Photographers we are part of a community

Just a few days ago Dave "Mullet" Martin, Associated Press photographer based in Montgomery, Ala., died after collapsing on the Georgia Dome field after the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Tuesday night.

Dave Martin is on the left wearing the blue shirt in this photo of photographers covering the Chick-fil-A Kickoff earlier this year.

The days following the loss of Dave have been filled with stories of "Mullet" and "Vern." Apparently he called just about most other photographers Vern.

Sean Bush commented on the Facebook Tribute page:

"Hey Vern, one of my members so an so is sending you this can you get it turned around for so an so's deadline. Oh and by the way Vern yer still ugly." I had a great admiration for Mullet not only as a photographer but as a person. Dave had a drive like no other, a love for what he did, and the ability it teach by example and kindness. 

Mark Lent said:

I have many things to thank Dave for... He encouraged me and always treated my abilities as a photographer as equal to his own, even though they were not. 

There were many stories about Dave and the theme I continued to hear was how hard Dave worked and competed against everyone. You also heard how much he mentored so many. What was also special is how he often gave others shooting for him a better angle, but some how always came away with great shots from wherever he was shooting.

He loved to joke and give everyone a hard time, but he also respected others in the profession. He was not putting you down to elevate himself. What he was giving to all the photographers that knew him was respect and acknowledgment.

 
Tami Chappel, Reuter's photographer, posted on the Dave Martin Tribute page there was a gathering at Manuel's Tavern this past Saturday night. As she said Dave had a restaurant in every town that he loved to go and Manuel's was that place in Atlanta.

Tami printed some pictures of Dave that we put on the tables as we gathered to tell our stories with Dave.

We all stood up together and toasted our friend and colleague who in his death brought us all together in his honor.

Here is a photo of Michael Schwarz showing a new camera to David Murray and David Tullis. This is typical of Dave's friends. We love to share what we are learning and know that while we all compete we are also close to one another because we have so much in common.

You can see the joy on everyone's faces as they share experiences together. We enjoy not just telling our stories, but listening to one another.

I can almost hear Dave giving John Bazemore hell for the photo that is up on John's computer in the photo above. "Why did you shoot that photo?" I could hear him say.

Then I guess Dave went back to editing thinking I didn't get that photo that Bazemore got. Later I can hear him complaining that photo of John's ran every where.  Sometimes he was joking and other times he was trying to figure out why that photo worked with more editors. He would then beat us all the next few times.

While John Bazemore was shooting with every other photographer at the end of the Chick-fil-A Bowl competing for the space to get the shot, he noticed it wasn't as difficult, that is when he noticed Dave was not there.

Every time this year we notice that it was easier to get that photo I hope we all realize it is because Dave is gone and remember a class act.

I am sure Dave "Mullet" Martin would tell me, "Just Shut Up and Make A Picture!"

Great Friends, Great Colleagues, Great Photographers

Knolan Benfield in Hawaii with me helping teach posing to photography students with Youth With a Mission. (Photo by: Dennis Fahringer)

I don't do all I do alone.  This is who I call my photo team.  They help me as assistants or when a client calls and I cannot do the job. This is who I call regularly.
 

Photo Assistants

Today I use photo assistants as much as possible. The reason, the client gets a much better product whenever I do.

Now I have posted various things on lighting for example that for the most part I have an assistant helping me with setting up photos and moving lights. I often joke about assistants as VALS. That stands for Voice Activated Light Stand.

One of my favorite photo assistants to use is my uncle Knolan Benfield. He taught me so much about this industry and he has such a great personality that he makes me much better when he is along.

You can see some of Knolan's work on his website http://knolanbenfieldphotography.com/.  Knolan is also a writer in addition to being a photographer and sometimes my photo assistant.

Laura Deas is another one of my photo assistants. I met Laura when she was a nanny while going to school for photography. I was most impressed with her people skills and work ethic. This was before I ever saw her abilities as a photographer.

Being a photo assistant requires a lot of lifting of heavy bags. You might think that it is a man's job, well I can tell you that Laura can out perform most any assistant I know.

One of the ways you first encounter her confidence is in her hand shake. It is amazing the confidence she exudes.

Laura shoots as well as a professional photographer. She does weddings, portraits, events and commercial. Here is her website http://www.lauradeasphotography.com.


