Photography Business

In the past few months I have supplied images to a few different publications. For those interested in how landscape photographs are being used or what types of outdoor photographs are needed, both commercially and editorially, I thought I would share a selection of recently published images. In addition to the publications shown here, my images have also recently been licensed for use in websites, greeting cards, calendars and hotel interior design. I specialize in dramatic landscape photography as well as unique scenic and lifestyle images from the Rogue Valley and greater southern Oregon region. I have targeted my reach toward markets that are looking for high quality images in those niches, specifically photography magazines, lifestyle magazines, real estate agencies, higher education, hotels and retirement communities, medical and health clinics and nature publishers. Licensing my own images for publication is just one of the revenue streams for my business, but it has become one of the greater pieces of the puzzle in the last couple of years.

In 2009 Jeanne Pickens, the marketing director for Rogue Federal Credit Union, contacted me looking for professional photographs of the southern Oregon region to be used in an exciting new marketing campaign. She needed inspiring iconic images of southern Oregon to be used during the launch of their newest branch office in Medford, Oregon and to completely re-invent their company branding. In the past several months, she and I have worked together to find just the right images in my collection for their project.

The Rogue Federal Credit Union marketing plan has been an extensive undertaking for Jeanne and her team and has been met with critical acclaim and public appreciation. To date, my images have been used in a wide variety of marketing and branding materials including large wall murals, calendars, greeting cards, video terminals, credit and debit cards and vehicle wraps.

Curious about the creative process behind the re-branding effort and how Jeanne and her team went about finding and selecting the images that would support their concept, I interviewed Jeanne to gain some insight. Following are my questions and Jeanne's responses.

[Sean]: The Rogue Federal Credit Union marketing campaign is very impressive. Tell me a little about the concept your team came up with and the types of images that you were looking for.

[Jeanne]: Rogue began to go through the rebranding process in 2008. It began with extensive research on defining who and what Rogue stands for. One of the results of that research was a tagline, which is “Living Local … it’s a ROGUE thing!” At Rogue Federal Credit Union we get it, we know why Southern Oregon is such a great place to live and many of those reasons can be communicated through the images captured by Sean Bagshaw. We knew we wanted to communicate our brand through local imagery and when we set out to find a photographer that was in line with what Rogue stands for we hit a home run when we discovered Sean. We define “Living Local” as actively engaging in life here locally experiencing all that Southern Oregon has to offer. The big bold photographs of local landmarks carry this primary position and allows for us to connect with a broader target audience of why Southern Oregon is so special. It also communicates the fact that we are local and as a result builds trust within the community.

[Sean]: How did you go about finding the images that you needed for the campaign? Had you heard about my photography before you started or did you come across it as part of your image search? If you did an image search, where did you look?

[Jeanne]: We were searching for only Local photographers because part of our brand is only doing business with local businesses if at all possible. In our search we came across several local photographers, but Sean’s images definitely stood out amongst the crowd. Our search was done exclusively online.

[Sean]: What kinds of placements and products are you using images in for this marketing campaign?

[Jeanne]: Where aren’t we using Sean’s amazing images? We started with the use of the images with the merchandising of our new branch located in North Medford, from there we have redesigned business cards, our debit and credit cards used by our members, membership cards, wrapping the corporate vehicles, brochures, promotional pieces, calendars, branch stretched canvas images, and many other branches have been rebranded as well. Any branch you go in, you can find pieces of Sean’s work.

[Sean]: I heard that Rogue Federal Credit Union won an award related to this marketing campaign. Tell me about that.

[Jeanne]: Rogue entered our debit and credit card designs into a national competition for credit unions called the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council. We won first place for our new card design in our asset category. We were very excited to win this award because it is a reflection of the brand we have developed and is a prestigious award for credit unions.

[Sean]: How has the public response to your photography based marketing materials been? Has it had the desired impact?

[Jeanne]: We receive compliments literally on a daily basis. Members love our new brand position in that we are supporting local and improving the communities in which we all live. With a new brand it takes some time to resonate, but our members and community have been very receptive and complimentary to our position we are taking!

