Archive for the ‘Tom’s Gallery’ Category
I was just reading an interview with, Kevin Schafer, a professional natural history photographer with many well known magazines to his credit, in the North American Nature Photography Association’s (NANPA) 2008 NANPA Expressions. The topic was ethics and accuracy in nature photography. Schafer made the point, as photographers we need to be honest. Captions, for example, need to disclose that a wildlife photograph was of an animal in captivity, if indeed that was the case. Or, that a significantly altered or contrived image was “Photoshopped,” for example.
I agree. But I also think we need to be careful to differentiate between images produced for artistic purposes and those with which we seek to influence opinion. I recall reading that Ansel Adams used every tool at his disposal to make certain his images accurately represented the scene he was trying to capture. I think, though of course I never knew Mr. Adams, that he would embrace the modern digital capabilities.
So should we.
Unfortunately, integrity is always an issue in today’s society. As nature photographers we ought to be concerned about the potential for the credibility of our craft being degraded because of misrepresentation. Photojournalists need to be held to one standard and I think this should include those whose images are intended to influence thinking on such hot topics as the environment, for example.
Still, if our images are supposed to simply be beautiful images that grace the walls of our homes, businesses, and galleries there are many applications – Photoshop and Photomatix being just two that I personally use – that can help us achieve some amazing affects. I don’t think it is necessary for these types of images to be tagged with descriptions of what was done to achieve their “beauty,” any more than it might have been necessary for Norman Rockwell to disclose that a yellow canoe in his painting was actually gray in real life. What difference does it make? Would we appreciate his art any more or less with this knowledge?
When we’re displaying the image for purely “artistic” purposes, I don’t think the details on how the image was produced are necessarily pertinent. Whether hanging in my gallery or in your home or office, what we focus on is not impacted by the tools used to get to the final result.
However, that said, I’ve learned in my gallery, that such tags often interest and are appreciated by the viewer. I’ll sometimes display two versions of the same image which have been rendered differently. Often, the brief description of how I captured the picture (and/or processed it) helps sell the image.
Who is Thomas D. Mangelsen? Thomas Malgensen is a Nebraska resident, he is known as one of the world’s premier nature photographers. Mangelsen’s love of environment, his living in the outside, and business success were greatly influenced by his father. A devoted sportsman, Harold Mangelsen took his sons to favorite blinds along the Platte River in Nebraska to chase and watch the gigantic flocks of ducks, geese, and cranes that move around through the vicinity From these outings Mangelsen learned the significant lessons for photographing in the meadow, as well as patience, waiting for the right instant, and understanding animal behavior.
When you are sincerely interested in helping other people to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true, you will ask them a lot of sincere, open-ended questions about their lives, their hopes and dreams, their families and their problems and challenges. You will not talk about yourself and your products and services until and unless they can be used to alleviate, solve or remove the problems, challenges and goals of the person to whom you are talking.
For example, if you’re a real estate investor and the person you’re talking with has absolutely no interest in real estate investment but is desperately trying to find a set of good, second-hand drums for his teenage son, you would do well to help him get the drums instead of trying to convince him that he should invest in real estate. By helping him find the drums, you could earn a commission from the seller of the drums, but, far more importantly, you will create a friend and reciprocity. This same person might introduce you to five others who all end up doing business with you.
When we get our egos and self-interests out of the way we realize that we earn money by solving problems instead of pushing our products and services and trying to force square pegs into round holes. I recently talked with a salesperson and I asked her, “Will you make more money by selling me something I don’t really need or want, or by getting me to enthusiastically promote you to the five thousand people in my database?”
At our recent Joint Venture Forum Members Convention in Edmonton, Richard Banister of Snapdragon Gallery (http://www.snapdragongallery.com/) sponsored 18 beautiful, engraved, hand blown crystal awards. He never asked for anything – he just generously contributed. And now his website is being advertised to thousands of people who read this article.
Here’s a good example. You ask someone, “If a Genie leapt out of the ketchup bottle and offered you three wishes for your life, Tom, what would they be?” When Tom answers, “Health, Money and Happiness”, you have learnt nothing. How much money? By when? Why? What will he do with that money? Why? What does he mean by “Health”? What, specifically, has to happen in order for Tom to feel “Happy”? What has to change in Tom’s life in order for him to be happy? When you take the time to find the answers to these questions, you know more about Tom than his mother, his dog and his parole officer. At that point, you can find solutions to apply to his life and help him achieve his goals – and, as a JV Broker, get well paid for doing so. Information is power.
You can find more lucrative Joint Venture Strategies at http://www.jvwisdom.com.