Elevation Photos Blog

Photographer Eve Arnold Dies

Rest In Peace Eve Arnold http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/news/Photographer-Eve-Arn-4283.shtml

The Photo Industry In 2012 #togs #photographer #PDN #photo #apple

Happy New Year! 

The first resolution I have is to get back to blogging more than I did in 2011!  I forgot how much I enjoy sharing my toughts on everything ( not just the Photo Industry) with my customers and people who have continually come back to my blog.  For that I thank you!

Over the holiday, I read the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Issacson and thouroughly enjoyed it. Not only was it insightful but it also crafted how a genius like Steve Jobs grew his business, lost it and came back to grow it to what it is today.  The recent passing away of  Steve Jobs was not only a sad day for the Tech community but also for society as a whole.  Because not only did his contributions over time change the landscape of how we live and communicate within our society but more importantly, it changed how we treat technology and how we have learned to live with it. The Iphone, the ultimate manisfestation of the genius of Steve Jobs, is just one part of a series of amazing products Apple allowed the world to be part of.  While not being an engineer himself, what he did engineer at Apple was a brilliant marketing campaign that not only captured the hearts and souls of Apple's loyal followers but also that of the everyday consumer around the world. Apple's products, from what I've gathered from the book, have  always been carefully crafted and poured over by Steve Jobs to the tenth degree. At times, it drove his team mad and out the door but in the end he knew what the consumers wanted and was not about to settle for less.  Just like Michael Jordan, in my opinion, mastered the art of Basketball, Steve Jobs will forever be the master of high quality, desired consumer technolgical products backed up by brilliant showmanship and marketing! 

It was very interesting to read recently that Steve Jobs had big plans for photography so on that note it will be interesting to see what photo products Apple will come out with over the next few years. Now that Kodak declared bankruptcy the other day ( no surprise there) will Apple lead the charge to the everyday consumer on images, photos and photo sharing? I wouldn't bet against it that's for sure. 

2011 for the photo industry wasn't much of a bang. Other than Corbis buying Splash ( really? ) and a few other mergers and acquisitions while other small agencies closing their doors, 2011 proved nothing too exciting. 

The Photo business in 2012 will be interesting to watch. I believe that the industry will go two ways; more consolidation among the big agencies, more breakout boutique agencies specializing in particular work while partnering with other bouitques to offer more for their clients. New pricing points that will be innovative and linked back to social media, online platoforms that I believe will benefit the content creators. 

I also believe that more traditional print magazines will increase their digital photo spend in order to have more to offer their readers and subsrciber base. Whether that's in custom assignment shoots ( i.e more photo galleries) or video /photo montages that more and more assignment photographers are engaging with. In the end, while there is more and more content, clients who want to seperate themselves with the rest of the pack will spend more to be unique and therefore high end quality assignment work will increase by leaps and bounds. 

The industry, now more than ever, is at a critical junction.  The drastic price drop these last few years for traditional licensing and to some extent editorial assignment work has dropped a bomb on a lot of photographers in the industry.  Times have been difficult for editorial shooters and hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel. True, editorial photographers will be shooting more for less, spending more time for less money while equipment and costs continue to rise. So, I always recommend to photographers to not spread themselves thin, continue to grow your portfolio, create a professional website and take jobs that are out of ones comfort zone. It will only help ones professional growth and diversity! 

As for Elevation Photos, I'm looking to make radical changes to the website by the 1st of February that will highlight more of my assignment work. I think this is the path that has always led the way for my agency and 2012 is looking stronger than ever in terms of working with Fortune 1000 media companies to deliver the images they want to represent their company and products! So, look for that change and I'll be sure to update everyone on the status of that. I am excited and re-invigoratted for 2012.  

So, be healthy, safe and prosperours this year!  Let's make this happen....

 

 

Four Score And Many Economies Ago! Happy 4th Birthday Elevation #PDN#Photographers#togs#photogs

Elevation Photos turned 4 years old last week and  I almost forgot about that epic milestone. So, Happy Birthday!

So, without boring you with another long, winded story it's better to just highlight some key moments that I can remember these last 4 yeears in no paticular order;

-Elevation landed its first ever image in Life & Style a week after it launched. I rememeber calling my Mom from some Barnes and Noble like a kid calling their mom saying they've hit their first home run! 

-Exactly a year to that day, Elevation landed its first ever cover ( Kim Kardashian) on Life and Style.  When I called my mom this time she said, "who's that?