I recently gave a talk at the Ashland Art Center in which I shared some of the things I have picked up while pursuing a career as a photographer and being in the business of photography. It was requested that I put those thoughts down in writing for people to access here on my blog.

Many photographers, as well as other types of artists, have dreams about turning their art into a business and a profession as I did. The reality is that a creative mind and the demands of running a business often don't mesh conveniently or successfully. The skills of an artist don't necessarily foster business success, and operating in a business mode can be a killer for artistic creativity.

My previous career was as a science teacher. When I left teaching to pursue photography full time I had some skill as a photographer (although looking back now it doesn't seem like much), but I knew next to nothing about managing and owning a business, especially a photography business. Six years later can't claim to be a great business mind, but I feel like I have learned from my trials and errors and so far my business is growing. I take that as a sign of luck, but also of getting some things right.

One of the most important things for anyone considering photography as a career is to be realistic about your goals. Do you want to make a little money from your photography to help pay for equipment and travel, or perhaps see one of your images published from time to time? Or do you intend for photography to be your soul source of income? I see a lot of people who treat photography like a hobby even though they wish it would generate income like a full time job. If your plan is to make a living, then you can't approach it like something you do just for fun in your spare time.

I haven't necessarily built my photography career with perfect execution, but a few things have worked out pretty well. I wouldn't say that my approach would work for everyone, but I think there have been a few things that have lead to me getting as far as I have. Take them for what they are worth.

• I didn't jump in without setting aside the time and financial means to build my business over several years.
  • • Photography businesses like mine require many years to establish. My brother opened a bike shop and had customers from day one because he had a previous following from working in other bike shops, he had a physical storefront and he provides a needed service. When I started in photography I didn't have any of these things.
    • Before I left my teaching career my wife and I developed a five year plan and made sure we had the financial means to both invest in the start of my company and sustain the family for that period of time. I didn't know how long it would take to start seeing a profit from photography, but five years ended up being a pretty good gamble.

• I constantly, honestly and critically assess the quality of my photography and compare it to what other top professionals are producing.
  • • In the beginning I was too naive and uninformed, and I thought my photography was better than it was. Now I try to be brutally honest with myself.
    • I push myself to constantly improve and create work at the highest level. Over time I want to develop a style in my photography that will set my work apart from others.
    • I find it important to continually study the work of others, practice, learn, innovate, experiment, search for my vision, shake things up, and get criticized.

• I put in a full day of work every day and maintain a strong and focused work ethic.
  • • Being self employed was hard at first. I had to learn to organize my day and stay focused. It has been essential to set a strict work schedule for myself. Any illusions I had that self employed photographers work 4 hour days and take relaxing photography vacations quickly went away.
    • While I have more control over when I work, the total number of hours I work is greater than in any other job I have done. Fortunately I really like it.

• I attempt to learn all that I can about doing business as an outdoor photographer.

• • • I read everything I can get my hands on that pertains to being successful as a photographer. There are many books written on the topic, but I find blogs and forums often have the most relevant and current information.
    • I network with other outdoor photographers and we share ideas and information.
    • I go to conferences and do other professional development when I can.
    • My collaboration with with the other photographers on the Photo Cascadia team has been very valuable in exchanging professional insights.

• I make as many connections as I can in my area of the business.
  • • I submit my work to magazines, publishers, stock agencies, art consultants and photo buyers. I email, call, introduce, hand shake, visit, attend and network.

• I look for multiple sources of revenue.
  • • My original, sadly simplistic business plan was to sell ten $300 prints a month. That seemed like an easy way to make a $36,000 annual salary. However, that didn't factor in expenses and overhead. It also didn't take into account the fact that selling that many prints as a starting, unknown, marginally talented photographer proved to be far more difficult than I thought. Then, right as I began establishing myself and selling more prints, the economy tanked.
  • • Now I have expanded my income sources. I bring in small portions of my overall income from print sales and stock licensing through my website, publishing in magazines, teaching workshops, architectural photography assignments, gallery sales, art consultant representation and stock agency representation. Posters, cards, calendars, books, iPhone apps and ebooks are other potential sources of income.

