Photographer's Survival Guide: How to Build and Grow a Successful Business by Amanda Sosa Stone, Amanda Stone, Suzanne Sease

Product Details

Synopsis

Practical, real-world advice for commercial photographers

At last, a down-to-earth, no-nonsense guide that provides guidance and tools for all levels of photographers–from those just starting out to those who want to move to the next level. Turn to this book for ready-to-use guidance on navigating the ins and outs of the industry, including:

• Establishing a recognizable style that is all your own
• Creating a website and portfolio, including costs, selecting images, and working with a designer
• Building, buying, and using contact lists and databases; creating e-mail blasts and printed promotions; and person-to-person meetings with buyers
• Estimating, bidding, and negotiating your fee
• Doing the job: prep work, the actual shoot, post-production, and billing
• Understanding the stock photography business

The book considers those uncomfortable "What do I do?" moments and presents tips from industry insiders, including how they make buying decisions.

The Photographer’s Survival Guide is also a resource that lists portfolio makers, website builders, printers, and database services, as well as deadlines for important photography contests. An appendix explains usage terms the savvy photographer must understand.


The accompanying CD contains 21 invaluable forms and templates–for an annual budget, a database of contacts, estimate and invoice forms, releases, terms and conditions, and more–that photographers can download.

Biography

SUZANNE SEASE and AMANDA SOSA STONE are consultants to photographers on creative and business aspects of their careers. Sease has been an art buyer for the Martin Agency and Kaplan-Thaler, working with such clients as Capitol One, Clairol Herbal Essence, and AFLAC. Sosa Stone worked with industry icon Elyse Weissberg and was the photo editor for Weissberg’s Successful Self-Promotion for Photographers, before becoming an art buyer for FCBNY. Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa Stone travel around North America presenting a seminar that gave rise to this book. Sease lives and works in Richmond, Virginia; Sosa Stone in Orlando, Florida.