-The first Oscar arrivals Elevation ever covered I remember pulling over on the side of a highway and seeing an image of Seal from the Oscars and pumping my fist in excitment!  It's like the unknown swimsuit desinger landing a spread on a model in the Swimsuit Edition for SI minus the sex factor more about the credibility! ..Again Mom said, "Who's that?"

-Just last week, Elevation re-connected with a major retailer clothing store and knocked out 2 city openings complete with Photography and sizzle reels for both events.  I've never been prouder and more satisfied in this company.  Little Engines can survive in this economy based on hard work, persevearance and believing that not everyone needs to work for the 1%! ...I didn't call Mom about this but I know she be proud!

-Halle Berry, leopard tight dress...Elevation's first Page Six NYPOST appearance! Now that was sexy!   I told my brother about that one this time around!

-The Germans..I can't thank these folks enough because whenever these image agents come to town they buy fancy drinks, pick a hollywood hangout and get you wasted , make funny jokes and ogle at every butchered up girl this town has to offer. And when Elevation used to be in the image licensing business Das Germans would be so prompt and detailed it was all worth the while!  

-Elevation's assignment business has had its peaks and valleys these last four years with 2009 being the edge of the cliff but certainly bouncing back in 2011 to pre-depressed industry standards.  So, if that's a barometer of success it's a real one because business has ticked up this year and clients are willing to pay for a valuable sercice that offers a formidable, competitive offering. 

-Corporate clients have driven Elevation Photos assignment business with less emphasis on editorial based assignments with an occassional major magazine hire now and again. I've learned that while the initial idea was to base busines off of the entertainment space, many opportunities in the assignment business can and has ranged in other areas that have paid just the same if not more. 

-If Elevation is the brand, it's been the advances in technology and social media that have been the engine that has helped drive the brand. Running an agency can be cost-effective and instead of hiring a PR guru to market your brand one can find free tools to help you do just that.  If you're smart, saavy and have a good command of the English language you're on your way.  I'm the best adovcate for the Elevation Photos brand and I've paid no one to help spread the message.

With all this in mind ( and there are so many more things I can post but I'll spare you), I have no regrets on ever launching my agency four years ago. The best advice I've ever gotten was from one of my short-lived bosses at Getty Images who had since left but I sought him out when I wanted to leave.  His advice was that have all your ducks in order and when you're ready to launch leave on that Friday and be up and running the following Monday as if nothing ever changed. 

The best thing about that Monday morning was I was so nervous, excited and eager to see the first event ever to be posted on the site and when I went to look...the site was BLANK!  ( minor technology glitch that was easily corrected) ...And from that minute on I knew I was in business for better or for worse!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELEVATION PHOTOS!

 

Why America Should Listen To Sound Fiscal Advice #S&P#FinancialCrisis#Obama#congress

The S&P downgrade that happened this past Friday night should be the ultimate wake-up call for the United States to get back on track to economic and sound fiscal policies. As much as I have reservations about institutions such as the S&P, Moody's etc. ( remember these are some of the same institutions that said Bear Sterns was financially sound a few months before it collapsed under the weight of the sub-prime mortgage mess back in 2008) the fact of the matter is what the S&P is saying makes sound sense.

According to the S&P, they have based their decision to downgrade the US for the following reasons;

-We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America to 'AA+' from 'AAA' and affirmed the 'A-1+' short-term rating.

-We have also removed both the short- and long-term ratings from CreditWatch negative.

The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government's medium-term debt dynamics.

-More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.

-Since then, we have changed our view of the difficulties in bridging the gulf between the political parties over fiscal policy, which makes us pessimistic about the capacity of Congress and the Administration to be able to leverage their agreement this week into a broader fiscal consolidation plan that stabilizes the government's debt dynamics any time soon.

-The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. We could lower the long-term rating to 'AA' within the next two years if we see that less reduction in spending than agreed to, higher interest rates, or new fiscal pressures during the period result in a higher general government debt trajectory than we currently assume in our base case.

Basically, they are saying that without real compromise in Washington, the US standing in the world financial markets will only deteriorate and further lessen our foothold as "economic" superpower. Having said that, I still can't believe I'm hearing calls from both politicians and financial experts about how wrong the S&P are about this downgrade and that don't forget the other two grading companies (Fitch and Moody's) still believe in the full faith and credit of the US dollar.

