Category Archives: Notes From A Rep’s Journal

Sharing information, thoughts, ideas and inspiration from the rep’s office

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Haven’t had a chance to see Kevin Twomey’s portfolio up close and personal? See what you are missing.

As I mentioned in our first video portfolio post last week, it is pretty rare when we get to send out a portfolio for a request. Nowadays, they are used mostly for portfolio shows and events.  It doesn’t make them any less important of course.  In fact, I would argue they are even more important now.  They are rarely seen so when they are they need to shine!

We thought it would be great if more people were able to see the portfolio so we asked Marc Viarta, a videographer, to video tape someone reviewing Kevin Twomey’s portfolio.  We added some fun music and posted them to Vimeo.  We will be adding Kevin’s video as well as others from our group to our websites soon.

If you would like to see Kevin’s portfolio in person, please email us – we would love the request!  And, if you would like to see Kevin’s website, please link here.

Link here to see Kevin Twomey’s video portfolio

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Want to see Ron Berg’s new portfolio? Just click here and think of the Fedex charges you will save.

As we all know, it is pretty rare when we get to send out a portfolio for a request. Nowadays, they are used mostly for portfolio shows and events.  It doesn’t make them any less important of course.  In fact, I would argue they are even more important now.  They are rarely seen so when they are they need to shine!

We thought it would be great if more people were able to see Ron Berg’s portfolio so we asked Marc Virata, a videographer, to video tape someone reviewing the book.  We added some fun music and posted it to Vimeo.  We will be adding Ron’s video as well as videos from the rest of our group,  to our websites soon.

If you would like to see the portfolio in person, please email us – we would love the request!  And if you would like to see Ron Berg’s work on line, please link here.

Click here for a video of Ron Berg’s portfolio

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Remember Dear Art Buyer?

 

©Richard Schultz -www.rschultz.com

The lazy days of summer are winding down so we thought we would take a break from posting this week and concentrate on writing a few new things to share in the coming weeks.  We thought it would be fun to share one of our most popular posts ever, the one that got a lot of people talking.  Whether you already read it or not, the ideas still hold true.  Enjoy.

 

Link here to read Dear Art Buyer. An open letter from a photographer’s rep, originally written in March of 2011.

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Char Eisner: Old School & Still Cool!

I remember when I first started as an agent (a very long time ago!), thinking that if I could encourage Char Eisner to review  the work in our group, then I would have made it.  She was that name on the list that was the one to meet.  She worked on such big name clients that I knew if she called, I had done something right.  Well, one day she did call and today I feel fortunate enough to call her a friend.

Char’s title is Production Consultant at Leo Burnett in Chicago but she has worn many hats there.  It is no wonder that her experience is  widely known in the industry and other industry people seek out her opinion.  Char is not only professional and top rate, but she is funny, endearing and very caring.  She is right when she describes herself as a “work mom” to so many at Leo Burnett.  They are very lucky to have her.

In keeping with the Art Buyer Insider series tradition, we asked Char questions that help us learn more about her as a person, not just an art producer.  Her answers offer great insight into why working with her is such a special experience.  Leo Burnett is lucky to have her.

And, thank you Alison McCreery of POP Blog for conducting the interview on our behalf.  You always encourage people to share the most interesting things!

What did you “want to be when you grew up?”  Are you surprised where you ended up?

I wanted to get married and have kids! And guess what……I got married @19, had a baby boy @20 and had another baby boy @22!!  You bet I’m surprised where I ended up. From where I started…..suburban housewife/mom…..to where I ended up….high profile ad agency…..is staggering!

I have a smile on my face just thinking about the journey.

 What was that first moment of inspiration when you knew you would work in a creative position?

My mister, George Eisner, is my inspiration. I met him in 1967. I just turned sixteen.  He was a really funny, interesting guy who wore wing tip shoes…..talk about the suavity factor!  PLUS he was an artist!! He introduced me to all things art and arty. He was a marvelous influence on me and still is.

When our oldest boy entered Junior High, the mister told me his rep was looking for an assistant and I should interview for the job. I got hired and have been in the ad business ever since.

What roles have you held at Leo Burnett?

I’ve been an Art Buyer, Art Producer, Department Head and am currently an Art Production Consultant, a true hybrid position. As many Clients have external cost consultants, Leo Burnett tapped a group of Agency people of various backgrounds and created their own internal version. I learned to take the best of Char from my earlier roles and pair it with the watchful eye of a cost consultant. It took a bit of getting used to but I’m very comfortable with the role now.

