Elevation Photos Blog

Time To Reboot The Photo Industry

I'm a huge fan of NY Times Op-Ed writer Thomas Friedman.  He's not only a Pulitzer Prize winning writer and author but he's one of the few writers I know who can be straightforward, to the point and lay his ideas out in simpleton, every man, woman language without looking up words in a dictionary.  One of my favourite Op Ed pieces was one he wrote earlier this month about the fragile condition the US Economy is and how President Obama has a real, genuine opportunity to really implement change with a $1 trillion dollar check. 

As Friedman writes referring to the bailout, " ...we just don't need a bailout. We need a reboot. We need a build out. We need a national makeover. That's why the next few months are among the most important in U.S history."  He goes on to write, " Anerica still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society in a world where the ability to imagine and generate new ideas with speed and implement them through global collaboration is the most important competitive advantage."

You can read the entire article here  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/24/opinion/24friedman.html?_r=1

So when I say it's time to reboot the photo industry I mean it.  I've been doing this for a little over 14 years but in this time frame I haven't seen that much innovation in terms of the industry we work in. If you want to call companies buying up companies in the name of expansion ( or some may say getting rid of the competition) and than saying it's innovation than you and I are reading from a different bible.Too many times it's happened.  Too many times integration has failed.

Especially today right here and right now. Are we better off today than we were 5, 10, 14 years ago? As a rinky dink photo researcher at a small boutique creative stock agency on Lexington and 22nd 14 years ago, I think about what got me in to this business. Great photography, creative discussions and sorting through racks and racks of 4x5 transparencies.  There was a connection with the images that you just don't see a twenty something researcher at these larger places get. If anything, time has allowed for innovation and technological advances do a search for anything in less than 5 seconds. But the connection is lost and that's one thing that needs to get corrected. Having people connect with images again.  This sea of mediocrity we are all finding ourselves in is a real dissapointment. This industry needs to break out of it before it's too late.

Another reboot that needs to happen is more collaboration across all fronts; Editorial, Creative, Photojournalism.  So a great company like Aurora teaming up with one like Photo Alto.  Assignment agencies specializing in their own areas but yet having more to offer if they collaborated. Or Buzz Foto teaming up with I Photo because one is independent of another but each has strong things to offer in what they do.   The list goes on and one but you get my point. Rebooting where it makes sense is a collaboration this industry needs to do more of not only to grow their business but also to have more to offer.   Elevation Photos isn't any different. It just seems we are all floating in the same sea but you need that earthquake to shake the tree and have the land masses join up to make a brand new territory.

Finally, the industry needs a technology reboot. From the equipment we use, the way we view images, how it's delivered, the speed issues some agencies have others don't.  Websites today for many smaller agencies are more like dressed up calling cards without much function other than saying this is who I am , what I do and call me at this number.  No, it needs to be better than that. We have the technology but I want a specific image taken at an event to go right to my editors blackberry in less than 10 seconds. I am waiting for the Iphone to replace a professional camera. I want my own media grid that feeds me my partners images in real time so I can bundle the best and send it over to Time Magazine.  Better yet, I have the ability to chat on a specific photo in real time instead of wasting time captioning photos at events.  That's what call centers in India and the Phillipines can do. I want more hybrid camera/video phones to have equal resolutions ( coming soon for sure) and photographers to master how to cut an edit, montage photos and create sellable stories. I am surprised it's taken this long to see it happen for some and not others. But it will get there I don't have any doubt about that.  Technology and the industry need to meet up and the users of it need to think beyond their own websites to get their images out there in a smarter fashion that is efficient and makes financial sense.   Whatever the case, now's the time for everyone to experiment now so the results will benefit everyone soon.

...(Sorry, my internet just crashed..back on now)  

I can go on and on but I won't.  And maybe these are things that you have heard already or I am beating a dead horse.  I don't know but something needs to happen. The economy is shattered at the moment but I truly believe that those smart enough to survive will throw out the playbook they have been using and write a new one.   The old ways of doing business are dead. So, now's the time to re-invent what got us all started in this business but engage in some 21st century thinking. The media as a medium is rapidly changing for everyone and those that will be succesful will find ways to embrace it and create opportunities from it.

Speaking of playbooks, believe it or not, i predicted the actual score for last year's Patriots/Giants score and so my Superbowl Sunday prediction is....

Steelers 24  Cardinals 21  ......now where 's that wing recipe....

The Mega Container Theory

  (Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie by Mark Savage/Elevation Photos)

In yesterday's WSJ, there was an interesting article about the state of the shipping industry, where it's headed and how its effecting the industry as a whole.  The article entitled ," The Mega Containers Invade" written by John Miller describes how the drop in freight/shipping rates have allowed for these "gargantuan carriers" to muscle aside its smaller , fractured rivals. These mega containers or jumbo vessels can be as long as three football fields long!  Now, that's huge. They carry Ipods, strawberries, tea, motorcycles you name it it's on these ships.

