During the Photographer’s section of the Designers Working With series, I asked Jon Boyes if he would describe an average day in the life of a photographer for us. To, well, you know, see how it compares with our day. Jon was snowed when I contacted him, but he graciously took the time to answer in detail. Now over to Jon …

A day in the life of Jon Boyes, Photographer

First off I have to say there’s no such thing as a typical day. 9-5 this is not. I suppose if you had to break it down you could split the days out shooting on location from the days in the office. So I will.

Typical shoot day:

Arrive at the location (recce’d beforehand if distance and budget allow) mega early. I’m a Virgo so everything has to run like clockwork or I blame myself! Here in the UK we have a motorway network that resembles a car park most of the time so I set off early. Even now I get that night before anxiety/excitement rush which means I sleep really light so its up at the crack of dawn and into the car (preloaded with all the grip and lighting the day before..!). Off onto the motorway network to the location. If it’s really miles away or the other end of the UK I travel down the day before and stay over.

I meet the assistant I’ve booked at the location (I use assistants near the location as long as I have the budget to do so) and await access or start looking at the day’s weather and where we’re going to shoot. I meet the client, and if it’s an ad shoot, the stylist, models, etc., all dive into the first setup. I like to be as hands-on as possible in the lighting department - I’m not a “you set it up while I have breakfast and I’ll push the button” guy at all.

If it’s an editorial job I’m normally solo so I meet the subject and we look for a good place to do the editorial portraits (a lot of my work). Then I’ll light the scene and get the subject to relax and off we go. Most editorial portraits are very time limited due to the diary of the subject, so I may have a 3-4 hour drive or an overnight stay for a 30 min slot. I think the average slot is around 40 mins with the longest being about 2 hours because it was going so well the subject just canceled a couple of meetings on the fly! The shortest was 5 minutes…..

After each setup on an ad shoot I will back everything up to a laptop and external drive off the cards before moving on. On a small editorial shoot I tend to swap cards frequently to spread the risk. I would never use one 8Gb card and put a whole shoot on it….!!

Pack up the gear, load the car, pay the assistant, set the satnav to “home” and start the drive back.

Typical non-shoot day:

Pretty hellish for a Virgo as they never or hardly ever turn out as planned! I’ll recount a typical day from last week.

I’d planned to master up some stock (I shoot a fair bit of stock and tend to do this in bursts of activity so I get a load of “negs” in the bag then systematically work through them between commissions). Got up about 7am and into the office with coffee (I drink far too much coffee) by 7.30am. Start up the computer. No Internet. Spend 20 mins troubleshooting until I realise that the DNS is down. Call the helpline (thankfully my ISP has great customer service) and get some new DNS IPs to enter in the router. Input these and all’s well. Download emails. I have 5 accounts. Get about 150 a day on each of which 145 is spam. Spam filter does its job but have to revisit the ’suspect spam’ folder. “Wow I won the Dutch lottery again…and hey, here’s a nice barrister from Lagos wanting to give me 20% of USD4.5m…….why do I bother to work….” :)

Time check. 8.15am. Open my main inbox and have a couple of emails to attend to. Have a list of finals that need to be prepared from a job shot a few weeks ago. Deadline has changed on this job and after not hearing form the agency for two weeks now they need to be done in 72hrs. Note to designers: please please try to give us notice - it takes time to produce the retouched finals!! (I do all my own retouching to get certain colour palettes and each image can take anything from 30 mins to 4 hours and more to master). There are 10 of them. Decide to start them this afternoon and push back tomorrow’s admin & stock tasks to later in the week. Still need to do stock this morning though, as I have a submission deadline to hit. Yes, juggling priorities when you’re a sole creative is a daily occurrence.

Time check. 8.45am Hey we lost half an hour somewhere…..does that ever happen to you? Open Photoshop and call up the drive with images which I’ve developed but need retouching and keywording. Suddenly remember that I’ve not heard from a client who has a shoot day next week “on hold”. Nothing is ever permanently held until I get the confirmation of commission but the day is drawing near and I need to know what’s happening. Call their office number. They’re out. Call their mobile number. They’re on voicemail. Leave a message and then back it up with an email. Back to stock. Got a couple of layers going on the first image and the mail arrives. Pick up the post and sort through the letters and see one from my bank. What? What? I’ll need to ring them. I’m sure I canceled that service they’re about to take as a direct debit last year…!!! 20mins on hold later I get through. Sort the problem.

Time check 9.45am Well into the first image now and actually manage to get a good couple of hours uninterrupted retouching in until:

Time check 12pm Mobile rings. It’s a printing company I’ve never heard of. Apparently one of my clients has asked them to ring me to get some “large TIFF files” sent over as they are waiting to go to press with a couple of exhibition panels and the images they have are lo-res proofs only. I realise that this is a job I shot and delivered about 8 months ago so now it’s archived. Client can’t find the DVD with the master files so “can you send them over now”? Well, yes, I’d happily FTP over 5 x 60Mb TIFFs if I had the upload speed..!! :) No time for the mail so I convince them to let me send Q12 JPEGs for them to convert back to TIFF their end before the upsizing. Printer has no FTP details so I offer to upload to my server and send them an email with a link. Onto my database and find out which off line DVD/HDD has the 16bit master TIFFs. Retrieve those and for sake of speed spin them in off DVD. Convert them to 8bit and save out as Q12 JPEGs. Zip the files. Upload to my server. Email the printers…

Time check 12.30pm Grab some lunch and reply to a couple of personal emails. 1pm back to retouching in PS.

