03/01/2020
Hi everyone, Happy New Year! and seeing as it is a new year and I'm entering a new chapter in my photography I'd like to say a few things, to be transparent with you all and to get some things off my chest so that I (hopefully) don't have to say them again. It really is just 3 things:
1. I MUST BE TAGGED/CREDITED
I'm always really flattered when people choose to use my images on social media, as posters, on websites etc. I'm super grateful, but please tag/credit me. It takes about 3 seconds if it's online tagging and it helps direct people to me and more of my work. People may have questions or want to get in touch. It helps me network and leads to more business for me. This also includes physical posters.
You can tag me as James Anderson on FB (please make sure the the tag links to my name and not another James Anderson) or on instagram. (In the stories and the posts please!)
If you are going to credit me on a website/publication just my name is fine (if you wanna add my instagram name too that would be swell).The reason why I'm saying this is because there has been a bunch of times (probably about a dozen per year) where this has not happened.
Questions? Get in touch.
2. NO FURTHER EDITS.
If I edit photos for you, I will always ask you if you are happy with it when it's done, because It's important to me that you are happy with it. The strange thing is people say are and I've found they have changed afterwards. It's mostly an unpleasant surprise and It's really confusing, as my logic is "If you like it then why did you change it?"
If someone painted you a picture but then you drew over it or changed it somehow, how would that person feel?
If someone wrote you a poem would you change the words afterwards?
There are many examples.
If you do that you are changing someones art that they have spent their time on (FOR YOU) without their agreement.
I have seen a bunch of my images out there in the last 2 and a half years where the edit I've submitted to them has not been what appears later. It's disappointing for me to say the least, and I'll be honest most of the further edits have made the photo just look plain bad in my opinion. However, I let it slide thinking it would only happen once or twice - it didn't.
As a sound engineer I sometimes record bands or mix them live. If I changed things after the final mix in the studio or changed the live mix drastically in a venue, imagine what that's like for the musicians, you can bet I would have heard about it afterwards and it would not have been positive feedback.
If you want me to change the photo(s) further just ask, I'm very friendly and approachable. Or if you have good editing skills yourself, let me see your edit before you put it out there so I can have the chance to agree or disagree to it.
Questions? Get in touch.
3.IF YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ME, PLEASE DO.
Money is a tough subject. Having to chase people for various amounts over the last few years is not nice, I know most of my clients are my friends (or eventually we become friends) and I love that. It's great! But if we have discussed payment or you have said you will pay me, then please do. I'm affordable and to be honest I feel like I've been undercharging alot given how much time I spend on shooting and editing.
I've been ghosted and ignored about money and not even big amounts - it's not nice. I'm not asking much, although this year prices will increase a bit.
I still do free work, and if I offer to come and photograph you or your band (or whatever it is) or if I turn up with my camera(s) somewhere, I won't be asking you for payment afterwards - because it was my choice to come. However if you still want to pay me then that's fine too!
Again, I'm really friendly and approachable about this, and if you are having trouble with payment or you feel you shouldn't pay me for whatever please get in touch.
I'm saying these things because (and this is my fault) I've let them slide a bit since I started photography in the middle of 2017. The trouble with being a nice person is you can get walked on. I have to draw the line and put my foot down sometime and the new year is a good time to do so.
I don't want to have to start watermarking images and writing up contracts (well, contracts may come later) but yeah you get my drift. I don't want to have to chase you up about these things and be on your case, because that sucks for me and probably for you too.
The past is the past, but moving foward I'm cracking down on these things.
Thanks for taking the time to read and if you have any questions again, get in touch.
