Customer Reviews

VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Vision Mongers discusses about how to survive and hopefully, thrive in the professional photography world. It contains a lot of insights about the professional photography landscape especially in USA and Canada.

At first, I am a little bit surprise that the tone of the book (especially first chapter) is not encouraging at all. David repeatedly warns amateur photographers or hobbyists about the negative sides of going pro. Despite the negative tone, I feel that David is right. It is hard to make a living being pro especially if you lives by old rules. Every aspiring pro photographers now need to craft their own niche. style and brand.

In fact, branding for photographers are everything now, and I am glad that David dedicates a large portion of the book in developing your personal brand. It consists of advice on your logo, business card, and social media such as website, blog and twitters.

David is an active blogger and twitterer (@pixelatedimage). David is smart enough to follow the trend of social media which I think will replace the role of traditional media such as prints and television sooner or later. More and more people are going online, this including potential clients. It is wise to establish some presence on the net. Also, the nice thing is.. it is free for everyone to use.

David also discusses a bit about business operation, such as contract, negotiation and sponsorships. He does not give you many detailed examples, but you will get pretty clear insights on how to do business.

As a bonus, David inserts some biography of some of his famous pro-photographers friends: Chase Jarvis, Zack Arias, Gavin Gough, Darwin Wiggett, Grace Chon, Kevin Clark and some others. Each photographer is successful in their niche and all of them have some presence in the web.

This book is very valuable for aspiring pro photographers. It explains very clearly about the current pro photography landscape and why being business savvy, especially on personal branding and social media marketing are the key determinant of your success.

For more review about photography books, camera, lens, or general photography tips, please visit my blog (click on my profile). Thanks for reading.

If you have ever asked the question "how can I make money from photography" you should read this book. This isn't an idiot's guide or formulaic how-to. Instead it is a deeply honest look at what it takes to succeed as a photographer.

After reading this book I came away with a number of insights:

1. Transitioning into photography professionally does not have to be all-or-nothing. You can start while you still have a day job.

2. There are a bunch of things I can (and need to) do today to start building my brand as a photographer.

3. This is hard work, but it is possible.

I enjoyed duChemin's first book (Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision) immensely but this book will have far more impact on my career.

Don't expect to be dazzled by amazing lighting techniques or fancy photoshop effects...and don't expect this to be any substitute for a business or marketing class. This book is much more than that...it's pure inspiration! I would read page after page and think to myself, "this is about me...how did he know?" There are so many roadblocks in the way of anyone trying to make a living while following a passion for photography, and this book not only addresses many of those roadblocks, but inspires you to find a way around them. It may not give you the solutions, but you're creative, right? It'll inspire you to "create" your own path to success rather than present a one-size-fits-all approach. After finishing this book, I actually felt like I'd made a new friend. I know that sounds sounds a little strange, but it was so conversational in nature that I actually feel like I got to know David duChemin. Its obvious that the ideas and philosophies in this book are well thought out, and the author's casual writing style is in no way a compromise on proper writing technique. The sentences and stories are constructed so well that it is naturally an easy read.

Some decent insights, extremely good on setting realistic expectations about photography as a vocation. But I agree w/ another reviewer who wrote that sometimes the text gets a little long on the inspirational, flowery poetic stuff.

The book would have been better with more specific marketing tips, suggestions on building a website, etc.

In the interests of full disclosure I have my own book about making a living in photography but it comes at the business from another point of view. That being said, I have just read Visionmongers for the second time and found it to be a great look at how to think about being in the business of photography. The strongest part of the book is about marketing. His examples are good and the story behind them better. He does a great job explaining what it takes to gather mindshare, in a positive way, from the top end of the market. The people with the most sophisticated visual palettes.

You won't learn how to handle your camera or which camera to use but you will learn a mindset for getting the kind of work you want. For the most part the book is an enjoyable read. And in many ways an "open kimono" about DuChemin. It verges on "new agey" from time to time but hell, I live in Austin, who am I to judge.

Would I recommend the book to photographers? Anyone starting a business in photography or thinking about it: YES.

Although this book is geared towards aspiring vocational photographers it is incredibly useful to anyone that is thinking of starting their own freelance/studio based business based on a creative pursuit (graphic designer, illustrator, musician, web designer, etc.) The book is not about photographic skills but is more about sustaining a successful business based on your creative passion. It is not a photography book, but a book that any photographer will find useful. I found myself reading several sections aloud for my wife who owns and operates a vocal studio.

David initially deals with the inner questions of "do I have what it takes?" and "should I depend on my photography to make a living?" very honestly and openly. The rest of the book assumes the reader is journeying on the road of vocational photography. David then touches on many of the less glamorous, but absolutely vital aspects of running a successful business. Topics like branding, networking, market research, pricing, debt, and several others. Throughout the book David speaks from his own experience and that of many others.

There are no areas David mentions where he claims to be an expert. He is smart enough to give the reader enough to get started and then points to others who have the requisite expertise.

This book is a welcome addition to the plethora of books that discuss f-stops, shutter speeds, workflow, and Photoshop actions. In VisionMongers, David is one part life coach and one part business advisor. This is definitely not the last book someone contemplating vocational photography should read but it should absolutely be one of the first.

A very different type of photography book, that I not only think all 'newbies' should read - but so should anyone in the biz (I myself have been in it for almost 20 years) Its a book i wish i had to read when i started - a direct and honest appraisal of what the business is REALY like. I think that since there is a glut of weekend warriors who suddenly fancy themselves PRO - that a book like this is a wake-up call...a supportive, realistic and thought-provoking take of what being a photographer really means.