Time check 3pm Phone rings. Somebody trying to sell me ad space in a magazine I’ve never heard of. Obviously speaking from a script. Decline their offer graciously and get back to retouching. Phone rings again. It’s an inquiry about a possible shoot in Newcastle. The caller doesn’t have a very good brief but wants fairly accurate costs. This is not far removed from having a 1.2 Fiat and wanting to go 150mph. It’s not going to happen. I probe some more and get an idea of what the job is and the expected number of finals needed. I ask about the usage of the images. “Why do you need to know that?” the voice on the other end says. “So I can price the job including the license to use” I say. “Why do we need a license?” they say. “So I can grant you usage rights” I say. “Oh no, we need the copyright” they say. Sigh…….. I explain that I don’t surrender let alone sell my copyright and that perhaps I’m not the guy for them…… That’s 20 minutes of searching, probing, frantically hitting the buttons on my calculator while appearing to remain clam and collected on the phone all for nothing. I must remember to ask the right question right at the start….!!! Back to retouching.

Time check 4.30pm. I hear the email “bong” sound and can’t resist looking. It’s a mail from an existing client who wants me to estimate three very disparate jobs and can I do it by 6pm as she’s got to go to a meeting in London about the projects tomorrow and needs the figures. I drop everything and get my estimating hat on. Prepare three separate pdfs and mail them over. Time check 5.45pm……

I look at the computer and the poor lonely PS desktop. I look at the clock. Any ounce of creativity I had today has been well and truly drained away. I decide to retire gracefully to the kitchen and see if I have anything worth eating!

That was an early finish. I’m normally here until 8pm most nights and have gone longer when in the middle of a large project. I think it’s important to remember, especially when dealing with a sole creative, that their days are often spent juggling their creativity/admin/sales/debt collection/personal life and other tasks that would be farmed out to many individuals in a larger company!!

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

Thank you for taking the time out from your busy day Jon, it was greatly appreciated.

“Yes, juggling priorities when you’re a sole creative is a daily occurrence.” I’ll certainly agree with that statement - multi-tasking is a needed skill for anyone running their own business. And even though the skill-set is different (photography compared to design), the above pretty much describes how my average days evolves. Except for one thing, I see there’s no cat feeding ;-)

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

As in the design and writing sections of the Designers Working With Series, the photography part of the series has shared a wealth of information. Below you’ll find a short review, but honestly, much more has been shared so it’d be a shame if you didn’t read the whole series.

To find out more about the photographers contributing to this section, go to Introducing the Photographers of the DWW Series.

To review: seven questions put to photographers:

1. What are the main points that you’d expect / want designers to know before contacting you about a project?
2. When working with designers, what do you see as the top problem areas?
3. How do you work?
4. How should a company or individual in your profession be chosen?
5. At what point should your profession be brought into a project?
6. How do you charge?
7. How can a designer improve their skills in your industry?

Designers As Clients

The Question: What are the main points that you’d expect / want designers to know before contacting you about a project?

• Bill Wisser: … articulate the specifics of what they need: the number of shots, a description of them, the feeling or ambience they would like the shots to create, the deadline, the planned usage and so on.
• Bruce DeBoer: Copyrights needed and budget target are necessary if you want an accurate estimate of price and scope.
• Damian Counsell: Do you want JPGs, PNGs, transparencies or prints? What size, resolution, colour? When will you need them? What kind of look are you after? What kind of effect are you after? What kind of image does your work already have? What do you want to achieve? Are you trying to sell something? Are you trying to illustrate something?
• Jeffrey Jacobs: … how the image will be used, and what audience the image needs to appeal too. Is it interior, exterior, will I need a studio or is it a location set?
• Jon Boyes: … a full brief including a shot list etc (if known) … details of the campaign’s proposed uses of the images are crucial … mockups, artwork or art direction is also of benefit to see how involved the job is, what style is required, what sort of retouching is needed, location scouting/permits required, models, crew? etc etc.. … approximate number of FINAL retouched images to be delivered is also of huge benefit. … a rough guide to the budget available would be good.
• Patrick Chuprina: … have a relatively clear idea of what they hope to accomplish and an idea of what they want the finished images to look like. … have an idea of a layout, knowledge of the product, if the product is to be close cropped, and/or a rough image sizing … have knowledge of any overlaying type … come equipped with a relatively fair timeline.
• Rochelle Dahl: The key points are budget, deadline, and expectations.
• Tom Smalling: … the final specifications for what is required before the job starts. Do you need a single photo, or a series of photos, room for copy, landscape, portrait, overall colors, etc.
• Will Williams: The target audience of their project.

The Problem Areas

Again, photographers had a difficult time with this question as most do not have any major problems with designers.

The Question: When working with designers, what do you see as the top problem areas?

