Marketing/Business

Pay the writer

May 7, 2009 by Younes

I know it’s a photography blog, and no I am not a writer (though, thinking about it I made more money with my writing than with my photography so far…go figure, may be I am looking at this the wrong way…hmmm…see how easy it is to lose focus! Gosh I wish I could concentrate more). Anyhow… Let me first give credit where credit is due: I owe this superb find to my fellow photographer Gary Crabbe.

Having started in photography very recently, I know all too well how tempting it is to accept any publication offer, even if it is for free. You think “what the heck, no one knows me anyway, any publicity is good publicity, let’s go for it!”. As crazy as it may sound, you should resist the temptation as hard as you can, for your own sake as well as for those who make a living out of it. Too many people expect to get just about everything for free. I have no problems doing pro bono work, I even encourage it. However, it has to be for a cause you deem worthy, not to help another business promote theirs at your expense. But instead of rambling on (like I usuallky do) and explaining the what and the how of this story, I would simply like to point you to this video featuring American writer Harlan Ellison. I simply couldn’t say it any better. (There is some swearing involved, so use at your own risk).

Like in all my posts, I love to hear your feedback, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts!

Build it and they’ll find you

May 4, 2009 by Younes

If you are serious about growing your photography business (or any business for that matter), you must make your internet felt. Needless to say that a well-designed, efficient and esthetically pleasant website will go a long way in helping your achieve your goal. However, if no one can find it, well, no one will see it. It’s like the old adage that “if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

So how do you make sure that your website is optimised for web searches? You’ll find countless resources on the web, some more confusing than others, each contradicting each other. Who do you believe? Where do you start?

Today, I would like to point you to two very valuable resources that I think will help your website (and business) grow. First is the “website grader“. Simply enter your URL in the search form, give it a few minutes and the grader will provide you with a quick analysis of how your website stands in the wide world of the triple W. Along with the analysis, website grader offers a whole bunch of tips on how you could improve your website visibility.

The second resource is quite a bit more comprehensive and may become one of those “bible” things on the whole science of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Photoshelter, a photography stock company and website hosting large photographic collections from several prominent photographers has recently issued its SEO cookbook. Surely, one of the most comprehensive and well prepared documents on the topic. Simply put, you have to check it out!

The non-glamorous side of Photography

April 24, 2009 by Younes

They say, better late than never! So here is today’s post, a short one to end the week as you’ve probably had enough of my ramblings so far (I am just pretending that someone actually reads this stuff, see how this parenthesis is just getting longer and longer, I am just drifting to see if anyone is following, so if you have read this far, thank you and please accept my apologies…).

I know there are many of you out there who think about doing photography professionally (as in full-time). Yes it sounds great to get paid to take/make pictures, but it ain’t all glamour, sex and rock-and-roll (well if you are into landscape and nature photography, there is none of that to start with, that’ll teach for chosing a subject that offers none of that). Anyhow, behind the art of photography, there is a huge business component. While some people do enjoy that side, I am certain that many photography enthusiasts don’t have that in mind when thinking of professional photography.

For all of you who really think that this is your calling, please make sure you take a look at Richard Wong’s blog “The field Report” at http://fieldreport.wordpress.com/. It is an endless mine of information and resources that will help give you a better assessment of what you need to make it in this profession.

Now if I haven’t discouraged you, I wish to send you to another link, a post by Canadian photographer David DuChemin on “how he got to the why”, why it’s all worthwhile after all.