Comments on: Questions for Art Buyers/Producers… you got any?

By: ANUP ROY

ANUP ROY — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:19:16 +0000

Is there any trace of globel recession has affected the art industry ,
I mean in selling of portrait paintings, If so could you advise some tips to overcome that dilemma.

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:11:36 +0000

@jamie, If you were in San Diego, or Houston, I would be happy to share my notes with you, and you could see the specific projects and clients. Since you don’t put a last name or link, I don’t know if you work for TBWA. My phone number is also on my website for my office, and you are welcome to call me; it would be easier than typing so much.

Specific clients at that TBWA/Chiat-Day office are Apple, Gatorade, Lucky Brand, Nissan, Pepsi, VISA, Pioneer, and Energizer, just to name a few. They are not a regional office, this was the office that handles global campaigns for those brands. Time and budget constraints were the main issues stated driving current solutions.

Take a look at Gatorade and Pepsi, and they are very graphics and text heavy. Lucky Brand campaign was mostly done using older available materials. Click through the print examples for Pepsi, and none of them use photography. The images of the billboards on the TBWA websites are done by their in-house people; they are not hiring photographers to document their work for their website.

I’m just relating what I was told, and that was in a room full of people prior to them even knowing I was a photographer. I had a fantastic one-on-one meeting later, and I have a great deal of respect for the work out of their agency.

By: jamie

jamie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:50:21 +0000

@Gordon Moat,

am i missing something? i see some great still life photography, styling, comping (go techs!), heck even some sculpture and metalworking…

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:27:16 +0000

@jamie, Here is a good link – http://www.tbwa.com/index.php/disruptiveideas

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:26:29 +0000

@jamie, Check out the recent global campaigns for VISA and Pepsi. Those are examples of what I mean.

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:23:14 +0000

@jamie, West Coast, with the meeting in California, though they work on International campaigns. You can see their client base on their website – http://www.tbwa.com

By: jamie

jamie — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:08:47 +0000

@Gordon Moat,

tbwa on which coast exactly? got to think of their client base.

By: jamie

jamie — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:05:20 +0000

@NLB, @lauren

ditto. producer for still life photog. dreams of art production/buying with an agency!

By: Andreas von Estorff

Andreas von Estorff — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:40:43 +0000

I am wondering whcih are the Sourcebooks and websites Artbuyers like most to check for new talent and professional photographers. As far as I know the big players are:

http://www.lebook.com
http://www.productionparadise.com
http://www.gosee.de
http://www.blackbook.com

Did I forget to mention any?

By: Ilse

Ilse — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:24:28 +0000

Most of the times we (photographer’s agency) present our work to the art buyers, because the creatives are to busy. We would like to know if and in what way the art buyers present us to the creatives.

By: Christy

Christy — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:04:43 +0000

An estimating question (sorry if you’re sick of it already).

When an ad agency asks you to do an estimate, is it okay to ask them if they have a budget in mind? Can I ask if I am bidding against other photographers?

By: jim wright

jim wright — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:07:55 +0000

Even after years of experience and still trying to break the advertising nut, how do I get hired to shoot what I feel that I do best?

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:50:13 +0000

One of the things I got out of a meeting with a TBWA Print Producer was that their recent campaigns used more text and graphics than photography. So I asked why that was, but I didn’t really get a clear answer on that. The few hints on why were things like time constraints, in-house creatives, or that graphics and text were easier things to mock-up for the pitch. The implied message was that the pitch often drove the campaign, and if it did not start with photography they would seldom include it later. I don’t know if there is a better way to ask this, but what would move agencies to use photography over graphics and text?

By: Philip James

Philip James — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:05:43 +0000

Simple question, it used to be you could call for an appointment to see a creative with your book. Now the first response is do you have a website? and then we’ll see. This tends to eliminate the personal aspect, and the impact of work in print. Any thoughts on how to actually get in to see a live person?

By: Paul Freeman

Paul Freeman — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:33:38 +0000

If you are working with an established set of photographers, what is the trigger that makes you look around for a new person to work with?

What are the top five reasons you choose to work with a particular professional photographer?

By: Erik

Erik — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:39:43 +0000

@A Photo Editor,

For the sake of argument, and the original question, let’s assume the work actually *is* better.