• I have invested a great deal of time and money in my website so that it has function, content and search engine visibility. My website is the main way people find my photography. I currently have between 3,000 and 5,000 monthly visits to my website. While that's quite a bit more than the average photography portfolio site, I'd like to have 30,000 visits a month.

• I have worked to develop a fan base and name recognition through a variety of means.
  • • The advent of digital photography has allowed a vast number of people to become excellent photographers. There is so much great photography available that good photography alone won't get you noticed. This is where a fan base, word of mouth and name recognition come in handy.
    • I spend a lot of time spreading the word through social media (blogging, Facebook, Twitter), press releases, branding, public exhibitions, contributing to online photography forums and speaking to groups and organizations. It all helps put my photography and my name in the eyes and minds of the public.

• I share my time and knowledge. I like to share what I know and I owe a lot to people who shared their knowledge with me. Many doors have been opened by my willingness to share. I don't have any secrets and I reply to every photography related email that comes in.
  • • My blog, the Photo Cascadia blog, my Facebook page and Twtitter are places that I regularly share photographs, information, techniques and locations.

• I place a high value on my work and charge what I think it is worth.
  • • I have studied stock image pricing and negotiation as well as wholesale and retail fine art print pricing.
    • It is tempting to sell/license work for next to nothing just to get a sale, but once you set your standards and prices low, it is hard to raise them.
    • I consider my cost of doing business in determining my prices. It's only a successful business if you can cover your expenses and salary.

• I don't take work that doesn't help me toward my professional goals.
  • • Early on I took any paying job that required a camera. Eventually I realized that unless I planned to make weddings, portraits, pets or sporting events the main focus of my photography business then taking jobs in those areas was only taking away from the time I needed to spend establishing myself as an outdoor photographer.
    • At this point all my focus goes into just two areas of photography: outdoor/travel and architecture...and I need to spend more time marketing my architectural photography if it is going to continue being profitable.

So, I don't think I have shared any great discoveries here, just some things that have brought me to where I am. Hopefully there is something there that helps you, motivates you or brings you to the realization that photography is best left as fulfilling a hobby. I'll keep working at my own business and in another six years I hope I can share a whole new list of things I have learned.

If you have questions or helpful ideas to add, feel free to leave a comment or send me your thoughts.

Last week a team of Pacific Northwest photographers, including myself, launched the website for and officially announced our group photography project called Photo Cascadia. The launch of Photo Cascadia was met with excitment and interest from friends, colleagues and the photography enthusiast community in general. If you missed it, you can read my previous post for the basic introduction to the Photo Cascadia team.

The launch of Photo Cascadia also generated some great discussion and several questions about the future plans of the group. Group founder, Adrian Klein, has posted answers to the most common questions about the group that we have recieved to date. Perhaps they are questions that are on your mind as well. Questions include:

• There are few groups out there already that have collaborated on websites and other efforts in relation to Nature Photography.  What makes your team different and how was it started?
• Why is the Photo Cascadia team all males? Where are the female photographers?
• Does the Photo Cascadia team have Photo Cascadia specific workshops available?
• How can I buy fine art prints of images I see in the Photo Cascadia galleries?
• When will the Photo Cascadia team have additional products available for purchase such as calendars, books, cards, etc?

Read Adrian's Q&A for answers to these questions and to submit any other questions you might have about Photo Cascadia.

I am very proud and honored to be a member of Photo Cascadia, a group of talented photographers from the Pacific Northwest who are now pooling their vision, knowledge and imagery to inspire others to learn, create and explore. The group includes Kevin McNeal, David Cobb, Chip Phillips, Adrian Klein, Zack Schnepf and myself. I am very privileged to be associated with such accomplished and creative individuals who are helping to push the boundaries and recreate the art of outdoor photography.

This is our announcement video that is being released around the web:

Photo Cascadia Announcement Video

You can also visit the Photo Cascadia website to learn more about the group, view our photography and access the blog and workshop schedule.

