ZachIsHere

Go Team Venture!

// February 28th, 2007 // No Comments » // Thoughts

Venture Brothers has been picked up for a 3rd season. This show’s work just gets better with time. (Via Wizard Universe)

You Take The Good With The Bad

// February 27th, 2007 // No Comments » // Thoughts

I finally have my phone back and running again folks…but it seems the trade off for that was my health. I left early from work on Tuesday and am down for the count Wednesday. Looks like I have a date with my TV and some Sprite.

Scribbling Ideas

// February 27th, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Thoughts

Last week I read a good piece from Dan Heller titled “Photo Marketing isn’t about pushing, it’s about pulling.” The read is a bit lengthy and touches on a variety of points. I used the supreme power of denial to block out the warnings that I won’t make any money doing what I want to do and took in the philosophy of marketing he explained.

In general, whatever your target industry is for photography, you have to know the answers to similar questions. If you can’t answer those questions, don’t have any expectations of being a photographer in this field. If you can answer those questions, then the first obvious thing to do is write about it. You don’t have to be “right”, just informed. Make your blog and/or website worth reading by people in the industry. Keep an eye on who your target audience is. An art director should see that you know something about the business that she’s about to hire you for.

Of course, you also want your photos to reflect what you write. And that’s where the second thing comes in. Your web site isn’t there just to prove that you’re a good photographer. We all assume that’s the case, but oddly, even that plays second fiddle to knowledge. For example, to the fashion photographer I said, “show photos that illustrate (and discuss) the latest fashion trends for your focus age group. Also discuss photo techniques, for example, that illustrate how to make the best photo of the new line of fabrics using natural light vs. studio lights. (Or whatever.)” Over time, your blog contributions and engagements in other discussion forums on the subject will, if your ideas and analysis are sound, generate interest, which lead to links to your site, which boosts your search rankings, which brings traffic, which turns into sales. Here’s where we come full circle to your photography being second fiddle to knowledge: if your site gets traffic because of your ideas, your photos will be seen (as a consequence of that) ahead of other photographers’ photos, who may be far better shooters than you. Remember, in the world of the web and marketing in general, the best photographer is not the one whose images are found. It’s the one whose website comes up first in searches.

With so many people doing so much good visual work you have to expand what you are not just being a photographer but being a Creative Generalist. When I read this the website that immediately sprung to mind was Steve’s SGFSoccer.com. “I want to help raise all ships higher” I have heard him say a few times when he has described his website to others. SGF covers all avenues of soccer in SWMO youth, highschool, and college soccer even keeping tabs on national soccer news. This kind of coverage has created a loyal readership created by dedicated coverage of a niche. Steve’s site has not been fully monetized but if it were I think it would be successful.

All of this has been on my mind for a while. Since the dust has settled on ZCPhotography I sat down to think about what I wanted out of future online photo projects. The large dry erase board in my room started getting a lot of attention. Words and phrases are jotted down and linked together. Each one feeding off the other with varying quality. Two words were in the upper right hand corner and I kept getting drawn to them.

Kansas City.

I have mentioned it before but it bears repeating. There is a lot going down in KC. It is a good place to be young. There is construction, designs, changes, and expansion. I believe something could be put together to capture all of this in visual terms and in terms of information. There is a lot I don’t know. I don’t know exactly how the content should take shape. Its not like I want to be some magazine. But I could see a set of great pictures of the area with bits of information going along with them. A shot of the corner of two streets. A small write up about the history of that area. A photo of the Boulevard Brewery with a bit about their expansion and recent success in the midwest. There is no doubt it would be a project easier talked about than executed but if done right I think it could be great. Everyone is an expert on something right? I am putting together some people to put this together. It will be exciting to see it take shape.

When people look back at the rejuvenation of downtown Kansas City I want my photography to help tell that story.

Mysterious Lurkers Come Forth

// February 26th, 2007 // 10 Comments » // Thoughts

I am just so curious.

I can’t help it.

Who are you people? Who is viewing this website so much? My logs show thousands and thousands of unique visitors each month. I welcome you to come forth. Laying down a challenge to all of you lurkers. Leave a comment in this post. It doesn’t have to be anything profound. Just say Hi, or throw out something about yourself, where you are from, why you read. It doesn’t have to be much at all. After this post if you insist you can fade away into lurking oblivion once again.

Come out and play…

Family Guy Goodness

// February 25th, 2007 // No Comments » // Thoughts

Brian Griffin: Look, Stewie, don’t you think at some point you’re gonna have to let Rupert go? I mean, you are getting a little old to have a teddy bear.

Stewie Griffin: Brian, I’m one!

Brian Griffin: Still?

Stewie Griffin: What?

Brian Griffin: Look, I’m not going to Colorado. I’m turning around and going home.

Stewie Griffin: Fine, then, I’ll go by myself. See you from the back of my milk carton. Want that on your conscience, Brian? Try explaining this to Lois. You’ll wind up in a Dumpster with a bunch of slow, unadoptable greyhounds.

