Jul 23 2010

Photographers Embrace Social Networking — In Ways That Ring True

Category: Business Strategies, Creative Process — Ethan G. Salwen @ 3:59 pm

AfterCapture Blog_100723_SocialMedia_1Chloé Browne, a London-based wedding photographer, only started using Twitter after three clients found her through tweets written by others: clients raving about her services. Now Browne tweets throughout the day, and weaves this focused social media marketing into the fabric also comprised of the threads that are her active blogging and Facebooking.

AfterCapture Blog_100723_SocialMedia_2Brown is one photographer featured in “Hello, world: Social Networking for photographers”, a great article by Diane Smyth, published in the “British Journal of Photography.” As Smyth explains of Browne:

“Browne’s Facebook and blog pages link back to each other, her Twitter account and her main website, and she updates her Facebook page and Tweets each time she publishes a new blog, which is at least once a week. It is a lot of admin, she admits, but in her case it’s had real results – she only advertises online, and wins most of her new business this way”

AfterCapture Blog_100723_SocialMedia_3In “Hello, world” Smyth reports on just a few of the different ways that photographers are finding business and (just as important) creative success with social media. One, clear message that Smyth conveys is that these photographers are finding quantifiable, positive value from social media because they are using social media in ways that are true to their personalities and business goals.

This is refreshing. It is different from the Continue reading “Photographers Embrace Social Networking — In Ways That Ring True”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 25 2010

Opening Our Eyes: They’re Off!

Category: In Motion, Photographers, Viewpoint — Ethan G. Salwen @ 2:33 pm

AfterCapture Blog_100525_Open Our Eyes_1Today, May 25, 2010, marks the bicentenary of the revolution that marked the beginning of Argentina’s road to independence. It seems appropriate that Chance decided that today would also be the day that Gail Mooney would set off on her 3-month, round-the-world trip to create “Opening Our Eyes”, a documentary film project she is making in partnership with her daughter, Erin Kelly.

I say that the connection to Argentina’s revolution (and ultimate independence) is appropriate because of all the photographers I know personally, without a doubt, Gail Mooney is the most revolutionary- and independent-minded.

Since I introduced “Opening Our Eyes” in March, the project has taken much fuller shape. You can get a good sense of the trip at the main website. Keep in mind that a year ago Mooney hadn’t even thought up this trip. From initial concept to flying out of Newark airport today, Mooney and Kelly have orchestrated all details of this massive undertaking in only a little over six months.

AfterCapture Blog_100525_Open Our Eyes_2Be sure to also check out “Journeys of a Hybrid”, Mooney’s excellent blog full of insights — from the personal and creative to the technical and business side — from a photographer who has lived her life to the fullest, and who seems to be just warming up.

Mooney, who has been in the business for 33 years, has focused primarily on still photographic coverage of travel assignments for magazines. However, she has also worked plenty in the commercial realm in partnership with her husband, Tom Kelly.

Mooney not only made a smooth transition to digital photography, but she is one of the new bread photographers who is fully embracing the possibilities of video and, just as fully, the exciting possibilities of Web publication and social media.

Good Lu. . .

Continue reading “Opening Our Eyes: They’re Off!”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 04 2010

Fantastic Twitter Basics from Jessica Hische

Category: Resources, Technology Insights — Ethan G. Salwen @ 3:50 pm

AfterCapture Blog_100504_Twitter Basics_1“If you’re not using Twitter yet, you may feel as if you’ve missed out,” writes Rafe Needleman at the beginning of his helpful and encouraging Webware post, “Newbie’s guide to Twitter.” Personally, I’m still struggling to get a handle on Twitter, and I’d probably find Needleman’s encouraging words more encouraging if he had not posted them on March 15, 2007 –  a million years ago in SMT (Social Media Time). Still, there’s no time like the present and luckily. . .

Yesterday, in response to my TCC (Twitter Confusion Confession), my friend @janelerner recommended that I check out Jessica Hische’s “Mom, this is how twitter works.”

@jessicahische’s insights into the very basics of Twitter protocol is a masterful must-read for all TCT (Totally Confused Twitterers) like me. You’ll also find it useful if you tweet regularly but are not entirely clear on some of the SNI (Surprisingly Not Intuitive) aspects of who receives which tweets and why.

With incredibly clarity in the “who sees what” section of her document, Hische makes it clear that there’s a big difference between whether I put “@jessicahische” at the beginning of a tweet or anywhere else in my tweet. Whether or not @jessicahische is following me (@ethansalwen) will also impact my tweeting, and my tweeting will be affected if others are following the both of us. (Unlikely. @jessicahische has 5,005 followers; I have 12.)

Hische explains the critical fundamentals with no fuss about reasons for tweeting or strategies for doing so. This is refreshing. For all the gobs of Twitter advice I encountered today on the Web, I have found none with the the basic TDI (Twitter Driving Instructions) as clearly presented as those of Hische.

(If your Titter IQ is equal to or — gasp! — lower than mine, check out the “Twitter in Plain English” video at the end of this post.)

Even if this basic information is as old to you as Needleman’s post, like @janelerner, you’ll appreciate the ability to forward this Hische’s “mom resource” to any TCT friends coming to you with a TCC.

By the by. . . Continue reading “Fantastic Twitter Basics from Jessica Hische”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mar 05 2010

Still, Video and Social Media: Gail Mooney Will Open Our Eyes

Category: Creative Process, Photographers, The Industry — Ethan G. Salwen @ 10:30 pm

AfterCapture_Blog_100305_Opening Our Eyes_1“We are two people — a mother and a daughter — embarking on a journey around the world to document and film the stories of individuals — ordinary people who are following their own dreams, passions and ambitions and doing extraordinary things.”

This is from the Gail Mooney’s new website, “Opening Our Eyes: Global Stories About the Power of One.” As the site explains, Mooney — an accomplished documentary photographer and filmmaker — will be heading around the world with her daughter, Erin Kelly, to gather the material they need to create a feature length film.

This is a project worth keeping tabs on. For one thing, it’s Mooney’s latest personal project, which are always impressive, as she uses them to push her photography forward, both creatively and in terms of business.

“Opening Our Eyes” is particularly interesting to those of us in the industry because Mooney will be pushing her limits in terms of working in both still and motion, employing light and affordable equipment. In short, she will be heading into waters that many of us will heading into ourselves — still & motion — and she does so with the insights of an impressive background in traditional still and motion.

Mooney is in a perfect position to show us how to capture both great stills and motion, ensuring that both get put to the best use. (To see what Mooney’s capable of, check out her shorts for “The Delta Blues Musicians” and “Freedom’s Ride.”)

Freedom’s Ride from Gail Mooney on Vimeo.

This is not to suggest that “Opening Our Eyes” will be about photography for photographers. Hardly. As always, Mooney will focus on the story — on her subjects — focusing on the task of best communicating that story to the most appropriate audience. Continue reading “Still, Video and Social Media: Gail Mooney Will Open Our Eyes”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,