Taking control
Friday, March 28th, 2008Some photographers hate it when any other creative intellectual property-based industry is held up as a potential model for the photo industry, but I think they really need to get over that. While no two industries are identical, the similarities are significant and we can learn from others in related industries.
Take music, for example. More and more musicians are realizing that, because of technology, they no longer need a label. Record companies used to be needed because of distribution and marketing. Now, the internet makes both totally doable by the artist and/or his/her personal team. Radiohead and NIN and now even Dolly Parton are putting out their own music themselves.
Prince started the end of the labels back when he changed to being the guy with a symbol and now others are realizing that they, as artists, have the product and now the means of distribution and marketing.
Photographers need to realize the same about their own work–and its value.
