New Research indicates that older people are indeed wise, both in knowing how to deal with conflicts between people and in accepting life’s uncertainties. This is called social wisdom.

- recognising that values differ among people,

- accepting that uncertainties are in fact a certainty,

- accepting that things change over time,

- and acknowledging others’ points of view.

This is different to knowing stuff about technologies.

As technology becomes the new playground the rules are the same but they execute differently.

As photographers who ran successful businesses become last year’s model they are easily discarded by a new generation of ‘hip’. To survive, do the men start shaving their heads, growing small goatlike beards, colouring their wardrobe black and wearing sunglasses inside? Do the women colour their hair more frequently, use loud nail-polish and wear more layered clothing?

These become obvious markers of people trying to keep up with another generation. Because all of these things are obvious ‘disguises’ for agedness it is possible that they do little to generate a sense of trust.

It’s true that clients make judgements on appearance … we all do …

Experience used to count for so much, as did social wisdom. It should matter more …

It used to be that being in business for 30 or 40 years meant that you were good at what you do and that you had probably made all of the mistakes you were going to.

Now it means ‘been around too long and potentially boring’.

It is our job to stay fresh, move with the times and make our experience matter.

This is not about always owning the latest filters but about not resting on the laurels of our pasts.

Espousing our social wisdom without ever using the expression “in my day” creates a unique point of difference.

Applying that experience to the new understanding of image ownership puts you ahead of a vibrant new kid on the block with lots of thoughts but no idea.

As you get older the only real ‘hip’ upgrade happens in a hospital under anaesthetic…. so it comes down to using your social wisdom to keep ahead of the play.

Cheers, Johannes

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The measure of a photographer used to be how much you could charge for an 8×10″ print. At seminars it became the call that epitomised the lack of understanding, from some, of the need for skills other than the balls to charge like a wounded bull.

Things have changed and now the measure of a photographer is what they charge for being a photographer. People disguise this photographic fee in packages and bundles, and sometimes lose track of what it is they are selling.

It is an absolute truth that a 10×8 print holds much less value now because of the broader accessibility of the photographic medium.

It is now more important to distinguish ourselves without distancing ourselves from our clients.

The real commodity we are selling is our vision. From this vision comes creative opportunity. We package it up as a set of prints, an album, and/or a set of digital files.

In creating a Queensberry album we are packaging our vision as a story for the future. As a vessel for the story the Queensberry gives it permanence, presence and protection. These things are a worthy investment.

Cheers, Johannes

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The New York Times caused a ruckus a couple of days ago with an article pointing out the negative impact on professional photographers of a number of trends: the decline of the print media and therefore print advertising; the rise of digital imaging, stock photography and photo sharing sites; the flow-on opportunities for pro-am enthusiasts who don’t face the same commercial imperatives. Christian Oth runs an upscale Manhattan studio. Here’s his response – Ed.

The New York Times posted an article about how photography is on a shrinking path. It is an interesting assessment of the state of assignment photography, but as far as the aesthetics of photography go, I couldn’t disagree more. It has never been easy to ‘make it’ in photography and the fact that the commercial/editorial landscape has shifted and is undermined by amateurs is nothing new to an ever-evolving industry.

Landing a career in photography is not as easy as just going to college, building a portfolio and, poof you have a career. The photography world is saturated, one has to be not only talented but also extremely hard-working and savvy to have a fighting chance at making this a career. The failure rate has always been enormous. This is nothing new.

What IS new, as the article says, is that the amateurs are undercutting pro photography. But what the article doesn’t mention is that the consumption of photography has also increased tenfold.

We live in a much more media-rich visual world. It is a well-known fact that people just don’t read anymore. Everything nowadays is supplemented with media. There are simply different opportunities out there, than the traditional assignment photography business model.

I would also like to make the statement that photography has never been this good, especially in the wedding world. The pros on the top end of the market have gotten so remarkable, and I simply relish the fact that wedding photography has been elevated to these incredible heights in our little niche.

This has also opened up incredible opportunities for the pros out there who are truly talented: the average couple has now a much higher appreciation for photography than, say 10 years ago. It is absolutely incredible what is happening in the industry right now in terms of aesthetics and vision. The growth of really good, stimulating photography has been enormous.

Weddings nowadays have become such incredible visual feasts. Anyone who hires an amateur for their wedding is simply rolling the dice.

