In The Frame: Sunday Dispatch 2-12-23
A day late - there was this game yesterday. Today we talk Talent Stacking.
Sorry for the delay. My family was committed to a day of football excess at my daughter’s new home. It went on a bit longer than I expected, but a great time was had by everyone but the Eagles, I am told.
The Secret to Photographic Success: A Diverse “Talent Stack” and Focus
Learn to do more to add to the value of your photographic images.
Scott Adams, the writer, and cartoonist who created Dilbert introduced the concept of the Talent Stack (or Talent Stacking”) in his book “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life”. In it he points out that he is not the best cartoonist, the best businessperson, or the best writer… but he is good enough at these and a few other traits that he gets the job done. Well enough to excel at it.
Here is Adams with a short presentation on talent stacking.
This concept has been widely discussed in channels as diverse as philosophy to the creation of a small business. It is a way of looking at the many strengths of a person to see how they can be used together to be even stronger than each individual trait. Some folks could use it to gauge the possible success of their marriage, I suppose.
Although I probably ain’t gonna be writing about marriage advice anytime soon.
This is invaluable for commercial or professional creatives today. One talent is not enough unless it is surrounded and supported by additional forces that are at least adequate or better.
First, let me say this with some conviction: the days of a person who only makes photographs are over. Gone like a stolen green ‘98 Chevy pickup in Barstow. That sucker’s probably been stripped for parts by now.
Today’s photographer — a visual expert — must be able to do more to have a sustainable business.
(OK, sure. There are a handful of names at the top that you may THINK are just great photographers, but as we go through this you will see that they are pretty damned strong at other things as well.)
So let’s break it down a bit. What does this mean to you, me, and that guy over there? The one trying to figure out how to remove his lens cap.
If you are a good photographer, you know how to make a photograph, post-process it well, and make your client happy. That is a very important part of the process, wouldn’t you agree?
To be a professional creative today, that should be a pretty good chunk of your talent stack. But it is not the only thing you have going for you.
See… ya gotta be good at other things as well. Really good, to put a finer point on it.
Business management.
You know what a profit and loss statement is, the difference between gross income and the part Uncle Sam gets a chunk of. You can make some projections in growth, and create a viable money plan to keep you afloat in case of drought. (Metaphorically stupid, but you get the idea.)
You don’t have to be the greatest entrepreneur since Elon Musk, just be pretty good at it.Marketing.
(I know, I know. Some of ya’ll are tired of hearing me and so many other people tell you that you have to know how to market. That you actually have to show people your photographs and designs makes you feel pressured to do something that seems dry and mechanical.)
“Marketing is dry and mechanical.” Until it isn’t.
Marketing is simply showing people your work, letting them know what you do, and how that can help them. You know how to do that. And you are good enough at it to get your work, your talent, your ability to help someone with a visual problem in front of enough people that it will make you top of mind for upcoming gigs.Herding cats.
Cat herding should be second nature to you by this point. Running a set, dealing with clients, putting shoots together… yeah, you know what I mean. This is a talent, you know. I heard someone complaining about the stress of working in a fast-food restaurant. If that is you, do not even think of becoming an entrepreneurial creative professional. This is the part you have to be damned good at or it will be the thing that drives you from being a professional creative to making sure Karen has enough ketchup packs to prevent her from ripping the store apart.Creative abs of steel.
We talk about creative muscles all the time in the vernacular. You have some chops here. Not lamb chops, I am speaking metaphorically (again). You know how to put an idea forth and you know how to massage it through enough reps that it becomes stronger with each set. (See how I kept that whole gym thing going there… heh.) Being visually acute as a photographer gives you an edge.Personality.
I didn’t say ‘bubbly’, or ‘dry humor’, or even ‘engaging’ personality. I said you have to have one. Something. And you do, if you have made it to the point in life where you are considering your talent and the ability to make things a viable way to live. Being a creative professional means engaging with people. A lot. A lot, lot.
There are, of course, other talents that you may draw on as you identify and build your talent stack.
