|
Business
Practice
When
Time is Money...Organizing Your Images
|
 |
|
Whether
you shoot slide, negative or digital; sooner or later you're going
to need to find one of those great shots! There is no "right
way" to catalog your images, but when your website gallery
pays off with an email from a buyer or a rider from an event from
years past needs to reorder....are you ready to deliver?
On
the computer, I have explicit databases that allow me to find
previous years images in a number of ways. Any photo I have shot
since 1990 is listed so that if I have a rider or owner name I
can find the photo number, or if I have the photo number I can
identify the rider. Entering the data onto the computer takes
time, but years down the road, when I'm looking for a particular
shot, I don't have to reference paper
shoot lists or old show programs in order to find anything. And
as the saying goes... "Time is Money" !
The
negatives themselves are stored in standard file cabinets: I have
found that the 26 inch deep drawers will hold about a year's worth
(up to 800 rolls) of negatives. Each roll is cut and sleeved archivally,
with a roll number sticker on the top corner for easy reference.
Each show is given it's own hanging folder, and the index prints
are stored in it as well. The index prints are ordered for every
roll that I shoot. They run about a dollar a roll, but they are
worth it when doing a search for a client.
|
In
the past, when I have made a shot that I think will be 'in play'
on a regular basis, I create an extra copy of it. My filing system
for those prints is generally based on my feelings regarding the
image. I do have folders made up for most of the top riders, so
if I need a photo of them, the prints are right there. But many
times, especially if the photos isn't really about a particular
rider, the extra print will wind up in the "Future Painting
Reference" bin, or the "Might be Cool to Photoshop"
bin, or just the generic "Pictures That Caught My Eye"
bin. Lately, it's been easier to scan the image and have it on
a disk. Even though I'm just beginning to organize my digital
image files, I can realize the value of using the computer in
this way.
However
you choose to organize will be according to your business needs
and will most likely change and grow as your business does. Spending
the time to protect and organize your images now will make money
for you in the future!
Terri
Miller Paintings and Photography www.terrimiller.com
|
Inspirational
Moments . . .
"We
have twelve clocks in our house, still there's never enough
time You must make the most of your time while you have it."
-
Bennie Anderson
|
|
The
Vintage Image
Barbara
Chisholm (Young) , Greenwich, CT 1951, © Freudy Photo One
of our Equine Photographers Network members showing off
her equestrian side!
Photo
submitted by Barb Young http://www.RainbowFarm.com
|
|
|
Legal
Views
Question:
I
am just starting out in equine photography. From a legal
standpoint, what should be one of my first considerations?
|
|
Answer:
If you will be doing photography as a business,
a good habit to develop is to protect your images as intellectual
property. The most straightforward way to do this is to register
the copyright in your photographs quarterly
with the U.S. Copyright Office in the form of collections.
Some guidance on how to do this may be found at:
http://www.krages.com/copy1.htm
Registration
is important because without it is usually infeasible to enforce
your rights.
Another
consideration is to set up good contracting practices which
cover release issues and pricing. You will need model releases
from the people depicted in images should the photographs
be used for advertising purposes. You may want to include
a short release form as an attachment to your contract. The
contract should also set out pricing for different uses. For
example, images for personal use may be set at one price and
Internet or advertising uses set at another. Many customers
assume that if they buy images, they may use them however
they wish. By defining the price schedule ahead of time, you
can tactfully dispel erroneous assumptions.
Other
legal considerations that will depend on the specific nature
of your photography. However, don't forget that commonsense
and courtesy often give the best legal protection. For example,
if a rider is struggling with
a rearing freaked-out horse in a warm up arena, stop using
your flash. The flash may not be bothering the horse at all
but it may be difficult to convince a jury otherwise.
Bert P. Krages
Attorney at Law
6665 S.W. Hampton Street, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97223
http://www.krages.com/lvaserv.htm
Editor's Note: Bert Krages is an attorney
practicing environmental and intellectual property law in
Portland, Oregon.
He is also the author of the Legal Handbook for Photographers:
The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images
More information on his book may be found at http://www.krages.com/lhp.htm
|
|
Spotlight:
Behind the Camera
Kathleen
Wattle
Kathleen
Wattle is the artist behind the camera of Captive Spirit.
Her creative urge has had her creating in some media or
another to satisfy the artist's muse her entire life.
It's not hard to understand why -- her mother is a gifted
artist and her father was a talented jazz musician --
with creativity something so natural, being surrounded
by it. For the best part of the last decade, she has pursued
her passion for artistic creation through the photography
of Captive Spirit.