Really? That's the best answer politicians have about this downgrade? I'm not sure about you but if there was something terribly wrong with my health I would be sure to seek a second opinion about my condition. Now, as a consumer I will make the best decision but that doesn't mean I'm going to ignore or not weigh in both opinions to make a sound, healthy judgement. The total oppoosite is happening with this downgrade and from what I'm hearing from politicians and the street. Maybe it's the arrogance that makes these same people blind to what the problems and issues have been to lead to this downgrade.

It's just maddening that when you read and listen to real economic experts, non-biased entitites and third party observers that in order for th US to right the ship what needs to happen is a combination of sensible cuts combined with tax increases over the next 10 years to get our rating back to solid standing. The S&P pointing out in their statement that the inability of Washington to come up with a sensible solution ( one of them being for the Bush Tax Cuts to expire next year in order to tax the wealthy) can further damage our status and rating.

All the while, less than 10% of 1% of the voting population ( AKA Tea Party) have the power in Congress to sway the pendulum to put America at risk. The irony of all this is that as much as they don't want to pay more taxes they also don't want their Medicare/Medicade benefits or Social Security to be touched ( all government run programs) either. So not only do they want to eat their cake but they want to eat it without paying for it!

I'm not giving up on America in anyway but I do care about the future of it. And if that means those of us more fortunate than others having to pay more in taxes to level the playing field than so be it. The margins between the haves and the have-nots shouldn't be growing larger ( as they appear to be right now) but instead should be meeting somewhere in the middle. The US needs to continually invest in its future either through more financial assistance to education, R&D and/or skills building in addition to improving our infrastructure by investing in high-speed rail, alternative forms of energy and building our roads and highways so they can be more efficient for electric/compressed natural gas hybrid cars.

None of this will ever happen as long as the rhetoric and policitcal football that is taking place in Washington continues on the path it's on. Americans shouldn't be penalized because a body of politicians who say they represent America and my interests make stupid decisions based on ideology and basic political kabuki theatre. So, America needs to listen to smart people who are one of three experts in grading financial institutions and governments around the world. Instead of being part of the problem, politicians need to step up and become part of the solution.

The New Social Media World Order ( aka do we need Google+) #PDN#Photographer#Togs#google+

I've been fussing around with Google+ and although I don't exactly get it yet I must admit the idea of placing people in concentric circles that you either care about or just want to keep on the fringe appeals to me. Maybe it's the idea that sometimes you want to share feelings, things, ideas, photos with only those close to you who would actually care rather than be inundated with useless tidbits of people's lives you barely know (thank goodness for the Hide Posts By Person option on FBOOK!)

Or maybe it's just Facebook boredom and the need for yet another media giant to distract society from actually getting real work done! In any case, it will be interesting to see if Google+ takes off, gains followers and can actually convert Facebook devotees to what I call the good side ( open platforms with larger more richer platforms!)

The idea of photos living and breathing and driving many of this new social media world order is not a secret and there are many tech companies trying to capitalize on people's image tastes and likes and photos. The most intriguing thing I find about all of this is that before this so called " social media" transformation images had certain values based on static numbers , size and placement. Now that model has been thrown out with the baby water there has been ( rightfully so ) a major paradigm shift on the life, times and value of said image in the new media landscape we find ourselves in.

While the industry is no where near finding out and/or unlocking the potential of the image per se , what is apparent is the efforts and funding trying to unlock and unleash the image to the consumer so that it's buyers are all aligned like the moon, stars and the sun. Same can be said for video and what that has brought to the table in terms of the value and power a viral video can possess. I'll even go further and say that a unique, tantalizing, interesting viral video will always get a million more time hits than a photo of the same caliber that may drop on the same day. Videos move. Photos are static. One can be more engaging than the other but you can't hit rewind on an amazing photo. One can stare at an image of an exploding building ( i.e. the Stardust Hotel in Vegas being imploded) but watching the act of that building explode over and over again is more likely to get more pick up just because.

The new social media world order ethos is in its infancy and we are its subordinates constantly refreshing, adding, dropping and driving it's conversation and content. The cascade of information has gone from zero to sixty in a nanosecond and we are all but passengers on a fast moving train making up the social media monetization rules as we go. The exciting thing about it for me is that there is room for a marketplace that is realizing the power and ability of images to either sell more products, further the conversation in the many different eco-landscapes it lives in and be shared with one another either through Facebook or Google+ or Twitter , etc.

I'm always so amazed about how slow the networks have been in trying to marry social media to drive a show's mood, attitude and feelings. You've seen it come really in to play on NBC's The Voice. They did a great job in integrating the contestant with the audience and engage with the camera. We have only all touched on the surface of what watching TV will be like in the near future.

