WTF!

Sincerely,
Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

From this weeks fun and games:

Enjoy!

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

This could be my self portrait if I was only young and cute.  But it is how I am feeling today:

Sincerely,
Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

How to spend less than 40k and get back a half million:

The Soul of New Orleans

I had the wonderful experience of meeting and photography some amazing young adults yesterday.  A true testimony of life’s sprite overcoming life’s challenges.

Crossroads

Enjoy

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

From a recent shoot.  Cracks me up.  Such a grown-up looking like he is thinking about retiring.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

I created this collection for a client pitch.  It makes me smile:

http://www.zavesmith.com/projects/galleries/smiles/

Enjoy!

Last Thursday evening I shot portraits of the creative people who attended Discrepo 2.  Here are my favorites:

Discrepo 2

Enjoy!

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

I was shooting at a corporate retreat recently:

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

I am having a hard time deciding which of these two portraits I prefer:

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

new work:  Summer Time

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

By all measures, New Orleans should be a sad city. It has suffered hurricanes, floods, high unemployment, racial strife and several visits from Homeland Security and the Army Corps of Engineers. Yet, it remains New Orleans, donning her best Sunday dress of joy, happiness and just plain fun. From the Balls and parades of Mardi Gras, and the clubs along Bourbon Street to the hole in the wall family restaurants in the neighborhoods, I have witnessed the joys of living triumph over the pains of life.

New Orleans is both one of America’s poorest cities and one of our wealthiest. It overflows with good food, great music and spirited people. Yet three plus years after Katrina material damage is still to be found.

During this trip, my assignment was to photograph the Creole to Soul Tour and The Essence Music Festival. In addition I was fortunate to spend a few hours in the Global Green House

development too. In this Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood one home is finished, two more are almost completed. These homes are amazing. They are beautiful, comfortable, and have achieved the highest rating for being Green. Yet I walked away wondering why only three? Why are there not three hundred or three thousand of these low cost, totally cool new homes? They should be sprouting up like mushrooms in the humid climate of the Lower Ninth Ward.

I love New Orleans. Between the street cars, drunk tourists, amazing musicians, chefs who know how to turn an egg into a taste of heaven, and 300 year old French Quarter homes, lives a collection of ghosts and stories. For the price of a cheap beer and a sincere ear you can hear the most amazing tales. New Orleans, is an old oak, with deep roots and fresh new leaves every year.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Images from this years Essence Festival in the New Orleans Superdome.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Portraits of some of New Orleans Best Chefs:

t

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

From yesterday’s shoot:

We added some new work to our website so if you have not visited www.zavesmith.com in a while you might want to stop on in.

America is waiting. We are hoping that our money supply will outlast the siege in our banking system. We are praying that while we are watching others fall around us, that through brilliance and willpower, “I” will one of the survivors.

The creative community is waiting. We are hoping that our corporate masters will realize that the only way to survive is to seduce America into buying their dreams and that we, the creative community are those masters of that seduction.

We are waiting for the leaders of industry to reclaim their passion. We are waiting for the bean counters that only know how to cut costs on the backs of others to step aside. We are waiting for those of us who dream of innovation, who dream of serving their customers, who know that only real way out of this morass is to reclaim the true passion of business which Is not only profit but most importantly customer satisfaction will be allowed reclaim the leadership of corporate America.

We got into this mess by putting short-term profit first. We started making cars that while profitable, but were not world class. We allowed our bankers to stop thinking about what was best for their customers but instead lend money to people who had no chance of repaying so that they could pocket their 3%. We created bureaucracies that rewarded blind obedience to rules and formula instead of service to our citizens. If America is going to climb out of this hole, and I fully believe we will, we will do it by reclaiming the mantel of service and leadership. We will become leaders when we put aside the lingo of self importance and dedicate ourselves not to next months profit margin but to building companies, institutions and brands that stand for more than making money but for truly serving our client’s needs.

I am tired of waiting. So tomorrow and each day after I will re-dedicate myself to my craft and to telling my client’s stories with all the passion and creativity that I have. If we all do this, if we all say enough of cost cutting and back room politics and re-dedicate ourselves to our customers, the waiting will soon be over.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Another romantic spring day in the city.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

To be young and in love.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

From a recent shoot.