How do you work with clients as an internal cost consultant?

Let’s say I’m working on a Miller-Coors project. At the very onset I meet with my Producer and Business Manager. Project specs are created and sent out to the Vendors to quote. As soon as the estimate comes in, I red line anything glaring and/or make production notes on best places, if any,  to trim.  Then I meet with the team to discuss my findings.  If there is justification for a line item in question, I won’t force the issue, as, for me, it’s all about maintaining the caliber of the work.

The estimate then goes to the Client’s cost consultant for another look/see. By this time there should be very little, if any, additional budget slashing. That means I’ve done a good job!

How do you not compromise creativity while finding a workable budget?

There is ALWAYS a way to solve the problem without compromising the integrity of the work. A large part of my job is to help provide viable solutions because at the end of the day the goal is to put together an ad that everyone attached to can be proud of.

Did you always love photography?

Yes, I have always loved photography. The mister introduced me to classic black and white photography when we first met and it all spiraled from there. I have a “fun with photos” file at home that I use to create cards by swapping out peoples heads and writing weird copy.

Growing up, what were your creative interests?

I used to draw cartoon strips in grade school and they almost always had something to do with nuns!  That’s what happens when you go to Catholic school!  Then about twenty years ago I did a self portrait that the mister turned into a rubber stamp (see image at the top of the page). I still look like it too.

How have your life experiences influenced your job choice?

I’ve been married for 40+ years. I have a very happy home life and am a very contented person. Consequently I bring a sense of stability which, in the crazy pace of advertising life is a definite asset.

Being a parent…especially raising boys….also prepped me for the role I play here at Burnett.

I allowed my boys a lot of freedom but reined them in when they needed it. I feel creative people need lots of space but also a responsible adult who can keep them in check. I am work mom to a lot of people over here.

I was also very involved with the local PTA when my boys were little. I had a knack for creating fun ways to generate money for the school as well as producing community events that required staying in budget.

Have you always loved photography and how do you keep the same level of inspiration you had when you started your job?

Yes I have always loved photography. And as far as keeping the level of inspiration up, I host the weekly Agency Portfolio Review Tuesday. It’s a two hour window for Creatives and Producers to pop in and see what’s new and cool in the world of photography and illustration. The events are very well attended. I get great feedback from the Creatives plus the Agents are thrilled to have such a lively venue to show off their work. Heather Elder even wrote a blog post about it last year! I was honored!

I’m also very fond of At Edge and The Workbook, two terrific Industry resources.

What one word describes your working style?  Is it different than when you first started?

The word is “direct”. Let’s cut to the chase. You might not like hearing what I have to say, but at least you know where you stand. Lucky for me most people find this approach engaging and refreshing.

I’ve always been this way so no difference from when I first started.

How do you describe your job to your mother or someone not in our industry?

To most non-ad people I suggest they walk into any McDonalds and check out all the posters and signage. I tell them I help in the selection of photographers and guide my Producers in negotiating the estimates to ensure the Client feels like he is getting a bargain and the shooter feels he is being fairly compensated.

As far as my 92 year old mom Rosie goes, she came to the office once with an Uncle who was in from San Francisco. He was beyond impressed by the size of my office at the time and totally enamored with what I did for a living. Rosie, on the other hand could have cared less, her main concern being where we would be going for lunch! Rosie is the reason I am so grounded in reality. Thanks Ma!

What do you think is important to do in your personal time to keep you inspired at work?

I spend a lot of time with family and good friends. This makes me happy and this keeps me centered. My personal life is very different from my work life and I need that balance to be effectively inspired.

What do you love about your job?

I love collaborating with my Producers and Creatives. They trust my opinion and look to me for guidance and direction. Our working relationship is based on mutual trust and genuine respect. I feel very fortunate.

I also love mentoring the interns and new hires. I recognize core qualities and life skills that will help them in their blossoming careers and I nurture them accordingly.  Besides learning the specifics of the job, they also need to learn how to interact with the people they will be working with.

And for the record, my interns fare very well…..the only one not hired by Leo Burnett ended up at Google San Francisco. They all have made me very proud.

What about the industry/your job is exciting right now?

