Traveling the Journey of Light | Photoblog Thoughts, feelings, and techniques behind the photography of Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston

Marketing Photography, Part IV: Bringing it Back to BasicsPosted by drfl on September 1st, 2010

In another role, I’ve had the opportunity to attend some good traditional marketing seminars.  I think the biggest thing I took away from all the plans, ideas, strategies, etc. is one simple tenant:

Spend at least 10 minutes a day on marketing

Did they qualify what to spend that time on?  No.  Did they say if it was traditional vs. social vs. online?  No.  10 minutes.  The rest is up to you.

It’s simple and surprisingly effective.  When I made the decision to really begin marketing my photography, I decided to follow this advice.  At the time, I had a webpage.  Not a lot of content changing there, but it was a start.  I started my blog.  As I forced myself into 10 minutes, my blog posts increased and so did my traffic. 

Good, but it could be better. 

I traded links with other photographers.  I emailed people that I thought might benefit from my photography.  I sent letters (yes, snail mail!) to publishers.  I got a twitter account.  I guest blogged.  All these things increased my page views.

On days that I follow this simple rule I notice a steady increase in interest/hits/sales/etc.  The hardest part for me is deciding how to use my 10 minutes.  There is so many different avenues one can take to market and the landscape is only growing.  I’m careful about how and with whom my name and brand is attached.

So what is next for me?  Facebook.  Before now, I resisted setting a page mainly due to time.  My 10 minutes on some days added up to hours of work and I wanted to maintain a level of quality on what I was doing.  Additionally, I didn’t want the time I spent on marketing to overtake my photography goals, but sometimes the marketing goals must come first to finance one’s photography goals. 

Tomorrow I plan on discussing my Facebook implementation.

Technical Details:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, f/5 @ 300 mm, 1/500
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska Side

Up In the AirPosted by drfl on August 31st, 2010

Today is the last day of August, and I welcome September.  By this time every year, I am tired of the heat and humidity that Nebraska summers can bring.  As I mentioned last week, I am busy finishing up several projects, but I wanted to take a small moment for a little relaxation….

Do you remember when you were a kid and would lie on your back on a summer day looking at the clouds?  I wish I had more time to do that.  Instead, I take photos of clouds and post them and imagine myself relaxing in some nice soft grass with a cool breeze. 

Technical Details:
Canon G10, 6.1mm, f/2.8, 1/640 sec.
Douglas County, Nebraska

Photo Friday: Under Pinpoints of LightPosted by drfl on August 20th, 2010

Today’s Photo Friday was captured last fall when I went out to Toadstool Geologic Park in western Nebraska.  Being as isolated as it is, it is a prime location for stargazing.  Of course, a night without a moon helps!

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/4, 2 exposure blend (1 taken just after sunset, 1 taken about 45 minutes after)
Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska

The “Self-Taught” Photographer ContradictionPosted by drfl on August 18th, 2010

Everyone is taught photography by others.  Consciously or unconsciously we receive the majority of our instruction from other artists, friends, instructors, etc.  In many photographer’s early careers, I find many resumes and statements that contain such phrases as ”completely self-taught” or “was not instructed”.  By these descriptions, the artist is trying to validate their perceived lack of formal credentials.  It is my experience, first, this is never true, and second, it doesn’t matter. 

In regard to the first point, the non-intentional lack of honesty inherent with being “self-taught”.  Most of the time someone chooses to become an artist because of inspiration they have received from seeing other’s work.  It is their wish to create something of similar beauty and if they continue to evolve, to improve upon the work with their own voice and style.  Photographers look at images from various sources, calendars, postcards, the Internet and then they attempt their own creations, initially by imitation.  In this manner they are being instructed by those disassociated slices of imagery.  If they find they are not successful in imitation, then they research how to achieve those results.  Often, they find their answers in books and the internet.  After the artist reaches the desired results, the next step is developing vision and style.  (Some artists never evolve past imitation) 

For those that have received formal instructrion, I submit that they may start with a disadvantage.  The student’s voice and style is heavily influenced by the instructor.  The instructor chooses the lectures, the example artists, the images.  While they maybe attempting to broaden the student’s understanding of the art, they may still be applying their vision on the students, albeit unconciously.  Additionally, the instructor maybe required to grade, therefore applying an objective rating to subjective material.  Thus, the evolution of the style of the student could be changed accordingly.  In this respect, photography instructors should be very careful on how they influence.

Now, in regard to the second point, it does not matter if one is “self-taught”.   If the art is good enough, fits the needed requirement, and is priced appropriately, no art buyer will turn down a piece simply because the artist was not formally instructed.  Now, if someone is trying to get into an agency, or get a position as a staff photographer, this may matter, but if your goal is to sell stock or prints then it is really not necessary to point out that you received no formal instruction.  I believe the phrase “self-taught” detracts.  Strike it and let your art speak for itself!

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 300 f/4l + 1.4 tc, f/5.6, 1/800 sec.
Schramm State Recreation Area, Nebraska

Goodbye, Lincoln! Hello, Autofocus!Posted by drfl on August 17th, 2010

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 25mm, f/8, 1/320 sec., Singh-Ray Polarizing Filter

Last Friday was the last day of my exhibition at the Governor’s residence in Lincoln, Nebraska.  I loaded up the car and took the opportunity to capture the capitol building across the street.  Although, I live about 40 miles from the building, I have only captured a couple photos of the structure.  Beautifully designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and adorned with designs by Lee Lawrie (known previously for his work on 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York and the LA Library), the building is rich with symbolism. 

As a secondary reason for photographing the capitol building, I wanted to test the autofocus on  my 17-40 f/4l lens which I had just received back from repair the previous day.  After testing the lens on both my 5D Mark II, and my 50D, I was happy to see that the autofocus was snappy and accurate.  Another pleased experience with Canon support (4 for 4 so far, Canon).  Here are some results from my session with the Nebraska State Capitol Building in Lincoln.

This nearly 20 foot high statue was designed by Lee Lawrie who is known for works such as Atlas in Rockefeller Plaza and the Chapel at West Point. “The Sower” points northwesterly, the direction that would ecompoass the greatest amount of land in Nebraska. The dome, upon which “The Sower” stands, changes color depending on the weather. Here it is a golden color a result of the beautiful and warm day on which this image was captured.

Technical Details:
Canon 50D, 300 f/4l + 1.4tc, f/5.6, 1/400 sec.

Technical Details:
Canon 50D, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 sec.

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 22mm, f/9, 1/160 sec.

Photo Friday: Lightning and Thunder (And 300th Post!)Posted by drfl on July 30th, 2010

Besides being Friday, of course, today’s Photo Friday is a special one because it represents my 300th blog post!  I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon so to quote Buzz Lightyear, ”To infinity and beyond!”

Today’s post was taken the same evening as “Ominous Overhead“, a spectacular storm and subsequent sunset that had everyone in the city talking.  I managed to make it to the country, and watched the incredible lightning.  You could pretty much just point a camera, click the shutter for 20 seconds and get a spectacular show, it was that crazy.  This image is a single shot taken in rural Sarpy County in eastern Nebraska.  Another cool Midwestern storm!

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/9, 13 sec.
Rural Sarpy County, Nebraska