John Shaw's Business of Nature Photography [Hardcover]

John Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

In this manual John Shaw shares what only years of experience can teach - his personal game plan for running a profit-making photography business. He provides a discussion of all aspects of the business, including legal and financial issues, equipment, computers and software, copywriting, storing, and filing slides, packaging and mailing photographs, invoicing, and office management. He also examines the kind of pictures that will sell, finding clients, marketing strategies and selling rights.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Shaw is one of the world's leading nature photographers and the author of many enduring bestselling books. His photographs are frequently featured in National Wildlife, Outdoor Photographer, Natural History, Sierra, and Audubon magazines, as well as in calendars, books, and advertisements. He lives in Colorado Springs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books; 1 edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081744050X
• ISBN-13: 978-0817440503
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.7 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Professional

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, no-nonsense approach with specific recommendations, October 22, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Salt Lake City, UT; USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Shaw's Business of Nature Photography (Hardcover)

I am still in the processing of reading, re-reading, and applying what Mr. Shaw wrote in his book--in other words I am not a professional nature photographer...yet! However, I found the information in this book to be extremely informative. He gives great no-nonsense advice about becoming a professional nature photographer. He doesn't give us a pipe dream by saying that it's going to be easy. Like any other business venture, it will take effort to make it work.

Very early in the book he establishes what this book is and what it is not. It IS a description of what has worked for him: publishing his pictures in the printed media. It Is NOT a book that describes the technical aspects how to take great pictures (f-stops, shutter speeds, composition, etc.). He has written a number of other books on those subjects. It is also NOT a book on how to sell your pictures in galleries or how to approach retail buyers about ways to display and sell your pictures in stores.

One of the things I most appreciated was his recommendations about the equipment you will need. He doesn't endorse any particular brand of camera (though it's rather obvious from his captions that he uses mostly Nikon equipment). However, he does give specific advice on the types of lenses you will need and the features that he would look for if buying a camera. He also gives recommendations on the types of filters you might need.

On other (non-camera) items he does, however, give specific name-brand recommendations for such things as tripods, light tables, loupes, slide labels, database software, and other miscellaneous accessories (many of which I hadn't considered before). On most of these, however, he gives multiple recommendations. He even provides a list of manufacturers to contact for more information. I already had a good camera, so I especially appreciated his specific recommendations on accessories. I am quite sure that it has saved me hours of work in looking for and considering what will and will not work.

As mentioned earlier he explains what worked for him: getting his images published in the printed media. His general recommendation for beginning photographers is to first approach (low-circulation) magazines to sell pictures with an article. He gives some very compelling reasons why this is a good idea. He also gives numerous examples of the types of correspondence that you can expect when approaching a potential buyer.

He also explains a little the type of images that photo editors are looking for. (It's unlikely that they'll need another image of a moose, elk, bear, or deer in Yellowstone!)

Another thing that I found helpful was his explanation of his personal filing system. Once again he gives some no-nonsense advice here. His recommendations seem practical but not overly costly. If I have one gripe with the book it's that he doesn't give a complete listing of the categories he uses for his own work. He gives a partial list (which I will probably use as a base) but I wish he would have listed all of his categories. (He indicates in the book that there are roughly thirty.)

Aside from all of the above he has some WONDERFUL photographs in the book. Most of the photos are there without being referenced in the text, but just looking at them inspires me to want to become a better photographer.

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Oldie but Goodie, May 3, 2004

By 

Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: John Shaw's Business of Nature Photography (Hardcover)

This book was a top-notch guide in its time that has unfortunately been overtaken by events.

Shaw tells you just about everything that one needed to know to become a successful nature photographer a decade ago, based upon his own experience. There is nothing in this book about photography techniques (although Shaw has written plenty of excellent books that do just that.) This book is crammed with practical business advice, from broad guidance like what subjects to shot for the most sales, to nitty-gritty advice like how to package your photos for mailing. He answers questions that other photography marketing books don?t begin to address: why is nature photography different from other commercial photography (nature sales are mostly from an existing stock of shots); what is the minimum-sized library needed to go into the business (at least 1000 first-class bread and butter photos of a variety of subjects); and similar questions.

Shaw's writing is direct and simple. Some of what he says I certainly know to be true from my own very brief experience in a commercial photography market and other things he says, of which I have no experience, have the true ring of advice of which I would never have thought on my own.

Shaw includes many of his own beautiful nature photographs in the book. And he at least makes some attempt to tie the pictures to what he is talking about. I?m not too concerned that the connections are sometimes tenuous. After all, how do you illustrate the advice to consider having your contract with a stock agency include the obligation to provide you with tearsheets?

So what's wrong with this book? Well, it's eight years too late. This book was published in 1996. Since that time the development of electronics has changed the photography field. Shaw's description of filing systems was written before some of today?s excellent computer-based storage and tracking systems were available. Most importantly, digital imaging was just a blip on the radar that only merited mention in a three-page appendix. When published, editors would only consider color slides for use. Today, more and more of the people who buy (or really, lease, as Shaw makes clear) photography are willing to consider digital images. And I suspect that the presentation of those images to prospective purchasers and the preparation of those images by the photographer for use have greatly changed the procedures suggested by Shaw.

It is a shame because this book is so clearly and usefully written. No other book on the business of nature photography has been so helpful in the past. Even more of a shame is that I have heard Shaw say he has no present plans to update this book.

So, if you are a nature photographer who wants to learn how to go into business, get this book. But buy yourself of subscription to the magazine Digital Photo Pro. And stay tuned for further updates.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Know what you are buying, July 12, 2004

By 

B. America "annodomini1969" (East Stroudsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Shaw's Business of Nature Photography (Hardcover)

BEFORE YOU BUY THIS BOOK. Understand that this book is nearly 10 years old and focuses on a business model that is near extinct.

When this book was first printed in 1996 it would have been considered a basic "seminar in a book" about selling and establishing income from nature photography. While the book does have some timeless information on common sense, it for the most part is archaic in content.

There are many fans of John Shaw out there but when it comes to buying a book and expecting content that I can use, my own expectations are to get the product as advertised.

If you want a John Shaw book on nature photography, stick to his other publications. This one belongs next to DOS 4 and my Windows 3.1 manuals.