Social media as a selling tool. I attended a training series that was all about social media and the role that it plays in advertising. There is a whole new world out there that’s only just starting to be explored.  The opinions people post can make or break a Client’s product . Everyone has a voice these days and people are not shy about expressing themselves. The silent majority is officially dead.

Favorite way to spend a Sunday?

I love playing in my gardens especially if the mister and the Chicago boy come out and play too.  Actually anytime I can spend with family is great! I love them!

One thing people reading this would find surprising about you?

I think what people find most surprising is how old I really am. I don’t mind saying I turned 60 last year. Although I’m a well seasoned geezerette, I don’t look like one and I sure don’t act like one either!  One of my business managers once gave me the compliment, “you are old school but you are still cool”.  I really like that! Although this can be a hard business for older people, I’m still bringing something relevant to the party.  And I will continue to do that as long as I am here.

How do you stay relevant?

I look to the Industry publications, the email links to websites and of course the weekly portfolio review. I listen to what my Producers and Creatives want/need and research accordingly which is a great way to learn new things. And I hang tight with the young ones who are a million times more technologically savvy that I am!

If you weren’t a production consultant, what would you do?

I would love to be Food Stylist. Not only am I comfortable in the kitchen but am very into how to make prepped food look pretty on a plate. I think I could be a decent Prop Stylist too.

What at the moment do you see happening in the culture that you find inspiring or interesting?

Social Media inspiring relevant social change. All the political turmoil in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya was directly a result of social media. Facebook and Twitter made it happen. It’s scary and cool all at the same time. 

If you could change one thing in the creative industry right now, what would that be?

Too many emails! The human touch is so where it’s at. People crave it. There are only so many hours in a day that you can stare at your computer before your eyes cross and your head explodes! I’m very face time/hands on with my people and they respond very well to it. That sense of humanity brings out the best in people.

If you could tell photographers one thing, what would it be?

Dare to be different. Either in your subject matter, the approach taken to get the shot or even camera choice. Figure out what separates you out from the pack and run with it.

Do you have a favorite photo of yourself that you are willing to share?  Can you tell us about it?

The leopard shirt photo was taken last September on my 60th birthday. The dawn of a new decade is a big deal especially since the following day I had surgery that took me out for 6 weeks and involved months of rehab! Yikes! But I was mentally prepared and very well taken care of by the mister, family and my many friends so I made it through and life is great again.

And, here’s an illustration by the late great George Toomer that I found in Workbook some years ago that looks just like me! When I came upon it, I simply had to call him and give him a hard time about unauthorized usage of my likeness! Poor guy. He was so happy to hear I was just kidding he sent me a huge poster of the art and signed it “to my new best friend Char Eisner”.

Creative hobbies or practices?

I love gardening. I’m a terrific cook and baker.  I’m also a garage /estate sale junkie. I collect  vintage things like grandma tablecloths and retro kitchenware.

Latest discovery?

Mad TV on the Cartoon Network.  I grew up reading Mad Magazine and to see it in motion is really great fun.

I recently rediscovered The Kinks, a totally underrated 60s rock band. Check out “Superman” if you get a chance.

And last but not least…..honey bees! My Chicago boy recently installed a beehive in our back yard.

It’s way cool to observe if you’ve never been around one before. There’s a reason why they are called busy bees! Thankfully no stings so far.

On your home office walls?

Whoops…..I don’t have a home office but at work I have several screened pieces of art done by my NYC boy, my own self portrait, the 2012 Men of Movember calendar featuring Agency people with cheesy mustaches and a pair of ruby slipper earrings my mom gave me so I will always know there’s no place like home.

If you enjoyed this post, please do consider subscribing to our blog at the top right hand corner of the site.  You can be the first to read our next interview.  Any ideas on whom to feature?  Email me, we would love to consider your suggestion.

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Following Trends without Sacrificing Self

Our latest contribution to Agency Access’  blog The Lab  just posted.  It offers advise for photographers on whether or not to follow trends in photography and branding.   Be sure to link to the blog directly to read answers from industry experts on many more questions.

QUESTION

I have an established look. How can I attract new business without totally changing to meet the trends of the marketplace?

As a creative professional, it is important to have your finger on the pulse of what’s going on with trends in your industry.