• Bill Wisser: No major problems! However, sometimes a designer or art director will say something like: “well, this will only take you half-a-day” — while I know it will take longer.
• Bruce DeBoer: I love them all but many of my best designer clients are very fastidious about the finest detail which can detract from the emotion of a photograph and can even add needless tension to the set.
• Damian Counsell: I imagine the most likely source of trouble would be if the client was unclear about his or her goals. It’s harder to score a bullseye if you don’t know where the target is.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: … designers need to know what they want or don’t want. If a designer doesn’t know what they want that’s fine… really, it’s just they have to be honest about it.
• Jon Boyes: Many a time a call has ended with “that includes the copyright doesn’t it”? I’m afraid it doesn’t!
• Patrick Chuprina: Designers/clients who do not take the time to give final approval of an important large image before the set has been struck and upon reviewing the image at a later date decide they would like to make adjustments.
• Rochelle Dahl: Designers need to provide adequate direction as to the photography that they are looking for.
• Tom Smalling: Be sure to talk to the photographer about the intent/purpose of the project and allow them a chance to offer their experience on what they can bring to the project.
• Will Williams: Lack of focus on one problem at a time, some designers will bounce between projects and problems. While multi-tasking is essential, having a predefined work flow can make a project run smoother.

How Photographers Work

The Question: How do you work?

• Bill Wisser: The exact workflow varies widely with the circumstances: some deals are done completely over the phone or by e-mail; in other cases, I visit and consult with the client at their offices; or sometimes they come visit me at my studio. … I prefer to be contacted at least three weeks before the planned shoot … I always send clients a written proposal (even if we discussed everything verbally); and upon my acceptance of an assignment, I generally require a 50% advance up front; and in connection with that I send the client a detailed invoice with terms and conditions, which also serves as a contract. For certain large projects I’ll also send a formal contract that both parties sign.
• Bruce DeBoer: These days I use very little auxiliary lighting since digital captures allow me to use post production to enhance the file … I’m exclusively digital since the workflow is so dramatically different that it was with film.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: I often walk the site with the designer and gain a real understanding of their visual ideas and together we explore the most flattering views to explain the design, although I am often asked to “go do your thing”.
• Jon Boyes: I work to a photography brief normally, this can be loose or pretty descriptive.
• Patrick Chuprina: I’ve always worked very closely with my stylist/assistant.
• Rochelle Dah: I mostly rely on email and phone to communicate, but I enjoy face to face meetings as well.
• Tom Smalling: At first contact I try to gauge how far along in the creative process the client is. Sometimes they have clear expectations, other times I try to work them through their creative process to determine what they need.
• Will Williams: This varies greatly, depending on the client and project. If I have an existing relationship with a client face to face meetings and contracts are often waived. Unfortunately budget also plays a critical part in my working method. If the budget allows it, I’m more than happy to do those extras.

How to Choose a Photographer

The Question: How should a company or individual in your profession be chosen?

• Bill Wisser: … probably the most important way photographers are being chosen is via their websites … the next step would be to phone or e-mail one or several photographers and discuss the job in detail, get feedback from the photographer(s) as to how he/she would shoot the job, and discuss a budget.
• Bruce DeBoer: Quality and passion in the work is number one followed quickly by business professionalism, and personality.
• Dave Beckerman: In general, word of mouth.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: First and foremost the creative approach, quality of work, quality of light used to create the image, professionalism, personality and reputation.
• Jon Boyes: Definitely on style and definitely not location and not on price!
• Patrick Chuprina: Although budgets are a necessary evil of today’s profession I would hope the quality of work is the most important aspect of choosing a photographer.
• Rochelle Dahl: I think having ‘vision’, adaptability and transferable skills are more important than repetitive experience doing a certain scope of projects.
• Tom Smalling: Portfolios are always a good thing to consider, as well as previous clients they may have had.
• Will Williams: Ability to deliver, and good working communications.

When to Hire a Photographer

The Question: At what point should photographers be brought into a project?

• Bill Wisser: … consulting with the photographer, at least in a preliminary way, early on can be very worthwhile.
• Bruce DeBoer: Involve me as soon as you have questions. Any questions.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: It depends on the creative needs of the project.
• Jon Boyes: When the seeds of a creative idea have blossomed into a layout and concept.
• Patrick Chuprina: I really think as early as possible into the initial conceptualization of a project.
• Rochelle Dahl: Once the direction of a project has been determined, a photographer could be consulted.
• Tom Smalling: The earlier the better, always. Once you decide a photographer is necessary, you should start shopping to see who’s style will convey your message.
• Will Williams: When a designer is in the concept talk stages with their client is probably a good stage for the photographer to come in.

How Photographers Charge

The Question: How do you charge?

• Bill Wisser: By the project. Time is only one consideration.
• Bruce DeBoer: I charge based on the scope of the project and copyright use. Production costs are as detailed as needed and the creative fee is separate from copyright fee.
• Dave Beckerman: By the piece.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: I base my fee on how the image will be used, complexity to execute and production costs.
• Jon Boyes: Like all good professionals :) I charge on usage. How the image is used, where, when and for how long.
• Patrick Chuprina: In most cases by the shot.
• Rochelle Dahl: I charge by the hour or by project for my photography and video production services.
• Tom Smalling: I have a day rate (or studio rate) which is always the base price for projects. Then I consider the usage of the pictures and their overall worth and apply that to the price. Finally, I add in the extras which are involved in the project, whether it’s time behind the computer, assistants, rental equipment, etc.
• Will Williams: I’m guilty of being an artist here. If the subject of the project appeals to me a flat rate, otherwise I provide an hourly quote.

