We filed promo’s if we like them under the photographer’s name, and if we didn’t like them, we binned them.

In one agency (#4 in the world!) we had a library filled wall to ceiling with every photography book, graphic design book, architectural book, magazines, etc available that we think are worth something! Plus, all the droll picture library books.

Some days, we could be working on a dozen jobs, and call in up to 100 portfolio’s. Luckily though, for the most part, you just call in 3 portfolio’s for the job, either you know the client, and style and work from there, or you know what the AD/CD likes, but for the most part, I find, it is just as much based upon my knowledge and taste too, although I’m sure nobody would admit to that.

I love photography. I “see” images all day long in my minds eye, or walking down the street, or just by existing in the world. I was the photographer that never was!

I would say that a passionate art buyer FIGHTS for you. All of you. For your rights, for your creativity, for you to be on the job. I’ve had CD’s tell me that so and so photographer cannot do the job anymore, because they are TOO OLD!! How crazy is that. Some of my favorite shoots have been with shriveled up wrinkly photographers who are the best, even if they are about on their last breath!

I know my background is different, because I came from the photographers side of the fence—maybe that’s why they called me The Robin Hood of Art Buying! I never screwed you, and everyone I worked with knew that. Sometimes, we simply didn’t have the budget to shoot say, David Beckham, in a European airport for a quickie for Adidas, and I would still get the $25K a day photographer to shoot it for nothing, (editorial rates), because he knew that I was being honest and he wanted the shot. I was given a budget of $50K per photo one time, to buy existing b&w photographs for a big camera client. One of the images belonged to an old man in Wales, who had shot it for The Telegraph in the 1970’s. Man…..I had every account exec who could still breath in their tight fitting suit, telling me to screw the guy, and pay him hundreds. I couldn’t. I mean, you have to do your job well, and maintain your integrity. I told the old man I would pay him $25K for the usage, and asked him if he would like the brand new camera we were buying the images for…………….(yes…you might be thinking…she still screwed him), but I didn’t. The account exec. wanted me to give him approx. $500. The old man got $25K (he said he would use it to put his grandson through college!), and the modern version of his original camera that he shot that on 30 years ago. It felt good—his joy was the best moment in my art buying life.

My first art buying job blew me away, weeks before Christmas. I have never received so many gifts in little blue boxes from Tiffany’s in my life. I didn’t understand it. It didn’t help “X” get the job.

I have to go home now, so if you have questions, I will happily answer them.

Peace,
Anon Art Buyer!

I’m a graphic designer, but ready to make a career change. Working with images has always been my favorite part of the job; I love photography!

Thanks very much,
Alyson

It’s something that photographers don’t hear enough of. We are in a business like anyone else, and have to understand the habits and desires of our customers.

RE: Print Mailers: I heard firsthand from the head art buyer at one of the top LA ad agencies that she demands that all of her underlings look at EVERY print mailer (though they may toss them).

I’ve also heard art buyers and photo editors say that they organize their printed mailers by Specialty (ie. “Lifestyle”, “Still-Life”, etc.), and a Creative Director will ask to see them when they’re deciding who to hire.

So don’t think your printed mailers are not being considered! That said, emails are essential, too. You never know which method is going to hit the right person at the right moment.

Great questions, and thanks for the answers!

I’ll agree there’s some serious button pushing going on out there. I guess Art Directors will take more pictures now that digital has made it easier to operate a camera.

Did laugh at this tidbit on folios though:

“…it’s annoying when the cases are an ugly color”

Yeah, and its annoying when Art Buyers don’t all look like Cindy Crawford (oops showing my age) too. I mean, come on. If its all about the images then who cares if I’ve got a polka-dot folio case.

All this bending over backwards and taking it up the rear for people who hire you (after you spent your truck load of money on promos) and then tell you what to shoot because the campaign been designed and sanitised by seven different committee meetings.

What’s the point of choosing a photographer based on their folio – only to turn them into an on-set glorified button pushing monkey – and then to produce and ad via a retouch house that bears little or no relation to the original photographer’s book in the first place!

We’ve all seen this happen. “X shot that campaign”. But it looks nothing like the work on X’s site or in X’s book.

In fact X “pushed the button once X’s assistants had lit the set to the AD/CD/Client’s approval”.

Big wow. Where’s the creativity in that?

Agency people: Why not just hire a crew and shoot it yourselves? ….

Sheesh.

I expected something equivalent to all the interesting tidbits you would reveal about the industry when you were first starting this thing. i was expecting somes story of steven klein and kate moss doing lines off the set cart or just info on some of bullshit politicking that goes on in agencies with photographer selection and budgets. or what about licensing. I’d be curious to know about what type of usage is being doled out in real life. everyone is always preaching stand your ground w/ usage in public but, in real life i bet that’s not always the case. What are people really doing and getting away with that you don’t hear about. That’s what I want to hear about from someone in that position.

I want to know about the inner workings of the agency. like, why are there 200 AD’s and do any of them really have any decisionmaking power or do I really stand a chance at actually being considered for job if an Assistant Art Buyer at TBWA was willing to see me for a portfolio meeting.

I was really happy to hear the art buyer say there’s not a lot of fresh work out there. I wonder if it’s because by the time the job gets shot the vision gets so ’safe’ the whole fucken thing turns to oatmeal.

I love what she said about mailers and how she throws them away. Saved myself $400 today (seriously) because I chose a different coating on some promos. Hey if the coating is only going to keep the promo in her hand for a second more before it hits the trash I’ll keep my chedda.

Interviews like this are why this site is my #1 all day long.

Bravo

Boy what a hard hitting interview! Man she really blew the covers off of art buying. I can really see why she wanted to be anonymous.

Anonymous Too

100’s of promos per day! Yikes.

i was disappointed that (from the interview) someone at the top of the game working with the best talent in the business couldn’t think of a single recent inspiring project – “Just a lot of mediocre images.”

Excellent post! You just keep giving the down and dirty, nitty gritty info we photographers crave. And info we can use to build our careers. Can’t say thank you enough.

And congrats on the recent press in PDN, Digital Photo Pro and elsewhere – you deserve it all.

Cheers, Michael Clark
http://www.michaelclarkphoto.com

I just mailed my first postcard last week and kept it very clean and it contained one image. I’m a food shooter and my mailing list is quite focused. Keep up the good work.

Tony
http://www.tcphoto.org

On one hand I want to present the large images and display as much detail as I can for the viewers. On the other hand, I hate finding those large files ripped off and used to populate some kids flicker “portfolio”, or a microstock site.

Since I refuse to watermark my website images, it comes down to finding a reasonable size that looks good to the viewer, yet is too small to allow reproduction.