Undoubtedly, these trends will influence and inspire your photographic style and brand identity. But before changing your look to meet these trends, keep these two points in mind:

1)       You must stay true to your vision, which is more genuine than chasing a trend

2)       You might consider an evolution of your photography or brand, rather than a complete overhaul

Influence, yes … imitation, no

When we consult with photographers, it’s not uncommon for them to point out photography that they like and admire. They often ask if we think they should change their photographic style to adopt these new techniques.

Our answer is always the same: Change in your style or look needs to come from within and be part of the vision you have for how your work is evolving. Photographers who chase trends are often disappointed, and it’s our experience that once it becomes a trend it’s too late to jump on board anyway.

We do understand, though, that it is logical for a photographer to become inspired by peers’ work he or she has been seeing and, understandably, be influenced by it. Over time, those photographers find that their own style has evolved – and soon their work has crossed over into a new phase.

The evolving brand

As far as branding goes, having an established look is key to having a strong presence in the marketplace. Therefore, it is important to choose a logo and branding strategy that speaks to who you are as a photographer and a businessperson – and then commit to that strategy.

It is also important, though, that when this begins to feel stale, you take the initiative to evolve the look. Involving a designer is always a good idea, as a professional designer can help show you options that organically develop the look into the next level – rather than change it completely.

Some photographers, eager to change their branding look, do so completely – leaving behind the equity they built in the previous look. You don’t want your new brand strategy to appear as though you are a totally new photographer. Instead, consider a forward step that incorporates elements of your previous look, and your prior brand.

If you found this post helpful, please do consider sharing it via social media.  And, consider subscribing to our blog as well (top right hand corner) – we would love to add you to our list so you can receive the posts via email as soon as they are live.

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What Not To Do With Your Direct Mail

© Richard Schultz – http://www.rschultz.com

Our latest contribution to Agency Access’  blog The Lab posted Friday.  It offers advise for photographers on the “right” and “wrong” ways to approach direct marketing.   Be sure to link to the blog directly to read answers from industry experts on many more questions.

QUESTION

Are there “right” and “wrong” ways to approach direct marketing? What should I NOT do with my direct marketing campaign?

Marketing your images through direct mail can be a very effective way of reaching your target. However, it is an expensive undertaking if not done with a plan in mind, and can end up being a waste of your money and time.

Before choosing direct mail as part of your marketing plan, it is important to understand the different types of mailers you can send, the financial implications and the pitfalls you could encounter.

All Mailers Aren’t Created Equal

In our group, we have two types of mailers: the High Profile Mailer and the Reminder Mailer.  Reminder Mailers are the more frequent mailers that showcase what a photographer has been up to lately. The idea is to share a recent project or image and remind creatives that we are still out there, creating. We aim to send six to nine Reminder Mailers per year. The High Profile Mailer has a different strategy: These mailers are designed to showcase a very special body of work. They’re more expensive and more targeted, and often involve a designer. We send only one of these per year.

Regardless of how you categorize your mailing options, consider these tips before embarking on your campaign:

1) Choose a compelling image or story to share

It seems obvious, but to many it’s not. You must choose imagery for your direct mail piece that stands out when received. Do not choose an image just because it’s time to send a mailer.  Each image needs to be stronger than the next, and one that you are proud to share. Because of this, we suggest not even starting a mailer campaign until you have an inventory to choose from.

2) Be strategic with your image choice

Although the people who receive your mailers rarely file them away anymore, we still ask ourselves, “What envelope will they put this in?” before we make our selection. Is it still life? Lifestyle? Portraiture? This is an important question because if you are a lifestyle photographer, typically you should not mail a landscape image. Consistency in message is crucial.

3) Determine your plan and then STICK TO IT

The biggest mistake a photographer can make is to send out a mailer and then not send out another for a few months. Do not begin a mailer campaign if you cannot follow through with your plan. Sending one mailer rarely works. You need to create a campaign plan and stick to it.

Photographers who wait three to four months between each mailer run the risk of their imagery not getting noticed. The frequency of the mailers will help the person receiving it recognize your name and work quicker.

One trick we tell photographers is rather than plan for a year’s worth of direct mail, consider planning six months at a time. That way, you can maximize your budget over that time and then reevaluate your plans before the six months are over.

4) Recognize that FREQUENCY is more important than QUANTITY

FREQUENCY IS KEY. If budget is an issue, we prefer a photographer to send out fewer mailers more often than a higher quantity less frequently.

Translation: Send to fewer people more often. Don’t be tricked into thinking that decreasing the frequency of your mailers just so you can send them to more people is correct. It just isn’t.

