The State of Professional Photographers

I just returned from the WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) trade show and conference for professional photographers and though it was unusually cold and wet in Las Vegas where it’s held annually, over 10,000 people attended. Attendance, composed primarily of photographers, was up 25-percent from the pervious year making it seem that professional photographers are doing great during these tough economic times, but unfortunately they are not and the photo industry is learning to adjust to this pinch by targeting some of the very customers that are impacting photographers’ incomes.

Many photographers have seen less assignments over the years and their income is spiraling down thanks to digital cameras and the home/office ink-jet printer along with the corporate climate today. The general feeling amongst photographers queried at WPPI is that they were hoping the seminars and lectures at WPPI would teach them new ways to survive as many are experiencing diet days. [Read more]

Grown Men Can Cry, Reflecting Back…

I think it’s healthy to cry, Lord knows I’ve shed a few tears overtime. Though most of the time as men we see it coming, then there are times when something triggers it and we don’t see it coming. If there is one song that will always make my eyes water, it’s TAPS, especially since I’ve attended many military funeral services over my lifetime and as a former active-duty Staff Sgt. in the U.S. Army, it drives home.

While I’ve been out of the military service for some time, yesterday, after launching PhotoTherapy.org, memories of some of those days came back when an old friend, former barracks roommate and military buddy, James Campos, registered as a PhotoTherapy.org community member.

I thought about the days we served together during the drug war (Operation Support Justice) while on active-duty for the U.S. Army in the early 1990’s. James was there before I arrived. In fact he had gone through the whole Noriega conflict. I had arrived afterwards from Germany, via Desert Storm.

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The Deer Hunter

It’s that time of year where the guns are cleaned and oiled , the war paint is applied, the long johns are pulled-up, the battery-powered socks are turned on as deer hunters flock to their leases in search of that prize-point buck. Coming from Texas and spending part of my life on my grandfather’s ranches, I’m very familiar with this time of year though I was always lucky, as back in my youth, hunting permits where cheap as “landowners and their families” enjoyed “exempt” status and were even issued “doe permits,”—no deer lease required for our family, just some salt and peppered, pan-fried “backstrap.”

Today with a technology consumed busy life I find myself with no time to hunt but enjoy reminiscing about the days of hunting deer, rattlesnake, javelinas (wild South Texas hog), cotton tails, jack rabbits and even cubbies of quail. Though I must admit, when I see today’s hunter I think about how my grandfather would quip and snipe at how hunters have evolved from trackers to stalkers as they sit in their deer blinds quietly waiting for that buck they’ve been fattening with feed corn for the past few months. Hunting has become as commercialized as Christmas to the point that today’s hunter is better termed a techno hunter, much like fisherman with their sonar detectors for the school of fish.
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Everyone is a Photographer Today

Technology today seems to make everyone a photographer. The introduction of inkjet printers and digital cameras in cell phones seems to make everyone believe they can contribute to the royalty-free market. While I encourage the gospel of photography and love to see new photographers evolve, the evolution of a slow photography market didn’t start recently with the current economic state and the evolution of digital cameras. Though it should take some credit, the real dilemmas facing photography started before digital cameras in the late 1970’s when the first one-hour mini-labs entered the market, thus creating a slow, chain reaction as photographers and the photo industry today scramble for new ways to survive.

When the first mini-labs entered the market, from the Nortisu QSS systems to the smaller KIS systems, the face of photography changed. Some may argue it all started with the Canon AE-1 a few years before, but in realty, the AE-1 only forced camera manufacturers to spend more money on research and development for cameras that provided more than manual modes of operation.

These one-hour, photofinishing, assembly-line machines opened the door for a new market, initially mom and pop photofinishing labs that would evolve into photo studios (by offering passport photos and baby pictures), photo copying factories and even camera stores. The long-standing camera stores, which rarely made profits on actual camera bodies (low turn-over inventory items) and only on point of sale and peripherals products like filters and frames were either forced into photofinishing and adding their own photo studios, thus ultimately competing against their own customer—the professional photographer. [Read more]

Airline Industry Overview

Over the past 30 years, I’ve traveled the world to almost 40 countries and have witnessed the airline industry evolve, from a passenger’s point of view, into an aging fleet suffering from employee morale, antiquated equipment and the master of creating new revenue streams from preexisting, passenger perks.

It’s these perks that passengers now pay extra for that are affecting employee morale and creating passenger pains that are effecting the airline travel industry in many forms, as pissed off passengers combined with employees with poor morale is like a ticking time-bomb, someone someday is going to explode with emotions and I hope it’s not on my flight.

