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## PhotoAIM weekly newsletter for 02/01/03 ## 388e

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PhotoAIM, the weekly newsletter from PhotoSource

International. <http://www.photosource.com> ==>

ISSN 1530-0511

If you no longer wish to receive PhotoAIM, see the instructions at the end of this newsletter.

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Need the answer to a stock photography question? At our website >www.photosource.com/board< you'll find our Bulletin Board, called "The Kracker Barrel." Check it out. Our staff answers marketing questions; fellow photographers offer their input and experience. The following is a typical exchange.

KRACKER BARREL

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DISCOVERING THOSE INSIDE SECRETS

In every profession there are "inside secrets" that the pros discover and rarely share with beginners. Now that it's a new year - does anyone out there want to share a 'secret' with a just-beginning-amateur in this world of stock photography?

: Hank Williamson

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PhotoSource Replies:

Secrets? Maybe you were asking for some tips on how to make professional-looking stock photos for the book and magazine industry.

Like any successful entity, say like a professional football team, the more efficient you are, the better the results.

So here are some pointers:

In my seminars, I've noticed that newcomers often seem to make the same mistakes in composing their editorial stock photos. The students usually arrive with prize-winning calendar-type scenics or slick 'posed' commercial shots, complete with highly-paid models. Some researchers call these "stock schlock."

I tell them their postcard-type pictures are great shots, but the seminar for this type of photography is down the hall in Room 17. I let them know that if they want to become an editorial stock photographer selling to books and magazines, they'll need some "re-training." Their photos may have won blue ribbons, but photobuyers won't be interested. Buyers have those calendar-type pictures hanging on the wall of their office, but they are writing checks for editorial stock photos.

The best guides on how to take editorial stock are the very magazines and books themselves. The pictures in the publications exhibit certain characteristics: They evoke a mood. Their composition is bold in design (no cluttered background or extraneous distractions). Also, since an editorial illustrative photo is not a documentary photo, there's no need to tell the whole story. Don't insult the reader's (viewer's) intelligence. You want to allow the viewer to "read into" the picture -- allow the reader to be a collaborator in the picture's meaning.

Finally, most beginners are shy and don't move in close enough. Notice how close the pros get with their cameras. You'll know you're close enough to people you're photographing when you can see the color of their eyes.

These are tips to make your picture-taking more efficient. Follow them and you'll soon be able to match the fine picture quality of the pros.

Any creative work involves the venerable "form and content." I've shown you the form, or "format" of an editorial stock photo. However, I can't give you the "content" -- that's up to you. That's the "spirit" of the photo. That's the secret only you can discover for yourself. Each photographer will bring a special spirit to his or her photographs. --RE

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This week's featured photographer on PhotoSourceFolio: Tom Myers :

(http://www.photosourcefolio.com)

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THE WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER

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Generating Great Ideas for Articles: Part 2

Like to write? Want to pay for your vacations? The advice below from a seasoned writer can point you in the right direction.

Where Have You Been?

Think back to places you have visited in the past. Which locations impressed you most and what was it about these locations that you liked? You don't need to make a fresh trip to a location every time you want to write an article about it. If there are locations you visited in the past which you would like to write about, consider whether you already have adequate information for your article. However, chances are that if you weren't thinking in terms of writing an article at the time you visited, you won't now have enough details. But don't despair.

You can contact (phone, e-mail, postal) the tourist office of the destination and ask for any information you're lacking. If you traveled with a tour company, that company should also be able to provide you with, for example, accurate spellings of place names, hotels and restaurants, contact details, etc. The airline that flew you there should be able to provide you with an up-to-date timetable and fare information.

Read Widely

Reading widely will help you develop or fine-tune ideas for stories. When reading for article ideas don't just read travel stories. News stories, articles in trade magazines, and reviews can also be a rich source of article ideas.

Use the Internet

Search engines such as Google will cough up articles previously published by magazines and books. Also check out the "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature" at a major library. Although names and places might be outdated; spellings, distances, and other vital statistics will not have changed.

Brochures are also an excellent source of ideas for articles. Brochures have the additional advantage that they contain a lot of the background information you'll need if you ultimately write a story about that destination.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photoaim.com/wp35.html

CAN YOU PREVENT MISUSE OF YOUR PHOTOS?

