[TiJean]

I'm taking a break from sloshing around in InDesign to vent about photography and my job.

I work for a real estate agency that publishes its own magazine. All of the ads are done by myself and one other person. Its not exactly glamourous and between the tight deadlines, bad agent submitted photos, lack of a budget and generally deplorable taste of the people we're doing ads for well... we work very hard to make it as attractive and effective as possible.

I've uploaded a bunch of photos to a shared space to be used as backgrounds, stock photos, magazine covers, or whatever. The other person involved picks out a photo every month and uses it for a cover. Every month, the broker, who hs final say, vetos it and goes for something pulled off iStockphoto for $5. I've been here for over a year and one of my photos has never been used as a cover.

Now, I am not looking for comfort in the form of "awww, you're not a bad photog!" because, let's get real, I know that I'm not so bad that I should not be able to get a photo on the cover of my own company's magazine when the only competition is iStock!

So that's my vent. Feel free to share you won stories of your work gettign no respect because you aren't a "professional" -- which I think is kind of funny in my case since I have and do earn some income from photography.

[OniFactor]

well, if i were you, i'd figure out what makes the photos from istock more useable than your own, and start working on whatever that is. or maybe you could start putting your work on istock, and see how many of your photos he buys, lol

[little laker]

I only see a few IR photographs from you posted on this board. So it's a little tough for me to judge your photo quality.

But I will mention that it's tough to compete with istock in a way.
They never have to worry about paying for royalties, which makes it very appealing for most companies.

I have sold some web sites, and a book author the rights to use some of my work in a project. However I get more advertising than anything out of the deal.
I can usually only charge them what they'd pay the royalty free sites if I want the coin

[Mike Cash]

I'd ask the broker for his frank assessment of where my photo was lacking so that I could try to shoot something more in line with what he wants. If you want your stuff on the cover and he has the say-so, then such an approach is just simple pragmatics.

[patrickt]

First, there is the all-too-common phenomena that no one from around here can be any good. Where I worked, they hired some total losers from somewhere else and never seemed to learn their lesson.

Second, unless you're trying to sell photographs, don't sweat it. Take photos you like.

Third, it's amazing but things happen to alter your photographs. I enjoy taking pictures and donated pictures for charity auctions, and they sold well, but a few months ago the owner of a cafe/gallery asked if I could put up and exhibit of photos. We had some problems getting going and I thought he'd cancel but I hung 14 pictures early in April. It's been a hoot but the really surprising thing was how much more credibility my photos suddenly got.

let's get real, I know that I'm not so bad that I should not be able to get a photo on the cover of my own company's magazine when the only competition is iStock!.

This might be your problem.

[ll_coffee_lP]

As the above posters have already stated...I'd go with a two pronged approach.

1.) Speak to the person who has the final say. Let them know that you are interested in taking shots for the mag cover and ask specifically what they are looking for. The worst thing that could happen is that you get some feedback on what magazine publishers are looking for in their cover shots.

2.) Start posting shots on iStock yourself. Who knows what will happen there....

Good luck!

c[_]

[TiJean]

As the above posters have already stated...I'd go with a two pronged approach.

1.) Speak to the person who has the final say. Let them know that you are interested in taking shots for the mag cover and ask specifically what they are looking for. The worst thing that could happen is that you get some feedback on what magazine publishers are looking for in their cover shots.

2.) Start posting shots on iStock yourself. Who knows what will happen there....

Good luck!

c[_]

I think part of the problem is that this isn't a magazine publisher -- its a real estate broker.

I do need to start posting stuff to iStock though. I've already been approved as a submitter, I've just gotten so busy in the last few months with freelance design stuff that I haven't gotten back to it.

[ll_coffee_lP]

Sorry TiJean...I miss typed that. Either way...ask the source what they want/expect and then proceed. Continuing to guess what they want in the hopes of being recognized is only a exercise in fruition. The worst case scenario is that you will get some feedback on what they are expecting.

Also...your approach is very important. There is a fine line between portraying yourself as being interested in the company and wanting to help it, and you, grow, versus someone who is calling the broker out because they feel they are not being recognized for their efforts.

I wish you the best!

c[_]

[alohadave]

I think part of the problem is that this isn't a magazine publisher -- its a real estate broker.

I do need to start posting stuff to iStock though. I've already been approved as a submitter, I've just gotten so busy in the last few months with freelance design stuff that I haven't gotten back to it.

Check out Photography for Real Estate. It might be able to give you some hints and tips that are specific to Real Estate.

Photography For Real Estate

[NaClH2O]

I think part of the problem is that this isn't a magazine publisher -- its a real estate broker.

<snip>

I am a trained chef. I no longer work in the business but it paid the rent for a dozen years or so. One of the restaurants I worked in was a trendy NYC bistro. The kind of place one frequents to see and be seen. Anyway the owner of this joint was a lawyer. His idea of "good taste" was an Armani suit. He wouldn't have known a well presented plate unless Martha Stewart said it was. The guy you work for probably wouldn't know a good appropriate photograph if one came and bummed a dime off him. I don't know what you can do, all I can say is I did what I had to to keep my job and at the same time realized that I wouldn't get any kind of pat on the back from the owner. It wasn't that he was stupid, it was just that he had absolutely zero food sense.

NaCl(eventually everyone went someplace else to "see and be seen" and the joint folded)H2O