Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica]plutocrats
From: Five Senses Productions <fls@5senses.com>
Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 12:52:03 -0700

Jeromes?

At 06:56 AM 8/24/98 , Donal Philby wrote:
>Alan Hull wrote:
>> 
>> Donal and Larry
>> Thanks for sharing those insights into the world of photo advertising.
>> I couldn't have been more wrong about 35mm and the advertising world.
>> My learning curve was vertical while I was reading your posts.
>> 
>> With those dollar numbers nobody can complain about the subject title
>> of this thread, and in fact, unless my server is on the blink,  the
>> rest of the LUG has been struck dumb.  Where can I borrow another life
>> to spend as an Advertising Photographer?
>> 
>Alan,
>I don't if you would like it.  Here's the thing, like much of the rest
>of the culture, in the US there are a few photographers able to bring
>down the giant dollars, for the rest--dregs.  I spoke to friend a couple
>years ago who works as VP at McCann Erickson in NYC.  She told me that
>the $5000/day phtoographer were starving and the $1000/day people were
>getting all the work.  Of course, the later weren't making much money. 
>The 'clip disc' craze and the growth of stock in general has turned most
>photography into a commodity in the public's and art director's eyes. 
>Consider that my stock agency had 700,000 images submitted for
>consideration by photographers in one year.  Imagine trying to break
>through that noise?  It has become like television with 100
>channels--most everything is loud, corny, superficial, cheap and in your
>face trying to get attention.  
>
>There are a few good ad campaigns that come along where subtlety and
>skill are paramount, but they are far and few between these days.  
>
>I just found out yesterday that a former client of mine, a
>multimillionaire who owns largest chain of furniture stores (including
>all the buildings) in San Diego, and for whom I used to do furniture
>photos for his full page newspaper ads ($15,000 a week placement cost)
>has bought himself a RZ67 and some tungsten lights and is now doing all
>the photography himself because he discovered (so told me the art
>director who does the ads) that he resented paying me $1200 a day plus
>expenses.  Considering his income from the business, he must now be the
>highest paid photographer in San Diego!  And he is selling the photos to
>the manufacturers of the furniture, who also resented paying big studio
>in Los Angeles $125 a image for room sets.
>
>Maybe it's horses.  Ya' gotta shoot horses, right?
>
>donal
>-- 
>Donal Philby
>San Diego
>http://www.donalphilby.com
>