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These are the safety tips that every model and photographer should know

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This is an opinion piece and considering I am not a lawyer or work in law enforcement, this is all just advice from experience. Always check the legal and health legislation in the area you are in. Seek professional advice if you feel you have been the victim of a crime.

I’ve been swimming in this industry since the spring of 1997, ultimately on both sides of the lens. I have witnessed titans rise and fall with the decimation of film in favor of digital pixels. I’ve taken part in the tidal wave of new and incredible talent from around the world thanks to affordable cameras and computers. I watched with mixed emotions at the absolute thrashing that Photoshop and the rise of digital art gave to an industry that overnight transformed successful businesses with 30 years of experience into dinosaurs on the brink of extinction.

In short, I’ve not been around forever, but I’ve been around long enough to earn a couple of my stripes, and seen some difficult things.

I have been lucky enough to witness the start of a movement that has begun to change everything.

The rise of #MeToo has really shifted the dialogue around safety. It’s generations overdue, but at least it’s starting. I wish it had been a thing when I was 13 and a baby in this field, but alas, life isn’t always fair. So, I’m going to keep it going. Each line on my face, each grey hair, and every sleepless night comes from some lesson or experience lived through. Such is the inevitability of aging.

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How to market and sell your landscape photography prints

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Landscape photography is one of those genres that very few photographers tend to shoot professionally. Sure, there are a lot of professional landscape photographers out there, but when you compare that to portraits or weddings, there really ain’t all that many at all. Partly it’s down to not knowing what to sell, but it’s also not knowing how to sell it or price it.

In this video, landscape photographer Nigel Danson goes over the prints he’s sold over the last couple of years to see which have sold the most (and the least) to try and figure out why. He also talks about how he prices his prints in order to get a price that makes it worth his time but also provides good value to the customer.

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Quick and simple business guide for photographers

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A professional photographer for quite a few years now, I thought some of you may be interested in some photography business advice and tips through this entry-level straight forward photography business guide.

This is a general guide since there are so many ways to define a photography business.

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Don’t forget about the work-life balance when running your photography business

If you run your own business, it can be hard to figure out when and if you need a break. Times are hard for photographers, now maybe more than ever, and you may feel that you have to work more than ever before. In this honest and personal video, Jeff Rojas reminds you not to lose yourself and your work-life balance.

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Do these three things to make more money as a photographer

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2020 was pretty difficult for most of us, and the creative industry has suffered a lot. Photographers struggled to find work, and it sure was stressful to shoot for a living with all the lockdowns and measures in place. But let’s hope for a better 2021 and more opportunities to earn a living by doing what we love most. Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot has three fantastic tips that will help you earn more as a photographer, not only in 2021, but in many years to come.

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Image theft should be a thing of the past – a personal story

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We’re used to seeing images shared on social media, especially on feature accounts where this is considered normal. Photographers put a lot of time and effort into creating great images and once in a while we see our work stolen. This happened to me recently and I’d like to share the story with you.

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Google is killing unlimited storage for non enterprise users – don’t move away from G Suite

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If you have been using the unlimited storage feature of G Suite to back up your photos and videos, wait before moving into Google Workplace. Google Workspace only has unlimited storage on enterprise plans.

Google made some big noise about replacing the G Suite with an even better Google Workspace. Among the many changes that may or may not be incredible for you, one change is clearly not in favor of high storage users.

If you or your team were using G Suite Business, you would get unlimited storage for $12/user. If I recall correctly, you needed at least four users to enroll in that level of service.  Now Google Workspace will only give you 2 TB of storage for your $12, 5TB for $18, and according to Android Police, you can move to an Enterprise account for $20 ($30 for enterprise+) and get the same unlimited storage. However, it will be at least 50% significantly more expensive.

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It’s not about the gear, it’s about the sweat you put in!

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I get asked a lot by people about equipment and settings, photoshop editing, and all manner of ‘technical stuff’.

I also get asked a lot about what my top advice is for taking better pictures, and the answer is not in a plugin or a shiny new camera. I find it funny that as photographers, when somebody outside our trade asks about a great picture that they have seen that as photographers, we often answer, stating that the camera is just a ‘tool’. No camera can make you take better pictures. However, when I see photographers discussing images online, I often read people banging on about ‘what settings were used’ what model of that camera did you use. What lens, what F stop and chewing on about if they had used this or that, and why don’t they use this or that…

My thoughts on this are simple, and after reading one such exchange earlier, I just wanted to write something here, I guess on what I think personally.

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Why I have stopped selling images with 500px

I just received three emails from 500px this evening. I was informed that three of my images were sold.

In other words, I can expect a payment of $2.55. In all honesty, it feels like a mockery.

When 500px launched Marketplace in 2014 we photographers could receive a 70% commission if 500px was our sole licensing agent for a particular image. Back then it was actually possible to get a decent payment if you sold a few images.

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