshit!
What are your thoughts? Does selling photography today require sales staff or educators? Leave us a comment on the site, call in your thoughts, or Tweet your reaction.
Our Fortnight Artists
We even manage to have a heated argument about our photographer, Yousef Karsh. You may not know his name, but you sure as hell know his work. Famous for his portrait of Churchill (seen here), he shot a lot of historically famous and significant people – many of those shots are still the iconic image for those people.But really, who amongst us today can have such access to famous, important, and polar opposite figures? Probably no one. Maybe an era really is over.
We don’t have “an” artist today. Rather, Tony introduces us to an artists’ collective, Papunya Tula (go ahead, sing their name to Hakuna Matata, you know you want to). This is a group of Aboriginal artists whose art is as much a form of communication as it is visual beauty. Their work reminds Rob of the folding lines found in Origami.
Oh yeah, Welcome you ignorant masses!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged change, Chicago, Comfort Levels, dinosaurs, Fine Art, Future, History, hybrid photography, obsolete, Papunya Tula, Photography, selling photography, Social Media, Twitter, Yousef Karsh
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Episode 34: Photography Is All About… SQUIRREL!
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Elisha and Anne: are you available next week?
Tony is out sick for this episode and it’s left to Rick and Rob to record the show. Listen to what happens when two guys with attention deficit issues try to remain focused on a conversation. Witness for yourself Rob’s amazing talent of taking 5 minutes to set up a 5 second answer or Rick giving an awesome answer that has nothing to do with the question.
It’s a rather personal show, with R² (that’s shorthand for Rick and Rob) discussing their goals for 2013, their regrets of the past year, and their dream assignment. Of course, there is the usual oddball stuff liberally strewn throughout.
BTW, since we forgot to do the opening segment, Rob was drinking whiskey and Rick was drinking his homebrew. So now you know.
What else do we talk about? Well:
- The difference between allowing mistakes and accepting mistakes
- How the business of photography interferes with the art of photography
- Can a style atrophy if you’re not careful?
- Buy stuff from our CafePress Store (it’s a recurring theme)
- Will Rob continue with figure studies in 2013?
- Why photography can still be a viable profession
- How the opening sequence to our first episode was like Masterpiece Theatre… on quaaludes
There’s neither a featured photographer nor artist this week but that will be back.
Happy New Year and, before we forget again, it’s absolutely critical that you never, ever… oh look, a puppy!
Regrets About Your Photography? If You Could Change Anything…
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Do You Have Regrets About Your Photography?
We regret nothing! That’s a crock of shit, yes we do! Okay, maybe this isn’t so much about regrets but, knowing what we do now about the photography industry, if we could go back 10 years, what would we do differently?
A slow start as we have to do a debrief on Tony’s trip and we have a hard time focusing (don’t worry, it’s just the booze talking) but we eventually get down to an excellent discussion about what we wish we could go back in time and what choices we made that we’d like to do over. We’re typically in agreement that we all wish we had adopted a digital workflow a lot earlier.
To sum it up, Rob wishes he had gotten into digital earlier, Tony wishes he had learned Photoshop earlier, and Rick wishes he had learned to drink Negronis a lot earlier. But we might be wrong about that. One thing for sure, Rick doesn’t regret his lack of use of social media!
How about you? If you could go back and change any choices you made, what would they be? Let us know!
Our Artist of the Fortnight
Tonight, Rick introduces us to Cindy Sherman, well known for her self-portraits. But don’t dismiss that, she’s an original and they are not the kind of self-portrait that you’re likely thinking of! Some absolutely amazing work but to fully appreciate some of her pieces, you’ll need to get used to her style first. Go ahead and do that, though, it’s worth it.
Tony (surprise, surprise) chooses another musical group. This time, he takes a band from Akron, OH, the Black Keys.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Art, Cindy Sherman, Clients, editing, Fine Art, Future, History, mirrorless versus dSLR, Photography, Social Media
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Video Killed the Photography Star… [Cue 80s Music] – Episode 27
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Video Becoming Common?
Is video going to be the end of still photography? Does video present an opportunity for the professional photographer? Do we apply the same level of quality to a video as we do to stills?
This week, the guys chat – and argue – about the role of video in today’s photography. It’s a good thing and we all agree on that, but how do we introduce it to clients and how to offer it in a package sows some seeds of discord. But video is definitely here to stay; Rob and Rick think that photographers definitely need to shit or get off the pot! Tony argues that the true value for a client comes from hiring a videographer who specializes in the art.
We know that a lot of you are going to disagree with us about the role and importance of video and that’s cool. Rob and Rick are pretty certain that the days of the traditional digital SLR are numbered and it’s the focus on video by the manufacturers that is going to bring about the new technologies. Don’t believe us? Look at the number of new mirror-less cameras coming to market versus the number of new dSLR bodies. And there’s not a single manufacturer who isn’t working on it. But it’s video-capable cameras that are allowing this new change. Just watch!