5) Know your list

You can have the most compelling image to share and a strong plan to execute, but without a relevant list of contacts your campaign will fail.

Make sure to determine who your target market is before you create your list. Clients appreciate it when the mailers they receive are appropriate to their accounts.

A big part of a strong list is knowing every name on it. Yes, every name. That means doing your research and making sure each name has a purpose. Does that person work on the account you are targeting? Are they an award-winner, or perhaps work at an agency whose work you admire? At the very least, if you haven’t heard of the agency, remove it from your list. Making the effort to know the people on your list, even if you’ve never met in person, will make your connections that much more relevant.

Overall, direct mail is a very strong piece of the marketing plan. It is most powerful, however, when supplemented by other forms of communication, such as websites, email blasts, source books, PR, social media, etc. Be sure to think about all of the elements of your plan when determining how direct mail best fits.

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Were you at Le Book NY 2012? Check out our photos and see who was there.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a successful event!  It was so wonderful to see so many friends from all over the country and to meet new ones as well!  If you have never been to one of these events, we highly recommend it.  It is a lot of fun and a great way to connect!

If you want to read about our recap of our week in Ny, link here.   Otherwise, enjoy the photos!

Enjoying our blog?  Be sure to subscribe so you can receive email updates with our latest posts.  Subscription button is top right hand corner of the blog. Thanks!

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A week in NY – a recap of Le Book and Community Table.

What a week.  Truly. Thank you NYC for being such a great host.

It started off with our second installment of Community Table, a little birthday fun and then two full days of Le Book Connections NY.  By the end of it all, I had no voice, was 5 pounds heavier and was asleep on my feet.

But, it was all worth it – every second of it.

The week started with a our Community Table event at The Crosby Street Hotel.   Matt Nycz and Kate Chase of Brite Productions joined Lauranne and I in hosting our second round table with area art producers to discuss the issues top of mind for many photographers in our community.

We hosted 12 seasoned art producers from various agencies.  It was an incredible site to see such dynamic and creative women sitting around the table ready to share their experiences with those in our community.  Once again, Matt was the only male in the group and we loved him for that.

We talked about so many different topics such as marketing, agencies hiring producers, pro bono, client’s understanding of usage, cost consultants, social media and promo trends to name a few.  We look forward to sharing the conversation with everyone once we transcribe and edit our notes.

We realized when it was over that a perfect evolution for The Community Table would be to next time consider talking about just ONE topic. Maybe production, maybe estimates, maybe usage to name a few.  That way, we can truly discuss the many layers of the topic without the need to move on to the other topics.

We hear over and over that the art producers enjoy this event not just because they are excited about the conversation, but because they enjoy seeing each other.  We feel the same way.  It is rare that we can see each other out of the work setting and it felt very much like a community.  Exactly the point.

The Le Book event proved just as powerful.  Two full days of non stop connections.  The energy was high and the creativity flowing.  People were excited to walk the room to see old friends, make new ones and see what is happening creatively out there.  Once again Le Book Connections provided a casual environment for agents and clients to meet and share work.

Here are some of the highlights of the event:

•  The weather was perfect.  This made a huge difference in attendance.  As well, I heard a rumor that Le Book worked hard to space out the attendees so that there was never a HUGE rush of people but rather a steady and manageable stream.  If that is true, it worked!

•  This year we brought with us our GROUP PORTFOLIO.  This was  big hit.  The power of it was that we divided the book by SPECIALTY and not photographer.  People could then review the portfolio first, find the work they liked and then ask to see the photographer’s own portfolio for more.  This was the perfect answer to the endless question, “What do you have that is new?”

•  A few of the photographers in the group had new portfolios which were fun to show off.   Many clients who came by recognized that they were new – this made all the effort in creating them worth it.

•  Once again, we met MANY contacts from client direct companies.  This is VERY important to us because we find that these targets are hard to come by with regular channels.

•  Our portfolios stood out among the sea of iPads and black leather portfolios. We had colorful covers that attracted people to our table. And, the interiors were well designed and always a crowd pleaser.  And, those malt balls were once again a hit.  Funny how that works.

•  Le Book does a great job of attracting people from all over, not just NY.  It was so wonderful to see our friends from Chicago, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Texas and of course New York.