More Photo Colleagues

Both Knolan Benfield and Laura Deas I call upon to do assignments when I cannot do them. It is quite common that a client will call me to do a job and due to another client already booking me I am not available.

I make it a priority to take care of my clients. I know most of the time better than they do who would be a good fit for a particular job. For the most part I go with someone who is near to them to help them out.

Robin Nelson is another photographer I like to call when I am unavailable. Robin and I have been both represented by Black Star agency in New York for more than 30 years. Whenever Ben Chapnick or before him Howard Chapnick needed someone in Atlanta one of us would get the call.

Robin has shot for all the major magazines you could think of and just about every other major media outlet. New York Times, Newsweek, Associated Press and the list could go on forever with Robin. He continues to get called back over and over for good reasons.

In my role as a consultant at Chick-fil-A for the past four years I have had to call freelancers to help us out. In corporate work how you handle yourself with people is far more important than the photos.

The first thing we want to know when we send a photographer somewhere is did everyone like them and would they like having them come again.

Second, we also need someone who can get the shot at the highest quality for the situation. This requires more people sensitivity. Sometimes using lights will be more distracting and cause undo attention. We need someone who can make it happen at the highest quality and looking for ways to always make it happen.

Here is a link to Robin's website: http://www.assignmentatlanta.com/

Gary Chapman is another person I like to hire when I am unavailable or maybe he is the best photographer for the job.

Gary never takes on a job that he will not deliver back to you at the highest level in the industry. He is often asked to speak at photographers conferences around the world because his ability to talk about why he chooses to work a certain way.

Many photographers can shoot, few can articulate and teach photography. Gary has a lot of patience with teaching photographers how to use very complex software like PhotoShop and Lightroom.

This attention to detail is why he has made a living in stock photography for most of his career. His stock photography is conceptual and helps visualize concept that are popular in what is trending. This requires photographers to know what is trending. The best in this industry like Gary are the ones who can anticipate the trends and have images ready for when clients are looking for something to help illustrate a point.

Gary's attention to detail shows not just in his photos but how he works with people. While many may think Gary is quite in conversations, he is actually thinking and wanting to join in. When he does it is like a flow of understanding people are so thrilled to hear. He cares not just about the topic, but how to discuss it with those he is in conversation with at that moment.  He is sensitive to moments and cultures.

This sensitivity is why he is sought after by companies and nonprofits that work around the world. Gary's ability to capture moments is just as incredible as his ability to create them.

Gary is a humanitarian photographer, that uses photojournalism, documentary, portraits and even some of his stock style to help organizations tell their story effectively.

To see Gary's work go here http://garyschapman.com/

What do all these photographers have in common?

Why do I use these photographers when there are many others out there to choose from? There are many out there that even they would say are better photographers than them.

However, the thing they have going for them is the way they treat people. Each one has a good reputation as treating people with honor, dignity and respect.

Things not to do as a photographer

Rather than telling you all the good things these photographers continue to do, let me list a few things that some of what I thought my colleagues have done and I no longer call them.

• Don't try and take a client away from a photographer, when you got the job because that photographer referred you to the client. You may always say to the client if the photographer is busy I am more than willing to help out. 
• Don't stick it to the client who is in a pinch and charge more than the photographer who recommended you.
• Don't stick it to the photographer who recommended you and undercut their prices. Ask the photographer who is recommending you what they normally charge. Try to help them out. 
• Don't assume the next time this client called they checked with the other photographer. Try your best to tactfully as possible to see if they checked with the other photographer. 

It is possible you are a better fit for the client than the other photographer. Call and tell the photographer that this client is calling you directly. You may want to turn down a job sometimes for the friendship that could come apart by taking the job.

My recommendation when a client calls like this is to be sure you are now more expensive than the other photographer.  If you are less, then this is a good indication of you getting the job for undercutting and not because you are a better fit--you are just cheap.

Do you have friends that you can refer work to over and over?

The key to being sure you have someone to call when you need help is to be that dependable person to others as well.

Knolan, Laura, Robin and Gary are all still very successful photographers. I think the reasons they are successful is the same reasons I want to hire them.

If you have photographer friends and they never call you to help them out, ask them who they use in a pinch and why. There is no need to confront them on why they don't use you. It is valuable to see if they use anyone.  Maybe they never call anyone because they are not that busy.

However, if they do use someone other than you, this might help you take some time for introspection to see what you can do to be more desirable.