Speaking of flights, my latest experience is what finally became the last straw that caused this post. It all started with my normal flight to the Virgin Islands, a flight I take six times a year, starting out be loading my own bags into the bed of my truck at 3:00 a.m., then heading down to the airport for my early morning flight. All went well as normal, until we were asked to deplane because of mechanical problems with the aircraft. I can live with that as who wants an unworthy airplane transporting them at 35,000 ft. altitude without a parachute?

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Top Friends? Myspace, Facebook, etc…

I’ve often talked about therapeutic photography, or photographic therapy, the power of photography to help build or rebuild self-esteem, but here recently, I’ve also noticed another power, the social networking power.

While that topic can encompass many areas, especially with Myspace, Youtube, Facebook and other powerful social network communities, one thing they have in common, is the ability to “tag” (comment) each member in your friends network. It’s not only addictive, but those members with marketing savvy use these peripheral options along with their blogs, bulletins, announcement, photos, tagging of photos, pets, walls, groups, etc. and more as great marketing tools within the network.

This marketing of oneself is not only the selling of one’s products and talents, but of themselves and often for their own ego and self-esteem. Often a popularity contest, I have more friends, comments and tags than you! In the Myspace “pets” application, the goal isn’t to be the owner of pets, but to increase your net worth, though this is often perceived as a popularity contest more than disposable income. Many members of these sites are not only concerned about how many friends they have, but if they are on, and in what order, their friends, “Top Friends” lists.

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Back to the Ranch, A Great Success!

Back to the Ranch was a great success! With a support staff of almost 30 people composed of models, assistants, make-up artists, VIP instructors and myself, it was one of the largest events I’ve ever handled and we’re going to do it again. Many thanks to everyone that made it such a great event. An event like no other ever held before that will leave memories burned in people’s minds, in addition to great friendships and photographs.

It began around 2 a.m., Thursday morning, as I drove out to Canton, Texas in my packed Suburban. About 45-minutes down the road on Interstate 35 North, I made a decision that almost sent BTTR into a whirlwind of uncertainty as I opened the sunroof directly above me for some fresh air. First there was that rushing air sound, as I was driving at 70 mph, then a sucking vacuum cleaner sound like something had just flown out the roof.

That something was not planned. After a few seconds, still traveling at a high-rate of speed down the inside lane, I realized, it was the cashier’s check to pay for our lodging for the entire group of photographer attendees, my models, make-up artists, assistants and VIP’s. [Read more]

Drink, Don’t Drive, Beer and Milk are Cheaper

I just don’t understand it, beer and milk are cheaper than gas-but I don’t drink beer anymore since my active-duty days as a U.S. Army soldier spoiled me, when I was stationed in Germany, for the taste of Hefeweizen. Milk is no different, as a kid I drank it by the gallon, but with age, as with many people, I became lactose intolerant. So I’m stuck to driving usually with an occasional Red Bull or Vitamin Water in hand and like most Americans, I just don’t understand why gas is so expensive.

I’ve heard it all, from the fact that the dollar is weak against the Euro and other currencies to the government rules and regulations that impede drilling and refining here at home, thus making us more dependant on overseas oil–yet the petroleum companies are making record-breaking, billion-dollar profits. Sadly I’m starting to look at the whole U.S. way of life as a big conspiracy by the credit card companies, the petroleum industry, the pharmaceutical companies and the financial institutions to eliminate the middle-class. [Read more]

Still a Red Bull Drinker–Headed to Hangar-7!

Still exhausted from the Virgin Islands with only about 350 emails to answer and I’m headed to Houston for this weekend’s one-day workshop, home for a few days, then off to the Chicago Workshop next weekend. (Yes, the DVD’s are on the way, see below.) While my life is exhausting at times, it can also be exhilarating as last week I received permission, personally from Red Bull Billionaire and founder, Mr. Dietrich Mateschitz to utilize his famous Hanger-7 in Salzburg, Austria for a photo shoot.

This is rare permission that came direct from Austria. [Read more]

Postive Energy–The Natural Drink

Between travels, family and personal issues, I’m far behind and neglected this blog. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to keep up with it more. I also plan on revamping the website for an easier flow for the image galleries. Seems the move to a new server has caused issues with the gallery program. I haven’t been able to upload any new images and I also want it easier to navigate while showing you some technical data. I also want to start making it a habit to add an image on every post, so some reprogramming/html is required. Look for it soon!

Now, back to the ranch. The topic today is something I’ve covered somewhat before—friends. During these trying times these past few months I’m figuring out who my true friends are and finding out, the hard way, who isn’t. I’m not going to name them, learned a long time ago that’s a good way to make someone mad, usually because you honestly missed adding their name. I guess we all go through life figuring this out at one point or another, so I’ll focus on my true friends—and before I forget, thanks! You know who you are! [Read more]

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