Jeff Smith - Success in Portrait Photography

Jeff Smith

A MHERST M EDIA , I NC . B UFFALO , NY

Copyright 2003 by Jeff Smith.

All photographs by the author.

All rights reserved.

Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: 716-874-4508
www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt

ISBN: 1-58428-088-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2002103388

Printed in Korea.
10987654321

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

CHAPTER 1
FINDING YOUR OWN WAY

CHAPTER 2
SPECIALIZATION

CHAPTER 3
TARGETING THE CLIENTS YOU WANT

CHAPTER 4
INCREASING PROFIT

CHAPTER 5
MONEY

CHAPTER 6
YOUR GREATEST COMMODITY

CHAPTER 7
CREATIVITY

CHAPTER 8
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

CHAPTER 9
EDUCATION

CHAPTER 10
BALANCING YOUR LIFE

S uccess its the one thing that everyone seems to be looking for, but many people dont even know what it is. Is success wealth? Many people think their only opportunity to become very wealthy is to play the lottery or be discovered by a talent scout. Well, wealth is a simple enough thing to create. You spend less than you make and stick the rest of your money in an interest-bearing account. When you get into this habit, interest compounds, and youll create your own wealth. But is that success? There are many wealthy people that take their own lives and, as far as I know, no one has ever been able to take their wealth with them when they crossed to the other side. Ive never heard anyone say, Damn, here I am dying today, when Bloomingdales is having a sale on Saturday!

Creating fabulous images is the goal of every photographer, but to achieve success in the field, youll need more than talent.

When you decided to become a photographer, you probably planned to be a success. Are you satisfied with the direction that your business has taken?

Is success about fame or notoriety? If you asked several people, who do you think is successful? many might say Donald Trump or maybe Madonna or, if they are photographers, maybe Don Blair or Larry Peters. Many photographers struggle for years to get their Craftsmen or Masters from PPA (Professional Photographers of America), but will they be any more successful when they have that ribbon to hang around their necks? Here is something to think about: some of the wealthiest portrait photographers dont have their Craftsmen or Masters, and some who have their PPA degrees will never make a decent living in photography.

After my second book (Outdoor and Location Portrait Photography Amherst Media) came out, I received many e-mails about speaking dates. Many photographers asked me to come to their area to put on a program. My first thought was to call the PPA local associations in the areas of California that I received the most e-mail from. Many of the people I spoke with were very nice and helpful, but there was one guy well just call him Mr. Pocket Protector.

Mr. Pocket Protector worked out of his home, which is fine. He had an old answering machine that made him sound like he was at the bottom of a deep cave. After leaving several messages, he returned my call. After I explained why I was calling, the first question he asked was whether or not I had my Masters from PPA. I responded, I am a member of PPA but, no, I dont have my Masters (as a matter of fact, Id never entered a single print!). Although I thought this was kind of funny (in an ironic way), he was not amused. He told me he would never help with a program if the speaker didnt have his Mastersand then talked for three or four minutes about how I could get mine.

When he finally finished he asked me what qualified me to give a program anyway (as if three books and all the articles Id written werent enough?). To drive the stake right through his Pocket Protector, I told him, and I quote, I make a lot of money in this profession! If Id reached through the phone and slapped him, I dont think he would have been any more shocked.

After our verbal Battle Royal he attempted to be polite and asked me to send my books and all the articles Ive written to him, along with an outline of the program I was planning. He said that hed give the information to the person in charge of programs.

I called back three weeks later to see if hed received the materials, and guess what? Mr. Pocket Protectors phone was disconnected. I called another person in the local association who informed me that hed packed up and left town because he was going belly-up. So is success about fame, recognition, notoriety, ego or arrogance? I think not. Fame, recognition and notoriety have a tendency to turn a person who isnt successful into a jerk. Their entire being becomes wrapped up in the fact that theyve written a book, won an award or finally have that ribbon to hang around their neck.

Is success about happiness? Not completely, but I believe its the most important quality listed so far. When I say happiness, Im not talking about being one of those people who constantly tells everyone how happy he or she is. Happiness is like being a person of faith. If you truly are, you dont have to tell anyone, for they can see it for themselves.

Is success about fame or notoriety? If you asked several people, who do you think is successful? many might say Donald Trump or maybe Madonna or, if they are photographers, maybe Don Blair or Larry Peters.

Working with the employees in our studio over the last eighteen years, Ive seen the impact of watching too much television and buying into a made-up, larger-than-lift picture of happiness. Most people seem to think that once they obtain some specific, magical goal, every other aspect of their lives will fall into place.

As you get older, you start to notice things. Working with the employees in our studio over the last eighteen years, Ive seen the impact of watching too much television and buying into a made-up, larger-than-life picture of happiness. It usually goes something like this: Ill be so happy when I meet Miss or Mr. Right! Well, I finally met them, but Im still not happy. Maybe Ill be happy when Miss or Mr. Right and I are married. Well, were married now, and Im still not happy yet, but well be so happy when we have a baby. Well, we have two kids, and Im still not happybut well be so happy when I get that new house. Well, we have our house, but Im still not happy yetmaybe Mr./Miss Right wasnt right after all! When I divorce that lazy slug/mean shrew and find my true soul mate, Ill be happy at last!