Marketing and Consulting for Photographers

Skip Cohen provides Marketing and Consulting for Photographers. I stumbled upon this blog of photographer and marketing consultant Skip Cohen who offers an insight into marketing aimed specifically at photographers, it is very informative, well written and relevant.

This site is certainly worth a visit for some great advice and thoughts on marketing and consulting for photographers. To see Skip’s blog go to Marketing Essential International.

Earn More Money In Stock Photography

Earn More Money In Stock Photography – No Secrets
There really aren’t any secrets in stock photography. If you make more images, you earn more money. When you make better images you earn more money. If you make images that are relevant to the market, you make more money. If you make intelligent choices in your distribution…then you earn more money.

A Suggestion: Shoot Seniors (Maybe I should say Photograph Seniors…)
You want to make more money in stock photography? Here is a suggestion: Shoot seniors. Shoot mature adults living active, vital lives. Seniors connecting with young people. Shoot seniors connecting with their doctors, nurses and care givers. Shoot seniors connecting with each other. Shot ETHNIC seniors! Shoot seniors at work, at play, running there own businesses, enjoying their grandchildren.

A Need for Seniors
There is a HUGE need for seniors. In a couple of years, for the first time in human history, there will be more people over 65 than under 18. Check out what the agencies have in the way of “mature” adult images…talk about holes! And those huge holes become absolute canyons when you check out the senior ethnic content.

“Mature Adults” Pushing Boundaries and Inspiring Us
My creative director suggested to me a couple of years ago that an image of a senior woman dunking a basketball would be a great seller. I am getting close to doing it too! I swear! So there is another category…seniors doing outrageous things, seniors breaking the stereotypes that we have of them.

Seniors surprising us and pushing the boundaries…which when you think about?is part of real life today. There are all kinds of seniors busily changing our perceptions of what the “golden years” are all about. We should be out shooting them…and being inspired by them!

Simple Shots and Significant Profit
My girl friends mother came to visit us a year ago. I photographed her in my office. Simple shots…sitting at a desk, using a computer, a close of her hand in her daughter’s hand. We spent about an hour, maybe an hour and a half shooting. No make-up artist, no styling, not even an assistant. I did get a model release though!

Total cost…nothing. So far that little shoot has brought in just over $2,000.00. You don’t have to make shoots into huge productions to make them profitable. That little senior shoot will be bringing me revenue for years to come.

An Active and Vital Senior Model
Yesterday I was contemplating a SCUBA diving trip…maybe to Cozumel for some drift diving, or perhaps Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela (don’t be fooled…I go diving at least once every decade or so). As I do, I started to think about how I could make the trip pay for itself…and it suddenly came to me. I can base the trip around an active and vital senior.

There would be a bit of a twist though…because it occurred to me that I could be the model…arrgh…I am a senior!  I would go with my partner Stephanie. We can photograph each other enjoying ourselves in various situations and activities…from researching the trip, to packing, to traveling to enjoying the vacation itself.

Focus, Shot Lists, and Follow Through
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that within two to three years the images we will create will not only pay for the trip, but will be generating profit. In recent years I have been able to generate considerable money from each trip I have taken. It is simply a matter of having a focus, creating a shot list, and having the discipline to follow through.

Time, Hard Work, Common Sense and Income Opportunities
You can still make a living in stock. It takes time, hard work, some common sense, and shooting for the holes in existing collections. And one big hole in every collection is in their imagery of the demographic consisting of what we refer to as seniors or mature adults. The need for that imagery is just going to keep increasing, and providing all of us with an opportunity to increase our stock photo income as well.

About the Author
Unique Stock Photos: Photo of a senior business woman seated at a desk
Humorous Funny Pics: lifestyle picture of two young children hugging each other
Amazing Stock Photos: Woman Employing Holistic Medicine in Meditation to Heal Her Chakras

(ArticlesBase SC #2126980)
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - A Suggestion For Earning More Money In Stock Photography

Website Choice – Mike Larson Blog

Recently came across Southern Californian photographer Mike Larson Blog.

Really liked Mike’s approach to photography and life, truly inspirational.

Mike says “I pour myself out, my passions, talent that God has blessed me with. I’m so blessed and even more thankful to capture people in a way they have never imagined”.

This site is well worth a visit for some stunning photography and truly inspirational thoughts, to see Mikes work go to Mike Larson Inc.

Awesome stock photography

Just came across the awesome stock photography of photographer John Lund. Some of this work is excellen and John offers a down to earth appraisal of the stock photography industry.

If you are interested in stock photography then this site is definitely worth a visit.

John Lund – The Stock Photo Guy

ePHOTOzine wins online performance award 2008

ePHOTOzine wins Hitwise Top 10 online performance award 2008

3 Mar 2009

ePHOTOzine is a top performer! – ePHOTOzine is a Hitwise Top 10 Award Winner for 2008.
ePHOTOzine are proud to announce that Hitwise have given us another award.

During 2008, ePHOTOzine ranked 7 based on the market share of visits among all UK websites in the Hitwise Entertainment – Photography industry.

The Hitwise UK Online Performance Awards celebrates the most successful UK websites in more than 50 selected industries, based on the market share of UK visits a website has received throughout 2008.

ePHOTOzine is the UK’s leading, award-winning online photography magazine who were the first photo site to lead the way and be ABCE accredited – this means their traffic statistics are fact!

Tracey Johnson, Advertising Director said: “We’ve been delighted to have received two recent consecutive Hitwise awards, so to receive an overall 2008 award has us pleased as punch! Once again, this helps reinforce our market-leading position and makes the blood, sweat and tears worthwhile!

In this current climate, when advertising spend needs to work hard, this should help to further strengthen our brand to our clients and potential advertisers as THE vehicle to promote their message to a huge photographic audience.

We continue to go from strength to strength and would like to thank all our members and clients for your continued support, without which we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Visit the ePHOTOzine website.

About Hitwise
Hitwise is the leading online competitive intelligence service. Only Hitwise provides its 1,400 clients around the world with daily insights on how their customers interact with a broad range of competitive websites, and how their competitors use different tactics to attract online customers.

Since 1997, Hitwise has pioneered a unique, network-based approach to Internet measurement. Through relationships with ISPs around the world, Hitwise’s patented methodology anonymously captures the online usage, search and conversion behavior of 25 million Internet users. This unprecedented volume of Internet usage data is seamlessly integrated into an easy to use, web-based service, designed to help marketers better plan, implement and report on a range of online marketing programs.

Hitwise, a subsidiary of Experian operates in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information visit Hitwise.