•  The cocktail party at the end of each evening was, as always, a hit.  This year, we were in a section that was not very lively so to attract people, we decided to hire a bartender (a very hot bartender!) to mix martinis.  Between the shaking sounds of the shaker and his nice biceps, we had men and women racing to our booth.  Money well spent and a tradition we will surely continue.

•  The cocktail party is truly one of the best parts of Le Book. The energy changes slightly and made me think (well Kate Chase put the idea in my head) that Le Book should consider changing the time to the event to later in the afternoon through to later in the night.  Just when the party gets going it is time to leave.  Just a thought….

•  We also met a lot of  other rep and vendors. This is such a special part of the event.  The idea of connecting with these people as well is powerful in that can increase our community and feel less like we are operating in a vacuum.

•  Our blog was also an effective draw to the booth.  People came up to us and shared how much they appreciated the conversations we started and the information we shared.  Many people would let us know their favorite posts.   It felt good to know that all the effort we put into it pays off.

Fellow agents always ask me if I think Le Book is worth the money.  I do not hesitate to say yes, especially for the photographers.  In our group they split the cost so for them it is very affordable and a small  part of their marketing budget.  They get a lot of bang for their buck for these two events.  Let me be clear,  it is not inexpensive.  But on a per person basis it is a reasonable amount of money for the access we receive. I just wish there was more opportunity for them to experience what we do.

Now, for us.  It is much more expensive.  Between the travel, the shipping, the promos, group portfolio creation, coverage in the office, booth design, martinis and hot bartender, it is much more expensive. That said, if I look at the bottom line of what we spend and I think about who we meet and connect with, I still say YES YES YES.  There is no other event that we can see as many people under one roof whom are so open to connecting with us as at Le Book.

Lastly, I should point out that SO many people helped to make this event a success. Thank you Alex, Patrick and all of your team at Le Book – you were attentive and ON IT!  Thank you to all of our photographers for taking our to do list seriously and providing us with the tools needed to brag about your properly.  Thank you Lauranne for all the coordination, handling of missed deadlines, partnership and of course friendship (and taking a photo of me and Kurt from Glee!!).  And to Henrietta for being there beside us to help put our best NY foot forward.   To Cheryln Quan of Heat for your design help, Nicole Anderson of BookArts for your mastery of book making and Wolf Prints for providing our group portfolio with prints that rivaled all others at the event- I know this because SO MANY PEOPLE said so. And, finally to Taya Curtin http://www.nabookarts.com/ for putting up with all the travel changes and every other detail that we had to think and rethink about.

And of course, finally, to everyone who attended and brought with them an openness to make new connections and see new work.

Until the next time…..

If you like what your read, please do consider sharing and of course subscribing list so you can receive emails whenever we post something new (top right hand corner of the blog).

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How to Best Maximize the Pintrest Potential

Do you know Amanda Cooper?  Well, if you don’t I strongly recommend you get to know her or at least her work.  She is one of the most enthusiastic and dedicated creatives that I know.  When she and I connected at Le Book Connections LA I knew instantly she would be a great contributor to our blog.  Her ideas about the industry were spot on and she obviously had her finger on the pulse of what was going on in our industry. That made her idea to start a conversation about the real Potential of Pintest that much more interesting.

Amanda described her post best when she titled her contribution:  Pintrest Potential; An informative guide to helping to navigate and leverage the creative community capabilities of one of the web’s hottest visual social sharing tools.

Here is what she had to say.

There’s been quite a lot of buzz around the site Pinterest.com lately, and it’s pretty hard not to notice the growing volume of visual updates by photographers, stylists and art directors via Facebook and Twitter which map back to beautiful images hosted on this very site.

Especially with recent statistics (posted April 13, 2012) reporting data:

—As of February 2012, Pinterest had accumulated 10.4 million users. http://bit.ly/KuQzAI

—Over 80% of pins are repins. http://bit.ly/JqLqcg

—Pinterest is retaining & engaging users as much as 2-3x as efficiently as Twitter was at a similar time in history. http://bit.ly/IOEJOO

—Daily Pinterest users have increased by more than 145% since the beginning of 2012. http://on.mash.to/KRh40N

—As of January 2012, American users spent an average of 97.8 minutes on Pinterest. http://bit.ly/IZ1c05

So that’s pretty great for general public stats…

But how does that translate to our industry and specifically as a professional tool for photographers, directors/DPs, stylists, art buyers and/or art directors??