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Q: I am trying to find a way to secure my images on my web page before I launch it. Any ideas or cures out there in the black hole of cyber space?

Charley Shavers

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A: Secret revealed: Many veteran photographers who have dozens and dozens of photographs published each year, are finding that the public is stealing those images and not paying for them. More importantly, those photographers don't care.

"What?" you ask.

Yes, it's true. But I'm not talking about the Web. Those high quality images are being stolen from magazines, calendars, textbooks, brochures, newspapers, and other periodicals. And no one is policing this.

To steal them, the culprits are using .low-tech tools: scissors and razor blades. It's been going on since the printing press was invented.

It's even happening in your household. Look around your home. On your kitchen bulletin board, your refrigerator, your child's bedroom wall. Some are in frames in your neighbor's den or your best friend's studio or workshop. All stolen.

I can remember a time twenty years ago, when color copiers became popular. Photographers learned color photocopies of their images were being used by art directors in layout mock-ups to influence a client's decision. Photographers became incensed and mounted a campaign to take art directors to court if they 'illegally' used a photocopy of a photographer’s image in a comp. The effort got no results.

Unable to stop this type of rampant 'misuse' of their photos, photographers gradually realized that such a practice was actually free promotion and advertising for them. The crusade died out. Now it's common practice for art directors to "borrow" images for comps, from magazines, stock books, and the web.

With the advent of the web, the cycle is starting again. And with millions of viewers, policing the practice is nearly impossible. So the question is: Should you put your pictures up on the Web and promote them, or should you hide them and protect them? Photographers, who cannot remember this history lesson, are up in arms. Again, they are declaring there must be a stop to the practice of "Web borrowing".

THE TRUE THIEVES

True, there is some outright thievery going on. That is, there is stealing of photos for monetary gain. But it is not by professional art directors, researchers, or photo editors -- the clients you deal with. These professionals have little to gain by infringement, and much (their reputation) to lose.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photoaim.com/cb48.html

BUSINESS NOTEPAD

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A NOTICE OF APPEAL was recently filed in Massachusetts by companion groups supporting the Boston freelancers group that recently received a negative ruling from the court in their fight against a Boston Globe contract. The court granted a summary judgement affirming the legality of the newspaper's contract which "grabbed" rights from freelancers. A consortium of companion groups, including ASMP, believe they have a chance for the appeal. They base this on a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned the landmark case, "Tasini v. New York Times." A lower court had ruled in favor of the NY Times. The higher court decision resolved the issue in favor of the freelancers. For additional information: http://www.bgfa.net. –RE

TAX TACTICS

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Be Sure You're Getting All Your Tax Breaks

Freelance stock photographers, writers, and other self-employeds, have two choices on how to write off their outlays for purchases of equipment: Depreciation ("the standard route") and expensing.

Many freelancers aren't aware of the availability of the latter way to deduct equipment purchases. As a result, countless freelancers pay way more in taxes each year than legally required.

When Form 1040 time rolls around in April, freelancers usually go the "standard route," that allows them to recover their expenditures through depreciation deductions over a period of time. The general rules for depreciation specify periods that range from as low as three years to as high as 39 years.

Freelancers get to depreciate most of their equipment over five years (computers, copiers and the like) or seven years (furniture and fax machines, cameras, for example).

HOW TO EXPENSE YOUR EQUIPMENT

What stock photographers overlook is that Internal Revenue Code Section 179 authorizes an important exception to the general rules for depreciation. This exception bestows an option for businesses, whether full- or part-time, that qualify as "small businesses" (typically, freelance stock photographers qualify). This option entitles small businesses to write off the entire cost of a purchase in the first year the equipment is placed in service.

Want to read more of this article? Go to: http://www.photoaim.com/txtct82.html

GOOD STUFF

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PHOTOGRAPHY: FOCUS ON PROFIT, by Tom Zimberoff. This book is a comprehensive guide to the industry’s best practices, that uses effective software to demonstrate how to put its lessons into practice. Created in conjunction with PhotoByte, a business automation program that is distributed for free, the book shows photographers how to incorporate profitability into the business process. (ISBN: 1-58115-059-8; $35.00) Contact: Allworth Press, 10 E 23rd St, Ste 510, New York NY 10010. http://www.photosourcefolio.com/bookstoreone.htm#1581150598 .

