So as my 4 or 5 regular readers may have noticed there’s been a lack of posting of late.  Between post-holiday syndrome and whatever else (laziness, 24 and LOST) I’ve been delinquent and I apologise.

There’s been so much doom and gloom every day and obviously our industry has been directly affected.  Domino Magazine closed last week, only the latest of many prominent shutterings, and I feel like every day I get an email from an out of work job seeker.

Obviously everyone is adapting to lower budgets - for production, for fees, for marketing (PDN did a great piece on how photographers can stretch their personal promotion budgets) and whatever else they have to do to survive.  As someone who works on the representation side of the business I wanted to write my first substantial post of the year with a less than Harvard Business School approved survey of our business.

Below are my (completely unscientific, and probably not particularly profound) observations of what rep agencies are doing to survive beyond simply trying to adapt to lower budgets.

1) A lot of photography agencies will re-organise their rosters.

By this I mean that a lot of agencies will take a long hard look at the talent they represent and end their relationships with the artists who aren’t doing as well financially, or are frankly of questionable temperament and are no longer worth dealing with.  The smaller boutique agencies who represent fewer artists may be more averse to doing this.  Representing talent involves many costs (there’s more to just putting a name on a website) and many agents will be making business decisions to part ways with talent.

2) Conversely, a lot of agencies will take increase the size of their rosters.

See who works and who sticks.  A lot of photographers will use these uncertain times to look at their situation and perhaps look to make a move.  And some agencies will gladly take on a number of new photographers to see who can make money.  I follow PDN’s People On The Move and their latest update had what seemed like 20 photographers who had recently found new representation.  And agencies may be slightly less selective with who they take on…they may care less about, say, taking a photographer on whose aesthetic and work may already match one of their own.  And taking on new talent can mean hiring more people as well.

3) They will not survive.

A lot of agencies have been around a long time and perhaps their founders are ready to close up shop and pursue something else.  Other agencies simply do not have the ability to persevere in such an economic environment.  I do not know who it will happen to, but the sad reality is that the odds are likely.  However this means that a great deal of fantastic talent will be seeking new representation, contributing to number 2) above and number 4) below…

4) The rich will get richer.

Similar to how the Bush years effectively crushed the middle class (one last dig, come on) the more established agencies will grab only the best names that approach them…and they will be the first ones to be approached.  There is security in going to a well-known agency (and for many of the talents out there who are rumoured to be on the move only certain agencies will make sense for them).  If any of you have heard any of the same things that have come my way the last few weeks then you’ll understand what I am talking about.

Unfortunately this means that less risks will be taken in looking for new talent to develop. Photographers who have not had an agent before may find it hard to get an agency to take them on.

However those talented and younger photographers who are already ensconced at such agencies will likely benefit…clients will want to work with fresher (and technically cheaper…) names in these times.

So that’s it…the four main things I see happening as photography agencies adapt to survive and even prosper.  What are people’s thoughts on this?

So I’ve been horrid on my posting but here are some things to see that you may or may not have heard of…

TOYING WITH REALITY

This show occurred before the holidays so apologies to Martin Glenn, but he had a successful one night show in the East Village.

His work can be viewed and purchased at Moon Tower Industries.

Next up…Incipient by Thomas Murphy

Images from Southeast Asia, 4×6 prints for sale as well as an upcoming book.

Also, this is fantastic…(continuing in the theme of Asia). Please check out the film Moving Window (2008) 10min

A photographic diary travelog based around the Artists: Suitman, Jose Parla, Rostarr & Deanne Cheuk as they embark on a journey through China and engage in a cultural exchange.

And you’ve surely heard about the Year of Fashion show going on at ICP right now..featuring the works of Edward Steichen, Martin Munkacsi and fashion photographers today.  (NY Times, New York Mag and a Style.com chat with Vince Aletti)

(Edward Steichen)

Hey Hot Shot! Volume IV, Edition II @ Jen Bekman featuring John Mann, Donald Weber, Hosang Park, Cara Phillips, Yijun Liao

(Cara Phillips)

And at the Gowanus Studio Space on February 7th (the date on the flyer below is wrong)

And currently at Hasted Hunt -

And hopefully you caught the William Eggleston show before it ended.

