Spirit of giving

- Producer Daniel Rios poses for a portrait with his MPC pad.

It’s December again. A crazy time for us photographers, our families and pretty much everyone else in the world. We’re all preparing for the holiday season in some fashion, and that generally means finding out what to give, or what we’d like to get.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking before the month hit on what I want to do. Of course, like many of you this year, I don’t have a ton of money. In fact, like many of you again, I’ve seen a pay cut. This goes without saying, but 2009 was a tough year.

That shouldn’t stop you from giving, or at least doing something nice for someone this season. There are ways to get creative, and since you’re probably a photographer, how about using your profession?

Do you know of or are involved in a local charity that’s really making a difference? Go spend a few hours documenting what they’re doing and allow them to use a few “professional” photos for their website or newsletter. Who doesn’t need photos?

Looking for a gift for your neighbor or relative? How about a nice family portrait? They make great gifts and are a way you can use your skill to your advantage. Not only do you cross someone off your gift-list, you get some practice in. You’ll come to find out their friends will want to know who shot their awesome photos somewhere down the line.

Those are just a few ideas, but you get the picture.

I decided to do something along those lines this year. For me, I wanted to help out a group of friends in Yuma who are just gaining some serious ground in the underground hip-hop community in Arizona and on the West Coast. The group is called Cerebral Arts. I gave them a few hours of studio time as way to potentially help further their careers.


- Jon Porter, aka "Firstperson I" is an MC from Yuma, Arizona. -

This was probably one of the most enjoyable times I’ve had on a shoot this year. The diversity of the group lent itself to some great portraits that really displayed their personality.

Working is a little more fun when you’re not “working”.

This project accomplished a few things for me, as well as them. First, I got some practice time in, time to try new lighting schemes for portraits and develop ideas for future work without dealing with deadlines and time constraints. Working at the Yuma Sun means I’m usually on the go, and more often than not, banging out assignments to get to the next one.

Second, it’s a gift, and like I said, who doesn’t need or like photos? Cerebral Arts is more than just a rap group. They are a crew with a positive message and reach out to the youth, often flying under the radar of the local news circuits.

This is just the start of something I’d like to do more of in the future. In Yuma, we have a few organizations that I have friends and colleagues working at, places like the mission and a group who help abused women and children.

I’m a photographer, not a plumber, auto mechanic or a social worker. This is what I can offer.

Third, the photos we did provide the group and individuals with a professional look they can use for CDs, websites and press packets. It something they won’t get from just anyone in town. Everything is tagged with my name, credited and searchable through Photoshelter.com.

Finally, so much of our business is word-of-mouth and networking-based that your reputation is just as important as your photographs. How many times have you gained some extra business from a client who was directed to you by a friend or acquaintance? If you haven’t, that’s not good.

Remember, working with any group could be a door that can potentially lead to something else in the future, though that shouldn’t be your main focus.

I know this argument might come up so let’s address it now. It’s the “free” word. Yes, I did it for free. The difference is really two-fold. One, I wasn’t asked. It was just something I wanted to do on my own time. Two, in this instance I maintain the copyright on the images, so I have a say in what they’re used for.

I’m not advocating working for free to get your work seen, I’m simply saying there are times when you can use your photography as a gift and a way to build relationships.

Some of what I’m discussing here are practices I’ve learned in the past from spending time with photographers like Matt Brown. Some of it I’ve added to.

Brown, a freelance photographer in Southern California, has Cal State Fullerton as one of his major clients and is very well-known at the college, by everyone. While preparing for the annual Sports Shooter Academies he looks for student athletes who will volunteer their time for photo shoots. In exchange, those students are given the photographs from the days shoot, but he has a stipulation – that they graduate.

“I think of the 12 or 15 students we’ve used, they’ve all graduated and all of them got the photos,” Brown said. “There’s one girl graduating this week and she’s going to receive like 900 shots. If they’re going to take their time to help me out, sometimes giving me time to try something, they’ve earned it.”


- Matt Brown, Sports Shooter Academy Instructor and California-based photographer, shows a student at SSA VI how to set up a remote camera -

There are also times when Brown gives photos he’s shot to some of the lesser-known individuals involved in the day-to-day operations, like trainers, the equipment crew and sometimes colleagues.

Does he consider that giving away his work?

“Heck no. It’s like giving a photo away to your mom. If it’s a friend of mine, or a colleague I don’t see it that way,” Brown said.

More often than not, he gains a few side jobs from building relationships, which at times means sending a photo their way. However, that’s not his purpose when he does it.

“I’ve done like four dozen family portraits, and some weddings, by building relationships and making friends. Actually, I just shot a wedding for a kid who I gave a photo to 12 years ago. I never look at people as potential clients down the line, but that kind of thing happens a lot,” Brown said. “If it happens 10 or 12 years down the road, great. If not, great.”

There are creative ways to run and expand a business, and now, more than ever, we need to find out what those are. Using the web, SEO, and blogging are all great tools, but don’t forget that building relationships are just important. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as giving someone a photograph.

I hope everyone here in SS.com land has a great holiday season with their families and friends. Here’s to a successful 2010 and another great year of sportsshooter.com.


AUTHOR’S NOTE: I received a few emails from some SS.com members recently wondering what I’ve been up to and why I’ve been absent from writing for the newsletter the past few months.

Back in August I checked into the hospital after dealing with a severe case of sinus infection that kept lingering. The doctors did a series of tests and caught something more important. I had an enlarged heart and that it was beating too fast and was also diagnosed with Graves Disease – in simple terms an overactive thyroid.

I missed about a month of work total while recovering, and, until recently, have just been getting back on track. I’m feeling much better, in fact, better than I’ve felt in a year.

Life could have been a lot worse had I not gone to the hospital.

I say this just to encourage everyone to get check-ups on a regular basis from your family doctor.



- Fausto "Legal Alien" Lopez of the hip-hop group Cerebral Arts -