Category Archives: Business

Aerial, Blog, Business, Lightroom 5, location shoot, photography, San Diego, Solar, Uncategorized, work

Going solar?

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According to the UT San Diego is ranked #2 in the nation for solar. We put solar on our home a few years ago and our electric bill for last year was $176. Protecting the environment, saving our budget.

San Diego County ranks No. 2 in the nation for solar
trailing only Honolulu for installed solar power, per capita

Solar installations which add to job growth are a key part of the city of San Diego’s climate action plan that aims to achieve 100 percent renewable energy use citywide by 2035.

Details: Photos are from commissioned projects. Camera, Nikon D600 and D810 and a Phantom 4 drone.

Architecture, ART, Blog, Business, career, Kansas, location shoot, personal, photography, Travel

Is Diversity Good for the Career?

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0010600147I just spent the week going thru my Hawaii archives….and I came across a folder from a trip back home a couple years ago. Not sure where it is exactly, sometimes I just drive.  As a documentary photographer I’m drawn to places like this, to get a glimpse into our past.  I think then I’m partially a historian.

But in my day to day life I promote myself as a architectural and corporate photographer.  Can I do both?  Not if I want the big boys to take me serious.  This was a concept I struggled with mighty in the past.  I was trained as a photojournalist.  As such you had to learned to be good in several specialties.  The more diverse, the more value you were to the editorial brand.  I took pride in being able to venture into unknown situations and produce, it’s what we did.

As a “commercial” photographer the more you specialize, the more value you bring to the table, the more you can charge.  The perception is that your image as a specialist will bring more value to their product, brand and reputation.  It isn’t always who is the best image maker, who is perceived as such.

In my financial portfolio, I diversify, as a business owner I’m an Architectural Photographer (and don’t tell anyone, a darn good documentary, travel and corporate one also).

My work:  http://www.zwink.com  My editorial archives:  http://www.bigstudioz.com

Business, career, family, friends, Guest Blogger, photography

Are you an unsuspecting Mentor?

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KevinThe following is a blog on the Asmp.org site by my good friend, Kevin Lock who I’ve known a long time.  His blog post was part of a series about other photographers that had an effect on their careers and lives.  Here’s Kevin’s story.

Fellow photographer. Mentor. Friend.

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 09:01 PM PDT

[by Kevin Lock]

I met my mentor in college and didn’t even know it.

While attending San Diego State, I took my first ‘paying’ photographic job at the Daily Aztec.  After only being on staff for a few weeks I attended a slide show presentation on Somalia, presented by a photojournalist whom had begun the rocky transition from newspaper photographer to freelance.  After the presentation I ran down the photographer and interviewed him for an hour or so.  I had no idea at the time how profoundly this photographer would affect my career and how quickly.  I had just picked up my second job. Assistant.

Over the years my relationship with this photographer grew.  My photographic career metamorphosed.  He introduced me to his fellow photographers which led to new jobs, I mastered the art of being his gopher, dark room technician, second shooter, digital retoucher, studio manager, problem solver, occasional house sitter, and in time, business partner.  This ever evolving relationship has taken us on photographic adventures across the country and to a few international destinations.

It was with his encouragement that I joined the ASMP in 2003.   I attended a few board meetings and then he pushed me to run for president of my local chapter. After 2 years as president and as I approach my final year on the national board, I can’t help but think how differently things would be for me today had a photographer not taken interest in my journey and taken the time to help me succeed over the years.

Joel Zwink,  I thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and your friendship.

Kevin Lock is a current director of the ASMP.    While Kevin and Joel joined the ASMP at different times, they both continue to give back to their community by being photographers, helping photographers in San Diego and in a town near you.

 

Techy/Credits:  Photo of Kevin Lock by Joel Zwink

Kevin’s website:  http://www.kevinlockphotography.com

My sites:  http://www.zwink.com  –  http://www.bigstudioz.com

 

 

Business, camera phone, career, Travel

So What’s your hurry pt2?

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One of my regular gigs (hate that word) is shooting commercial real estate.  It doesn’t excite me but I’m good at it, my clients appreciate my ability to make their multi-million dollar listing look good.  I do hope it helps them sell quicker.  But this not about them.  It’s about opportunity, photo ops.

Earlier in my career when working out of town I’d do the project and then head back home.  Why the hurry?  All these locations offered opportunity, the chance to improve my skills, to learn about the area I was in, to go home with a story.  So, as one of my mentors preached to me I slowed down.  Now after a shoot I like to explore.  Maybe I find something, maybe I don’t.  Then I look one last time at my project.  The change in the light and shadows has often made better images.

I like to shoot, whether for my client or myself.

Techy stuff:  all image with the Apple iPhone 6+.  Processed in Snapseed.

Above Location:  Battery Spencer.  From 1897 until 1943, Battery Spencer was a cold, isolated, and vital military outpost protecting the Golden Gate Bridge and SF. Several buildings and placements for the large cannons that used to stand guard on the hill remain.  It offers one of the best views of the bridge and SF but when we went it was fogged in….. we’ll just have to go back.

ART, Business, camera phone, HDR, hipstomatic, Iphone, Iphone 5, location, personal, photography, Snapseed, Travel

Is it Art, Pt.2?

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I wrote this post a little over a year ago on a different site.  I have spent a lot of time since then thinking about the topic and then expanding it to what is photography?  I’ll let you savor on the post for a couple days and then I’ll share some thoughts.