Last but certainly not least, if you do not already receive their newsletter…the venerable Magnum Agency has launched an Events page for all the shows and other events their photographers are having.  Pretty comprehensive.

Is now with these guys.

(No, I don’t mean our new president.)

(Bob Henriques/Magnum Photos)

Amazing photo gallery over at Slate.

And tomorrow…

(Dennis Brack/Getty Images)

Hello Everyone…sorry for the lack of posting but between the holiday madness and technical difficulties (hey, Time Warner, go to hell.  Bah humbug) things got a bit busy.

But I want to wish everyone a most wonderful holiday and sincerely wish everyone the best for 2009.  Let’s keep working and shooting and blogging and sharing!

(I’m sorry, I couldn’t find a photo credit)

More here over @ Magnum.

I subscribe to Creativity, which most of you might know is AdAge’s great monthly magazine covering all things related to art direction, design, production and interactive in the advertising business.

Recently, Creativity had an article on how producers build great directors.

The producers, directors and production co’s they asked are a who’s who of the business, from Radical Media to Anonymous to Hungry Man.  The whole thing is a great read but here are some choice quotes that I think are especially applicable to photographers and agents…especially in these times.  Where applicable, please feel free to substitute the word “reel” for “portfolio”, the word “director” for “photographer” the word “producer” for “agent” and the word “script” to “story”.

What types of directors have you found to be most successful in building? Is there a particular demeanor or way of thinking that you see in the types of directors that make it in this business? 

Kerstin Emhoff: I always look for strength of vision/creative point of view and ego. I have met brilliant creative people that come off as unsure or undecided that I never could see making it as directors. Everyone around them senses that, from the crew to other creatives, and every decision is second-guessed and watered down. It’s that same ego that can get them in so much trouble as well.

Frank Scherma: I look for people who are passionate about what they do, for directors who are conceptual and are forward thinkers—they know a good idea and they know how to make any idea better. [They have] strong opinions about how they want to do it and enough common sense to understand how to collaborate. The day of the asshole is gone.

Jules Daly: Flexibility is a necessity. Also, be prepared, do your homework.

Steve Orent: Knowing I will be working very closely with a director, it is important to genuinely like him/her and feel comfortable with him/her.

Ralph Laucella: More than ever, new directors have to bring something special to every script.

Dan Duffy: Decisiveness, confidence and a collaborative attitude. New directors need to have a clear vision of themselves and be able to define that vision to agencies considering them. They need to be able to pitch their ideas and sell them to the creatives and producers across the table.

What are the most important skills you, as an executive producer, bring to the table in developing a director? 

Emhoff: Patience, honesty and the ability to shamelessly pitch like William Shatner.

Scherma: Deciding which projects to do is incredibly important. It’s about the creative choices we make, which projects a director chooses.

Daly: Honesty. You have to tell them the truth, even though it may hurt…Staying aware of what the competition is up to doesn’t hurt with the preparation either.

Carlton: …But, more importantly, an ability to be a creative partner for the director—to help set goals, and clarify his or her creative vision and help them develop their own personal style, sometimes just by asking good questions.

What are some specific examples of something you’ve done that has decidedly advanced a director’s career? 

Scherma: I remember when we had a big money job and a small brilliant job. I convinced the director not to do the money job but do the little job. He won many awards and it launched his career.

What doesn’t work? 

Daly: Never force them to do something they don’t have a “hook on” or passion for. In my experience it will not be advantageous, for anyone involved, to force something upon a director.

Orent: Trying to build someone you don’t believe in and trying to convince yourself they have what it takes.

What’s the most important thing to think about when putting together a director’s reel?

Emhoff: Only put the best work on. Don’t put pieces just to have more or have diversity.  It backfires. I am constantly reminding myself of that.

Orent: The reel is extremely important, but not everything. I have launched many careers without a single spot on the reel. You’re selling the total package. What’s the director’s strength? What’s their added value? You’re also selling the production company and the reputation and executives behind it. This creates the package. More often than not, your early opportunities come from strong relationships because of that trust. Still, when putting a reel together I’m a firm believer in less is more. I would rather sell a director on one killer spot vs. one great and two mediocre ones. You need to instill confidence that the director is capable of greatness, not mediocrity.