At the end of the day, the gist of the story was that the pain these mega containers /carriers are having on its industry could and should precipitate consolidation as the smaller players are pushed out.

Let's flashback to this past Sunday at the SAG awards here in LA.  You have the mega containers in Getty Vast, a medium but emerging player in AP and then everyone else. It's gynormous the number of resources they have. One trying to outduel the other, etc. It's all quite amusing and having been part of that for a number of years it makes me happy I got out of it when I did. It's a modern day Rosie The Riveter production line minus the bathroom breaks!

Nothing wrong with it all but what I want to focus is the state of everyone else. Smaller ships at port working together makes much more sense, creates that more synergy and offers competitive advantages if they decide to take on the big guns hogging these lanes!  I can't stress enough about the need for change and a forward thinking future about how to stay competitive, especially in the red carpet arena.  The industry needs to re-invent itself now ( just like Detroit will and their cars) otherwise all of it will be ramshackled down by a mega container that will only get heavier as 2009 moves along. To quote Heidi Klum , " you are in or you're out!" and 2009 for the photo industry may look a lot different in 2010 no doubt.

Now, having said all this there is hope at the end of the tunnel. A tiny ship got past the ports on Sunday and made its way to one of the bigger stages in the game.   And when we woke up on Monday morning we found this  Amy Poehler People.Com   

..back to work.

Elevation Photos Partners With The Fashion List, Twiistup

I am happy to announce 2 partnerships today that I believe strongly in and will help augment Elevation Photos status in both the event/fashion world and the strong southern tech community that exists here in Los Angeles.

The Fashion List http://www.thefashionlist.com/

Based out of NY, The Fashion List is an up and coming company that will take event planning to another level.  Both Meredith and Scott are smart, out of the box thinking folks that believe in taking on the establishment and revolutionizing the way event planners, PR and media coordinators will work together and make event planning a much more smoother 21st century way of doing business. 

It works for Elevation Photos since it will be the preferred photo agency for all event planners, Publicists who decide to use the tools that the Fashion List has to offer.  With both of our networks, I believe that we will grow together in terms of spreading our brand and message about what we both do, streamline the process of event planners and the services that Elevation Photos can provide and finally, raise our stature in both the fashion and event planning world. It's a win-win for both of our companies and I look forward to growing this relationship using the network that Elevation Photos has across its network of clients, subscribers and customers.

Twiistup http://www.twiistup.com/  

Founder of Twiistup Mike Macadaan is now in to it's 5th year for Twiistup and will have yet another of his groundbreaking, tech community gathering events on February 12, 2009 at Barker Hanger this year in Santa Monica. 

Twiistup has become THE place where technology, media and entertainment converge for one awesome night of innovation.  It's a place where innovators, investors, top industry bloggers and straight up tecchies meet, mix and mingle with one another ( something I excel at!) . As the official photography agency on record, Elevation Photos will again be on hand to capture all the goings on during this powerhouse night that keeps growing stronger every year.

I look forward to being there that night and if it makes its way to your neck of the woods you should definitely make an effort to be part of this ecclectic, smart community!

The Dream Starts Today!

 

(President Barack Obama by Debbie Van Story/Rockin Exposures/Elevation Photos)

Words can't describe what's taking place today other than it feels great to be an American today!

The Role That The Citizen Journalist Will Play Starting Now

  (Ashley Judd at Sundance in Park City, UT by Adam Orchon/Elevation Photos)

Watching the coverage on CNN for the upcoming historic inauguration of our 44th President, it's incredible to see what role the average citizen will have in terms of photo documentation over the course of the next 72 hours.

CNN, with its IREPORTER http://www.cnn.com/ireport/  allows normal folks to upload there camera, semi amateur and point and shoot images to their site instantaneously for posting on its website and views over its network.  Faster than any wire news photographer can ever get there, these images are changing the way we see our breaking news stories. And CNN's push for being part of   "The Moment"  is utilizing Microsoft's Photosynth technology platform ( which I mentioned in December 2007) to enhance the user experience on the backs of the citizen journalist and thank god for it. More information can be found here  http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/44.president/inauguration/themoment/

As Paul Melcher recently wrote on his blog concerning the way the major newspapers chose their top images from 2008, the majority of them picked from AP and Getty.  And while the major news pubs will do the exact same thing during this inauguration, CNN is opening up the platform to main street thereby democratizing the process and how we view what they call the moment. This is a game changer for photo journalism and while its not a new idea in any sense, the fact that a major news network is delivering stories to its viewers this way is the start of something forward thinking and finally technology has caught up with society and those who are good photographers but have no idea about how the business of photography is run.