In the meantime, I'll try and stay committed to posting and engaging with those on Google+. I've found myself moving away from Facebook just because. I'm sensing a movement against sharing everything in the new social media order and I'm ok with it. Now how these sites make money is another posting all together but what I do know is that if I have a great photo or video and it gets liked by people I know and respect or maybe don't know I'll need to think in the future if I can actually profit from something I've been doing for a few years now!

We've Been Here Before 3.0

It's happening again.

The Feds are offering low interest rates, banks are making cheap money available and all of a sudden LinkedIn's stock originally pegged at $34 currently sits at $90+ with a market cap value of just over $8 billion dollars. LinkedIn, surely nothing spectacular, pins its future earnings on a stagnant economy where individuals and/or corporations will continue to pay a monthly subscription fee in that never ending search to find that perfect job or employee. It's Facebook minus the drunk photos and annoying updates about where people you know are eating or drinking. LinkedIn's strategy was smart and simple; use us to maintain a professional identity online and grow your professional network so large and so deep that your "digital profile" value grows each and everyday. Whether it works or not is the real question now that Wall Street has invested and will surely want to know how they grow each quarter. Where LinkedIn succeeded is where Monster.com and HotJobs failed because as we all know there is a social element to people connecting with one another and LinkedIn have figured out a very simple way to do just that.

Now the assumptions are that the US economy will take about 3-5 more years to get back to the economic engine it once was not too long ago and in that time a company like LinkedIn will be able to help companies hire back all those that it shed during the recession. But what happens when that point happens? Only time will tell but it's a business model based on an even larger global workforce expansion that hopes other countries will be able to sign up with LinkedIn and scale them even further.

Currently, there is a tech/VC/investor boom going on now that is happening in Silicon Valley. This cheap money is fueling all kinds of investments in technology based companies in the social media space. It's one thing to be funded it's another to ramp up and create a sustainable business.  

Compared to the dot.com days and the ultimate bubble that deflated, valuations like the one LinkedIn sits at is a bit worrisome. The "We've Been Here Before 3.0" was recently coined by a wall street investor ( the name escapes me at the moment) due to the fact that the impending IPO's of Facebook and possibly Twitter can help fuel these valuations. I posted on my facebook page the Pets.Com reference for this very same reason. 

Yes, it's an exciting time for investors in Tech/Social Media to get in on the action. Inevitably, it will be the consumer who will win because of it and business' will be more efficient with these newfound companies. The challenge will be for Wall Street not to play in to the hype, consumers actually gravitating to companies that help their life be more effiicent, save them money and ultimately make the digital platforms all of us use these days that much better experience.

 

Jeff Jarvis Hits Another HomeRun about the new media landscape and where it needs to go, how it is and how change is upon us

http://www.buzzmachine.com/

-* There will always be new competitors. For content, attention, advertising, and advertising sales.

* You no longer control the market. You are a member of an ecosystem. Play well with others.

Who Is Paying For Quality Content?

My wife and I are divided on whether or not we should spend money on paying for the new NYT's digital subscription pay wall fees. On one hand, as people working in the creative fields, we understand wholeheartedly the importance of supporting all media fronts that produce top-notch quality with integrity and crediblity. Like many people around the world, the NYT's is a morning ritual chock full of information and opinions that help us formulate how we view the world and how others view us.  We understand that a news operation as rich and complex as the NYT's, there are fixed costs and staff to support to produce it every minute of everyday.  As someone in the content generating business, I know first hand that there is the cost to produce excellent work and there is the reality of the margins necessary to make a profit on that same assignment. That's the nature of the business me an others find ourselves in every day. It's even that much more gratifying when clients continue to utilize and pay for what you have to offer. You know you've done and are doing something right.

Which is why in this new digital-all-consuming-media-content environment we live in today it's even that much more challenging to lay out your hard earned money for stories, images, videos, etc that may not exactly be similar but good enough to satisfy your media consumption need and not pay for it! So, for my wife and I, the LA times isn't excatly the NYT's but it's free for us and I think that's what's so problematic for some pay-wall media companies like the NYT's.  Yes, brand loyalty and recognition are paramount decision makers for many consumers but when you go from offering it for free from day one and then begin to charge for it the next day it's hard to justify it. As Jeff Jarvis always preeches, " sharing is caring" mentality in this new "link economy" we live in there might be more value in allowing your readers to share links on facebook or other social site and monetize that way.  How do you think Google pays for its lunch every day?

