Release This

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Why do fax machines still exist?

I suspect it’s because of the non-stop flood of press releases sent everyday to newspapers and other publications. E-mailed releases exist but these risk being redirected into an editor’s junk folder or getting lost in the deluge of other e-mails that an editor receives each day.

For some (most?) publications, press releases are a blessing. They are a source of free content and who doesn’t love free?

Smart businesses, public relations agencies and other marketing companies should be taking advantage of the weak economy which is forcing all newspapers to cut back. Now is the time to produce quality, newsworthy and timely releases for their business or clients.
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A word to the wise

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With huge apologies to Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich who wrote the 1997 column later made famous by Baz Luhrmann.

 

If I were to address the graduating class from a photojournalism school here in Canada, it might go like this:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, autofocus would be it. The benefits of autofocus have been proven by photographers, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

Enjoy the technology and power of your current camera model. There’s no need to always upgrade to the latest gear. Oh, never mind. You won’t fully appreciate the capabilities of your camera until it’s long obsolete. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at your photos from today and recall in a way you can’t grasp now, how much possibility lay in your hands and how amazing that camera really was.
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Best Photo Sayings

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With a business seemingly based on “we can’t pay you but you’ll get a credit line” and “I can buy my own camera for that price”, who says photographers don’t have a sense of humour?

Some funny-because-it’s-true photography sayings:

My sensor is bigger than yours

Film is a four-letter word

My other camera is a Leica

If all else fails . . . Photoshop!

I brake for photo ops

I’d back up my hard drive if I knew how to put it in reverse.

If at first you don’t succeed, reformat.

Power corrupts. Buy a surge protector.

Trust me, I’m a photographer.

If you’re not in focus, you’re in the way.

I’d rather be taking pictures

A bad day of photography beats a good day of working

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Say Cheese

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So who doesn’t love having their picture taken?

Getting your “official” portrait taken usually starts when you’re one day old, courtesy of the hospital photographer.

This is followed by thirteen years of annual school pictures. Although some grade schools now have “picture day” three times per year.

If you played sports or were involved in any other organized activity when you were young then you had probably many more official pictures.

When you add graduation and prom pictures, driver’s licence photos, passport pictures and maybe even a few police mug shots :-) then you’ve had a lot of official portraits made. And many of those probably had fake, forced smiles.
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Sure thing or lottery ticket

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Since I’m on this “cheap” rant:

A while ago, a local Toronto business e-mailed and asked for a quote to shoot some public relations photos to be used mostly as media handouts. I quoted about $2,600 (photography spread over two days, assistant, post-processing, expenses, taxes) and didn’t hear back from that business.

“Oh well,” I thought, “I guess I didn’t get that job.”

Then about a month later, the same company called and asked when I might be available.
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Cheap Photographer

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A couple of months ago, I got a phone call from the photo editor at one of the largest newspapers in Canada. He wanted “magazine-style” portraits of a business person here in Toronto. The photo editor said he required six different looks each with different lighting and a variety of backgrounds.

Best part of all? Not only was he willing to pay $150 but he would also pay mileage!


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Canadian Freelance Union

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If you are an “independent media worker”, which is a terrible, politically-correct-sounding phrase, then this may be of interest.

The Canadian Freelance Union (CFU) (CEP Local 2040) is starting up with the support of  the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP).

The CFU is a child of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union. The CEP is one of Canada’s largest unions, with over 160,000 members across the country. The CEP is also Canada’s largest media union, with over 25,000 workers already part of the organization. It is this existing strength that the CFU hopes to build on.

There are some freelance unions in Europe. In Canada, there is the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) which includes CBC freelancers. The CMG has negotiated freelance issues into the CBC collective agreement.

While I think the CFU will be accepted by a couple of larger media outlets, in these economic times, I wonder if this will be a case of too little, too late.

Had this union started 20 years ago, when times were good, then it would be in a good position today. It’s always a tough slog trying to build a shelter during the storm.

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