While others argue about why these should be monetized, etc. the thing about photojournalism and late breaking news is exactly that. The captured images taken at that exact time often transcends itself for both the citizen journalist who took the image and the readers who are viewing it.  Not wanting to sound like a complete CNN plug, this idea of "the moment" is powerful and is proving ( and will prove starting today) that images that have special value don't always have to have a premium and don't always have to have a money value. Bad for wire services, but score one for average joe's who just want to be part of something. 

The country is going to change on Tuesday for the better one hopes. But the change in how we are going to witness historic moments, monumental events and life changing stories has begun and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Wall Street, Apple and That Downed Plane!

  ( Wall Street in 1948 by Walker Evans, Time Life Collection via Google Images)

It ain't pretty on Wall Street right now that's for sure. With Citigroup today announcing major losses during the 4th  quarter and its need to break up and go back to what Citi was before is a sign of what's to come.  The notion of the one-stop banking institution as CitiBank was died today.  The interesting thing about all of this, in my opinion, was that seeing all these banks pop up on every corner in every major city I always asked myself how they would all sustain themselves. Between Wamu, Wachovia, Citibank, BOA, Wells Fargo, PNL it was almost inevitable they would all come crashing down. It's going to be an interesting time for banks for sure.

Listening and reading about Apple CEO Steve Jobs what seems to be deteriorating condition, it amazes me how insensitive the media can be at times.  The first thing that they talk about is the hit on the stock price and the future of Apple.  Well, when Alexander Graham Bell died do you think Bell did? What's now AT&T , the argument people have that Apple won't be as innovative or driven doesn't hold water. Companies go on without their leaders and in the case of Apple and Steve Jobs innovation will trump all concerns whichever way his health turns.

Lastly, that downed US Air plane in NYC yesterday was short of a miracle. Kudos to that pilot and the crew for doing their job and making that landing. It really is incredible and if you don't believe in miracles yesterday's event should make you think twice about it.

Starting today, we'll have daily coverage from Sundance and the SAG's next weekend.  Sprinkle in Paris Fashion Week and the Berlin Film Festival we'll be busy for sure the next few weeks leading up to the Oscars!  

Shaking up the Establishment = Golden Globe Selections

Slum Dog Millionaire, The Wrestler...these are the films that make watching movies worth paying your hard earned dollars for!  These are the movies that a bunch of foreign writers who make up the Hollywood Foreign Press vote on, have an award show called the Golden Globes and tell Hollywood , " No, we won't award your Brad Pitts, Angelina Jolies and Tom Cruise's for our awards."

Rather, they take the always unorthodox approach of awarding the little films that could, the indy that stands out and the stories that tell a story with real people ( no prostethics, no CGI, no stunts) with real problems and emotions. They award actors who come from far reaches of nowhere to a small stage at the Beverly Hilton and make them stars. Some new to town and some so washed up who have found reclamation in all kinds of ways to get it together , put on a perfomance of a lifetime and win an award in front of peers who have written him off and have thought of him as a has been.

These are difficult times for a lot of people and with all this talk about the economy, etc. one fears that movies like the ones mentioned above don't ever get made anymore. Don't get me wrong, for many Americans it's not the end of the world that some small indy film never gets made but for those in the creative communities here and abroad, it means something to someone. It means something to me.

It's why I wake up in the morning and it's why I go to sleep at night with my conscious in tact. I'm not knocking Rosie the Riveter in any way, factories need to keep the production lines going I get it. But it's seeing it homogenize an entire award show or running around like headless chicken in order to get the last piece of the banged up pie only to be tripped up by it's other headless cousin chicken that makes it that much more frustrating for a lot of us.  I don't want you to think that I am a whiny bitch because I am not. I'm just trying to bring some balance to an industry so out of balance it makes me wonder where, when and how it's gonna all shake down. 

But it will. It always does and Elevation Photos will be around to see it.  No doubt about it.....

The numbers game rages on! Sundance Looking weak

  (Brangelina by Mark Savage/Elevation Photos)

Last night, Elevation Photos was the only independent photo agency actually allowed to roam the red carpet at the Critics Choice Awards here in Santa Monica last night.

Thanks to Mark for doing a terrific job after slowly recovering from the flu that seems to be going around!  Thanks Mark you killed it.

Being there myself last night, I am still amazed how much overkill the Getty Vast machine can exert its efforts 10x over with about 5-6 photographers on the carpet, 2-3 behind the line and a team of editors whose numbers would only  be surpassed by Jesus' Last Supper!

