In The Frame 5-7-23: Old Cameras, New Images, and A New Book from Kurt Markus
48 hours in Williams, Arizona, a Grand Canyon Hideout, and
In The Frame is a newsletter for photographers and visually creative people. My name is Don Giannatti, and I write here about all sorts of topics that interest me and hopefully many of you. This will always be a free source of information. However, if you would like to support me in this endeavor, there is a paid subscription that is less than a Wendy’s meal deal, and far, far better for you.
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We are in early May 2023, and there is a difference in my state. It has become, at least for now, a bit more hydrated.
Lakes that have been dry for years are now full, and there is still more snow to melt. The mountains so recently savaged by fires are beginning to regrow, and the temps are noticeably cooler than usual.
So all of that sounds like a road trip to me!
We headed out to Williams, Arizona - a favorite place to go and hang out for short bursts of travel. The weather is great, it's only an hour from the Grand Canyon, and it has its own little mountainous adventure within walking distance.
Good food, music, and great people too.
I have been wanting to do some images on two of my little digicams, so this offered a chance to have some time away, do some walking and hiking, and make photographs.
Can’t beat that.
Here are the two cameras I used for this little trip:
The Samsung TL220: 12MP with a short zoom, set on color (top).
The Fujifilm Finepix AX: 16MP, medium zoom, set on black and white (bottom).
And of course, I had my Nikon along for the ride.
These photos are just the kind of thing I like to do when I am just out for the fun of it and working on narratives in my mind. I see something that interests me, and I make a snap of it.
I live in a desert area on the southern edge of Phoenix. Big, old trees are not part of our landscape down here. But in the old towns along Route 66, they are simply part of living in the area. And I adore big ol’ trees.
The town has been there since the mid-1800s, and was a popular spot along Route 66. Nestled in a pine-covered mountainous area, it offered cool temperatures between the heat of the northern Arizona desert and the scorching drive through the deserts of California.
When I-40 came through, Williams was the last town to be bypassed.
Think the movie, “Cars” for what I am talking about.
I like the look that these little old cameras give me. Not the clarity or crunchiness of an iPhone, and certainly not the smooth, clean image that my Canons and Nikons give.
Something in the middle… something a bit ‘off’, transitory, yet ubiquitous of an era we are quickly leaving.
The quality of cameras has improved immensely, but in my mind, there is room for a little non-perfection, maybe a dash of emotional connectedness that brings us together for a brief moment to a shared time.
Ten Additional Offerings to Keep Our Businesses Relevant
Videography: Embrace the power of moving pictures. Offer video production for promotional videos, commercials, and events to deliver an engaging visual experience that tells a more complete story. I call it “motion” and it can be as simple as a 6-second clip, a cinemagraph, or a stop-motion video.
Live streaming: Be present, even when you're not. Offer live streaming for events, allowing clients to share special moments with remote audiences in real-time, transcending geographical boundaries. Offer clients live streaming sessions, or shoots. Invite clients to talk about their business.
Virtual tours and 360-degree photography: Build immersive experiences. Offer interactive virtual tours and 360-degree images for businesses that want to showcase their spaces in a captivating and innovative way. Staying in commercial real-estate will give you higher-paying clients.
Social media content creation: Be a visual curator. Create and tailor content for social media platforms to help clients stand out and connect with their audience in a cluttered digital landscape. This is where we can look at retainer clients and long-term growth.
Photo and video editing: Complete the circle of visual storytelling. Offer post-production services to refine and polish your clients' visual assets, ensuring they're presented in the best light. Most of us do that. Are you getting paid for it?
Graphic design: Be a one-stop creative shop. Venture into graphic design, crafting logos, promotional materials, and marketing collateral that perfectly complement your clients' photographic needs. If you can shoot it and design it, you can make better money for each gig you do.
Branding and visual storytelling consultation: Become a visual guide, a visual expert. Offer consultation on branding and visual storytelling, empowering clients to create a cohesive visual identity and craft a compelling narrative through images. You do this for yourself, and you can do it for others too. And remember to bill ‘em.
Photography workshops and classes: Share your wisdom. Conduct workshops and classes to educate individuals or businesses in the art of photography, fostering a community of passionate visual enthusiasts. Lots of people love workshops who are not interested in becoming professional photographers. A workshop each quarter could help keep cash flow, you know, flowing.
Stock photography sales: Capitalize on your art. Sell stock photos through platforms like Shutterstock or Getty Images, creating a passive income stream while giving your work a broader purpose. While I am not big on stock photography, IF YOU have something unique, it can indeed be lucrative.
Fine art print sales and licensing: Extend your reach. Offer fine art prints and license your images for commercial use, connecting with a wider audience and generating additional revenue from your creative work. From hotels to conference buildings, they need art on the wall. And offering prints to folks who want to simply enjoy them has the additional marketing advantage of reminding your clients that your work has value.
In the upcoming “Creative Class” we will be focused on bringing additional skills to the visual entrepreneur. Photographers must (MUST) expand their offering to include:
Graphic Design
Motion
Social Media Management
Writing
Media Consulting (SEO/Adwords)
No longer will a camera suffice.
Get the gig, shoot it, manage the social, create ads for IG and FB, write and manage an email newsletter account… and get high-paying retainers to do it.
You are already doing it for yourself. Now you can offer the whole enchilada to your clients.
I was going to call the class “The Whole Enchilada,” but the SEO for that was really a mess.
With the new tools and services at our disposal, this can be a very strong, very empowering change for your business.
Coming Mid-June.
The Black and White Contest
24 Frames In May is underway. I will be posting the ulpoad information next week.
We have some great prizes.
See this page for more information.
“Christy” by Kurt Markus and Christy Turlington
I just received my copy yesterday and I haven’t stopped looking at it.
I would have loved to work with Christy Turlington. A true master at her craft. Seeing these images by Kurt Markus - another master at his craft - makes you realize how incredible it can be when two extremely talented people work together to create something new.
From the book’s page:
“Over the course of 25 years, a model and a photographer traveled the world for fashion assignments and adventure, forming a close friendship along the way. Christy chronicles their travels through reminiscences and portraits taken in Madagascar, Kilimanjaro, Greenland, El Salvador, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long Island and Montana.
The ten-by-eleven-inch, 188-page hardbound volume features 91 duotone and 18 color photographs. Published in 2022 with a forward by acclaimed fashion photographer Bruce Weber.”
This is a book for anyone who loves portraiture, photography, or fashion, of course.
Purchase it directly from the Kurt Markus website.
OK, that’s it for now.
I will see you all soon.
THE PAID SUBSCRIPTION MODEL HELPS SUPPORT ME
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I get it. I do. But, see, here’s the thing.
There is value in the paid version that cannot be matched by anything in the known (and unknown) universe. That includes free copies of my books when they are released, information for subscribers only, live shows starting in June, and a heck of a lot of fun. In fact, I am using Chat GPT to locate all the counties and townships where having this much fun could actually be illegal. I’ll keep you apprised.
Take a look and decide for yourself.