The ASMP General Member What Does it Mean?

Tom Hollyman, ASMP president from 1969-71, sent me a note last fall. He wrote about another era, the demise of Look and Life Magazines, and what a tough time that was for photographers. Acknowledging that we are in a similar, yet even more complicated time, he told me to “hang in” and “keep courage.” I find his note comforting and empowering. His simple words remind me that I am part of a unique profession with a long history and that our individual and collective perseverance can be a powerful tool, as well as a guide, as we move our businesses and ASMP into the future.

Independent assignment photographers are amazingly versatile individuals who solve creative, technical and business challenges in an integrated, and often seamless, manner. The value of this to the buyer of our services cannot be emphasized enough, yet in this day of price-driven shopping and difficult business contracts, it is a value that often is overlooked. A talented and experienced assignment photographer becomes a partner with his or her client, turning an idea into a meaningful communication tool—the photograph. Whether selling a product, a building, an emotion or a service, nothing is more important to communicating the client’s message than the visual representation of their concept. The photographer is the key to making this happen successfully.

ASMP has more than 3,400 General members—the largest category of membership in our organization. To achieve this vetted position, photographers must show the following:
• A substantial publication history dating back at least three years
• A majority of earned income derived from the licensing and sale of their own images
• Sponsorship from two current General members.

The ASMP General member holds an honored tradition in our Society and wears this affirmation of his or her professional status with pride. General members represent a diverse group with varying areas of specialty and expertise, but they are unified by this vetting process, which provides a level of assurance to buyers of our services.

ASMP offers outstanding services to the creative professional such as FindaPhotographer.org—the first and finest searchable photographer database on the Web. Buyers can search for a photographer by geographic location or photographic specialty. Search results provide the member’s contact details, a mini portfolio, short descriptions of services offered and Web links. This database provides easy access to our General members and offers buyers the added comfort of prequalifying all photographers listed as experienced working professionals.

Adobe has recognized the credentials of the ASMP General member and is partnering with ASMP as it launches its own searchable assignment photographer service. Adobe’s searchable Photographers Directory will be packaged inside Creative Suite 2, and our General members will be the charter photographers listed. This new initiative will create another trusted resource for the design professional.

ASMP will soon be launching a new service— FindaPhotograph.org. This searchable image database will offer our General members a portal for marketing their existing photographs on the Web and will give the creative professional a place to license images directly from the photographer.

This portal fills a void in the image licensing landscape by tempering the obstacles photographers face when trying to market their images directly. While individuals may find setting up an e-commerce site both daunting and expensive, ASMP can leverage better rates and services for our members collectively, providing photographers with large or small collections a place on the Web to market their work.

FindaPhotograph.org will offer buyers an exciting alternative. The archives of many photographers are currently not available to buyers simply because the images have no outlet in the marketplace. It is increasingly difficult for individual photographers to secure representation by the mega-archives. Those large
stock sellers have harsh editing policies and are moving more and more toward representing only wholly owned content. The unique images produced by independent photographers on vast and varied subjects are largely not represented and, therefore, are unavailable to the buyer. ASMP’s FindaPhotograph.org will be a portal to fresh images that haven’t been overused in the market.

The ASMP General member is a forward-thinking professional working to provide quality images and services to the ever-evolving publication industry. Extraordinary images remain the most powerful communication tool available and the individual photographer is the creator that brings those visuals to life. ASMP is committed to providing services and building alliances that will strengthen the business position of our members. Please join us as we create new avenues for the recognition of independent photographers.