 I was in SF last week on an extensive corporate photo shoot for Swinerton.  When I was leaving I decided to take the Treasure Island exit on the way back to the airport.  The last time I was on TI was in 1975 when it was a Navy Base and I was a naive young seaman in Electronic Warfare school.  So many memories……  I first decided to do a quick photo shoot of the skyline which was etched in my memory.  I first shot it with my Nikon D3 and then decided to try my iPhone on Hipstamatic mode.  Ugh…… it looked as flat and hazy as the skyline.  So then I opened my new favorite app. Snapseed.  With a few adjustments and then a frame adjustment the above photo is what I ended up with.  I know, it looks grainy and it does.  But, the end result is that I’m going to print it on watercolor on my Epson inkjet printer.  A few years ago I did a similar series that I printed on the watercolor paper and it looked great.  Now, we’ll find out how IPhone photos hold up.

The techy stuff:  camera:  iPhone 4 (the 5 is on order)

Apps:  Hipstamatic and Snapseed by Nik

My real work is at:  http://www.zwink.com

Aerial, Architecture, Blog, Business, career, Lightroom 5, location, location shoot, photography, Video

A New View from Above

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I have done a lot of aerials for clients the last several years.  But as clients tightened their budgets the number of aerial assignments drastically decreased.  As an alternative we invested in a DJI Phantom Vision + and are in the early stages of testing.  They are several potential issue ranging from the paranoid uninformed public, insurance and future FAA regulations.  The plus side is being able to achieve lower level views than from a $650 per hour helicopter, work within tighter budgets and product creative imagery.  The times are changing but change can be fun.

More of my work is at:  www.zwink.com

Business, camera phone, Cruise, family, Iphone 5, Kansas, location, location shoot, personal, photography, Travel

How I get a week’s worth of Work!!!!!

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North Shore Turtle

GO ON VACATION…… SERIOUSLY!!!

  I have a phobia of losing clients by going on vacation.  So I try and be the good communicator and notify my clients of upcoming trips and vacations so they don’t (hopefully) schedule or plan anything during that time frame.  This way clients know and I have a few days to pack or relax before heading to the airport.

  WRONG…. I don’t know if it’s the law of attraction but 90% of the time I end up  shooting during the week and finishing the post production just before the early morning trip to the airport.  I end up catching up on my sleep on the flight to our destination.

  The last time I failed to send out my obligatory email was when my father died and I flew back to Kansas.  My primary client at the time called me the day of the funeral and asked if I could do a major rebranding shoot in two days.  No, I replied my father just passed away, can we reschedule the shoot for a week later.  No they replied.  That week I lost two very important parts of my life.  One can’t be replaced.

  btw, I’m going on vacation next Sat. and I sent “the email”.  I’m shooting for four days, doing one day of post production and then off to New Orleans.  I hope your thoughts of vacation are as productive.

Some of my vacation photos are at:  www:zwink.com

Blog, Business, career, photography, San Diego

Do you belong?

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I have been a member of ASMP ever since I opened my own photography business.  It gave me a sense of community, I belonged.  When you have your own business, it is you against the world.  Whether you survive or prosper is up to you and only you.  But does it need to be that way?  When you belong to a group you immediately improve your chance to be successful.  Groups like ASMP or APA have education, business and advocacy programs.

Meet people that share a common link.  Network and you might find new opportunities at the least you will meet people you can talk ideas or point you in a right direction.

Asmp has over 7,000 members and growing.  As our industry has evolved, so has Asmp.  The local chapter has a wide range of programming.  I know, I’m the new Program Chair along with Matt Janecek.  Come take a look.  Our next meeting is at San Diego City College and features internationally renown photographer Vincent Versace.

If you like what you see then join us, and “Belong”.

My work is displayed at www.zwink.com, Interested in Asmp visit www.asmp.org or locally www.asmp-sd.org

ART, Business, career, Lightroom 5, location shoot, personal, photography, San Diego, Sports, work

Why you don’t work for Free

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_JDZ2667

This portrait of “Monty” was one promotion he used to raise funds for the CAF. (We did a trade, the shoot was not a freebie.)

 

I used to have the contract for San Diego State Athletics.  I provided all the photography for them including game coverage.  Being a state university the contract was on a bid basis.  Although I was awarded the contract I was told by the then SID (sports information director) it would be in my best interest to find a working relationship with the previous photographer.  After a couple strenuous, stressful years in that arrangement I finally had my golden parachute.  The San Diego Padres were looking for a change.  My new partner, former SI photographer Andy Hayt and myself were chosen to run their new photo operation.  For six years it was a well run operation.  We were well paid, made strong imagery and operated with sound business principals.  Our images had value to our client.

Often I’m told by younger, inexperienced photographers that they are working for free in exchange for the exposure.  How is exposure going to pay your rent, to pay for your cameras and computers?  Listen hard, this practice has been going on for a long time.  Ask yourself if the people asking for free imagery are working for free?  I don’t think so.  Their skills have value and they get paid for it.  If you have the skills, your work has value.  Get paid.  You can only work for free so long before your credit card payment for the camera you bought is due.

Btw, another talented photographer later temporarily got the SDSU contract.  The other photographer I had worked with previously went back and offered to work for free as a volunteer.  He didn’t offer to work with their current paid photographer, his approach was to replace him.  They jumped at the free offer and my friend lost out.   He lost income and State is accepting a lesser quality product.  Don’t condone photographers that lowball, that work for free, even if they are “giving back to the university”.  They diminish the value of our work and create one more potential client that views photography as a low priced commodity.  These are not your friends.

“IF YOU LOSE A POTENTIAL JOB, HOPE IT’S BECAUSE THEY PREFERRED THEIR WORK OVER YOURS, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER”

My work is featured at:  www.zwink.com and www.bigstudioz.com