And from the directors…

What’s the best decision you’ve made when it comes to your directing career? 

Meyers: Listening. Listening to people has helped me grow, learn, and push my own abilities outside of the box I would otherwise be in.

Kosinski: Shooting spots on spec before anyone was willing to give me a shot, rather than waiting to be asked. I had to learn all aspects of production from the ground up.

Baron: Have thick skin. Oh, and don’t buy that shiny new Porsche immediately after the first job awards.

DiGirolamo: Have a strong point of view—stay close to who you are as a filmmaker and resist the temptation to say yes to everything. You only get one shot to be introduced.

Laucella: Keep your standards high and your overhead low.

Carlton: Be flexible and be patient.

And last, but not least - Scherma: Always, always listen to your executive producer.

I was dropped a line not too long ago by one Jesse Miller, who recently started the photography agency Tinker Street and acts as agent and producer.  We exchanged a number of interesting emails before I realised I hadn’t conducted a Dialogue in long while..so here was the perfect chance.

Jesse Miller, Founder/Agent/Producer, Tinker Street

1. Why the name Tinker Street?

Tinker is… hmm.   Well, I guess it’s just a little detour I like to take when ever opportunity shines my way.  It’s my road to happy accidents.

2. What is your background and experience?

Started as an artist/filmmaker/musician and ended up working in the commercial world to pay the rent.  It was the closest thing that I could find to do - given my priorities, skill set and attention span - short of being a full-time artist.  Aiming to meld the two now.

3. Can you describe the impetus that lead to the founding of Tinker Street?  What would the mission statement of Tinker Street be?

The impetus was to spend more time out of the city, work with people I liked and create a group that was closer to my heart artistically.

Be kind first. Work hard. See where it goes.

4. It’s always a massive leap of faith to start your own business I think, and especially so in this current economic environment.  What are your thoughts on this?  Would you do anything differently?

I think it’s crazy to start a business in this current climate.

Not really.

5. What editorial and commercial markets are you looking to reach with your artists?

I would like to work with good people first and foremost. People who are respectful of others, care about their families, environment and are creative.

6. Your roster of artists has a very international flavour.  From what I can see there are artists in Gothenburg (Thobias Faldt), Dusseldorf (Bernd Wichmann) and Paris (Estelle Hanania), before we come back to the States with Ye Rin Mok (Los Angeles), Peter Sutherland and Nicholas Haggard (New York).  One common question I get a lot as an agent is how agencies find their photographers.  How did you meet all of yours?

Nicholas, I’ve known for several years and is a good friend.  We used to run around San Francisco and wheatpaste my art all over the city. He was my trusty lookout wingman. Nicholas introduced me to Peter, who is his friend. The rest have pretty much all been in shows with Nicholas and Peter at one point or another. Everybody likes and respects each other and their work - it’s sort of like a collective.

7. Your photographers have a very strongly art-driven aesthetic…in what ways do you work with them artistically?

I love editing and work with most of them on their edits. I send them a lot of music.

8. Can you tell me about some of the assignments that you have already worked on with your artists?  What type of clients do you seek out?

Some ad work includes Nike, Adidas, G-shock, Urban Outfitters, etc. Magazines: Double, Purple, 032C, Vice, Nylon, The New Yorker, Dazed & Confused etc. We seek a balance of ad and art work to include book projects, gallery shows, blog exchanges, etc. Thobias has two books coming out with Steidl, Peter had just had 2 shows recently at Family in LA for his latest book “Muddy Treads” and had a solo show at ATM in Chelsea. We have also done extensive documentary and ad film/video work.

9. Can you describe a typical day as a photography agent and producer?

Music. Coffee coffee coffee. A lot of emails. Head clearing hike. More emails. Down to the city for meetings. Read on the train. Go home. Often on an airplane for shoots. Rinse and repeat.

10. What’s next?

Just got awarded a 5 week shoot for Nicholas and Ye Rin which finishes in LA, will probably have a tinker party out there - everyone’s invited!

Thank you!

