Envisioning Our Business Outside of Our Past

In my last President's Letter, I discussed the need for each of us individually, and for ASMP as a society, to develop a vision for our future and to work confidently towards that goal. The difficult part of this vision is that we all must think outside the norms of what our businesses “used” to be. Times are tough and the business climate we work in shows few signs of improvement.

Photographers all over the country are facing tough decisions about their futures. I am no exception. My business of eighteen years involves a business partner and a studio in the Midwest. While architectural photography has always been our primary interest, along with that specialty we operate a generalist studio serving area ad agencies, designers and manufacturers. For many years the work was good and it was steady. Then everything changed.

Royalty Free stock emerged and all of our work that wasn't subject, location or product-specific dried up. Mergers and buyouts gutted our local manufacturers and these product-specific assignments disappeared. Digital cameras became affordable, leading our architectural clients to only want us to photograph their best project of the year rather than all of them.

As much as I may want my business to return to where it was five years ago, it isn't going to happen. The economy will improve, but the business climate we all work in is irrevocably changed. I must create a new future for my business by evaluating the type of work we want to do, who our clients will be and where we need to be located. This evaluation must take into account the realities of photography that in many cases is sold as a commodity rather than as a service. It must embrace digital technology while simultaneously understanding its pitfalls. It must acknowledge my reduced negotiating power against an increasingly consolidated client base.

ASMP must rise to this crisis by providing our members with the tools they need to navigate this new environment. ASMP, through our Web site and our seminars, must become the information resource on the business of photography. ASMP must work harder to connect our members to buyers through Find a Photographer and Find a Photo. And, ASMP must fight for photographer's rights on legal, legislative and business issues. We need ASMP more than ever to act as our unifying force and to be our advocate.

Again, we can benefit by looking to our past for encouragement and guidance. The recent passing of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ben Ross, Eddie Adams, Richard Avedon and Chuck Keeler has been a significant loss for ASMP and the photographic community at large.

Henri Cartier-Bresson's “decisive moment” has inspired countless photographers and his timeless images will continue to inspire long into the future. Ben Ross was a photojournalist and early member of ASMP who fought diligently for photographer's rights. Eddie Adams was a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist whose arresting images of war, politics, fashion and show business will remain an inspiration to generations of photographers. Not only have Richard Avedon's images changed how we look at fashion and portrait photography, but his business acumen serves as a model for all of us. And Chuck Keeler was an early member of ASMP's Minneapolis St. Paul chapter and a tireless advocate for his photographic community throughout his career.

These distinguished and diverse photographers are unified by their longstanding and loyal memberships to ASMP. Their successful balance of the independent artist's nature with an understanding of good business practices, plus the recognition of the need for solidarity and collective action was admirable. We honor their contributions to our profession and will long remember and appreciate the beautiful images they leave behind.

Photographers are sitting at a crossroad and our members are dealing with difficult business decisions every day. If your choice is to remain a photographer, I celebrate you and challenge you. I applaud your passion to continue to do what you love, but in order to make that sustainable you must confront our industry's dilemmas head on. Develop a plan for your business that acknowledges our new realities and seek out the necessary skills and markets to bring your plan to fruition. Take advantage of all that ASMP offers, and challenge us by telling us what you need. With carefully planned and deliberate steps, we can make our visionary profession, which both records and changes our world, a meaningful choice for a life’s work. Continue to take joy and pride in the images you create.