Last week, the British Journal of Photography helped spread the news that Kodak will stop producing digital products as part of their ongoing strategic review? What is Kodak going to do? Refocus on good, old fashioned film.

At first, this sounded like brand suicide to me. But then I read on…

The news comes as Kodak is undergoing a wide-ranging strategic review of its businesses with the “commitment to drive sustainable profitability through its most valuable business lines.” But Kodak is quick to point out that the move won’t mean the end for Kodak-branded digital cameras. Instead, the firm plans to license its brand to third-party manufacturer – a move that mirrors Polaroid’s action in the years leading to and following its own bankruptcy. —bjp-online

Film has a core niche market. There are still photographers out there who use it, and use it religiously. Jonathan Canlas, a popular photographer based in Utah, recently came out with a book titled “Film is Not Dead: A Digital Photographer’s Guide to Shooting Film”. He also leads FIND (Film is Not Dead) workshops across the U.S. (which Kodak helps sponsor). There are about 65 testimonials about the workshop on Canlas’s blog,  from photographers all over the place. Some of them are so jazzed about the workshop they’re writing testimonials before they have even attended!

Canlas shoots ONLY in film, and his business hasn’t suffered from the trend towards digital photography in the least. In fact, I’d argue his business has grown from sticking to his chosen niche.

Stacey Hedman, a New England-based photographer, has been using film again for about a year. She started noticing that the photographers she most admired were using film, and she stared to pull out her family’s old cameras to play around with. In addition of going to film, Hedman and her fellow photographers are using manual light meters and cameras that haven’t been manufactured in over 20 years. “With film I feel more connected to the process—there’s more soul and art behind it,” she says. Continue Reading

“Photographer” is one of those professional titles that many people want. And why not? Taking pictures is fun and exciting.

However, reality isn’t so glamorous. According to a report prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “More than half of all photographers are self-employed, a much higher proportion than for most occupations.” The BLS adds, “Salaried photographers—most of whom work full time—tend to earn more than those who are self-employed.”

In short, what we have is a business that isn’t a hotbed of jobs – or high earnings for those who aren’t employed as photographers. Not a pretty picture.

The BLS continues with the killjoy theme by saying, “Most photographers spend only a small portion of their work schedule actually taking photographs. Their most common activities are editing images on a computer—if they use a digital camera—and looking for new business—if they are self-employed.”

However, similar things can be said about the music business. But people still pick up guitars and start to play. Likewise, the theatrical arts. It’s tough to make it onto the stage or screen, but somewhere, there’s an audition attracting hopeful actors right now.

Okay, so I’ve acted like your parents and given you the “Tough way to make a living, but I know you want to do it!” speech. Now let’s get to work on helping you succeed in the business of photography.

Continue Reading

Publish Your Photogrpahy Book

Is there a book in you? If you’re a photographer, the answer is probably a resounding “Yes!”

Whether you’re dreaming of producing one of those coffee table books with a hefty price tag or if your desires run to creating a client-wowing portfolio that doesn’t look like all those other portfolios, you’re in luck. Thanks to the proliferation of print-on-demand companies like Blurb, Fastback, Creative Books, and Shutterfly, getting your photo book into the hands of readers is easier than ever.

Note that I used the word “readers.” That was deliberate. The reality of the photography book publishing world is that it’s difficult to find buyers. Photography books are like poetry books in that the supply far exceeds the demand.

However, there are a few photographers whose books are collected like fine paintings. Expect to find their books on some very high-priced coffee tables. But these people are the exception, not the rule.

Continue Reading

It seems to be the natural evolution of the freelancer that sooner or later we all try our hand at photography. While we may never classify ourselves as anything more than a photo hobbyist, we all strive to improve our photography skills.

The new Rockable Press book How to Take Great Photos with Whatever Camera you Got is here to help!

Continue Reading

In my away-from-the computer life, I’m an avid bicyclist. Talk about a gadget-centric activity. It seems as though there’s always another nifty, lightweight bike to buy. Or, if you already have a bike or two, there’s some must-have accessory that you just can’t live without.

Which means that an affordable form of transportation – or recreation – can get pretty expensive. Same goes for photography. If it isn’t a new camera to buy, it’s one of those gizmos that will improve your shooting.