Spring is in the air.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

From yesterday’s shoot.

Enjoy!

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

I like to write and God knows that I like to talk but once in a while somebody says it better than I.

Vincent Nelson

Enjoy!

Zave Smith

If history teaches us one thing it is that the genius of America is that we will find a new way.  We are a country of boundless energy.  Together and as individuals we will find our way forward again.  A recession like this one will reallocate a huge amount of our resources.  The question for us, is where will I end up in this relocation?  As artists we are often viewed as luxury.  Nothing is further from the truth. For when a society convulses we need our artists to help us  understand what we are going through and to give us hope.  Art is hope and understanding.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

I have been at this for a while. There have been good years and there have been years where sleep came hard for worry.

I started my career in 1982, a year with a similar economic climate to this one with high unemployment and no optimism in the air. Like many of you here I am receiving a fair amount of resumes and young photographers asking for advice these days.

I was never one who buys the idea that it was “better back then” a career in the creative arts has always been a difficult choice. We who dedicate our lives to constant reinvention soon discover that we cannot always pull the next big thing out of our camera shaped hats. Our markets are not forgiving. Our markets always want the next big thing.

So what do you say to the next bright eyed recent photo grad with a huge heart, deep passions and a small camera? How do you find the right tone between follow your heart and watch your wallet? We all want it all; sex, money, power, sprite and the idea that you are saving the world. How do you let them know that while few have it all, with hard work many of us get to drink a bit from the cup of joy even during times where the oxygen seems to be leaving the room.

To those of you who are starting your careers, have faith, work hard and keep on creating images that are close to your heart.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

Click Here for More Pictures from Mardi Gras 2009

After a weeklong orgy of food, music, stories, sore legs and photography I realized that   Mardi Gras is not what I expected.  I imagined Mardi Gras to be booze and bare breasts with thousands of people behaving badly.  I have learned that Mardi Gras is a fun celebration that binds family and community together via tradition, stories and the sharing outrageous fun of the Mardi Gras parades.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood in Detroit was the Thanksgiving Day Christmas parade.  Now imagine a city that has not one parade but dozens.  Each parade has its unique roots and route.   I watched in awe as dozens and dozens of marching bands and floats rode colorfully by.  I watched in amazement has thousands of well behaved people lined the streets in a community wide celebration.

History tells us that in late 18 century  in France the aristocrats paraded around Paris tossing out food to the hungry peasants in honor of Mardi Gras.  In New Orleans instead of food it is beads, umbrellas, stuff toys, fake coins and for the lucky few, a painted coconut.

Who knew it could be so much fun to dress up, drive around and throw stuff at people but fun is what Mardi Gras is about.  I watched as kids from troubled neighborhoods reached out, screamed, and begged in delight for somebody to toss a bead their way.  I saw the same child like joy in the VIP stands with the rich matrons of old money New Orleans. 

In Mardi Gras, all in New Orleans become united by joy of an old tradition kept alive by sheer fun.  Mardi Gras does not make sense until you live it and living it is definitely worth the trip.

More pictures on Monday.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

Here are some more images from Saturday and Sunday from around New Orleans:  

Mardi Gras 3

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

To see more images follow link below:

http://www.zavesmith.com/client/Zulu/

More to say later

Zave Smith

There is nothing more fun and challenging that an unusual assignment.  Most of the time our shoots are sizable productions.  We tend to work with large budgets, producers, stylists, models, and assistants.  I am surrounded by our usual motley crew of people who I love, trust and help me execute my client’s dreams.

Today I am flying on my own.  I have pared down my equipment from five to ten cases to a backpack.  Today and for the coming week I will be masquerading as a photojournalist.  I will be photographing a behind the scenes peek at Mardi Gras from an African American tradition.  The pictures will be used to promote minority tourism for the State of Louisiana.  There will be no set ups.  I will photograph what I see as I participate in the balls, parades, music, food and mirth that is Mardi Gras.

I am not an event person.  I usually stay away from crowds.  Luckily for this trip it will be all first class with the gracious staff of Gmc advertising paving mine and my fellow journalist way. 

