leewoolery Offline Upload & Sell: On
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I know of so many very talented press photographers who are no longer in the business when newspapers terminated them and are now requiring their sports editors to, not only write articles, but take photos, as well.
One of my close associates, with a major paper that also owns tv stations, now records more video with his digital camera than stills, to be uploaded immediately, for sports stories to be used on the 11'o clock sports, feature stories and for the paper's website.
Many sports editors were also forced to become photographers, or else!
To stay active in the business, I only concentrate on those areas of the photographic industry where professional services are still required ( and needed ) such as team sports for schools and youth leagues, school and senior pictures, small business/corporate portraits and commercial photography in the studio or on-location.
My days of photographing figure skating, gymnastics competitions, rodeos and horse shows and displaying the images on-site or on-line, with no guarantee of payment upfront, are now ancient history.
So many photography companies have devalued those parts of the business by selling CD's for ridiculously low prices and parents with cameras giving away images by free download or passing around jump drives full of action coverage make it no longer profitable for me to participate.
I now work closely with businesses and corporations ,youth leagues, high schools and event coordinators on projects that are paid for upfront or shortly after the photographic products have been delivered, with most being COD and I don't even go near those speculative sporting contests from the past.
My approach now is to make sure there is a clear-cut distinction between what images, services and products I produce, as a professional, vs. the average parent-with-camera or Uncle-Joe-who-just-got-a nice-camera-for-Christmas types.
When I fail to take ownership of that aspect of the business, I will be closing my studio and liquidating all of my photo gear, like so many have done in the recent past.
Lee
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