Answers to Popular Questions

Workshop at the Ranch
January, 2006 Edition

Hi and welcome to the January 2006 issue of Workshop at the Ranch. As the number of monthly readers climbs well beyond 15,000 the number of emails has also increased dramatically over the past few years. While most of the emails are "thank you's" from readers who have been learning and applying the suggestions and techniques I address in my Workshop at the Ranch and On The Road articles many emails I receive have additional questions regarding photography. Here are answers to some popular questions I have been asked over the past 3 years ..............................

Question #1: "Where is the Ranch and how do I get there?"

Answer: The Workshop at the Ranch is only available on my website. People can find it by logging on to www.daveblackphotography.com and "clicking" Workshop at the Ranch.

Image #1 The Workshop at the Ranch is only a monthly article on my website but here is a rare picture of me working at the ranch .

Question #2: "How, why, when, where, etc., etc., etc., did you get started in Photography?"

Answer: These questions come from a variety of people, mostly students who are writing a report for a High School or College photography class on a photographer who's work they enjoy. It is a long answer to write and rewrite each time it is asked. In a nutshell, I my first experience with photography was in college. I had a double major in Commercial Graphics Design and Studio Drawing. My thought was to become an illustrator for books and magazines. I was required to take a basic B&W photography class for the Graphics Design major...............................Rather than continue with a lengthy couple of paragraphs I am going to stop here and refer those of you are interested in my background, career and my thoughts about the photography profession to a website podcast interview that I did for the Nikonians website. It is a 30 minute interview that covers many issues and may answer many questions some of you might have. Log onto http://podcasts.nikonians.org (scroll down to "Nikonians Podcast #2: Interview with Dave Black") and enjoy the interview.

Image #2 Everyone starts somewhere. This is my first big event. As a senior in college I hitchhiked from school to Indianapolis, Indiana to see the "greatest spectacle in racing"...the 1975 Indy 500. I slept in the street near the White Castle restaurant the night before the race and ran into the infield at dawn with 100,000+ crazed fans. I shot 5 rolls of film. This was my most successful pan-action image of the day.

Question #3: "Do you use Nikon because they give you all your equipment?"

Answer: No. First let me state that I am not sponsored by Nikon and the company does not supply me with equipment. I am a consumer, like all of you, and purchase the equipment I need to conduct business (I buy my equipment from Roberts Distributors in Indianapolis...call Jody Grober at 800-726-5544). I have used Nikon equipment from the very first day of my professional career. I believed it was the best equipment on the market when I started over 25 years ago and I still believe it is the best equipment on the market today. Workshop at the Ranch and On The Road chronicle many of my projects and assignments and lists the equipment I use to capture images so that people can have a working knowledge of how I go about making pictures and ultimately...make a living. I have great confidence in the equipment I use.....my career and reputation depends on it.

Image #3 My equipment locker at Augusta National where the Masters golf tournament is held. A typical road trip might include a Nikon 600mm f4, Nikon 400mm f2.8, Nikon 200mm-400mm G VR f4 Zoom, Nikon 70-200mm VR f2.8, Nikon 17-55mm f2.8, Nikon 12-24mm f4, Nikon 10.5 f2.8 Fisheye Lens, Three Nikon D2X Camera Bodies, Nikon Coolpix 8800, Four Nikon SB800 Speedlights, Bogen Tripod and Bogen Monopod, Bogen Super Clamp, Bogen 175F Clamp, Slik Super Ball Head, Four Pocket Wizard Multi Max Transceivers, 12 Lexar 4G Flash Cards. This list can vary depending on the sport or event.

Question #4: "How does someone "make it" in this business?"

Answer: This question comes in frequently and involves a lengthy answer.....an answer that is difficult to address because of the complexity involved in a career. First off, I am interpreting "make it" to mean a full time top professional and not a weekend job. Well,.....there are no short cuts. Developing a career in photography whether your subject is sports, portraits, nature, weddings, etc., is not an overnight possibility. It will require more than capturing a good picture. Mastery of the Basics are the key....composition, exposure, use of light, the moment etc. just like the professional athlete or musician who practices basics and fundamentals each day until they become second nature. Then, one must build on that foundation of basics with continual learning and application of new knowledge. Business strategy is also essential. There are many great photographers that have fallen short of success for lack of business knowledge. Supply and demand is the business 101 mantra. A photographer must be great (not just good) at their craft. This means producing great, unique images that others do not produce and they must have the ability to capture these unique images every time they shoot. If football is the sport you have chosen to make your career with remember that there are hundreds of very good football photographers covering games each weekend. You must find a way to make your images the best available so that you can SUPPLY editors with the great pictures they DEMAND. Editors will take notice of your work if you can "knock out" the competition, not just stay in the ring with them.

Image #4 If "making it" in the photography industry is your goal then I suggest practice...and lots of it. A piano player practices scales and fundamental pieces of music to establish a strong foundation on which they can add more complexity. The photographer must do the same.

Question #5: "How do you price your images for stock sales to editorial magazines?"

Answer: Stock sale prices for editorial magazines can be determined with a program called Fotoquote www.fotoquote.com After 25 years of business I have my own price guidelines that I use but feel that Fotoquote is a good standard for new photographers when determining usage fees for editorial magazines and books. Many photo editors at major magazines use Fotoquote as well. By using this program your stock sale prices will be in line with the rates of most publications. Keep in mind that many sports publications are looking for a volume deal if more than one image is being used. Example: Many baseball annuals or magazines that do a season preview issue might need images of as many as 50 players. A photographer might have 20 of these 50 players and the magazine will ask for a volume discount. Also, freelancers are competing with Corbis and Getty for these stock picture sales. One stop shopping for the client usually means volume pricing when you are competing with the mega stock houses. Unless your images are rare, and one of a kind, they will most likely need to be competitively priced.

Image #5 There are many good photographers working today. Those images that are rare, unique and one of a kind can still bring a good stock usage fee. Often times the freelance stock photographer must make their prices competitive with the mega stock agencies in order to remain popular with photo editors. This image has sold several time for a variety of uses. It is unique, clean, composed well, colorful, captured at the peak moment during the championship game and is model released which makes it available for both editorial and commercial use.

Well,..........We are off and running into another terrific year. I hope these answers will help some of you improve and make wise decisions in the new year. Until next time at Workshop at the Ranch..............................Adios, Dave

WORKSHOPS and PRESENTATION Schedule

June 27- July 2 ... Sports Photography Workshop, Colorado Springs, Co. www.sportsphotographyworkshop.com

August 1-5 ... Long Island Photo Workshop, Long Island, NY. www.liphotoworkshop.com

August 12-15 ... American PHOTO Mentor Trek to Acadia National Park, Maine. www.mentorseries.com

September 9-12 ... American PHOTO Mentor Series Trek to Tetons, Wyoming. www.mentorseries.com

October 3-8 ... Photography at the Summit, Jackson Hole, Wy. www.photographyatthesummit.com

Answers to Popular Questions

WORKSHOPS and PRESENTATION Schedule

Past Workshop at the Ranch Issues