The Real Deal

In an age where everyone on the face of the planet can produce at least one picture of Photobucket quality with their pocket computer, also known as iPhone or Galaxy S29, or whatever the latest iteration of the device used least for making actually voice contact with other members of the same species is at the time you read this post, a site for photography as art may seem, and in fact, may be, a bit anachronistic. But I say, to quote the great and late John Pinette, “Nay, nay.” Photography in its elemental and elevated form is not the lucky shot or well-framed Instagram pic, but is instead the pursuit of thoughtful composition that can and should evoke thought and emotion. Pretty is not enough – though it may pay the bills for the working photographer.

That being said, play for pay is a decent business model, especially if the artist wants a modicum of validation. It’s not easy getting paid these days, though, for the reason alluded to in the first paragraph. There’s so much content available today and it’s so easily accessible and the consumers of that content are largely indiscriminate that the attainment of artistic “valour” has again become a niche province. In other words, if an image can stand on its own and say something to the viewer other than, “Ooooh, look at all the pretty colours . . .”, then it has a chance to endure. And if those images say, in a particular way, that there’s more of the same feeling to be projected from the same artist, then there’s demand. The demand may come from a tiny pie-slice of visual cognoscenti, but that’s the audience. Not everybody likes the Blues, but there’s no doubt who’s playing Wang Dang Doodle.

I sell use rights but never the outright copyright. My work is my work. That may be my hoarding nature, but imagine Ansel Adams selling you the copyright to  ‘The Tetons and Snake River’. It might seem cool to be able to throw that image around as your own, because, after all, you bought all the rights. But those that understand and feel the art know it’s Ansel Adams’ work and will laugh, heartily, I say, at you. Now, I ain’t no Ansel Adams, as he is a G-d, but I ain’t chopped liver neither, and my creation is unique and to those that matter, speaks. If not for you, then you’re not my audience and you can go watch Netflix or something.

So, as a prospective client, how should you take this? Simple. If I do your project, I do it my way, with your direction, of course, because although I’m a ‘Creative’, I sincerely believe in collaboration. So, I will try to give you what you are trying to achieve BUT if I can’t tickle your very particular taste buds that shouldn’t mean that I’m a bad, bad person. It just means that our tastes and vision differ. And that’s perfectly fine because sometimes, the customer is absolutely, thoroughly and finally, wrong.

There are public-facing images on this site plus another set of portfolios that show specific commercial work that you can ask to see if it’s applicable to your needs. Here’s a form you can fill out: