Customer Reviews

Commercial Photography Handbook: Business Techniques for Professional Digital Photographers

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
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I was looking for a book that would give me a smart introduction to the field of commercial photography. There are a ton of books in the market about wedding and portrait photography but fewer that aim to cover Architectural, Product, Corporate, Food and other subjects. This book explains pricing, goes into good detail about marketing and is a very well written and informative look at a market that lots of people would like to get into.

My favorite part of the book is about Marketing. Tuck explains what has worked for him and why. The other thing I like about the book is that the author is very straightforward about his position in the market. He lives in what he calls a "second tier" market which means he's not in New York or Los Angeles or Chicago. He doesn't pretend that all of his clients are national, Fortune 100 clients. Kinda nice to see advice aimed at the kind of markets that the majority of people in the US work in.

While many "business" books are really dry and full of forms and stuff about accounting this book is more like talking to a good friend over coffee about getting your photo business off the ground. Only in this case your "friend" has about 25 years of really good experience, admits he's learned some stuff the hard way and comes from the same town you do.

While the cover design is cludgy and disconcerting the guts of the book are very well designed and the images are quite nice. The author also left his ego at the door in one more regard: He's brought in work by other photographers who are very gifted in order to break up sections and show off different levels of ability.

Books like this are a simple decision. With Amazon's pricing it's just a bit more than some magazines. If you are starting out in the business you'll need to know a lot. This book covers a great overview.

Even if you are an established professional photographer working in the national markets you will still find this book very worthwhile. The sections on marketing and business practices are great reading and well worth the cover price. I find Kirk's writing easy to read. It has a nice, almost narrative flow. But it's the information that you will find valuable. I'm finding it to be a great resource.

In the interest of full disclosure I must mention that I am profiled in the book along with two other central Texas photographers, Wyatt McSpadden and Paul Bardagjy.

If you are just starting out in photography this book could save you years of expensive trial and error.

Kirk Tuck is a natural teacher and storyteller. He's a man who loves what he does and is willing to cheerfully share what he's learned in the whacky world of commercial photography. His book has something for everyone from beginners to grumpy old pros like myself. Kirk was kind enough to include me as one of three photographers profiled in the book along with Will van Overbeek and Paul Bardagjy, good company indeed. This is a book you'll want to have handy when you're puzzling over the mysteries of professional photography.

I wish this book had been around when I started down the "digital road" years ago. Its an easy read that should prompt you to ask what it is you really like to shoot and then consider how to organize the business side, marketing, etc.

In a photographic world filled with what sometimes seems like aimless shooters (shoot everything and shoot it a lot) Mr. Tuck's book asks us to examine our talents and drive in a more cogent manner. Perhaps just as importantly his voice of experience told me a lot about handling essentials such as model releases, property releases, contracts for paid jobs, tax planning and insurance. All things a lot of us overlook in our rush to shoot, shoot, shoot.

Consider this book a "What Color is My Parachute" for photographers with a lot of other solid advice thrown in for good measure.

Another consideration he covers at length is to carefully consider managing the rights to our images. Do we give clients originals or not for example? You may not agree with his outlook on it, but regardless of how you do it this should thought through. Do you have a business model that separates you from competitors? Another thing worth considering before you hang out a shingle.

More questions to consider. Should I go to a photo school? Become an apprentice to someone? Join professional associations?

Kirk Tuck obviously speaks with his experience and shares it in this book. After reading it I'm considering a lot more essential areas that could have caused me issues down the line, and that alone is worth the price many times over. His writing style is down to earth and spending a day combing his thoughts would be invaluable to both beginners and a lot of professionals as well. Good stuff.

It was said that after Napoleon, every French corporal carried a field marshal's baton in his haversack. Similarly, many photographer who have captured great images have wondered about becoming professionals. However, a collection of great images is not enough to earn a living as a photographer. Even Ansel Adams and Richard Avedon had to worry about contracts, marketing, billing and taxes.

Kirk Tuck presents us with a guide to some of the techniques that a commercial photographer will have to use if he or she wants to have enough money to live on. After discussing some best practices, like always having signed contracts and never selling one's copyright in a work, Tuck explains the major variations on commercial photography from architecture to portrait photography, including special considerations like equipment and methods of breaking in to the particular genre. He emphasizes the importance of marketing, advises on the importance of ethical standards, and suggests ways to set up one's business. He covers pricing and the danger of poor financial strategies like undercapitalization and clogged cash flow.

The author's style is informal but clear. He doesn't try to cover everything the businessperson-photographer must know, but rather emphasizes the most important lessons he has learned. No one book can tell you everything that you need for photography business, but he has a bibliography that includes just about all of the books I would recommend for someone starting out. The only thing missing was a recommendation for a manual on Quick Books.