Improve Your Photography Skills

The Question: How can a designer improve their skills in your industry?

• Bill Wisser: looking at lots of photography books is always good — and I think it’s also useful to look at the trade magazine Photo District News.
• Bruce DeBoer: Improve your skills by hiring more photographers; there is no replacement for experience.
• Jeffrey Jacobs: Look before you shoot, think about what’s in the frame, be thoughtful about the lighting and PLEASE leave the “good enough” and “I’ll fix it later” attitudes at home, you’ll be amazed at how you photographs will improve. Take your time, compose your image, be aware of how the light (natural or artificial) strikes your subject, make adjustments based on the light and capture your image. Oh and most important, have FUN!
• Jon Boyes: Most importantly, adopt a colour managed workflow.
• Patrick Chuprina: I think the best thing a designer can do to improve their skills is work closely with their photographer.
• Rochelle Dahl: I believe it’s most important to keep your mind fresh and creative.
• Tom Smalling: If you want to improve in photography, there is no other way than being behind the lens. Shoot and shoot often!

And let’s not forget the excellent article by Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua: How to Buy Photography

Note: be sure to read what Bruce DeBoer says in the comments as it’s all good.

Coming up next in the DWW Series will be printers (and possibly prepress).

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

What you’ll find below is a range of photography resources to help those who are either designers working with photographers, designers who are also photographers, or designers looking improve their photography skills.

A special thanks goes out to Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua of Burns Auto Parts, Creative Latitude and the photographers interviewed for the Designers Working With Series.

Improve Your Photography Skills

CameraArts
Focuses on the art and craft of photography.

Canon Digital Learning Center

dg28.com - photographer education
Techniques and articles from an editorial photographer.

Digital Photo Secrets
A free, three week email course.

How to take a better photograph
From the Dandelife Blog

Picture correct
News, Tips, and Camera Reviews for Digital Photographers.

Photojojo
Part fun, part learning. “The best photo tips, DIY projects, and gear in the whole wide world”.

Strobist (one of the best photography blogs around)
LESS GEAR • MORE BRAIN • BETTER LIGHT

BetterPhoto.com
Photography Courses.

ShootSmarter.com
ShootSmarter.com is the largest non-forum pro level photo website in the world and features free membership to all photographers interested in working better, faster and smarter too! All information is written by working pros who are experts in their respective fields.

Shutterbug
Tools, techniques, creativity.

Improve Your Photography Business Skills

Dan Heller’s Photography Business Blog
The photography world — the business, the culture, the art, the politics, the technology.

Photo Business News & Forum
Occasional Musings and News About the Business of Being a Photographer.

Photography Business Tips
Digital Photography Tips - Photography Equipment & Services - How To Start A Photography Business - Starting A Small Photography Business.

VirtualPhotographyStudio.com
Resources, products and information for independent photographers, photography studios and new small business entrepreneurs.

Working With Photographers

Buying photography
(the short course) by Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua of Burns Auto Parts.

Licensing Photography in the Digital Age
Communication Arts article adapted from Licensing Photography, by Richard Weisgrau and Victor S. Perlman.

Licensing, pricing, workflow
Digital photography workshop.

Photography Forums

Digital Photography School forums
Forum attached to the Digital Photography School blog.

Photography Board Forums
Sharpen your photography skills, post your pictures and discuss about the art of photography.

PopPhoto Forum
PopPhoto is the online home of Popular Photography & Imaging, and American Photo.

Cameras

Digital Photography Blog
Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings, Tips and Comparisons

Digital Photography Review
Digital Camera Reviews and News

Stock Photography

Stock Photographer info
Information regarding stock photography as well searchable databases for stock photographers and stock agencies.

Legal Information

ASMP’s Copyright Application Tutorial
ASMP is the American Society of Media Photographers, Inc., a leading association of photographers helping photographers. The tutorial covers all things copyright.

The Australian Copyright Council
An excellent section of downloads dealing with copyright and ownership. “Information for visual artists, photographers, craft workers, graphic designers, fashion designers, illustrators, architects, galleries, museums. Also for people who want to copy or use visual images, artworks or designs.”

www.copyright4clients.com
A UK site supported by The Association of Photographers.

PhotoAttorney
A blog by Carolyn E. Wright, Esq., an attorney specializing in the law for photographers.

US Gov’t Copyright Office & Info

EPUK: Editorial Photographers UK - Campaigning for photographers since 1999
The private mailing list and public resource for Editorial Photographers. Check out Professionalism, Continuing professional development – the answer to a few problems?, The photographer’s guide to contract law, Protecting your copyright, Invoicing, Standard response to Copyright Grabs and The ABCD of Photographic Copyright.

Copyright Law :: Protected or Not?
Lisa Mikulsk asks the question at her blog, ArtLOOK.

Photography Mags:

Ace Camera Photography Magazine
Has an international focus, publishing articles and photography from contributors around the world. Topics include new product reviews, how-to articles and photo-illustrated stories.

Aperture
Non-profit foundation publishing a periodical, books, and portfolios of fine photography.

