Friday, August 10, 2007

Don't Worry, Just Focus. Please.

Chase delivers a sharply worded intervention. I agree totally and have been saying so for years. I see it everywhere... whining and whimpering about pricing, competition and the seemingly endless legions of amateurs "lowering prices".

And yet, PDN is thicker than ever, pricing for gear keeps going up (not a sign of a failing industry) and there are more and more incredible images being made daily.

What is so interesting to me is how many photographers seem frozen and uninterested in the changing landscape. I wonder at how many shooters end up spending thousands on Flash only websites and then wonder why no one is finding them. How many pros don't have blogs, or Flickr's or participate in forums... or do anything that would be stepping into the new business fracas. In my town I offered a free seminar on the many ways to get visitors and be viral... sort of a 'welcome to Web 2.0 for Photogs'. I had only 1 person say they would be interested.

However, many of the photogs they are worried about are doing the things that are distinctly 2007... viral marketing, social networks, search friendly sites, blogs, and more. But, alas, it is so much easier to simply stand in one place and complain. Read the whole thing...
Chase Jarvis Blog: Don't Worry, Just Focus. Please.: "Please don't take this too harshly: Being attuned to market trends in our industry is one thing (something I advocate and something that's crucial to good business), but to think that the industry is dying at the hands of point and shoot amateurs is straight up wack and completely baseless."

1 comment:

ericrudd said...

Thank you. I totally agree. I've been seeing this attitude in recording engineers for the last 15 years. (I have been one my entire adult career).

It's taken me until I am now in my early 40's to realize that no one will value you more than you value yourself. I've heard that expression a thousand times, it's just now sunk in.

"Shut up and focus."
New bumper sticker?

I hope we have a chance to chat some time. I enjoy your work, outlook, writing, and your love of music.

Respectfully,

Eric Rudd
Radio producer, audio engineer, part time photographer and soccer coach, full-time parent, all in Bloomington, Indiana