Best Business Practices for Photographers [252]
On a day-to-day basis, there are almost an infinite number of commendable charities that are worthy of your donations, and I encourage you to be generous. However, also be reasonable. One way to see just how charitable your donation might be is to ask whether the printer and designer are doing the work for free. If they are, then perhaps it's of value to do so as well.
Pro Bono Work: You Decide What to Do, Not in Response to a Phone Call Soliciting Cheap (or Free) Work
When the phone rings and it's the latest charity, that is not the time to decide to do pro bono work. I encourage every photographer I know, and with whom I discuss this, to choose charities or causes that are of interest to them and make outreach. By doing this, any guilt you might be feeling when the multiple calls each month come in from worthy causes seeking free or almost free work can be mitigated by your sense of the giving back for which you have already made arrangements.
Engaging the Photo Community: Participating in Professional Associations and Community Dialogue on Matters of Importance to Photographers
Most people are not loners by nature, although there are loners among us. The good thing about the Internet is that those loners can remain alone but lurk on community blogs, forums, discussion groups, and e-mail listservs; in doing so, they benefit without having to participate. For those who are not loners, participation not only benefits them, but also contributes to the easily accessible body of knowledge from which others can learn.
In addition, being active with photo trade organizations, such as the ASMP, APA, NPPA, EP, and PP of A, as well as the numerous specialty groups that will serve your particular niche, will benefit you greatly. Whether they are continuing education or lobbying on your behalf, these organizations all make a difference in your everyday life. Other examples include organizations that work with a state to clarify sales tax issues as they apply to photographs; organizations that work with the federal government to protect your intellectual property from theft or the erosion of its value; and organizations that address important issues by, for example, engaging the Transportation Security Administration in a dialogue about the importance of allowing photographers an extra camera bag carry-on, just as they allow musicians with valuable instruments. You might not know that these organizations are doing things like this for you, but they work on things like this every day. Supporting these organizations with your membership dollars will ensure that this will continue, but moreover, the organizations will keep you informed of what they are doing and what they have done to warrant your continued membership.
Your Colleagues: They May Be Your Competition, but They're Not the Enemy
Many reasons why we are where we are today—in other words, the state of the business of photography—are because we treated our colleagues like the enemy and our price lists and contracts like nuclear launch codes. For years, retail stores posted their prices proudly. Why is it that there are only a handful of photographers who have their prices on their websites and make them easily available to those calling for more information? I encourage photographers to outline, in general terms, their pricing. It can be done with a caveat that all assignments are priced based upon their own unique factors, but nonetheless, the guidelines, when published, present an air of confidence that clients respect.
Even though you might feel as though those with whom you compete for assignments are your competition, consider this: There are truly few photographers who are in direct competition with one another for work. Niche services,