British Journal of Photography Online
Presents news, galleries, job listings, and a discussion forum.

Photo Techniques Magazine
The Magazine dedicated to professional photographers

Professional Photographer Magazine
Photographic and digital imaging equipment reviews, company updates, business management information, and profiles of photographers.

Zoom
Europe’s fine photography magazine. Full portfolios, national focus articles, international exhibition calendar.

Photography Books

Color Correction For Digital Photographers Only
By Ted Padova and Don Mason

Digital Travel Photography Digital Field Guide
By David D. Busch

Color Confidence: The Digital Photographer’s Guide to Color Management (Tim Grey Guides)
By Tim Grey

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)
By Bryan Peterson

Mastering Digital SLR Photography
By David D. Busch

Complete Digital Photography, Third Edition (Digital Photography Series)
By Ben Long

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition)
By Bryan Peterson

Business Basics for the Successful Commercial Photographer
By Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua

Best Business Practices for Photographers
By John Harrington

Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait
By Michael Grecco

If you have photography resources to suggest, go ahead and send them on over as I’d love to add them to my stash.

Until the next
Resourceful Friday,
cat

Some designers have writing skills, others have photography skills, each with varying strengths. For some, it’s not knowing how to attain the perfect shot that’s important, it’s how to describe to clients and photographers what types of shots are needed for a set project. If it’s lacking, one way to gain this ability is to improve photography skills, so I asked the question, “How can a designer improve their skills in your industry?”

Bill

Hmmm, I’m not sure, but looking at lots of photography books is always good — and I think it’s also useful to look at the trade magazine Photo District News to get an idea of the business side of the advertising and editorial photography industry as some photographer perceive it.

Bill Wisser | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Bill Wisser Photo.com | The Naked Eye

Bruce

Improve your skills by hiring more photographers; there is no replacement for experience. You’ve no doubt learned something since you were first “on press” supervising a job – the same goes for working productively with a photographer. Find the most talented individual you can afford (price and talent aren’t always mutually exclusive but you know what I mean) and trust. If you run into difficulty you should be able to trust in their experience to get you the best possible photographic solution. However, knowing the basics doesn’t hurt just like with lithography.

Bruce DeBoer | Photographer
DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions

Jeffrey

With all the digital cameras out there, everybody is a photographer these days… or thinks they are but I’ll share a few pointers. Look before you shoot, think about what’s in the frame, be thoughtful about the lighting and PLEASE leave the “good enough” and “I’ll fix it later” attitudes at home, you’ll be amazed at how you photographs will improve. Take your time, compose your image, be aware of how the light (natural or artificial) strikes your subject, make adjustments based on the light and capture your image. Oh and most important, have FUN! Good luck.

Jeffrey Jacobs | President
Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Inc.

Jon

1. Most importantly, adopt a colour managed workflow. If the image tags and profiles aren’t talking the same numbers the colour goes out of the window. On critical shoots involving product lines this can mean many many rounds of proofing which can be avoided by a good solid end-to-end colour management regime.
2. Understand unsharp mask as it applies to images and output, so a large hi-res file that gets reduced in size gets the right sharpening to restore the acuteness lost in the downsampling.

Both the above are REALLY important!!!!

Colour management of images:

Photographers work primarily in RGB. Designers work in CMYK. The middle point can be easy or painful! Any professional photographer worth their salt has a colour managed workflow. Meaning we work in colourspaces and our files are colour managed so the next computer in the chain knows how to display those images properly. Any machine running a colour-aware software package like Photoshop MUST have the colour management dialogues working and set up correctly else its a throw of the dice whether the colours and saturation are on or off. Lots of good web resources for this subject though hard to get your head round initially.

CMYK conversions

Some photographers convert to CMYK before supply and some don’t. Those that do will normally be working to a designer/printer with specs of the actual press the images will be printed by. You can’t hope to get a decent CMYK print from just converting in Photoshop by the way, you must have an icc profile from the press you are printing to or a colour standard to convert to.

In the digital world colour management is king. Ignore at your peril!

Sharpening of files

On quite a few occasions I have supplied large files that are downsized quite a bit by a designer and then sent to print. No sharpening was applied and the acutance/contrast of the image suffers and it looks mushy. I include a readme file on CDs to ask designers to sharpen at the OUTPUT size required. All images unsharpened as a digital image must be sharpened as the last step in the chain, at the required output size and dpi and after the CMYK conversion. This is becoming much more important as native file sizes supplied by photographers are getting larger due to larger captures from the newer generations of cameras and digital backs.

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

Patrick

I think the best thing a designer can do to improve their skills is work closely with their photographer. Over the past few months I’ve learnt a lot by working closely with my designer at my new place of employment.

Patrick Chuprina | Photographer
Chuprina Studios

Rochelle

Many might say it’s all about keeping up with the constantly changing technology, but I believe it’s most important to keep your mind fresh and creative. What a photographer is really selling is his or her ability to see what others don’t see, and to capture it. I would recommend that photographers immerse themselves in a variety of hobbies, clubs, traveling etc., for sources of inspiration and new perspectives.

