Another reason to go after the big fish
Monday, December 4th, 2006Need another reason to specialize and go after a highly targeted market rather than being a generalist who will shoot anything for anyone for any money? How about this–Yahoo and Reuters are teaming up to provide “user-generated” images for the news. Forget about making any money shooting low- to mid-level photo-journalism in the future–everyone and their brother who has a photo cell phone are the new stringers.
This is happening in other creative industries as well. Look at the Superbowl ad contest, for example. Millions of dollars get spent every year on Superbowl ads, but now any schmo has the chance to get his/her idea made and placed into the most prized media buy of the year. Ouch.
I think the high-end professionals will always have work. But for those of you who are going after “whatever I can get” kinds of work, now is the time to re-examine that plan.
Didn’t you become a creative pro to be something more than a techie? As the army used to say, “Be all that you can be!” It’s your best shot at making it financially to boot.
