The Art Of Seeing And The Gift Of Giving Back

I love making photographs, from finding the subject matter to watching the light and capturing the image, it is a process I never tire of and long to repeat. The art of seeing is a lifestyle not a profession, and like most photographers, I came to the business of photography because of this passion. I simply could find no other way I wanted to spend my time. This driving force keeps me going even when the stresses of business are heavy.

Photography is often a solitary activity. You must enjoy your own company to endure the early mornings, late nights, travel, deadlines, and long hours often associated with “getting the shot.” But then again, that is the easy part, even the fun part. The demands of running a small creative business in a commoditized economy are vast. We need profitability, yet a balance of market forces and personal sensibilities is often difficult to find.

I have weathered these trials thanks to the camaraderie and generosity of fellow photographers. The ASMP has been the instrument that fostered these relationships. No one understands the idiosyncrasies of this business better than a peer, which is why the phrase photographers helping photographers is such an honored ASMP tradition.

My business was seven years old when I joined the ASMP. Prior to our membership, my business partner and I struggled alone with client issues, quotes, and contract woes. We used some of the organization’s resources as a guide, but the missing ingredient was the human connection to others who were facing the same issues. We decided to attend a Strictly Business seminar and joined the ASMP as part of that weekend. The business skills we learned and the people we met helped us sow the seeds of prosperity for our business that is now in its nineteenth year. It is not an exaggeration to say that if I hadn’t joined the ASMP back in 1995, it’s likely my business would not have survived.

Without the ASMP, the extreme economic challenges of the last three years and the necessary transition into digital would have been insurmountable. The community of the ASMP— my chapter, my specialty group, various listservs and individual friends— gave me the tools I needed to move forward during this difficult period.

The ASMP is fortunate to have a dedicated and hardworking staff, but the society’s core and true leadership lies in the hands of our members. Hundreds of your fellow members volunteer each year for leader-ship service and without this commitment this organization could not stay viable or relevant.

The ASMP needs new leaders and I urge you to look within yourself, examine your specific talents and find what you can offer to make our association stronger. The potential for productive leadership is not limited to a rarified few, and before you ask what the ASMP has done for you lately, consider asking what you can do for the ASMP.

Just as in our own businesses, how much we invest of ourselves has a direct correlation to how much we receive in return. Looking back on my own years of ASMP service, I can genuinely say I have received more than I have given. The hours of hard work are real, but the personal rewards of friendship, knowledge, skills and satisfaction are priceless. It has been an honor serving as your president for two years, and as I move into my post-leadership life, I am strengthened by the understanding that I have been part of a long history: I believe I have made a difference and that others will follow and continue the work.

Robert Adams, photographer and writer, eloquently states how I feel about the photographic process in Why People Photograph, “At our best and most fortunate we make pictures because of what stands in front of the camera, to honor what is greater and more interesting than we are. We never accomplish this perfectly, though in return we are given something perfect— a sense of inclusion. Our subject thus redefines us and is part of the biography by which we want to be known.”

The ASMP can be part of your biography— join us.