Monday, April 21, 2008

REVIEW: Best Business Practices for Photographers

Thanks to a 5 hour flight to Dallas taking nearly 20 hours, I was able to read Best Business Practices for Photographers by John Harrington in its entirety in one day (not an easy feat).

This book is the best book I've seen to date on the business side of photography, and as a former small business owner I can tell that John really knows his stuff. Of course, John also seems to be an arrogant big shot photographer who is beyond taking small jobs or caring about having his name in a big magazine, but he's kind enough to give us a peek into his life so he can't be all bad. I think that the average Joe who is getting started in this business isn't going to be able to carry the attitude he has, but he does state that his book is not for newbies so I guess this is why.

The reason why this book is so good is because John really gives you a ton of inside info like his email conversations negotiating some of his big contracts as well as his invoices to various clients. You know longer have to wonder about how much someone bills - you can see it!

He also goes into legal issues, copyright infringement and so much more. In the end, you can see why so many people say this is the bible for photographers who are trying to get the business side of things working smoothly.

This book is NOT a simple read, and it isn't for people looking to make a career in microstock transactions (which John has a disdain for). In fact, I think that you pretty much should have a name for yourself before you start taking John's advice, but there is definitely something for everyone who is interested in selling their pictures in here. It is for this reason, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book for those who are looking to give up their day job and taking on the photography business full-time as well as those who are just looking to make a little money on the side.

Skill Level: Advanced (to the point you could earn a living with your work) Value: Priceless- You can only learn this stuff through the school of hard knocks or John's book, so this book is worth every penny. Recommendation: Recommended. After you've made your first $20 on selling your photographs, use it to buy this book.

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2 comments:

Jamie said...

Would you recommend this edition over the second edition?

ronmartblog.com said...

Jamie, unless I say otherwise, I always recommend the latest edition - even if I haven't reviewed it.

Generally speaking updated editions will improve upon the original.