If Elevation moved 180+ images from the arrivals last night imagine how many one company moved with up to 10 photographers shooting the same thing! Again, how much is enough, how will it be sustained and when will the publicists say no more, enough really is enough.  Where does everyone's images go from all the agencies there last night. I mean I know where they go but at some point the bean counters will need to evaluate how much their systems can take, what the breaking point will be and how long will the ponzi scheme exist with photographers sending 2,3,4 edits to a bunch of different agencies?  I spoke with a key Publicist the other day and she told me that '09 will be a different animal in terms of handling the press and the need to take back the carpet. I say it couldn't come any sooner and last night helped validate the need for an independent like Elevation Photos to keep pressing the point.

  (Evan Rachel Wood by Mark Savage/Elevation Photos)

In today's WSJ, an interesting article about the lack of quality films at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. The fear is that with the major studios pulling the plug on its independent branches, the money to plunk down indy's is slowly evaporating. On top of a a lack luster cast making up these films, it might be the worst in terms of celebrities makint their way to Main St. Park City. Other than Tom Arnold, what celebrities want to be photographed with swag in an economy like this one?  The NYT wrote a piece today about the public's undying need to jump into the world of celebrities starting with this weekends Golden Globes.  Really? What people did they interview for the article? I'm not sure if I believe it but something tells me a working family of 4 who lost their jobs and homes wouldn't be in the mood to see celebs wearing million dollar dresses on a red carpet. The Times needs to stop asking Upper East Side socialites about what the everyman thinks.

Lastly, we should have decent Globes coverage and I do really need to see Slumdog Millionaire!  It's supposed to be the best of the lot.

Happy New Year and Some 2009 Predictions

 (Anne Hathaway by Steven Henry/Elevation Photos)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

It's great to be back and after having a great time in NY seeing friends and family, getting over a nasty cold, etc my head is screwed on straight and I am ready to dig deep and make 2009 better than last years.

It's true when they say time flies when you're having fun and if running a start up agency in one of the most trying financial atmospheres in the history of our lives doesn't get you fired up I don't know what would. But we continue to move on despite the market and what many have told me wouldn't work I say don't listen to what people tell you won't work and rather focus on what has worked and can grow even deeper roots this year.

It's busy season this time of year for us entertainment folks and tonight in Palm Springs for the film festival right on up through the Oscars it will be a sprint that turns in to an out of breathe marathon. But it's also a time for new talent, old faces and new ideas to come alive again and challenge the entrenched establishment. Because people need to do that always otherwise we would all shop at WalMart and take vacations at Sandals Resorts!

I'm not a belief in palm readers, tarot cards or wizardry of any sort when it comes to predicting the fate of my future or anyone close to me for that matter. The movie Ghost made me never want to seek out any mind readers if you know what I mean ( they don't show that movie enough on TV.) But when it comes to business and our industry I don't mind playing the role of the predicter. And so without further ado, here are my top 10 2009 industry predictions that I believe will happen....

1. Consolidation, Consolidation, Consolidaion ...in honor of the late Tim Russert from Meet the Press.  Our industry needs it 100%

2. AP and Getty will downsize in one way or another ( too much of one thing ruins the bottom line for both companies)

3. More agencies will close rather than open across the board on all platform offerings ( creative, entertainment)

4. Video will be the 2009 play for growth companies to compete while established companies will spend tons of money building up theres

5. Video Stills will become more and more apparent in editorial publications and will balance out all the slashing of editorial pricing in the marketplace

6. Photographers will slowly make the move to buying the new HD/Still cameras and we'll see our first real exclusive in that format break the barriers everyone wants it to break

7. Photo Editors will find a new reason to buck the trend and make selections based on quality and not the price of the image

8. Pap agencies suffer a big hit with public backlash and the unfortunate accident that becomes of a celebrity being pursued

9. One of the major entertainment weekly mags shutters due to the economy

9 1/2.  The Mets win the World Series

10. Corbis holds a press conference and no one shows up

So there you have it.  Take it for what it is but that's what I think might happen.

Elevation Photos is looking forward to another year and thank you for supporting us. These are challenging times for many of us and last but not least, my condolences to the family of Paul Hawthorne in Jersey City, NJ.  Paul was a dear colleague to many of us and he died over the Christmas break.  Not only was he an awesome photographer but a funny guy who loved his wife and children. He and I worked together while we were both at Getty in NY.  Always someone to joke with, Paul was a disciplined military man background who got the job done. God bless you Paul and may all of us look over your family with our hearts and prayers in mind.

To find out more about Paul and the condition he died from go to this link

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39042498549&ref=mf