ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography: Sixth Edition (Paperback)

~ American Society of Media Photographers (Author) "Assignment photography covers a wide spectrum of fields and while each specialty has its own requirements, numerous business details are common to many fields..." (more)
Key Phrases: additional written license, oral authorizations for fees, implied hereunder, United States, Copyright Act, Copyright Office (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From standard practices in stock and assignment photography to special one-time decisions such as acquiring a digital workstation, this “business bible” provides the latest answers to any legal or business question an aspiring or professional photographer can ask. In eleven in-depth chapters, over two dozen industry experts offer practical guidance on such topics as estimating prices, formalizing agreements, using electronic technology, and much more. This completely updated Sixth Edition also features dozens of ready-to-copy legal and business forms, helpful checklists, and an extensive cross-media bibliography.

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has been the leading national organization of professional photographers for more than 50 years. It is the accepted authority setting the standards for business practices in professional photography.

From the Publisher

In a Shifting Photography Business, a Yardstick to Long-Term Entrepreneurial Success

Whether setting up their first photography businesses or renegotiating prices in the face of a declining economy, photographers seeking long-time success need a yardstick for fair and healthy business practices. The American Society of Media Photographers has long ago recognized this need and responded by issuing the renowned "ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography." Now in its sixth edition, this time-tested classic has been completely updated to address media photographers’ most pressing concerns in the age of electronic rights and online distribution.

Packed with basic business and legal forms, checklists, and an extensive cross-media bibliography, "ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography" discusses how to

* price products and services intelligently
* negotiate fees and agreements with competence
* handle rights in traditional and electronic media
* develop profitable business and marketing strategies
* choosing the right technology
* book publishing

"ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography" provides reference tools, resources, and hands-on advice for any business, legal, and financial question that media photographers could stumble upon during the course of their careers. The time-tested guidebook is enlightening both for photographers facing one-time decisions and those seeking to make routine-tasks more efficient, from setting up a business and deciding the best time to expand, to justifying higher fees to clients and fine-tuning marketing skills. Encompassing the expertise of more than two dozen acclaimed industry members, including photographers’ representatives, writers, educators, web experts, and leading authorities in the stock photography industry, this sixth edition of a classic offers a powerful tool to keeping one’s photography business fit in the face of a changing industry.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 6th edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581151977
• ISBN-13: 978-1581151978
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #496,890 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A critical introduction to the market and reference book, February 13, 2001

By	Matthew Allen Butkus (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asmp: Professional Business Practices in Photography (Paperback)

In today's marketplace, it is critical that the fledgling professional photographer know how to survive. This book takes a pragmatic approach to a wide variety of topics that any professional photographer needs to understand. Frequently misunderstood concepts like copyrighting your work (and preserving copyright for future generations), writing contracts, setting client expectations, logistics for photo shoots, and stock photography market saturation are among a host of issues addressed. If you are entertaining even a glimmer of the notion of entering the world of professional photography, this book is necessary. It can save you A LOT of time, hassle, and tears shed. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Camel, July 15, 2005

By	Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amongst professional photographers it's almost an axiom that they knew little about the business end of photography when they started taking pictures for a living. This book aims at remedying that condition. It has chapters on assignment and stock photography; pricing and estimating; negotiating fees and agreements; rights and value; formalizing agreements; copyright; electronic technology, business and marketing strategies; book publishing; and professional services. Unfortunately, like a camel, which is a horse built by a committee, this book varies widely in its usefulness for the business of photography. Among other reasons, this is because the chapters, and sometimes parts of chapters, are written by different authors, so that the work is not integrated and some important business areas are omitted.

The first two chapters which deal generally with the nature of stock photography versus assignment photography are quite good and will be helpful to anyone making the transition from one type to another.

Some chapters are first rate. The chapter on pricing and estimating takes an economic approach rather then asking, "what are my competitors charging?" It asks the question what price does the photographer need to establish in order to support himself and his business. Unfortunately, the book is not blunt enough to say that, if you don't expect to get the resulting price, you shouldn't be in the market.

At the other end of the scale is the chapter on marketing. Apparently six different authors each contributed their own uncoordinated efforts. There's some good advice here, but my litmus test was whether the book contained some discussion of how a fine arts photographer finds and approaches galleries. There wasn't much help here.

One area that many photographers encounter trouble with is keeping the books and paying income taxes. Unfortunately there were no references to these subjects. Even if all the book did were refer to a basic text or software, like Quicken or Quick Books and Turbo Tax, which were readily available at the time of publication, it would have been helpful.

This book is a useful guide for the professional photographer to keep on his shelf for a quick answer to many questions he may encounter in business. But for detailed answers, professional photographers will require more help in running their business.

50 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book you can buy on the business of photography, August 22, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Asmp: Professional Business Practices in Photography (Paperback)

Photographers can be overwelmed by the sheer number of business books that don't quite fit the bill. They seem to be revisions from other industries. ASMP has done an incredibly valuable service to the industry with the publication of this book. It is informative without boring the reader, it has valid statistics that really help photographers, and it gives working photographers what they didn't get in school: a business education. Buy this book!