Originally posted at christianothstudio.com/posts/

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The Archive of Accidents that once was photography.

Les Walkling describes a truth that is often forgotten in our pursuit of perfection.

Editing our images to only show our best is destroying a potential archive of wedding (and family) culture. Not only do we forget but we actively discard ‘the accidental archive’.

In making albums we look for the best-ofs, often overlooking the incidental truths.

When we are editing we discard photographs that are imperfect or that don’t suit our story (this is the inevitable outcome of editing).

It’s a fact that vanity rules over truth, but there is something in the accidental evidence created in the course of a day that would tell a different but interesting story, and maybe has more relevance than the fictions from the creative expertise of the photographer.

The accidental photographs that never make the selection are sometimes more significant than we, the authors of ‘truth’ may ever understand. The only photograph of a favourite uncle talking to his grandniece is rejected because it is not quite sharp.

Is it because the money shots are the ones that appeal to vanity?

As we focus on making successful businesses and keeping up with technology, are we becoming insensitive to the subtleties and complexities of what we do, that are incidental to the immediate and obvious task of making the bride and groom look amazing.

So the archive of accidents is a special thing … and there will always be people in denial of their unphotoshopped selves. But are we denying the memory of an alternative past by making the record of somebody’s wedding (their album or prints) as perfect as possible?

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As a proud parent I look at other babies and want to know if we are doing okay. (It’s the first time and we have no standard to work from.)

When two babies meet it is easy to overlook the needs of the other parent as you well up with pride in the achievements of your offspring.

Photographers can be the same with their personal prides.

Good etiquette with babies is to resist outdoing the other parent with the successes of your own child (sleeps through night … makes own breakfast, gifted, etc). Because even though it is reassuring to acknowledge the superiority of your genealogy it has no social benefits (unless you have cities to conquer).

Why do I mention this?  It’s about respecting the success and pride of others. It makes the photographic community stronger and of greater value.

Cheers, Johannes

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He always found it difficult going to a new supermarket … so he stuck with the one he had used for the last five years. He knew where the dried apricots were, and the gluten free pasta was always down the third aisle on the second shelf up.

He didn’t see the need to be a supermarket slut chasing the best price on freshly dug potatoes.

He felt safe. He shopped safe, and a diversion from the standard shop might be an adventurous purchase from the delicatessen’s department.

He liked that nothing changed except the weekly special.

On holiday recently he went shopping with a friend and suddenly the apricots were in the fruit section and gluten free was just too hard. He bought prunes and asian sauces that he had never seen at his regular supermarket.

He ate like a king on new foods and drank many new wines.

When he returned home he went back to the same old supermarket.

He dreamed of living like a king.

Fear of change often limits our ability to move forward. It also blinds us to a world outside of our experiences.

That same fear of change is what can also make us uneasy when our suppliers make changes to the way we habitually do things.  Embrace change and see it as an opportunity to move forward and to grow.

Cheers
Johannes

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Final feedback from my email, Your next album company

Unless you have someone on the ground talking to people you are never going to get the real story…

That comment’s from the UK, where we actually do have someone on the ground – take a bow, Jo!

But Jo, a Londoner, is the exception not the rule. Most of our client support people work from New Zealand. Gino, for example, gets up really early to talk to people in North America, while Kirsten works really late to help Jo with the Brits.

But it’s great to meet people face-to-face, so why don’t we base more people locally?

First, where would we base them? Think about a few people we’ve featured here over the last year or so. Darlene’s an Albertan who helps look after our North American clients (hey, Canada!). But she can’t realistically drop in on Christian in New York, or the Costas in California. At least Manpreet’s Canadian, but he’s half a continent away in Toronto.

The UK’s an island, not a continent, but Jo still doesn’t get to see Simon in Yorkshire very often. Besides, we have a lot of clients elsewhere in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Asia to service.

That’s why we’ve set up to be truly international. To think globally and act locally in the modern sense. Skype, email, toll-free phone, eCare, webinars. They’re how our team talk to lots – lots – of photographers every day.

Well, what about local distributors? Been there, done that, no thanks. We prefer to connect direct! Trying to talk to you through distributors is like trying to thread a needle wearing welding gloves.

By the way, that’s why we operate our own lab, our own IT team, our own support team. The buck stops here.

But all said and done, it is great to meet face-to-face, which is why trade shows are important to us, and why we’re planning… No I can’t talk about that just yet

Cheers, Ian

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