Enter Steve Johnson. An Englishman who now lives near Chicago. Johnson is the creator of the popular Minimalist Photography 101 blog. It’s the sort of place that frugal creatives will feel very comfortable visiting because Johnson’s into getting the highest level of results at the lowest cost. He’s just written an eBook that presents his minimalist photographic philosophy in a very readable format.

Continue Reading

The response to our recent competition for photos submitted to our FreelanceSwitch photo pool on Flickr was huge–we received over 1,500 submissions! Due to the high number of fantastic photos, I called in FreelanceSwitch’s resident forums moderators, Eliffio and Amber, to help pick the winners. Check out all the submissions in the gallery. Without further ado…on to the winners! Continue Reading

Like many people on this blog, I’ve dreamed of becoming a professional photographer. Then I looked at the realities of the photo business. Here are a couple of sobering facts for those trying to break into the market:
Continue Reading

Got a camera? Great! But can you turn it into a business?

Aaron Lindberg did. After paying his full-time dues and freelancing on the side, this 30-year-old full-time freelance photographer from Kansas City, Missouri, has earned a solid reputation for himself and says the key to that is to keep promoting—and keep shooting!

How did you get started in photography? Did you go to school for it? Have you participated in any continuing education programs? What type of equipment do you use?

My photography career starting in college at the University of Kansas while I was getting my BFA in Art. I needed a job to pick up some extra money so I approached the school’s newspaper. I started shooting for the school newspaper (University Daily Kansan) and after shooting there for a couple years I got a part-time gig with the city newspaper (Lawrence Journal World). After graduation I moved back to Kansas City and my careers took off and haven’t looked back since. 98% of what I know was taught hands on in the field from taking on assignments at the newspapers. I shoot with digital SLR equipment (Nikon side of things) with a bag full of photo toys.

Continue Reading

The world of photography is changing, and while freelancers have always had an opportunity to participate in this lucrative realm, it is becoming more and more accessible to the masses as the price for equipment and software falls. The difference between a good and great photography business isn’t simply based on the camera you choose. More important is the way you cut through the waves of images, carefully selecting, editing, and printing the best of breed.

If you want to be competitive, you need to learn to hone your workflow. There are many ways to accomplish the task, and in this review we are taking a closer look at Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2. Is it mature enough to provide the necessary tools for the trade? Can it give one an edge in their own market? Read on to find out.

Continue Reading

Photo by ssh.

Time wasn’t too long ago when the term “photographer’s portfolio” referred to a leather case filled with prints of your very best work.

Those cases are still around, and they’re a worthwhile investment if you’re planning to show your work to local art directors and editors. But, like any other creative field, photography has gone global. You may be based in Houston while you work with clients in Dusseldorf or Singapore.

So, some sort of Internet presence is essential. This article will survey three options for displaying your photography.

Continue Reading

As the gap between analog and digital realms continue to merge, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to increase our efficiency while maintaining the sense and idea of the dreams that we are trying to bring to life. Wacom, a well known contender in this field, with product lines from the Bamboo to the Intous (among others), are hoping to continue the momentum of their past 25 years with the release of the Cintiq 12WX.

A pen tablet with a 12.1″ LCD display that is targeted at not only the professionals who have been able to resist the Cintiq line thus far, but also amateur artists and photographers who are interested in keeping a natural feel in their digital workflow. Can a small screen with a big history provide the tools to bring the analog world even closer to the digital universe? We took a few weeks to take a closer look at this hybrid display, and now present our results. Continue Reading

Image by Jeff Kubina.

I’ve scoured the web to find nine portfolio designs that are, dare I say it, probably better than yours, mine and just about everyone else’s.

I’m sharing them because they’re fun, inspiring, creative and ultimately, works of art.

I’ll be up-front about one thing before we start, though. Unless you’re a Flash genius or have lots of dosh to spend on things like that (doing work for Nike and Microsoft helps), you’ll probably never have an online portfolio like one of these.

The main question they might encourage you to ask, though, is this: is your online portfolio reaching its full potential, or are you settling for ‘good enough’? Continue Reading