Shooting
35 mm for 15 years before Captive Spirit was conceived,
Kathleen reveled in the camera to create pleasing images
of landscapes, architecture, flora and fauna. During that
time, two years of college level ceramics instruction
and design/color coursework were major creative outlets
for her. In addition to clay, Kathleen has worked in colored
pencil, ink, watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, and mixed
media sculpture mostly for personal satisfaction but also
for commission or for sale/display in galleries.
The
love of horses began as a child but the first horse came
in her 30's, not that dream horse of childhood. Thrilled
and desiring to learn and try all kinds of riding and
horse activities led Kathleen to explore many different
disciplines. Eventually settling on Dressage, the basis
of all of riding, the first couple of shows were exciting
but most of her riding was for pleasure, just pleasant
practice of basics & hacks on the trail with friends.
Along
with that first horse, who still lives with Kathleen &
family at the ripe age of 22, came the desire to possibly
breed her for a BABY! While a foal was not to be, in exploring
that option, photos were required to register the mare.
When the prints were seen, Kathleen was encouraged to
go professional by friends who loved the photographs and
insisted that many horse owners "needed" the
benefit of her gift -- the service she could provide to
others wishing for beautiful photographs of their own
beloved horses.
|
At
first, sure there would be no horse show photography as
home & family time was too much to give up for shows,
Kathleen concentrated on portrait work & advertising
shoots. But eventually friends insisted and soon she was
providing show photography for most of the Dressage shows
and Horse Trials in Arizona which continues today. Many
Captive Spirit photographs have been used by respected
professionals to market their horses or their training
skills because of Kathleen's talent in capturing the correct
place in the horse's movement, whether that is for Dressage,
Jumping, Driving or most breed or discipline specific
movements.
As
time passed, many of Kathleen's equine clients soon insisted
that she shoot their children, their family, their dog,
their cars, their company's merchandise, their office
portraits & parties. And so people, pet, product and
event photography became another focus of Captive Spirit.
Kathleen
has shot book covers, illustration photos for articles
in national magazines, stallion ads, product photos and
international equine events & shows. Her work has
appeared in Dressage Today, The Chronicle of the Horse,
The Morgan Horse, The Paint Horse Journal, Horse Play,
Dressage & CT and many other national and regional
publications.
The
main ideal Kathleen strives to reach with each and every
shot is to truly capture the essence of the subject or
the relationship between the subjects. To be really successful,
she believes the entire shoot process should be enjoyable
and relaxed and a fond memory for the client. With eyes
that see that which others overlook, she looks for the
touching, endearing glimpse of who the subject really
is and waits patiently until it appears in full bloom
so she can forever preserve that fleeting moment of revelation
with her camera. Many clients have told Kathleen that
the business name, Captive Spirit, is perfect because
they feel she has indeed captured the very essence, the
spirit of the subject. In the realm of compliments, this
one is nearly the ultimate coming from the one who knows
best the real subject. Knowing that she can share this
gift with others is like a mandate to do so and a rewarding
one at that -- nothing can compare to the look of joy
on a client's face when viewing the results of a session.
Joy for the client and for Kathleen too as she shares
her vision & gift with others.
Kathleen
Wattle
Captive Spirit Photography
"Capturing the essence . . .
for Business or Pleasure"
www.captivespirit.com
|
|
| Photo
Tip . . .
Don't
put your camera away at the end of the riding. Image opportunities
are nearly endless and the evening light can be ever so
rewarding!
Rebecca
Baucus
It's not just the camera...
www.rebeccabaucus.com
|
©Rebecca
Baucus |
|
The
mission of EPNet News is to inspire, educate and reinforce
the importance of integrity and professionalism in business practice.
As
a publication of the Equine Photographers' Network, the EPNet
News does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness
of any information presented. One Horse Productions, the staff
of EPNet News, guest authors of the EPNet News and current members
of the Equine Photographers' Network are not responsible for errors,
omissions or for results obtained from the use of such information.
Any reference to specific products, process, or service does not
necessarily constitute or imply endorsement of such. All photographs
and illustrations on newsletter are copyrighted through the respective
photographer/designer and the Equine Photographers Network through
publishing in the EPNet News .These images are not in the public
domain and may not be posted on personal or commercial websites
or correspondence or used in any manner without obtaining permission
of the copyright holder. For more information on images contact
EPNet News Editor.
Editor: rebecca@rebeccabaucus.com
© 2002 Equine Photographers' Network, All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer
|
Site
design by One Horse
Productions
|