If you’re not already using Pinterest, it’s a great platform both for finding and collecting inspiration as well as organizing and archiving your discoveries for future project resources. Pinterest, in general, works as a great tool for conducting client, product and/or consumer/demographic research as well as for the creative responsibilities of developing mood boards or treatments for bids, putting together comps and assembling storyboards.

Pinterest provides a great opportunity for photographers/DPs to gain more exposure of their work to general public and also to network with other professional creatives and brands.  Many agency art directors, graphic designers and typographers are incredibly enamored with the site and often frequent the site on a near-daily basis to gather research and/or archive their work. Thus, it’s a huge opportunity to network and connect with creatives who may be affiliated with agencies a photographer may want to reach out to—or simply collaborate with an art director or designer on a side project or identity re-design.

The great thing about Pinterest, is that the social sharing is based around visual files. Much like Instagram—it provides the ability to discover others’ galleries and work developments via the connections based on like-minded, relative visual styles. (And since Pinterest provides a profile area at the very top of each user page—it’s incredibly easy to source a particular artist’s website, twitter or facebook page after discovering their Pinterest pins.

I’ve noticed several photographers and brands even beginning to create pinboards that additionally showcase their image libraries, instagram galleries, campaigns and recent projects.

This is a simply yet another free social platform which allows for very quick and easy hosting of one’s work, increasing the opportunity to gain more public exposure.

Obviously, posting on Pinterest as a photographer allows possibilities for the general public, art directors and/or art buyers, brands and potential clients to discover one’s images. Thus, the more clearly the credit attribute information is labeled, (in addition to website URL) ensures a greater chance of proper credit to be established, as well as chance for others to re-direct back to portfolio site as a resource. Having the artists’ name with copywright symbol also helps in discouraging those re-pinning the image(s) from modifying associated credit information and provides greater chance for this information to travel around the Pinterest site (and distributed web) with proper credit attributes.

Here is a great format that I personally use when pinning images from professional photographers which helps provide a pretty visible, clear copyright association:

When other pinners notice this image on my board—they are more hesitant to manipulate the image if they see the photographer’s credited name and the “©” copyright symbol.

Additionally, there are a few other ways in which professional photographers can prepare their galleries on portfolio sites to help encourage Pinterest integration with their work:

-Adding instant share (Pinterest) social icon button to website images:

-Although many photographers are less concerned with using watermarks these days as it discourages the “social share” factor—even if you decide not to incorporate them into images, it’s best to add any relative copyright adjacent to image(s) or ensure to have a page on website clearly showing general copyright information whenever possible.

–Embedding metadata into image files and in image file naming system (ie. when saving/exporting out of Lightroom, Photoshop, ensure to embed all associated URLs, copyright info and meta data) so that if someone does pull an image which may have missing info—there is a chance of still maintaining related information. (This is especially key for videographers and DPs out there, as Pinterest is now allowing users to pin videos—if a pinner pulls a video from Vimeo or YouTube—Vimeo currently features the Pinterest-share icon associated with videos, however, YouTube currently does not offer this direct capability at the time of this post.)

Do note, most flash galleries do not allow for compatibility with the Pinterest browser toolbar app.

See image below for what occurs when one attempts to use the Pinterest toolbar app. to pin an image featured in a flash gallery:

(In some cases, I have seen images on Pinterest by photographers who I know host flash-based galleries.) My guess it that these images were then either screen-shots or they were pulled from images hosted externally from portfolio(s) elsewhere on the distributed web.

For general public pinners, if you can additionally try to ensure the following information is visible whenever you add new content, or simply help to correct/update the information (if you notice it’s missing credits) when re-pinning any images/videos—that is always ideal…And somewhere the original artist will be thanking you for taking the time to help preserve the integrity of their work as they generously allow our greater community to enjoy it!

Amanda N. Cooper is a freelance Art Director, Designer living/working between S.F. & L.A. and is deeply passionate about photography and surfing. She has been an active member of the Pinterest community since April of 2011 and her first re-pin on the site was of a beautiful, rusted-out vintage VW bus parked at a surf break. You can see more of Amanda’s work, link to Pinterest collection and learn more about her at: graphicsdiva.com/

 

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5 Popular Legal Errors in the Photo World

Leslie Burns, of Burns Auto Parts fame has recently joined forces with Carolyn Wright of PhotoAttorney.com to further educate the photo community on legal issues.  Once Leslie was officially onboard,  timing was right to ask her if she would consider contributing to our blog.  She did not hesitate and offered to share with us what she thinks are the 5 most popular legal errors in the photo world.  If you have other questions not addressed  here, please email me and we will see if we can get them answered.

