Directions for 2008

Just as the end of the old year is a time for reflection, the beginning of the new year is a time for planning. I achieved a lot in 2007. I wrote articles for several publications - some even included my photos! These included a couple that were fresh for me - great. I had my first solo exhibition which had been a personal goal of mine for a little while.

So, what for 2008. First is to complete my 'Making Music' series and then to get it out there. The pictures have been going onto Alamy as they have been make, but they really belong together as a series. I hope to see them as an exhibition and I have a couple of possible venues in mind. I also have a few magazine articles in mind, some technical, some not. Again, I want to break into some new publications.

Besides that, keep making pictures. I have a couple of ongoing slow burn projects to keep working on. But I would really like to find another fast burner like the Musicians because that has been great fun.

Anyway, happy New Year to all of you. May it bring you success! 
Copyright © Greg Wright 2005-14 Photography from Frome - All rights reserved
¶ 19:35 0 Comments

  Reflections...

I hope you enjoyed a Happy Christmas as I did. Time with my friends and family is very important to me at this time of year.

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on the last year and think about plans for the next. At this time of year I like to go through the photographs that I have made during the year and reflect on my successes. This is a very personal journey for me. Sometimes these will include pictures that are not technically perfect but maybe they will serve as memory triggers for years to come. Other pictures could be chosen because I had to overcome particular technical challenges to create them. Having a period of conscious reflection is essential to inform plans for the coming year.

The picture above is part of my 'Music Makers' series and it is one of my 'Pictures of 2007'. This series has taken on a life of its own. I started it in autumn 2007 and it should be finished early in 2008. It has become a real passion for me. This is one of my 'fast burn' projects as it will be completed soon after starting it. Many of my projects are of the 'slow burn' variety. They are fairly open ended and I tend to dip in and out of them over a long period. Both are great as they provide a theme for my work. 
Copyright © Greg Wright 2005-14 Photography from Frome - All rights reserved
¶ 19:45 0 Comments

  Winter Shooting

On the face of it, outdoor photography in winter is an unattractive prospect. It is cold! But there are many things that make outdoor winter photography very rewarding, especially when the temperature goes down.

Most landscape shooters know that the best time to be working is in the couple of hours at either end of the day. In winter there is no need to get up ridiculously early to catch sunrise. Also, during the winter, the sun is low enough in the sky to give reasonable light virtually all day - if it is good enough to put in an appearance at all.

The weather conditions at this time of year really transform the landscape. A hard frost or a fall of snow can add a touch of magic to a fairly ordinary scene. Details of frosty leaves or spiders webs can make wonderful shots.

All in all, winter is a great time to be out and about with a camera - providing you keep yourself and your batteries warm. 
Copyright © Greg Wright 2005-14 Photography from Frome - All rights reserved
¶ 20:30 0 Comments

  Microstock or Not?

Many photography enthusiasts have a substantial collection of good quality photographs and in the digital age, a substantial collection of image files on disk. Of course, some of these images are printed out and displayed in the homes of family and friends. But most of them are just taking up space on a hard-drive and that will probably be all that happens to them. These people often have a fairly comfortable life-style that is paid for by a conventional job that does not involve photography.

To people in this situation the prospect of earning some money - any money - from their photographic collection must be quite attractive. Why not? At the moment their images are doing nothing. Why not get the pictures to earn some extra income that could be spent on their photographic hobby? Even $1 per image sold is far more than they are getting at the moment. Microstock agencies can have an attraction.

I can certainly see the logic of this argument. However, a microstock site will typically earn $4 for every $1 the photographer makes, which is not a very good commission ratio. Also, full time stock professionals will be very quick to point out that these cheap sales may well be cutting into their business.

There is little doubt that the microstock agencies have created a new market for stock images. This market includes people with small scale websites, publishers of limited circulation newsletters, etc, who could never have afforded to use photos from traditional stock houses. But microstock images are also being used by traditional stock buyers such as newspapers. Mircostocks are taking business away from traditional agencies and from full-time stock shooters. These photographers rely on this business to keep a roof over their heads and put food on their table. Should the enthusiasts be worried about this? That is down to their conscience.

Whatever happens, microstocks are not going away. They have changed the stock photography business for ever. There is no going back. Photographers need to take microstocks seriously and modify their behaviour accordingly. 
Copyright © Greg Wright 2005-14 Photography from Frome - All rights reserved
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