Rochelle Dahl | Photographer & Designer
Rochelle Dahl Designs

Tom

If you want to improve in photography, there is no other way than being behind the lens. Shoot and shoot often! Also, lighting is extremely important - so understanding good metering techniques is vital to photography. The good thing about photography is that the fundamentals haven’t changed since it started, so books about photography don’t date nearly as quickly as computer books. There are several sites on the Internet where you can submit your photos and members will critique them. Photo.net is a good site for inspiration, and there are several others that are specific to different photography disciplines. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions because everyone had to learn at some point.

Tom Smalling | Photographer
Tom Smalling Photography & Design | Tom Smalling’s Photography Blog

Will

Improving communications, verbally and if possible visually.

Will Williams | Photographer and Designer
Perspective-Images.com

And now we are almost at the end of the photographers section of the series. Next week will be the summary of the points made over the past several weeks.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

First off, let’s correct that misnomer: “buying” photography. One doesn’t buy photography-one buys the license, or rights, to reproduce an image. By federal law, the images created by the photographer are copyrighted by the photographer. He or she owns the images and sells to you, the client, specific usage rights to reproduce the images. Those rights are specified both on the estimate and the invoice you will receive.

Day Rate vs Actual Cost

When you ask for a “day rate” you will not be getting the actual cost for an assignment. What you will hear is the fee the photographer charges for performing a one-day shoot-showing up, taking the pictures, so to speak. It doesn’t include expenses and, more importantly, it does NOT include any usage fees - the fees charged to grant the rights to reproduce the images.

Even more important, good, ethical photographers won’t even quote you a day rate. Why? Because they don’t price their services that way. Photography isn’t a commodity nor is it labor. A photo that takes one hour isn’t worth less than one that takes 7 hours to create. Each image is different. Thus, a good photographer will be more than happy to provide you with a specific estimate for your project, taking into account your needs, the creativity involved, etc.

Save everyone some time - -don’t even bother asking for a day rate.

Usage

“What?” some people may ask, “If I pay for an assignment, I should own the images!” Well, while that certainly is possible, you’d be paying for much more than you actually need. Look at it this way, do you want to pay the same price for an image you’re going to use once in a corporate recruitment brochure with a print run of 2500 as you would if the image was going to be used in a national four-color print ad campaign that will reach millions of consumers? Joe’s Sprockets doesn’t need to pay Nike prices!

That’s usage. It saves you money. You buy what you need, but you’re not limited. Let’s say the image used for that recruitment brochure would be perfect for that same company’s website. You can re-license the image for that additional usage, and the fee will again be based on that specific usage.

“But,” a client will say, “I don’t want to be bothered with re-licensing for each additional usage.” In that case, plan ahead and be specific! You might think that “Unlimited Usage” is the easiest way to go (and, well, it is), but you probably don’t really need all that. Perhaps all the possible usage you will need is trade advertising print ads, corporate website, and recruitment brochure, and all that for only one year. That will save you money over Unlimited Usage (and tons over buying the copyright!).

So, when you want to “buy photography” gather this information ahead of time, and you will get an accurate estimate for your needs:

Project Description

(as detailed as possible, if you have a layout, providing that will definitely help).

• Props/talent: provided by you, or does the photographer need to obtain them?
• Usage: Advertising? Editorial? Corporate? In what media will the images be reproduced? Will the images appear locally, regionally or nationally? How long will you need to use the images? If you have media buy numbers handy, that will help the photographer be sure to give you the best price.
• Can the photographer re-license the images (or out-takes) to others (in other words, do you want exclusivity)?

Bid vs. Estimate

An estimate is a noncompetitive pricing for a project. You may want to use Photographer X and want to know how much it will cost. A bid, on the other hand, means that you either have several photographers in mind or, more likely, are going to award the project based solely on price (as opposed to ability, style, talent, experience, etc.).

If you’re asking for a bid, please be up-front about it. While it won’t make a difference in the prices (a project costs what a project costs) for most, it will save time and aggravation. Tell the photographer who his/her competition is. See, there are always those who will do anything to get a job. This way the photographer can bow out before spending days putting together a complex set of numbers just to hear “but photographer X came in at 25% of that!”

BAP advocates the elimination of the bid from our business. Estimates are a far more fair tools by which to evaluate prices, quality, approach, and all the other intangibles that go into selecting the right photographer for any project.

When you really want to use a photographer, but you don’t have the budget Fees are always negotiable. While no one can “give it away” most can often work out something which benefits everyone involved. Even the most famous photographers have worked with small clients who have paid in trade, or product, or who have agreed to stock use immediately, or who have given the photographer a large credit line. It never hurts to ask!

Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua | Creative/Marketing Consultant & Coach
Burns Auto Parts–Consultants | Burns Auto Parts blog | Podcast | Book

Designers and writers charge mostly by project, based on hourly estimates and external expenses. Photographers have other details to consider, but what exactly are they?

Bill

By the project. Time is only one consideration. The technical difficulty of the photography; the amount of equipment, assistants and stylists needed for the project; and the usage rights to be licensed are all other factors that go into the price.

Bill Wisser | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Bill Wisser Photo.com | The Naked Eye

Bruce

I charge based on the scope of the project and copyright use. Production costs are as detailed as needed and the creative fee is separate from copyright fee. The trend these days is to lump creative fee and copyright but I prefer they stay separate since copyrights purchased can change mid project – it just seems easier and more transparent to keep it separate. That said, if there is one thing my 25+ year career has taught me it’s to stay flexible. Especially since I’ve been on the client side, I understand how frustrating cost structures can get.