5 Popular Legal Errors in the Photo World

There is a lot of mixed legal information out there now. Unfortunately, much of the info available, particularly on sites like Wikipedia, is legally inaccurate and can hurt you if you rely on it. So, in the spirit of trying to help, here is a list of five common legal misconceptions in the photo world.

1. If you make a photo, you have to register its copyright within three months or it’s not worth bothering.

This is a common misunderstanding of the 3-month rule. That rule is really a safe harbor for published photos. It says that if you shoot a photo and publish it, you have 3 calendar months from that first publication date to register the image’s copyright and it will be like you registered it the day it was published. If someone infringes on your work during that time, you can still get the enhanced remedies of statutory damages and attorneys’ fees, even if you register it after the infringement starts (as long as you register within those 3 months).

The general rule is that you have to register the work before an infringement to get enhanced remedies, but the 3-month rule gives you a window. However, lots of infringers will say you can’t get statutory damages and attorneys’ fees if you don’t register within three months, period. That isn’t true. As long as you register before the infringement starts, you can get enhanced remedies–even years after you make the photo. And you have to register your work to bring suit anyway. So please, register all your work, as soon as possible!

2. You must pay your models real money or the release is invalid.

“Consideration” is a nebulous concept in contract law but the fundamental thing is that it doesn’t have to be of the same value on both sides. So, although you need consideration and it should be mentioned on your model releases that there has been an exchange of consideration (“given and received”), that consideration can be a dollar or a print or just about anything.

Relatedly, always get a release signed if you possibly can, even if you don’t think you need one. Better to have one and not need it than the reverse. It;s damn cheap “insurance.” The release apps are fine, but take photos of IDs to prove age and identity just to cover your butt.

3. If your work appears on a site with a DMCA Takedown Notice procedure and the site takes down your work, you cannot sue anyone for the infringement.

DMCA takedowns only protect the third-party hosts of blogs, user-generated content sites, etc. So, for example, if you make a video and someone posts it to YouTube (without your permission or a license) and YouTube takes it down when you ask, you cannot sue YouTube; however, you can sue the person who put your work up there in the first place!

4. There is no need for a copyright notice on your work.

Although there is no requirement that you post a copyright notice with your work in order for the full protections of copyright to apply, if you do post one it can make a big difference in any infringement case. If there is a notice and your work gets infringed, that eliminates the possibility of “innocent infringement” by the infringer. Also, if the infringer removes your notice, you may have a claim under the DMCA for Copyright Management Information removal (the DMCA is not just about takedowns).

Oh, and if you use a copyright notice, make sure it’s in the correct form of “© + date of first publication (not creation!) + your name” so, for this post which is my copyrighted work (published by Heather with my permission), the correct notice would be “© 2012 Leslie Burns.”

5. If someone uses a photo on a personal blog or editorially, or if someone only uses a small part of a work, that use is Fair Use.

Fair Use is a much, much more complicated thing than most people think. Courts must look at all four factors in each case and those factors are not what they sound like to the lay person on top of it all: Purpose of the use; Nature of the use; Amount and substantiality of the work used; and, Impact on the potential marketability of the work. So, for example, while a non-commercial use is a plus in the Fair Use column, it is not close to conclusive. There are cases where a whole work being used was Fair Use, and others where a very small part of a work was not Fair Use. There simply are no hard and fast rules. You should definitely ask a lawyer before assuming something is or is not Fair Use.

By the way, this post is offered for educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken for legal advice. Yes, I have to say that.

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Leslie Burns has been involved in commercial photography and the creative industries since the mid-1990s. After working on both sides of the business (buying and selling), she became a rep and later a marketing consultant to commercial photographers. Her oddly-named Burns Auto Parts has worked with photographers from San Diego to Boston, Denmark to South Africa, and even Australia. With three books under her belt, she got to fulfill her life-long dream when she earned an academic scholarship to attend law school. There she studied IP and small business law in order to help photographers and other creative professionals even more. She passed the CA Bar exam on her first try in 2011 and now both consults under the Burns Auto Parts brand and offers legal services as a part of the Law Offices of Carolyn E. Wright, aka photoattorney.com.