Our Artists
Our photographer of the fortnight (thanks Tony) is erotic portraitist Aeric Meredith-Goujon. Not Safe For Work!! Rob decided that we’ve spent a lot of time looking at great photographers whose work, although wonderful, is “safe”. But what about those photographers who don’t work in the mainstream? They often have to do it better and more consistently than the rest because of the amount of judgement based on the content. The images in her Erotic Portraits sets will not be for everybody and if you’re easily offended… well, if you’re easily offended we’re surprised you’re listening to our show! But, if you are, be forewarned. There are sexually explicit images, images of piercings, and violence. If you can get over the content (if you’re not already cool with it), you’ll see a wonderfully experimental photography with an obvious mastery of light.
Our artist this week is Credence Clearwater Revival. Tony, ever the musical one of the group, once again looks to musical artists. He talks about how he grew up listening to their music as his mom was a huge fan and that she was a creative influence on him. Since he associates CCR with his mom and growing up, it’s not a stretch to understand why he chose them.
See you next week for our shooting event when Tony is in town!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Aeric Meredith-Goujon, Erotic, Fine Art, Nudity, Video
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Stop Being a Generalist and Push Yourself! The World Deserves Better
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Heads-up – we had some technical issues with Skype this week so the show is a bit rough in places. Close your eyes and it will soon pass.
Generalist vs. Specialist
It’s a common position taken by new photographers – the idea that you can shoot pretty much anything. From family portraits in the park to “fine art” to landscapes to urban to flowers… It’s understandable that we all want to highlight everything we are capable of doing but, on today’s show, we look at whether that can actually harm our photography instead of helping. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about running a business or just developing our skills – being (and remaining) a generalist will only let you get so far. You’d be surprised at how fast you hit that wall.
By now, you should us well enough to guess that all three of us are firmly on the side of the specialist. Look, we’ve all been there – Rob’s first foray into charging money and being a “pro” had him list at least four different areas of photography he could shoot. Rick did the same thing. It didn’t serve either of us well and we try to argue that it won’t serve you, either.
So stop it!
Today’s Artists:
Rob chose Eddie Soloway, a photographer he stumbled across and whose work all three of us were immediately attracted to. Eddie’s work with color and concept is a perfect example of
Big Sur, by Eddie Soloway
why becoming a specialist in an area is so important. Look through his various collections and you’ll quickly realize that such a body of work could never have been created by someone who “dabbled” and remained a generalist.
Tony, again, goes outside of the box to find our artist and chooses Heston Blumenthal. Yup, the famous chef. Rick (if you didn’t know) is a classically trained chef and he’s all over this one. We all love Blumenthal’s work and it shows. Fuck, now I’m hungry.
Just a couple of things:
Remember, October 2 is PI-Con and it’s coming up soon.
Buy some PI swag (like the “Wine Stein”) from our CafePress store and help us keep the show going.
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Criticism, Eddie Soloway, generalist, Heston Blumenthal, specialist, Techniques
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Into the Looking Glass, Part II (Let’s Try This Again)
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Wow, our first two-part series! Into the Looking Glass continues this week with a greater focus on the art and business of photography. In episode 14, we ended up being pretty technology-heavy which is never the intent of our podcasts. And, as time ran out on us (yet we continued to blather on and on), we didn’t have time to address the other areas of where we have seen the business and the art of photography come from and where we see it going.
Every episode, we start with what we are drinking. Into the Looking Glass is no different! Rick refers to his homemade absinthe fountain and here it is.
Today, we try to right that wrong.
Business & Art as Seen Through the Looking Glass
So many topics and rants in today’s episode. From Rob bitching (again) about the cavalier approach that people have toward intellectual property (and the unintentional theft) to the value we place on the art we hang on our walls. From the bad signal-to-noise today to a great quote (well, “great” according to Rob):
Many of the pix out there on the internet are such a no-frills, in-your-face slam dunk of plastic sexiness that the creator with his camera seems not to be an inquisitive, interested gentleman, but more like a drunk at a bar sidling up to a hot chick and blurting out, ‘Wanna boff? (Joe McNally)
Also, by listening to this episode, you’ll hear a for-realz disagreement between Tony and Rob as to the role of the traditional business model vs. the idea that maybe it’s okay to let your work get stolen. Spoiler alert: Rob thinks that Tony is fucked up!
Today’s Photographer and Artist
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When talking about the Looking Glass and where photography has come from, you can't skip over Arthur Fellig (aka Weegee)
When talking about the Looking Glass and where photography has come from, you can’t skip over Arthur Fellig (aka Weegee)
Tony’s choice for photographer today is the New York City street photographer, Arthur Fellig. Also know as Weegee, he was known for start black and white crime photography. Don’t know him? We’re willing to bet that you know his work!
Our artist is Anna Mary Robertson Moses, much better known as the renowned American folk artist Grandma Moses. Want to know our opinions about her? Make sure you listen to the show and leave us your comments. We have some listeners who have been fantastic about leaving comments – even though sometimes they disagree with what we’ve said – and we could not appreciate that more!
A final thought… There is no “X” in espresso!
Thanks for listening to Part II of Into the Looking Glass - don’t forget to leave us your comments!
Posted in Podcast
Also tagged Anna Mary Robertson Moses, Arthur Frellig, Artistry, Future, Grandma Moses, History, Photography, Weegee
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