Check out this Wedding Announcement from the Northside Sun, which prominently features two of my photos sans-credit. I assume this has to do with their business model, since they have a couple of local studios as photographers/advertisers . . . perhaps if I took out a full page ad of a family in denim and black with an image of a gilded gold frame around it they would give me photo credit . . . OK, that was harsh . . . there is plenty of room in the Jackson, MS photo market for half a dozen Grillis or Kees style studios and those guys deliver to their demographic the product desired.
After glancing at the above linked websites, it makes me think two things: first, I badly need to update my portfolio with more current work, and second, I’m gonna have to break down and put up a client list. I’ve always had a slight dislike for client lists, seems like if you have the portfolio that should be what a potential client decides based on, but in reality I don’t think that is it. Bigger clients like to know that you have worked with professional businesses, not just the local alt-weekly . . .
I’ve had something published in most of the local media outlets, and I’ve gotten the slightest bit of national print work out there (the highlight and my mother’s favorite part of my publication resume is having images appear in Time magazine twice), but I have had better luck in the commercial shooting realm. I’ve shot for Toyota, Krystal, Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild, Mississippi Museum of Art, Downtown Jackson Partners, Hattiesburg Public School System, Jackson Public School System (my only billboard), and scores of individuals (for those of you who know me, I have purposefully omitted clients I shot for when I worked for Photo Images). So what I’m saying is “I’m caving.” And I bet if someone called me tomorrow and asked me to do a location family portrait of the family wearing black and denim, all I’d do is ask for their credit card number.
I assume that neither John nor Melody gave the Northside Sun the announcement (with image but without credit). Having assumed that, how did this even come about? Did the Sun just decide to do an ad for the wedding and looked around for some images?
Don’t do the denim. I know black is formal but denim ain’t.
No, John and Melody sent in the announcement . . . Northside Sun just edited me out . . . I was even in there as the witness in the original announcement.
Great photos. That is a wicked *itch about the dis-attribution.
I’m with Hud on the demin + black. Do it if you must, but don’t if you can help it.
AND as much as we want people to decide on a photographer, or a business relationship, or any major purchase on the provider’s own merits and fitness, most people like to work within their network.
They will select the same painter or cell phone or photographer as their friends and family. They take personal reccomendations more seriously than their own proclivities. It’s just part of being human and as I have learned to accept that more gracefully I have gotten both busier in my business and more influential in my community.
Best Wishes!
After reading this blog makes me want to start my own