At the lower end, sure, I do think habit plays into it. But then again, what do you define as habit? Is it just lazyness? Is it knowing that you’ll have a good time working with the guy. If it’s the last, then it’s not the guy being lazy, but the guying wanting to stay safe.

Considering your input, I’d love to rephrase/add to the original question:
How much does the book count, and how does that factor scale relating to past experiences/word-of-mouth?

I’d assume the book is more important for the new guy, but maybe that isn’t it, maybe references is *more*, not less, important when starting out.

Dunno.

By: A Photo Editor

A Photo Editor — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:13:18 +0000

Last call for questions before I email them off…

By: A Photo Editor

A Photo Editor — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:13:00 +0000

@Erik,
Do you really think they do it purely out of habit? I think a better question might be how much does the book play into the hiring decision. More specifically after you’ve crossed a certain threshold with the quality of the work does it even matter? Because, if you’re work is truly better than your competitors (many times people just think it is) and you’re not taking jobs from them then it’s something else you’re not doing right.

By: Dave Bradley

Dave Bradley — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:25:04 +0000

Is it common practice to ask for estimates from photographers you have no intention of hiring, because you need three quotes to satisfy the powers that be?

By: Chris Schultz

Chris Schultz — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:22:44 +0000

@A Photo Editor, Good wording!

By: Erik

Erik — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:07:05 +0000

How do I as a new photog with a better book than my established competitors get the AD/AB to see that, instead of just booking the established guys out of habit?

By: bill

bill — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:25:28 +0000

@Tim, “be better.” Yes, of course. But what I wonder more specifically is what are the things that drive buyers to these new amateur avenues, or keep them from them. Is it solely and exclusively budget (meaning that when/if they have a budget they will pay for “better” work?) Or are there other factors at work can impact the choice? It may very well be only a matter of dollars. And I hope so. But if not, I’d like to know.

By: Steven Rood

Steven Rood — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:20:46 +0000

1) With ad budgets being sliced and diced left and right, and thus print media buys being reduced, what is the ratio of photo projects being produced for web vs those still being produced for print, outdoor and newspaper?

2) With a reduction in spending for print, costs need to be reduced as much as possible. On both sides of the camera. Thus, how important is it to hire a photographer that can achieve his/her look in camera vs those who rely heavily upon post production retouching, compositing and CGI?

Thanks for your time.

By: GettingCrumbs

GettingCrumbs — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:43:31 +0000

How much new work are you commissioning? What percentage of last years creative? How do the rates compare to last year? We all seem to be chasing a smaller piece of the pie.

By: wb

wb — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:34:29 +0000

@wb,
sorry, that’s “see” any end in sight…
typing and spelling like a 15 year old with a point and shoot…

By: wb

wb — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:31:20 +0000

Do you send any end in sight for the “15 year old with a point and shoot” look / trend?

By: Christine Blackburne

Christine Blackburne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:13:59 +0000

How about this:

How do you feel about ad base and constant contact type email promos?

By: Christine Blackburne

Christine Blackburne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:05:39 +0000

@Christine Blackburne, sorry, just read though the questions and I see this has already been asked.

By: Christine Blackburne

Christine Blackburne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:03:24 +0000

Quick questions:

Are you any less likely to give a job to a young photographer?

If you’re about to hire a new photographer, how important is it that they have a rep, especially if they are younger? Or does is it more attractive to not have a rep and you can forgo the additional rep fee (if not just taken out of the photographer’s fee)?

Thanks!

By: Reinfried Marass

Reinfried Marass — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:49:20 +0000

Maybe you could all the art buyers and producers you plan to interview let establish a wishlist what shall be included (and what NOT) in a photog’s email-promo.

Thereafter, on a rainy weekend, you could make a standardized blank.
Call it AAABPPPF #0815 (American Association of Art Buyers and Producers Photographers Promotion Form) .
Free download HERE http://www.aphotoeditor.com/AAABPPPF#0815.pdf (with a ‘lil donate button for all the effort)

And with a footnote: best time to send – e.g. Tuesday, 10:00 AM, local (art buyer’s) time :-)

Cheers, Reini