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Eight tips for lousy photo coverage

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The press release was sent out last week, the big day has finally arrived and now photographers are showing up to cover your news event. Here are eight tips to help guarantee failure:

1) Hold the event in the darkest location possible. Why waste money on lighting? Photographers can always use a flash or they can do something with Photoshop. 

Another money-saving tip: use the smallest room possible.

2) When photographers arrive at your event, make them wait awhile. Sure, the press release said that it would happen at 1:00 pm but we all know these things never start on time. Besides, photographers have nothing else to do except cover your event.
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How to Avoid Digital Disaster

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Currently in the news, here in Toronto, is the story of a hospital patient who had a family laptop stolen from his room. The laptop contained three years worth of irreplaceable photos of the patient’s granddaughter who recently died. The family is pleading for the return of the digital pictures.

(Added May 13: Updated story: laptop recovered but hard drive erased.)

In the days of film, people had no choice but to get prints made from their negatives. But in today’s digital world, many people keep their pictures only on the memory card in their camera or cell phone. This is always a huge mistake. Prints are not often made these days, as photos are usually viewed only on a device’s LCD screen. This, too, is always a mistake.
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Dressing For The Part

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You’re at a business conference. People are dressed in a variety of ways—some in business formal, others in business casual, some in jeans and t-shirts, and a few in beachwear. Which group catches your attention?

The people in beachwear will certainly stand out, but probably for all the wrong reasons. Those dressed in jeans and t-shirts will appear sloppy next to those in business attire. Business casual always looks appropriate and is universally appreciated. Business formal may seem a bit over the top, but it commands respect and admiration.
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Just Saying

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Nothing to do with photography or business practices, and way off-topic but:

1) For the upcoming G8 and G20 Summits in Canada this June, the federal government states that security screening will be performed by “competent authorities”.  What? As opposed to the usual incompetent authorities?

2) Canadian phone company Bell has increased its interest rate to 42.58%. This not only proves that Bell is in the business of gouging consumers but also that it leads the Canadian corporate race to becoming a loan shark. (The Canadian legal definition of loan sharking is 60% interest.) Credit card companies and banks are probably wondering how Bell gets away with this.
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Defining Expectations

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How do you define the term “professional photographer”? The common answer is that a professional photographer is someone who gets paid to take pictures.

Of course that’s wrong.

There are many people who get paid for taking photos and they’re nowhere near professional, either in the quality of their work or the quality of their business, assuming they even have a business. Also, a good photographer is not necessarily a professional photographer.
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The Science of Buying Photography

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We’ve all heard the phrase “path of least resistance.” In nature, (and that includes us humans), when given the choice, the path of least resistance will always be chosen first. The path of least resistance is the path that leads to a destination that’s good enough.

This path can vary from person to person, depending on the situation at hand. For example:

For a cup of coffee, one person might walk to the next-door 7-Eleven store. It’s quick, the coffee is cheap, it’s good enough for right now.

Another person who wants something more flavourful and made-to-order, “good enough” means they may have no choice but to go several blocks for an expensive Starbucks coffee. More resistance involved but they deserve that coffee.

For someone who needs even more, they might drive a distance to a fancy hotel café which serves coffee in a fashionable location. Much higher resistance but being seen in that expensive restaurant will enhance this person’s reputation.

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How to mess up a simple photo op

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It never ceases to amaze me how some companies, even very large corporations, can bungle a simple photo op and totally sabotage its media coverage. This always ends with a “what were they thinking?”

Yesterday, Husky Energy barred the media from its annual general meeting in Calgary (updated story here). This story was picked up around the world in both news and business publications. What should’ve been a routine business story with a routine photo of its CEO, turned into the loud negative headline: “Husky Energy bars reporters from annual meeting”.

Of course, there were photos of Husky personnel blocking the doorway to the meeting and security escorting photographers off the property. The security guard picture was also picked up around the world.

Great PR move, folks!
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