photography@ual

very useful resources

PhotoPlus Event: Elliott Erwitt and Alec Soth\n\nElliott Erwitt and Alec Soth, two great photographers widely separated by their vision, style, and generations--but sharing a sense of irony, self-effacing wit, and a photo agency (Magnum)-took the stage at New York's Javits Center last night to talk to a packed audience about their work and careers.\n\nPrompted by the moderator Harald Johnson and a projection of some of his most iconic images, Erwitt spoke first, offering a brief, matter-of-fact accounting of his career and work, which he peppered with one-liners.\n\nErwitt is a keen observer of people and dogs, and the absurd things they do. He also has a sharp comic sense of visual timing and juxtaposition. All of that was on display in his slideshow. Describing one image of a dog in jumping straight upwards, Erwitt said, "People ask, Why is he jumping?' It's because I barked. I bark at dogs, they jump."

PhotoPlus Seminar: Boosting Your Web Site's Search Engine Rankings\n\nBlake Discher says the second thing he does when he gets up in the morning is a Google search on "Detroit photographer" to make sure his site comes up first in the search results. If it doesn't, he tweaks the site to re-establish his king-of-the-hill status. His seminar, "Is Your Web Site Doing All It Can to Make You Money?" was all about how to put your own site at the top of search engine rankings. The technical term for it, by the way, is Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

PhotoPlus Seminar: Making a Good Impression on Clients\n\nIf there was a unifying theme to Mary Virginia Swanon's "First Impressions: Selling Yourself in 20 Minutes" seminar today, it was Do Your Homework. Before you approach a photo buyer, photo editor, or gallery owner, Google him or her. Study the publication or ad agency they work for to figure out what photography they're looking for, and make sure your work is a good match (because clients are never impressed by photographers who waste their time).

Here's a nice service for anyone who wants to learn more about copyright law and how it applies to images. The Picture Archive Council of America has posted a free online video seminar by attorney Nancy Wolff. Watch it here. PACA is also making this presentation available on DVD. It is available by contacting the PACA Executive Director at 23046 Avenida de la Carlota, Suite 600, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, or by email: execdirector@pacaoffice.org. The video is part of the Jane Kinne Copyright Education Program, named in memory of the stock agency pioneer who died last year.