I decided to venture onto the new LIFE Photo Archive, hosted by Google, to have a look around. So far about 2 million of the 10 million images in the archive have been uploaded…and soon they will all be available.  What an amazing treasure trove of images!

So of course I typed in “Thanksgiving” and here is the first image that comes up in the search..how fitting.

(Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York, New York, November 25, 1941, Photographer John Phillips)

And a Thanksgiving Gallery from Slate/Magnum!

Wishing everyone an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

While we are not an ad agency nor a magazine, we get our share of portfolio drop-offs (though unlike many agencies and magazines, we do not have a drop-off day…these are largely unsolicited.)

I try to look at as many as I can and when I do, I try to leave a note of some sort so that the photographer knows somebody saw their book. But most of the time I am too busy to look at books and the rest of the time I’m frankly not that interested.

And a good reason I am not interested are the number of books that get dropped off that are of little relevance to our agency.  This does not mean the work is not good - indeed I have seen many books whose work was great or interesting, but completely inapplicable to us.  If you are a photographer that drops books off at agencies, perhaps it’d make sense to leave a note explaining a bit about your background and work.

So please, do your research.  A book drop-off is far less intrusive than, say, an email, but if an agent actually looks through your book and sees that it’s completely irrelevant that is an opportunity wasted.  If you’re a commercial food photographer, don’t drop your book off at a fashion agency.  If your focus is fine art, does it make sense to leave it at a commercial photo agency?  The less time you waste for yourself the more you can devote to targeting carefully.

(Corinne Day)

Uber-stylist Melanie Ward is now with the Collective Shift.

Was dropped a line by photographer J Wesley Brown recently about a new blog that he has recently launched.

Manifesto:

The idea behind this blog is driven by my perceived lack of community for photographers and enthusiasts in Los Angeles (and on the west coast). The photography scene seems quite fragmented compared to New York, which is where the title comes from. New Yorkers are blessed with an established community and resources that us Angelenos are just going to have to create for ourselves. I hope for this blog to become a way for us to do just that - network, keep up to date on photo related happenings, and grow our community into one that promotes photography in the region.

Let the (friendly) rivalry begin.

They can shoot too…

Some upcoming things…first up, Norman Jean Roy takes a departure from the pages of Vanity Fair…

TRAFFIK by Norman Jean Roy
 
A MILK GALLERY PROJECT is pleased to present Traffik, a solo exhibition by photographer, Norman Jean Roy.  The show is open to the public at MILK Gallery, 450 W. 15th Street, New York, NY 10011.

Traffik presents images of an industry that doesn’t just sell sex; young women and children are routinely bartered, exchanged, and sold across international borders, resulting in a soulless flow of human traffic.  Part exposé and part call to action, Roy’s intimate and affecting photographs are aimed toward giving these victims a voice that will resonate across Cambodia’s borders.

Opening Reception with the Artist:  Thursday, November 20, 2008, 7-10PM
Exhibition Dates:  November 21 – December 8, 2008, 10AM-6PM

Please RSVP to rsvp@milkstudios.com

Traffik, published by powerHouse and Roy’s first book, is available for purchase on Amazon.com and other book sellers.  Proceeds from

the book and print sales at the will go directly to Somaly Mam’s Foundation (www.somaly.org)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=37354988522

Eugene Richards has produced some of the most influential photographic books of the last twenty-five years including Dorchester Days, Exploding into Life and Cocaine True, Cocaine Blue. The Blue Room, his first publication in color, is a personal journey, a moving and eloquent study of the abandoned and forgotten houses of rural America. Over the course of more than three years, traveling thousands of miles, he created a body of work that speaks of the beauty of these old houses and brings to mind the people who once lived in them.

Eerily timely given the recent financial crisis, Richards’ photographs are a statement on our vulnerability in the face of shifting economic opportunities and a commentary on the inevitability of change. They’re a thought-provoking meditation on memory.

Dashwood Books signing for;
The Blue Room by Eugene Richards
Published by Phaidon
Price $100

Tuesday November 25th
6-8 PM
33 Bond Street (between Bowery and Lafayette)
New York NY 10012
Tel 212.387.8520