Brian Griffin: Don’t joke about that! That’s like the Holocaust to us!

Stewie Griffin: Yeah, well, when greyhounds start running The New York Times and the World Bank, I’ll be more inclined to believe you. [he sticks out his thumb] Now are you coming or not?

Brian Griffin [sighs]: Fine. [he sticks out his thumb, then he starts singing] Take to the highway, won’t you lend me your name…

Stewie Griffin: Who sings that song?

Brian Griffin: James Taylor.

Stewie Griffin: Yeah, let’s keep it that way.

Rainy Saturday

// February 25th, 2007 // 1 Comment » // Thoughts

I worked from 9-9 on Saturday. That time on your feet really seems to add up. You don’t quite feel it until you crash later that evening. Saturdays are usually pretty laid back at my work. A server is more likely to map the human genome or write the next great American novel than be busy. It isn’t good for the paycheck but it is good for the employees. It feels nice to just kick back and enjoy yourselves instead of running around like ravenous wolves. I work with a girl who is an interior design student. She has given me a lot of good insight into thinking about how important it is to think about how my photographs will look in a room and how I can better market them to fit certain physical spaces. One of the chefs taught me how to make a creamy dill sauce. I explained the rules of rugby to one of the hostesses. It may all sound pretty stupid but I really enjoy just being around people.

Day turned to night and the improbable happened. We got some steady business. I had to stay later than I would have liked but the money was favorable and thats where my loyalties are these days. I trucked home and crashed in my room. Waiting for me was a first class package. It all came back to me, I purchased one of my own pictures just so I could get a better feel of what the process was like for a customer buying one of my prints to see if I could make it better or faster. A few tears at the package revealed the photograph.

It was fantastic.

This is the thing a lot of people are surprised by. I don’t really have prints of my work. It is all digital and I have not taken the time to print out very much of it at all. The colors were true and the image was sharp. It was a great feeling seeing the photograph how it is meant to be seen with no problems.

Viewing a physical picture captures you in a way one on a computer screen can’t. Exciting.

A Pair Of Events To Speak Of

// February 23rd, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Thoughts

This weekend is the Show Me Missouri International Film Festival. Regular ZachIsHere.com contributor Steve “Ole” Olson is president of the Missouri Film Alliance and has been working his tail off with some other fine folks to make all of this work. I will be attending some films on Saturday and will be covering the awards ceremony paparazzi style. How good will I be at covering a live event? We will see…

This year’s festival will emphasize the art of short films, including the 2005 and 2006 Academy Award nominated shorts and short animated films. Don’t miss this opportunity to view a wide variety of the very best contemporary independent films being produced today. Please join us February 21-25, 2007 for this exciting event in downtown Springfield. The festival provides an opportunity to educate, stimulate, support, and celebrate the art of film in Springfield, Missouri. Filmmakers from around the world submit their films to the festival to compete in a number of fiction and documentary categories. In addition to the feature, short narrative, documentary, animation, and college competitions, the festival also hosts a homegrown competition for films made in Missouri or by Missourians. In addition to the competition films, the festival features an array of guest speakers, educational forums and workshops, special film screenings, and an awards ceremony. The public is invited to participate in all of these activities.

This second bit is big as well. Saturday March 24th is the Vertical Dash For Diabetes in Kansas City. Some info from the website…

Participants will race up 34 flights of stairs in the as part of The 1st Annual Vertical Dash for Diabetes and Health Fair. Participants will receive a t-shirt and goody bag for taking part in this year’s race. The health fair will be located in the Rotunda of the TownPavilion Building. Hosted by KCFit.net as a fundraiser for the local American Diabetes Association. The event is expected to raise $25,000 for diabetes education, advocacy, and research to find a cure for this serious disease. With more than 365,000 people affected by diabetes in the greater Kansas City community, fundraising for research to find a cure has become critically important. This is the first year of what we expect to become a lasting tradition in the metro Kansas City Area. Imagine 500 -1,000 runners – racing up the 34 stories of the Town Pavilion Building to help prevent and cure diabetes and help improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Details are still being ironed out but it looks like I will be the official event photographer representing ZC Photography. There are plans to have a large staged group shot in addition to the shots showing various stages of the run. Pictures will be made available for purchase with portions of those proceeds going to the ADA.

What a great set of opportunities.

Eyes From Everywhere

// February 21st, 2007 // 1 Comment » // Thoughts

The release of ZCPhotography has been a success. The kind words about the work from people has been overwhelming and to the best of my knowledge genuine. Google maps has a nice little service that tracks the usage of my website. It even can tell what city a visitor lives in. Don’t get freaked out, thats about as specific as it gets I can’t tell who someone is or anything but it lays out a map. Pretty interesting to browse. I cut and pasted a little blip in Australia even.

In other news Idaho is dead to me. Dead.