SELLING STOCK SURVEY Join the photographer survey. So far 120 photographers have responded to Jim Pickerell’s stock photographer’s survey on photographer income. He going to keep the survey open until FEBRUARY 15th go give more people a chance to respond. You can find the survey at: http://www.pickphoto.com/user-cgi/survey_2003.cgi or go to: http://www.pickphoto.com/sso and click on "2003 Survey."

Jim says, "Early results indicate stock revenue is either up over the last three years, or only down slightly for most photographers. If there are people out there whose revenue has dropped significantly over the last three years, they don’t seem to be participating in this survey. In the coming two weeks we hope to get a greater level of participation from all stock photographers regardless of whether their annual income is small or large, up or down. Thanks to all who participate."

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."

–Margaret Meades

FREE THIS WEEK

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FREE CAMERAS Make your own choice of any professional level digital camera on the market and Desktop Digital Lab offers to show you how to get it at no cost. The program requires use of Desktop Digital Lab. For more information go to: <http://www.freedigitalcameras.net>. Let us know if this works! -RE

THIS WEEK'S WEB FEATURE

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YOUR OWN WEBSITE! Display six of your images on your personal Web page http://www.photosourcefolio.com You'll benefit by the larger traffic that passes through PhotoSource.com. Only $4.95 per month. Cheap! For details info@photosourcefolio.com

Watch for developments in the field of stock photography in PhotoAIM's

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE NEWS

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You'll be the first to know…

Note: If the URL is long, it may extend to two lines. In that case - clicking on it won't work. Instead, "copy and paste" the URL.

Are your civil liberties being violated? Here's what stock photographers can expect.

http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/moe2/41741.php

China is asked to free photographer. For an energetic free-lance photographer, the mission seemed ideal: exclusive coverage of a boatload of North Korean refugees as they slipped away secretly from the Chinese mainland to ports in South Korea and Japan.

http://www.iht.com/articles/84844.html

Larry Banks Photography on cutting edge - wins multiple awards at international convention - Since Chad Banks joined his dad's business in 2000, the transition has been made to a completely electronic operation with the latest equipment in digital imaging.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1617&dept_id=160351&newsid=6853973&PA G=461&rfi=9

National Geographic Reveals Swimsuit Issue

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030129/od_nm/media_swimsuits_dc_4

Self-serve kiosks free digital photos from your PC

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/products/2002-12-06-digital-kiosk_x.htm

Attorney General Issues Warrant For Missing Photographer - Rhode Island's attorney general is taking criminal action against a local wedding photographer. In September, the Consumer Unit reported on local couples who complained that wedding photographer Phillip Cohen accepted deposits but failed to deliver.

http://www.turnto10.com/consumerunit/1943962/detail.html

Photographer Tells of Iraqi Kurds "In Agony" - National Geographic photographer Reza has devoted his life to documenting the impact of war and poverty with poignant images that illustrate the suffering and the strength of oppressed peoples.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/01/0124_030124_reza.html

Far-travelled photographer captures nature in all its moods

http://www.caithness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=3059

A freelance photographer and a reporter on assignment for the Los Angeles Times were kidnapped January 21 by leftist rebels in Colombia.

http://www.pdn-pix.com/news

Be a Romantic in Yosemite National Park; Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day Amid Nature's Splendor

http://investor.cnet.com/investor/news/newsitem/0-9900-1028-20828290-0.html

EBay launches marketplace for small businesses - Online auction company eBay Inc. has launched a specialized marketplace for small companies designed to help them drive down the costs of doing business.

http://www.computerworld.com/managementtopics/ebusiness/story/0,10801,77962,00.html

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Visit the PhotoSource International homepage! Nearly seventy different sections with all the information you're looking for await you..

http://www.photosource.com/

PhotoAIM is a collection of excerpts from our monthly newsletter, PhotoStockNotes (We now have it available in German.) PhotoStockNotes is also available via postal mail in the USA: $3.00 per month. Outside the USA: $5 per month. >http://www.photosource.com/psnintro.html

Feel free to forward this issue of PhotoAIM to your photographer friends.

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New products for stock photographers can be found in our ‘Good Stuff’ section.

http://www.photosource.com/goodstuff/index.html

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388e

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