So, what exactly is Photo Cascadia? Photo Cascadia is a team of six of the Northwest’s best outdoor photographers who were brought together by their mutual passion for pushing the envelope in creating powerful fine art photographs of the natural world. Photo Cascadia forms a platform from which we can have a meeting of the minds and a way to a share our imagery, knowledge, experience and vision. Our goals are to promote conservation, provide learning opportunities for aspiring photographers, be a valuable resource for publishers, photo buyers and photographer colleagues and to share our photographs with a large and growing audience of like minded adventurers, nature lovers, photography appreciators and art collectors.

We see great potential in the future of our collaboration. To start, Photo Cascadia will be a source of photography instruction and a place to be inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape and the need for conservation. The blog already contains a wealth of photography information and all six of us will continue to share our knowledge and passion there. The workshops and photo tours offered by members of Photo Cascadia provide another way for enthusiasts to improve their photography skills and visit some of the most spectacular wild and scenic locations in the Northwest and around the country. You can also connect with Photo Cascadia on Facebook and Flickr.

I'm looking forward to a great adventure as a member of this exciting group. I hope you will find Photo Cascadia a place to access helpful information, get inspired, appreciate natural wonder or just take a break from your day to enjoy some breath taking photography.

Social networking is quickly surpassing more
traditional means of communicating and
sharing ideas and information on the web,
such as email and bulletin boards. In the
month since I started the official Sean
Bagshaw Photography page on facebook the
number of fans (facebook's term, not mine)
has grown to nearly 900 with members from every part of
the world. Facebook is an efficient way for
me to quickly share Outdoor Exposure Photography information, new
photos, photography tips and signed print
give-aways, much more efficient than my blog
or newsletters. Best of all, it provides a
platform for fans to participate by posting
their own thoughts, tips, questions and
photos.

Click here to follow my photography on facebook.

Twitter is a social networking site that I'm
just starting to experiment with. The idea
is that I can use twitter to post very short
dispatches from the field, photo tips of the
day and random thoughts from the day in the
life of an outdoor photographer.

Click here to follow me on Twitter.

One of the groups of photo buyers that I market my photography to is professional and commercial office spaces such as law offices, medical clinics, dentists, banks, financial services, educational institutions and commercial buildings. The following are some helpful tips to consider when selecting photographs to decorate a professional office or commercial space.

• Choosing a theme for a photography collection helps create continuity and flow. A theme might include a subject, such as mountain landscapes. It could also be a color palette, patterns, abstracts or something more conceptual, such as grandeur, grace or simplicity.

• Simple, bold composition and abstracts can create a contemporary and sophisticated environment, while grand landscapes, colorful nature scenes and dramatic lighting provide a sense of place and visual intrigue while bringing the outdoors in. Intimate scenes, florals and close ups can provide a sense of peace and well being.

• Arranging photos on the wall in groups can help break up a large space and allow groups of images to tell a visual story.

• Wide mattes and frames create a neutral zone around the image that draws the eye inward toward the image and sets it apart from the wall. Narrower frames and mattes provide a window on the world feel and allow the image to speak for itself.

• Colored walls and frame/matte combinations that bring out colors in the print or in the interior décor, help the photos stand out and help tie the room together.

• Consider non traditional way of presenting photography. The current technology in photographic printing allows for a wide variety of print media and display options in addition to the traditional framed photographic print. Photos can now be printed on canvas, vinyl, fine art paper, linen, metal and transparent or translucent surfaces. Photographs can also be printed to wallpaper media and applied directly to the wall surface to create stunning and unique wall murals.

• The Internet is an amazing resource for finding the right photography. Photographers are now able to market their work to a world wide audience through personal websites and on line photo agencies and forums. Photography buyers and collectors can easily access, browse and order prints right from their computers.

Distinctive contemporary professional office spaces including the lobbies of businesses , medical clinics, hospitals, law offices and financial services offices benefit from carefully planned interior design and décor. One hallmark of a well appointed office is original artwork. One way that high end professional and commercial offices put forward an image of sophistication, intellect and prosperity is by incorporating a collection of fine art within the interior design of their public spaces.