Mark Cuban's blog post the other day, " How Netflix is Hurting YouTube" http://bit.ly/gZQYzL compares how different both of these media entities have approaced their respective buisness. While one believes that consumers will pay as low as $7.99 a month for quality content streamed on all types of platforms, another is trying to aggregates lesser quality content from all sources in hopes of driving traffic and masses to a scale larger than any network or studio can imagine. But, as you read his post there are some obstacles and perceptions that may prove difficult in the end. Different from the NYT's , Netflix began charging for access from day one. Will people pay for YouTube channels?

In the end, the question this blog post poses, " Who Is Paying For Quality Content," is one that us as consumers are making decisions not just on our personal consumption budgets but more importantly on how much we value the content we are being charged.  My wife and I hardly go to the movies just because the quality of what's out there is garbage and we don't feel that spending $25 for a bad product makes sense. Even if our local theatre was offering the chance to go to the movies for free we still wouldn't go based on how much we value our time and what we are being asked to sit through.  If Hollywood makes good stories us and others like us will pay for it.  It's that simple.

It will be interesting to see h0w the NYT's will do in the future. I hope it does well and maybe I'll pay for it but I never would have had a problem if you charged us from day one. And I think that's the mental barrier as a consumer that might have lost me as a NYT's reader!

 

 

 

 

Finally A Smart Flow Chart Explaining What Monopolies Look Like!

Via: Free Stock Photography" title="" target="_self">

Where Have I Been?

I cant' believe I haven't posted in such a long time and since the last time I have so much has happened in the world on every scale imagineable. 

Between African revolutions, tragic natural disasters including nuclear fallout it's all been so much so fast. And Elevation Photos where has it been? Why hasn't the homepage images changed since last year, etc. And why haven't I posted any updates on Facebook? 

Well, all the company answers will be answered shortly.  Let's just say actions are taking place that will answer all questions and concerns. As for business, Elevation Photos assignment business is continuing to grow rapidly and it's pretty much safe to say I've decided to exit the contributor/spec business entireley. It's just that the business of licensing has dropped off dramatically and I've had more success and continue to in the assignment business.  The business I've always wanted to grow with Elevation Photos.  

Most recently, we've been in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago on corporate assignments that remains to this day the engine that drives the car.  I will have an FBOOK update on those within the next couple of days but for now take my word, 2011 is the best years compared to 2009/2010 hands down.

And the feeling I'm getting in the industry overall is that business is picking up to some degree, prices are measurably flat if not lowered with respect to assignment fees and that the market is patiently waiting for a consumer/retailer/personal income rebound.  What has peeeked my interest lately are the investors /VC's flocking to companies with photo based/mobile based technology ( tinyprints, hipstamatic, etc) that takes the power of the mobile device and places front and center from all places like Libya, Cairo ,etc. to your best friends birthday party.  The citizen journalist has arrived and all the naysayers about what role Twitter/Facebook have in this world we live in can go and shove it.  These platforms have not only sway public opinition in conflict ridden areas of the world but it's also allowed joe shcmoe's like me to witness a different kind of revolution unencumbered by the media and as raw as a piece of red meat you would feed to a lion in a cage. 

Companies like Demotix signing deals with Corbis finally makes sense.  I've spoken with Thuri about a year ago urging him to distribute in the US , etc.  I'm glad he has done so and with the advance of technology in the mobile space the mobile phone has become as powerful on the front lines as an AK-47 would be to a kid soldier. 

The photo industry, and I've said this for a while now, is a critical stand still and the line is being divided between the halves and halve-nots. Lines are being drawn between big time media/corporate budgets who need to save money by signing up with image corporate behemoth's with no soul but a lot of content that noone can even come close top delivering. Personally, in the assignment space, that makes it more advantageous for a guy ( and a few others like me) to hold the front lines on their clients, holding value in that thing that makes clients work with me and all the while watching the rear -view mirror for low hanging fruit eating from the scraps. 

The capitulation of the photo industry marketplace has never been as prevalent as it is today. And what pains me the most is to see the boutiques go the way the beast and surrender to market pressure and the prices that are being offered on its content. And while certain content is still king, you'ld be fool to notice otherwise with what companies say they are willing to pay versus what we think the value of that product is. It's cat and mouse being chased by one another!

But I digress, in the end, I'm here and alive and well.....and keep coming back soon..i'll have more info on how we're doing moving forward

:)