| If you're a ball player, you know the secret of | | | | to inspire your next (specialized) self-assignment. |
| success: anticipation. You position yourself where | | | | You'll be ahead of the game. |
| instinct tells you the action of the play is going to | | | | 5. DIGITIZE. Learn to take, scan, and manipulate |
| be. Where's the action heading in this "digital age" | | | | digital pictures. Borrow the equipment if you can't |
| we find ourselves in? Where are you going to | | | | buy it. But remember, the best word processing |
| position yourself? Translation: Where should you | | | | program can't produce a good story without a |
| invest your photo business time and money in the | | | | good author. Film is dead. KODAK told us so. (See |
| digital age? | | | | PhotoStockNotes, May '95, Pg. 1). It's still taking |
| 1. KNOW THY BUYER. Once the under-30 art | | | | awhile for film to fade completely out, but shake |
| directors take over the photobuyer scene, look | | | | hands with those folks you've been debating with. |
| for on-line services to supply buyers with discount | | | | They won. |
| generic pictures. But look for photobuyers to opt | | | | 6. RF has always been around in the form of |
| for your rights-managed (RM) photos because RF | | | | Clip-Art - but there was not a way to produce |
| (royalty-free) photos won't be specific enough for | | | | massive digital versions of it. Now there is. |
| their quality publishing projects. | | | | Naturally, this reduces fees. Don't fight it. |
| 2. CONTENT-SPECIFIC pictures will always sell for | | | | 7. CD and DVD are delivery methods. Like all |
| higher fees (rights-managed). Most RF | | | | delivery methods they will become outmoded. |
| (royalty-free) pictures will sell for pennies. | | | | However, your images (the content) can easily be |
| Informational magazines and books will require | | | | transferred to the newest on-line delivery |
| unique documentary pictures | | | | methods. Your investment in CDs and DVDs will |
| (rights-managed--RM). Since there are fewer of | | | | not be lost. |
| these specialized-content pictures, they'll sell for | | | | 8. COPYRIGHT. You can expect we will see some |
| high fees. The massive numbers of "exquisite | | | | new copyright laws coming. But few will be |
| cliché" (RF) photos will fall in price, because, | | | | enforceable. Foreign copyright infringement is |
| well, there are so many of them. And the number | | | | rampant. As the saying goes, "Build a bigger lock |
| keeps growing. | | | | and someone will build a bigger hammer." Put your |
| 3. SPECIALIZE. Attorneys do it. Doctors do it. | | | | energy to making more pictures. |
| Musicians do it. You do it. You are much more | | | | 9. MARKETING. Your marketing methods remain |
| valuable to a photobuyer if you can match that | | | | unchanged: Figure out what you love |
| photobuyer's "theme" area with your stock files | | | | photographing. Find the markets that need photos |
| 4. ANTICIPATE. Ever notice that book stores | | | | in those interest areas of yours. Meet their needs. |
| seem to know the current trend in reading | | | | Your buyers won't care what delivery method |
| matter? Most of the time. It's because publishers, | | | | you use (on-line, CD, FEDEX, or horseback), if you |
| who plan their press runs far in advance, do | | | | deliver what they need when they need it. |
| heavy market research. You can use book stores | | | | |