The right photography can very visually distinctive, and offer a wide range of choices in subject, color, style and mood. Landscape and nature images can also provide a powerful counterpoint to the urban office setting, bringing the outdoors in and helping to create a serene, peaceful atmosphere. The best part is that it is often possible to decorate an entire office with original, signed photography for the price of a single original painting from an established painter.

The office pictured in this blog was completely decorated with my images (www.OutdoorExposurePhoto.com) for less than $6,000 including framing. This cost would be what you could expect to pay for a single piece of art when considering other fine art forms.

Interior decorators, designers and art consultants can be a critical component in selecting, framing, hanging and lighting a fine art photography collection so that it has the intended visual impact and properly compliments the rest of the interior design. In addition, they will often have contacts with top photographers and will be able to provide samples of high quality imagery.

While a fine art photographic print is still my favorite way to enjoy great photography, technology is rapidly changing the ways it is possible to view, access and share art. The images that move and excite us no longer have to be confined to a wall or the pages of a book. I love to share my photographs and want people to be able to access them in a way that best suits their needs and purpose. A large fine art print will always be available to those who have the resources and space, but size, cost and location are no longer limiting factors to accessing photography and other visual art.

The iPhone is one of the most innovative pieces of technology to recently come on the scene. It can be very valuable as a tool for communication and storing and accessing information, but it also has great potential in entertainment, education and access to media and imagry, includinig art.

I recently partnered with the folks at Open Door Network in creating an iPhone application of my photography. The application is like a collection of slide shows that allow iPhone users to have a portable art gallery of my photographs right in their pockets. Photographs in the Outdoor Exposure for iEnvision app are organized into three collections including Landscape, Nature and Travel. Landscape includes photos of canyons, deserts, forest, lakes, mountains, oceans, streams and waterfalls. Nature displays abstracts, fall color, flowers, trees and winter. Travel takes you to Hawaii, Mexico and Nepal.

In addition to viewing the gallery shows, the images can also be saved for use as iPhone wallpaper and each image links to the Outdoor Exposure Photography website for more information.

Open Door Network's flagship iEnvision web image browser, as well as their line of Envi iPhone image applications access and organize images from the Web into fun to view and share slide shows for the iPhone. Other iEnvision "Envi" apps include Art, Earth, Space, Mountain and Yosemite.

Gripped perpetually by subfreezing temperatures and cloaked by five massive glaciers, the world famous mountain known as Denali (“the Great One”) beckons intrepid mountaineers from around the world. With a summit peak that is 20,320 feet above sea level, Denali (also known as Mount McKinley) is the highest peak in North America. An aspect that is painfully evident to climbers is that the peak rises 18,000 feet from its base (which is 6,000 feet more than Everest rises above its base, the Tibetan Plateau). There is also a higher risk of altitude illness for climbers than its altitude would otherwise suggest, due to its high latitude. It all adds up to a long and merciless climb to reach the summit, where climbers can encounter temperatures as low as -100 degrees below freezing.

So, you might ask, “What’s the big attraction?” I'll be answering that questions and others as I present my multi-media program, “Above The Shadow Lands“ on Wednesday evening, March 4th, at The Stage Door Coffee House in Mt. Shasta. The presentation will focus on the story of my second ascent of the mountain in 2005.

In 1998 I climbed Denali as part of a six person team. It was a great adventure, but we had a few difficulties. The size of the group was a challenge and the weather kept us on the mountain for three weeks. In 2005 I went back with my climbing partner, Brock. Better conditions, more experience and an efficient two person team made for smoother ascent. However, I still almost didn't make it.

Climbing Denali is one of the hardest things I have ever done twice. The route we climbed isn't particularly technical and I'm not a great climber. However, the mountain is big and cold. Setting the goal and then preparing for and experiencing everything it takes to live, survive and reach the summit in that harsh environment made it an enormously powerful and rewarding experience...both times.

This program is presented by the Mt. Shasta Trail Association. Admission is by donation at the door, and guests are encouraged to have dinner at The Stage Door previous to the program.

Stage Door Coffee House, 414 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd.
Wednesday evening, March 4th, 7pm.
More information: 926-5966