VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography [Paperback]

David duChemin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 21, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0321670205 | ISBN-13: 978-0321670205 | Edition: 1

For those who want to make the transition into the world of vocational photography—staying true to your craft and vision, while fusing that craft with commerce VisionMongers is a great place to begin your journey. With a voice equally realistic and encouraging, photographer David duChemin discusses the experiences he’s had, the lessons he’s learned, and the practices he’s adopted in his own winding journey to becoming a successful working photographer.

When it comes to this personal, honest combination of craft and commerce, there is no single path to success. Everyone’s goals are different, as is everyone’s definition of success. As such, VisionMongers does not prescribe a one size-fits-all program. Instead, duChemin candidly shares ideas, wisdom, and inspiration to introduce you to, and help you navigate, the many aspects of transforming your passion into your vocation. He addresses everything from the anxiety-riddled question “Am I good enough?” to the basics—and beyond—of marketing, business, and finance, as well as the core assumption that your product is great and your craft is always improving.

Along the way, duChemin features the stories of nine other photographers—including Chase Jarvis, Gavin Gough, and Zack Arias—whose paths, while unique, have all shared a commitment and passion for bringing their own vision to market. With VisionMongers, you’ll learn what paths have been taken—what has worked for these photographers—and you’ll be equipped to begin the process of forging your own.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David duChemin is an assignment photographer specializing in humanitarian projects and world photography. A passionate contributor to the international photography community, duChemin's first book, Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision, received worldwide acclaim for its vision, passion, and depth. Find David online at Pixelatedimage.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: New Riders; 1 edition (November 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321670205
• ISBN-13: 978-0321670205
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Equipment, Techniques & Reference > Professional

More About the Author

David duChemin is a Canadian international assignment photographer specializing in Humanitarian and world photography. A nomad, visionmonger, unashamed do-gooder, and sometimes author, David's photography is online at DavidduChemin.com. His words are available in his books here on Amazon, on his blog at DavidduChemin.com, or in his series of ludicrously inexpensive eBooks at CraftAndVision.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 72 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not Great December 7, 2009

By Scott E. Regener

Format:Paperback

First of all, I am not the target market for this book. This book is written for the enthusiast who is considering going pro and doesn't have a step-by-step plan to make it happen. If that's you, this book is a must read. If instead you're looking for ways to improve your photography, look elsewhere, like duChemin's soon-to-be-classic "Within the Frame." In spite of being "off target" for me, I couldn't put this book down and read it cover-to-cover in just a few days. This speaks well of duChemin's writing and sense of pace.

If one were to look at the book for flaws, there are two that come to my mind. First, the pictures are "thrown in" with no context. A brief caption with a little background story could help a lot, as could some technical data. Pictures don't always tell the whole story, and for most of the pictures included, the story is exactly what is missing. The pictures do little more than show that duChemin is capable of great photography.

The second complaint is a more serious one, in that duChemin uses a lot of pop-culture shorthand to get points across. References to "Dead Poets Society" abound, so viewing that may be a prerequisite. But in writing about creativity, one should be able to come up with creative ways to express things rather than rely on the crutch of what has come before.

None of this should take away from reading the book, however. In spite of these relatively minor flaws, duChemin shares a lot of the secrets of success - mostly that there are no secrets or shortcuts that will make you successful. Hard work, consistency, and good business practices (mixed in with timing and luck) will get you there. The book assumes you're already good, and that you're willing to work to get better.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Pro November 24, 2009

By Conrad J. Obregon TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

David duChemin's "Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision" was a great hit with many photographers, engaging difficult subjects to write about, vision and creativity. Based on the success of his first book I was eager to read this volume.

In it the author approaches some basic questions about making a career in photography from his own perspective as a person who has chosen to make his career mainly doing work for non-governmental organizations. He explains the necessity for being true to oneself as a professional, to work hard, to market, to overdeliver to customers, and even to rely on written contracts. He also discusses the ethics of the profession and financial objectives to keep in mind. The author relies upon anecdotes and episodes from his own career to make his points, as well as the biographies of several other successful photographers that demonstrate how they became successful. For a subject that could easily lapse into being pedantic, duChemin has a certain charming style. For the young photographer, with little experience of the career world, this book may be a good place to start if he or she has an inkling that he or she might want to follow photography as a profession, although it may also prove appropriately discouraging. On the other hand, some photographers with more experience of the world and opinions about how it works may find the book too fundamental and optimistic.

Unlike hard subject books, like exposure, soft subjects like following a career path are difficult to write. Occasionally, it felt like the author was delivering a sermon, or perhaps an inspirational speech. He does that well, but not every audience will benefit from this approach.

Moreover the book is keyed primarily to people seeking a career in photography by working on assignment from clients, although the studio photographer or the fine arts photographer may discover useful information. The author is generous in his recommendations of works of his colleagues that might prove more practical.

The author generally tried to deal with the broader principles involved in pursuing what he calls vocational photography, without getting too deeply into specifics. On the other hand, he does provide just enough information so that the reader can develop a principal. For example he discusses the use of postcards and provides a few examples of the fronts of his postcards, a sample of a message from the back, and a reference to an on-line printer. Similarly he talks about the importance of avoiding debt and calculating the cost of doing business, without ever using the word "budget" or explaining how to create one.

The book includes a nice collection of the author's images, but they don't support the text in any way other than to show that the author is a good photographer.

This book is worth reading for all thinking of taking the leap into vocational photography but it will prove most useful to young aspiring photographers. If they accept that challenge, they will still have to do a great deal more research to learn the business of photography.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A first-rate follow-up to Within the Frame November 22, 2009

By Stuart A. Sipahigil

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

David duChemin has it figured out and he's not afraid to tell you the secret. In his new book, VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography, he leads us down the path a budding amateur photographer can expect to trod in order to turn his/her passion into a successful vocation.

David (not Dave) lays it out plainly and simply that being a professional is not for everyone. It's not just about being talented, original, or well-versed in your craft. It's not even enough to be passionate about what you do--though that's a big contributing factor to success. It's about hard work and paying attention to the business side as much as to the craft of photography. That may mean finding the right people to do some things for you (marketing, finances, legal, etc.), but they have to be done. While scaring the crap out of you (but nicely), he talks about his own path to photography as a vocation and interspersed throughout the book, he describes the journeys of several pro photographers you might recognize, like Chase Jarvis, Gavin Gough, Chris+Lynn and others. These stories can inspire you or scare you, depending on how you interpret them, but they certainly make you think about photography as a vocation.

In the end, what's the secret he reveals? Why, that there is no secret. There's no formula for your path to success in photography because you bring something unique to the pursuit of the craft. That may sound a bit disingenuous, but David certainly knows what he's talking about, having experienced his own "long, strange trip" to professional photography.

I highly recommend this book, along with David's previous book Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision, to anyone who has thought about turning their passion for photography into a career. There's an ancient proverb that says "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I think for many of us, the teacher has arrived. David pulls no punches in letting you know what's expected, but if you're still willing to give it a go, he's there in your corner.