Ordinary Miracle of Photography

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Every photographer who has developed prints in a darkroom knows the magic of watching an image appear on photo paper. Whether it’s their first or 10,000th print, an image appearing in the developer tray never ceases to amaze.

With digital cameras, the magic is lost. Photography has become so automatic that people barely notice it. Just push a button and check the LCD screen.

The technology behind turning light into electricity, then into digital bits stored on a memory card, and finally into an image is no longer considered magical. Digital images are now routine.

Yet, the essence of photography remains unchanged. It can still capture the right moment, tell a story, inspire hope, stir emotion, send a message, influence a belief, change opinion or illustrate what words cannot.

That’s why smart businesses use custom photography for their press releases, annual reports, web sites and other marketing collateral. These companies understand the ordinary miracle of photography.

 

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Secret Values

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When a business hires a photographer, it’s not just about purchasing images; it’s about gaining value from those images. Companies don’t invest in photography for the sake of having pictures; they use it as a tool to gain a competitive advantage.

Commercial photography should be viewed as an investment in a company’s future. The right photography can build trust, enhance a brand’s image, and attract customer attention. If the photography helps a business achieve its goals, the cost of that photography becomes only a secondary consideration.

It’s not about what the photography costs; it’s about what it earns for the business.

Customers are more likely to buy from businesses they trust, and quality, authentic photography plays a key role in building that trust. The right imagery can make a company appear more approachable. Effective photography can lend power and credibility to a brand’s message.

When choosing a photographer, it’s not about finding the lowest price, it’s about seeking the highest value: the value the photography brings and the value the photographer provides.

While most professional photographers understand this, the challenge is helping clients recognize the true worth of the investment.

 

Online Photo Books

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Just a personal review of some photo books I made using Toronto-based Pikto. The two books, which were used as Christmas gifts, turned out quite well. The hardcover books were 8-1/2″ x 11″ format with leatherette covers, debossed text on the cover, 170-gsm glossy paper and no vellum leafs, (more on these options later).

Many years ago, I used Shutterfly and was happy with the results. Over the past several years, Shutterfly has greatly expanded its options but I have no experience with these newer offerings. Shutterfly, like many other USA-based online book printers, often have sales and it might be worthwhile to wait for a discount.

Pikto seems to be about 20% more expensive than other online book printers, although there are book printers that are even more expensive. The overall quality of my Pikto books is much better than my Shutterfly books.
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What’s in Your Photo Closet?

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The start of a new year is an ideal time for a company to re-evaluate its business photography and consider updating its images. Just as schools have a “picture day” at the beginning of each new year, businesses should do the same.

Like a loaf of bread, business headshots can go stale after a while. While you might be tempted to keep using that 12-year-old portrait from when you had fewer wrinkles, the shelf life of a business photo is typically about two years. There’s a reason most annual reports require fresh executive portraits each year. Perhaps it’s time to show your customers that your president owns a tie that’s not from the last century!
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Trust Insurance

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Today, I received an information package from an insurance company from which I might buy a policy. The opening page uses the phrase “trust us” three times, including in a headline. But why should I trust them?

• The information package uses only cheap stock pictures of anonymous, generic people including the cliché woman-wearing-telephone-headset.

• The generic message from the company president has no photo.

• The company’s address is a post office box. If it had a photo of their office, at least that would’ve added some credibility.

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Happiness Is A Warm Camera

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A few random thoughts as we start a new year of photography:

Creating a good photograph is like a savings account. The more you put into it, the more interest you earn.

Behind every good photographer is a thousand bad pictures.

Bad pictures can often be caused by a loose screw behind the viewfinder.

It’s not a mistake unless someone notices.

Never judge a photographer by their pictures.

Sometimes the best photographs happen only after reading the camera manual.

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Work One Day Per Year

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How would you like to work only one day a year? And, it wouldn’t even be a full day because you’d get to leave early at 2:30 pm.

It’s easy.

First, get a job as one of Canada’s top CEOs.

From today’s press release by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA):

“At this rate of reward, this handful of elite CEOs pocket the equivalent of the average Canadian wage by 2:30 pm on January 3 – the first working day of the year,” says the study’s author and CCPA Research Associate Hugh Mackenzie.

The study, titled Recession-Proof and based on 2009 data, can be downloaded from the CCPA site. The year 2009 was the worst recession year for Canada, (at least, so far).

Photographers take note: an important point from this is that the average Canadian annual income is about $43,000 ($48,100 for men and $32,100 for women). According to Statistics Canada numbers, this average annual income hasn’t really changed much in several years.

The average “artist” earns about $23,500 per year. The average Canadian minimum wage is $19,877. And just to point out, actors and musicians can earn much less.

 

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