Hi all,

I'm really happy with the way this site is going. I wish I had more time to promote it, but that's another story.

I'm working 2 jobs right now to try and "get my gear" together, so I've offered Allan Engelhardt, a regular contributor as most of you are probably aware, to help me moderate.

I asked Allan to give me some biographical info to post, and I'll just get to it instead of saying what only he can say:

I'm Danish but currently living in Bedfordshire, England. Started to take pictures seriously a copule of years ago covering local and national events (see my viking pictures on my web site). It was a good way to get started: I could usually sell a few images to the local papers, council, tourist information, charities, whatever. Not making much money, of course, but having the satisfaction of somebody wanting your images and of seeing them published.

Branched into travel photography with a trip to Seville as a learning experience. It is surprisingly hard and I am still learning. My acquaintance Dan Heller (http://www.danheller.com/) is a fine inspiration for those who are interested in this line of photography (anybody for a professional travel photography forum :-) ?).

Very recently started to get involved in commercial photographs: portraits and products. Just done a few sessions for some local charities, but I hope to expand this line of business. A useful resource (yes! with portraits) is http://www.willcrockett.com/, and Will is also a friendly, helpful and inspirational man.

Oh yes: I also have a "real" job, but it has nothing to do with photography.

Thanks Allan, and welcome aboard. shawn

-- shawn gibson (SeeInsideForever@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000

Answers

Well Allan I4m going to have to summon up the courage to try your preview feature one of these days :) In the meantime maybe you could tell me how you convinced Danish newspapers, tourist boards etc. to actually PAY for your pictures!? There are people enough who want to use my stuff, but nobody wants to pay :) I guess I4m just not the best salesperson...

Maybe this is where I should add that I really like this site and would love to get in at the deep end of some of these discussions, but for once my English vocabulary seems inadequate - will have to get out the dictionary I guess :)

-- Christel Green (look.no@film.dk), March 18, 2000.

In the meantime maybe you could tell me how you convinced Danish newspapers, tourist boards etc. to actually PAY for your pictures!?

You mean "English newspapers, tourist boards etc." - I may be Danish but I have been livin in the UK for over six years.

I haven't really had a big problem. Local newspapers are used to pay and ar quite happy to accept suitable images for events their photographers somehow missed. (They don't pay a lot, mind you!) National papers are a different matter....

A similar thing holds for the tourist boards. I mention in my story from York that the viking centre and local tourist board has a more or less full time photographer who's job it is to photograph vikings. (I want that job....:-)). Again, they are used to pay. Sure, they would like to get the images for free, but just hold firm.

Local councils are the same: typically they have someone who is responsible for promoting tourism in the city or region. They need photographs to show what great events they run. Usually these are provided by the local papers, but not always. Turn up, every time, find out who organises these events, make introductions, ...

And most importantly: look like a pro. Your image is everything but the way you look comes before the photographs.

-- Allan Engelhardt (allane@cybaea.com), March 19, 2000.