Most of us have a lot more talents than we think we do, but we hide them deep in the cushions of our brain’s furniture, believing them to be no big deal. We think those six years we spent running the hardware store had nothing to teach us about our photography business. Oh contraire, mi amigo. It can mean everything.
Today, in 2023, a photographer wanting a sustainable business should be able to do a lot of photography. Seriously, your output must be prolific. We are judged — and sometimes that judgment comes from clients or potential clients — is based on how much work we are doing. Busy photographers catch the attention of people needing said photographers.
If you haven’t changed out 50% of your website images in the past 6 months, you need to get to it and increase your output. A lot.
THE NEW SKILLS WE NEED TO DEVELOP
We have to be able to do a little design as well. From putting together our own marketing materials and books to providing work for clients needing the same kind of work.
Motion is now a huge opportunity for photographers and designers as well. Apps like Canva and Adobe Express are playing bigger and bigger roles in the visual arts. I am not talking about making documentaries, I am talking about FB ads, IG ads, YT pre-rolls… stuff that didn’t exist before and is now becoming mainstream today.
Writing… oh, writing. We all write. You already know how to write. And now it becomes vitally important as the written word, combined with images that engage, sell shit on a grand scale, my friend. If you feel you could use a refresher, take a copywriting course, or a creative writing class at the local CC. It is so worth it.
Being a visual creative in the 2020s means being more than just a picture taker. We are now called on to be art directors, movie makers, graphic designers, marketing consultants, online sales professionals, business entrepreneurs, cat herders, and, of course, great photographers.
Take some time this week to chart out your talent stack. What are you great at, what are you good at, and what do you need to work on to become a powerful force of creative energy that your clients need?
When you start the process, you may be surprised by all of the little ancillary talents you have and begin to feel good about putting them to use in your business.
I gotta go. One of the cats is going out the… “hey… kitty… hey…..!
WEEKLY PHOTOS:
Carlyn Acuna
Jennifer Arce
Donn Dobkin
Derrick Rose
A GREAT LITTLE LIGHT KIT.
Amazingly good. I just got mine and was surprised at how well the build quality is for such a low price.
This is the SmallRig RM01 Mini LED Video Light (3 Pack). It is waterproof, dimmable, 5600K, and comes complete with what you see. Snoots, grids, domes, barndoors, mini-tripods, gels, and a carrying bag. Absolutely cool. If you are traveling, this can be a godsend in a very small package. No, you aren’t going to photograph the Kansas City Chiefs with them, but you could do the shots of all their bobble heads… just sayin’.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON (commisione earned). And as of this posting they are priced at $109. Usual price is #200. Act fast if you want a set.
(And remember, a great way to support “In the Frame” is to use my Amazon Affiliate link for any shopping you may do at Amazon. Just use this link https://amzn.to/3jYREeX (copy and paste) and I receive a commission from your purchases from Amazon for the session you used the link on.)
WORKSHOPS AND SUCH
As many of you know, I am sunsetting the Project 52 Pro System at the end of 2023. I just enrolled the last class, and I am going to do everything I can to make it the best class ever. It is my finale, I suppose, and I want to make it a barnburner!
I have had such an amazing time working with photographers over the last 14 years, teaching, learning from, laughing, and toasting to their successes. It was a very hard decision, but in the end, it was time.
I am not stopping teaching, though. I am working on a new workshop called “The Creative Class,” and it will endeavor to teach photographers and visual artists how to create a sustainable business from their talent(s).
Thanks for following me on Substack. I am still getting my bearings here, but I like it so much better for many reasons. Let your friends know if you think they may be interested in following along.
I am a photographer, designer, and photo editor. You can find me at my self-named website or at Project 52 Pro System where I teach commercial photography online. This is my eleventh, and last year of teaching this workshop. It is the most unique online class you will find anywhere.
Check out my newsletter and community at Substack. We are new, but growing.
You can find my books on Amazon, and I have taught two classes at CREATIVELIVE.
Good shots