The book is limited to commercial photography, so if you are interested in earning a living in fine arts photography I'll make a recommendation. Don't quit your day job! In fact, you would probably do well to set yourself up in one of the fields Tuck discusses and find a way to fit your fine art photography into any open space.

What a great overview. This book has been extremely helpful in evaluating what I can do with what I have - since I don't have unlimited financial resources for a start up business. I like the way Kirk details needed equipment, working environment and client expectations in the various fields of photography. I think it'll be a time saver for where I put my focus rather than casting about by trial and error and losing precious time.

This book has also helped me think through and find a niche market to get started without needing the most expensive equipment available. Really an excellent overview to understand and then focus on this business - followed by references for further study.

The photo business can be a daunting and overwhelming business to get started in. This book brings it to a comprehensible level of understanding that is encouraging and exciting.

I am a photographer. I love light and manipulating it to create beautiful images. I've been fairly successful--as a photographer--not necessarily as a businessman. I'm "self-taught" (with a lot of mentors along the way) and like many of you, bought the books and went to seminars about lighting. My education lacked what I now know was/is a critically important component: I did not study enough of the business aspects of photography. If you want to make a living with your camera, then you HAVE to learn the business side. Kirk Tuck has written an outstanding primer on starting and running a photography business. Hold on to your hats though--this book is written in a no nonsense style that is brutally honest. It's a style that I find refreshing, but it might frighten the weak of heart. However, if you are serious about making a run as a professional photographer, then Tuck's book is a great place to start. Tuck states that he likes lists. Here is a list of some of what I found extremely helpful in the book:

Tuck does not ignore wedding and portrait photographers; his definition of "commercial photography"' is creating images for a profit.
There are MANY real life examples of how the "Shoot---Burn---and give a CD" business model is painfully flawed. Tuck uses real life examples to explain and reinforce the need for a licensing model beautifully and emphatically.
There are brief descriptions of what is needed--as well as the pitfalls--in many of the areas of commercial photographers. The aforementioned weak hearted might buckle here, but Tuck offers suggestions for "making it" outside of "The Markets."
Tuck shares his experiences with marketing and explains what has worked best for him in his career: heads up--e-mail, Twittering, Facebook, etc., still don't compete with a sit down meeting or coffee chat with your clients.
I am long past my assisting days. However, Tuck views assisting as a major win-win for both the pro and the apprentice--as long as some guidelines are followed (I agree). Tuck shares some of these guidelines.
Tuck really emphasizes the licensing model over "work-for-hire." Oh wait, I said that already.
Tuck discusses and de-mystifies the need for contracts (with your clients as well as your models--the latter are called "model release").

I am at a point in my career where I am looking to shift gears. My "focus" (no pun intended) is shifting to teaching photography. You can bet that I'll be adapting many of the ideas in the Commercial Photographer's Handbook to fit the needs of my school.

So, you want to become a professional photographer? Put down the lighting book and study this Handbook.

I don't know what I can add that hasn't been said here already. This is a really good book for anyone who is interested in how the business of photography works. I've been on the video side of the commercial image making business but I'm now starting to do more work with still photography and this book has been a great help.

Kirk's writing style presents this wealth of information in an easy to understand and approachable format. There's a lot to cover but the way the content is broken up into bite size pieces makes this a great book to pick up at any point.

Based on the great information in this book I've also ordered Kirk's Minimalist Lighting for Location Photography book too. Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography

For those considering moving their photography from hobby to profession, Kirk Tuck's Commercial Photography Handbook is a must have. There are several great photography business books on the market, what makes Tuck's book unique is that it not only introduces the reader to the common practices of marketing, insurance, pricing etc., but to some of the things one must consider when determining where in the market to set up shop. Information about a variety of photography markets is covered including corporate, food, fashion, product, wedding and so on.

If you're looking for a book that will tell you how much to charge for a particular type of job, you're not going to find it here, instead you'll find the thought processes of a veteran shooter, the "hows" and "whys" of doing business as a photographer. The writing style is very accessible and Tuck includes profiles of some really fantastic shooters, providing a glimpse into their business philosophy.

Buy, the thick, dry books about common practices of photographic business, they are absolutely necessary. If you're just starting out and want to be eased into the overwhelming amounts of information found in those texts, get Tuck's book. It will make the transition much easier, as he will have you thinking about your business with the right frame of mind.

This is an essential and pratical guide to commercial photography. Kirk Tuck is a gifted photographer with an ability to clearly communicate the nuts and bolts of the profession. This book gives the working photographer an indispensable toolkit that deals with portfolios, marketing, licensing, pricing, stock images,and many other aspects. Kirk delivers all of this in an easy to read and entertaining manner. This book will provide a career blueprint the beginning photographer as well as refocus the seasoned pro!