Comments on: Perception Is Everything – For Photo Editors

By: Jason Lindsey

Jason Lindsey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:54:13 +0000

@David,

I agree completely.

By: S

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:37:32 +0000

As far as stock agencies, the issue of “has this subject been covered?” in creative meetings was like speaking in a foreign language. Last year when I worked at a large stock agency, their approach to the RM and RF shoots was never based on collection needs or updating dated content. The budgets were limited and the vision of the ADs tired. Whatever was cheap and easy access for the producers/photographers was what got shot regardless of how saturated the marketplace was of the same old images. At the end of the production, even if the images were subpar, if the shoot didn’t go over budget and the target # of images edited was met, then the perception was that it was a successful shoot. Which is why stock agencies have been sinking in their own muddled mess for the past 5 years.

By: Ed Hamlin

Ed Hamlin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:36:25 +0000

Good F/U to “Perception Is Everything” yesterday.

By: David

David — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:04:55 +0000

As far as finding out what the subject and their environment look like, and gauging time and budget – is it really necessary to ‘manage the expectations?’ Isn’t working with a good photographer all about having them solve (visual) problems … thus keeping the expectations high? I think if I am unhappy with the local talent and can’t fly someone in to shoot, then that is when I need to begin to ‘manage expectations.’ I’m saying it’s more dependent on the shooter, not those other variables …

By: A Photo Editor

A Photo Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:46:14 +0000

@Dean,
The first choice is always stock now and depending on how low they have set the bar in accordance with the CFO’s wishes you don’t commission a shoot unless a picture just doesn’t exist or is horribly out of date.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:11:53 +0000

It works the same way for photographers approaching a job, especially an editorial job. Many magazines these days say, “We have $______. for everything, your fee included.” Understanding where you are going to shoot and doing all the production work yourself is 95% of the job. Shooting it should be easy after that.

By: Dean

Dean — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:58:23 +0000

To go from choosing stock, to “flying someone in” for a photo…. does that really happen still? That sounds so 2007.

By: Jamie Klingler

Jamie Klingler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:11:29 +0000

During sketch and idea meetings, when being asked to find stock that won’t exist, we tend to joke about “dreampictures.com” so when the requests are going too far or well outside of what we will be able to find or shoot within our time frame, a reference to dreampictures.com usually brings everyone back to reality and a collective problem solving mode rather then fantasy land.