Bruce DeBoer | Photographer
DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions

Dave

By the piece.

Dave Beckerman | Photographer / Owner
Dave Beckerman Photography | Black and White Photography

Jeffrey

I base my fee on how the image will be used, complexity to execute and production costs. I have a base fee then add the usage based on the distribution or media buy. That way I don’t have to regulate my creativity based on money and if a simple local campaign expands regionally or nationally then my fee expands. I feel this is a very fair way to price assignments and it inspires me to always take the project to the next level regardless of the original fee. Besides, the better the image the better my client will look to their client, which brings them back, I maintain my reputation for providing quality and I have the potential for residual fees. The better the image the higher fee it commands in the after-market as stock imagery so it is always a win win. Beware of the bargain-basement creative you often don’t even get what you pay for.

Jeffrey Jacobs | President
Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Inc.

Jon

Like all good professionals :) I charge on usage. How the image is used, where, when and for how long. This way the client gets exactly what they need and can re-licence should the images be a success and further or extended use is required. The client is actually buying the USE of the image and the costs of its production.

The estimate will include the base usage (normally 1 year one country in two types of media - or 2 years one country in one type of media). As per the Association of Photographer’s guidelines I include the initial usage in the estimate and further uses as a % of the initial estimate Base Use Rate (BUR) figure. This gives the client the ability to budget further uses.

AoP Example: You have commissioned a shoot for use in the UK, in press and posters for 1 year. You now want to expand the media coverage to point of sale. BUR has been negotiated at £2000. Extending the licence to point of sale in the UK for 12 months should be 25 - 50% of the BUR (see AOP Re-Usage Guidelines) depending on the amount of coverage, therefore the cost of the additional licence would be £500 - £1000.

So as you can see, it’s like menu driven pricing - or like hiring a car. You pay for the amount of miles you drive and the petrol used! For further reading see www.copyright4clients.com which covers the licencing of professional imagery.

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

Patrick

In most cases by the shot.

Patrick Chuprina | Photographer
Chuprina Studios

Rochelle

I typically use contracts, and the size and length of a job determines if I take a percentage up front. I charge by the hour or by project for my photography and video production services, since my jobs can range from providing untouched stock photography to a complete video production (to me, video is a three-dimensional version of photography).

Rochelle Dahl | Photographer & Designer
Rochelle Dahl Designs

Tom

I like the tried and true method of developing a proposal for each project. In photography there are a lot of X factors that can affect the project and the outcome. I have a day rate (or studio rate) which is always the base price for projects. Then I consider the usage of the pictures and their overall worth and apply that to the price. Finally, I add in the extras which are involved in the project, whether it’s time behind the computer, assistants, rental equipment, etc.

Tom Smalling | Photographer
Tom Smalling Photography & Design | Tom Smalling’s Photography Blog

Will

I’m guilty of being an artist here. If the subject of the project appeals to me a flat rate, otherwise I provide an hourly quote.

Will Williams | Photographer and Designer
Perspective-Images.com

For more, check out How do photographers charge?, Understanding the Estimate for a Photographic Assignment and Controlling the Cost of a Photographic Assignment. (Thanks Jon!)

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

When asked, “At what point should writers be brought into a project?”, Roy Peter Clark responded, “Early, early, early. And did I mention: early.”

When asked, “At what point should designers be brought into a project?”, Andy Budd replied, “The sooner you can get a professional consultancy involved the better.”

And now it’s our photographers’ turn.

Bill

At what point should your profession be brought into the project? — I’m very happy to be brought into the project at any stage the designers or clients feel comfortable with! It sometimes happens that a client may not fully predict what it will take photographically and logistically to realize their vision, and because of that a pre-set budget may prove unrealistic. So, from that point of view, consulting with the photographer, at least in a preliminary way, early on can be very worthwhile.

Bill Wisser | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Bill Wisser Photo.com | The Naked Eye

Bruce

Involve me as soon as you have questions. Any questions.

Bruce DeBoer | Photographer
DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions

Jeffrey

It depends on the creative needs of the project. If the project requires strong meaningful imagery, then you’ll want us involved from the very beginning. If you are commissioning a photographer based on their creative approach, then get all of that creativity you can and bring them early. If the project requires a simpler visual you’ll be able to find several photographers that can fulfill your needs with a simple explanation of your idea.

Jeffrey Jacobs | President
Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Inc.

Jon

When the seeds of a creative idea have blossomed into a layout and concept. Trying to estimate a shoot cost on a “what’s your day rate” question is impossible. A photographer needs to know what they are expected to shoot, where, when, do they need to hire crew, location scouts/permits, models, catering etc etc. and most important of all what are the images going to be used for (print/web/billboards/pos etc), where (UK/USA/World), and for how long (1yr/2yrs etc.). This enables the estimate to be built around the usage of the images.

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

Patrick

I really think as early as possible into the initial conceptualization of a project. Many designers have great concepts for a project, unfortunately due to budget restraints, scheduling(deadlines), and technical issues these concepts are just not realistic. By bringing in a photographer early enough these restraints can be worked around, while also allowing the photographer and his staff enough time to do all the needed groundwork before photography actually starts. it takes time to find that one particular prop.

