Geography
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008One of the things that I (and many others) preach is that today geography doesn’t matter. Now, of course it matters if you are driving near Gila Bend and are low on gas–the location of the nearest station is vital–but if you are creating intellectual property (i.e., photos, books, articles, music, illustrations, software, etc.), then where you are is mostly unimportant.
Yesterday, I was contacted by someone in Italy about what I do. I’ve worked with clients in South Africa, Copenhagen, and Antibes. I’m writing this from Atlanta, though my office is in San Diego. Where I am doesn’t significantly alter what I can do and do do, and the same is true for creatives.
Of course where you are may affect your images but only to the extent of, say, a travel shooter in Bali will make different images than when s/he’s in Vancouver, or a fashion shooter doing shots on the streets of Paris versus Los Angeles. But, for your marketing, it’s not very important.
If your work is of a certain level (or better), there is no reason why a photographer in Kansas City, MO can’t work with clients from NYC, or Dubai for that matter. The only thing is putting your work out there so that these targets can match you with their needs.
And if your work is not at that level, then you need to work on your art. Why sit on your butt and make do with difficult local clients, making work that doesn’t challenge you? What is the point of being a creative then?