Patrick Chuprina | Photographer
Chuprina Studios

Rochelle

Once the direction of a project has been determined, a photographer could be consulted. A photographer will want guidelines as to the visual goals for the project and how much creative freedom he/she has to achieve them. Often the photography will help to re-direct the initial concept, so it shouldn’t be left to the end of the project (ie: not just for filling in the boxes!).

Rochelle Dahl | Photographer & Designer
Rochelle Dahl Designs

Tom

The earlier the better, always. Once you decide a photographer is necessary, you should start shopping to see who’s style will convey your message. This is a vital step in the process, every photographer has their own style and methods. You want to make sure the photographer is available and willing to work within the project requirements.

Tom Smalling | Photographer
Tom Smalling Photography & Design | Tom Smalling’s Photography Blog

Will

When a designer is in the concept talk stages with their client is probably a good stage for the photographer to come in. This allows them to be a more active team player on the project.

Will Williams | Photographer and Designer
Perspective-Images.com

Next up is the not so simple subject of “How photographers charge”.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

So, you need a photographer. The question is, how do you go about choosing one for your project? Do you spread out the yellow pages? Contact your local Chamber? Ask you cousin Mabis about the wedding photographer she used last spring? The one with the dirt cheap pricing range?

The ASMP says, “Don’t underestimate the value of a photographer’s enthusiasm and experience, as he or she will become an important part of your project team.”

And the ADCMW says, “If you’re working with an art director, ask for his/her recommendations; look through the artist directories; contact artists’ reps …”

When asked “How should a company or individual in your profession be chosen?”, our photographers said …

Bill

How should a company or individual in our profession be chosen? — At this moment in history — with the Internet at our fingertips — probably the most important way photographers are being chosen is via their websites, which function as instantaneous, on-line, portfolios. Having at least qualified the photographer(s) by checking out his/her website and work, I think the next step would be to phone or e-mail one or several photographers and discuss the job in detail, get feedback from the photographer(s) as to how he/she would shoot the job, and discuss a budget. Based on all this, in most instances you’ll now have enough information to select an excellent photographer for your project.

Bill Wisser | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Bill Wisser Photo.com | The Naked Eye

Bruce

I’ve been on the account side of hiring photographers both with an agency and corporate full timers. Quality and passion in the work is number one followed quickly by business professionalism, and personality. The later is much harder to get a read from a photographer you never met or comes to you with no recommendation. There is really no substitute for a one on one meeting but often that’s impossible. Trust your gut but be willing to take a chance when you can.

Bruce DeBoer | Photographer
DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions

Dave

That depends on the the branch of photography. In general, word of mouth.

Dave Beckerman | Photographer / Owner
Dave Beckerman Photography | Black and White Photography

Jeffrey

Good question! First and foremost the creative approach, quality of work, quality of light used to create the image, professionalism, personality and reputation. The reputation is the least important (unless it’s bad). I think it’s important to find the right image-maker for the project based on the visual needs of the assignment. If someone calls me for portraits, I am going to send them to someone I know will produce the best result because when it comes to portraits there are much better photographers than myself. However, if you need “artful” interpretations of an environment it’s all me! The level of professionalism is important and to some degree so is the personality. If you don’t get along together sometimes it’s difficult to be creative if your at odds intellectually. It can work but usually not long term.

Jeffrey Jacobs | President
Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Inc.

Jon

Definitely on style and definitely not location and not on price! A photographer is a creative like a designer. If you like their style and the style fits the project then who cares (within reason & budget) where they are located. Larger agencies select photographers on style not location. A lot of designers use their “local guy” to do photography but is their style right for the project? Sometimes looking farther afield can get you photography to make your project a success. Budget is always a factor but as we all know “you get what you pay for” and sometimes the cheapest is far from the best.

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

Patrick

Although budgets are a necessary evil of today’s profession I would hope the quality of work is the most important aspect of choosing a photographer. It does not bode well to just except the lowest quote.

Patrick Chuprina | Photographer
Chuprina Studios

Rochelle

Every photographer has experience and a skill set of some kind, so I think having ‘vision’, adaptability and transferable skills are more important than repetitive experience doing a certain scope of projects. Personality is important too, so having an initial meeting is a great way for both the client and photographer to determine if they feel comfortable, communicate well and can work together.

Rochelle Dahl | Photographer & Designer
Rochelle Dahl Designs

Tom

In this day and age, anyone can be a photographer - which is something to be careful of. Portfolios are always a good thing to consider, as well as previous clients they may have had. Be sure to ask questions and expect answers. Does the photographer understand color correction & CMYK printing? Have they worked with professional models and stylists? Going through professional organizations is also a good method for finding photographers. Both the ASMP and PPA have areas on their site where photographers/members are listed.

Tom Smalling | Photographer
Tom Smalling Photography & Design | Tom Smalling’s Photography Blog

Will

Ability to deliver, and good working communications.

Will Williams | Photographer and Designer
Perspective-Images.com

If you are in the market for an architectural or interior photographer, the ASMP’s tips in Selecting a Professional Photographer are a decent help.

Next up will be answers to the question, “At what point should photographers be brought into a project?”

until the next
Designers WW,
cat