Reading about the history of Mardi Gras, looking at newspaper articles and photographs one question keeps coming to my mind; Why?  Mardi Gras is obviously a very expensive, time consuming orgy of color, food, drink, sex, and music.  Who has the time?  Who has the money?  Who has the energy to dedicate this much effort to something so transient?

 Sincerely,

Zave Smith

2.20.09

www.zavesmith.com

A sample of today’s fun and games on set.

Just an image from a recent shoot.

I had the pleasure of spending last weekend in New Orleans.  Here is some of what I saw:

 http://www.zavesmith.com/talent/nola08/

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

www.zavesmith.com

We have had an amazing run at the studio.  This whole year was crazy but the last 6 months set all sorts of records.

This morning I wake to find frost on the ground. At the Studio,  I now find frost in my client’s pockets.  Everyone is scared.  Everyone is nervous.  Only the warm glow of the election is keeping things from freezing up. 

The coffee is rich and warm.  The morning sun is changing the window’s darkness into shapes of fall color.  I have some time today.  Stories that have been held up inside by the demands of commerce now have room to wiggle free.

Snippets of conversations overheard,  “He kissed me so I kissed him back” an attractive 30 something women told her friend.  “My life was hard before I met him” said the eighty-year-old lady at next table pointing to her second husband. 

My editor sends back the new photos and tells me how great they are.  These are pictures that I almost did not send in because I did not believe in them.  What to make of all this?

It is time to cook.  What is in the pantry?  Do I mix up some comfort food or do I try something completely different.  Leaves on the ground, what stories do I tell?

There are a lot of new images on our website:  www.zavesmith.com

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

The stock photography industry is in trouble and nobody knows how to save it. Currently three market forces are buffeting stock photography. The first force is an oversupply of images. The second is the rise of licensing models that are unsustainable and the third is the current economic slowdown in the industries that use the large share of stock imagery.

There is little that we can do about the oversupply and the current economic slowdown. No new policy from the market leaders, and no high-minded ideas on a photography news groups is going to increase the ad pages in Time Magazine or convince thousands of newer photographers to stop submitting images as microstock. What we can do is affect the perceived value of images.

The every popular Micro Stock as allowed our every image user – from multinationals to small businesses – to buy for a buck what they used to buy for several hundred dollars. No increase in volume is going to make up that difference in revenues. A minority who invested in the microstock circus early have made money but I predict as time goes on these success stories will dwindle as oversupply makes the investment less and less worthwhile.

I have nothing against the concept of low-priced licensing like the Micro Stock model; In fact I think it is a good way for beginning photographers to connect to buyers who need ok images. The problem I have is when market leaders who are selling premium images play this game.

I don’t want to dwell on why I believe that selling a Lexus at the same price, as a Kia is silly. What I want to offer is a possible way out of this rabbit hole.

Let’s start treating microstock in a logical, market-enhancing way.

Let Micro Stock be the farm team of our industry. Let Microstock be the place where beginning stock photographers learn how to produce sellable images and where small businesses, educators and non profits learn how to pay for images instead of “borrowing” them from the internet.

Our distributors need a systematic method of making sure that their microstock collections stay clean of high value images. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? When images appear on the Microstock sites that have more value, being produced by photographers with more talent these images and photographers should be immediately promoted to the major collections where they can be sold at sustainable price points. If this policy was enacted Micro Stock would enhance our industry instead of helping erode it.

I would also urge our distributors to stop pitching Microstock to valuable commercial and publishing clients. For businesses where quality images are an important part of their communication and branding, make them pay what our images are worth to them, which is far more than a buck.

This idea of protecting the value of premium images also applies to the growing trend to offer major clients access to premium collection images for minimal fees. Getty Images’ Premium Access program and Jupiter’s Unlimited Plus product come to mind, and I’m sure there are many more under the radar. While I can understand the market need for preferred pricing and for subscription access, programs I again feel that allowing all images to be sold this way devalues all images. If a manufacturer wants to have products in all price points, the usual method is to develop different production for each of these markets not just to lump their premium and basic goods into one bargain basket. If a company needs access to premium quality images, they should make sure that the pricing reflects the high value of both their client’s needs and their images’ worth.

I have been in the photography business for 19 years now. One of the lessons that I have learned is that it can take years to build up a reputation as a source for great creativity and only a couple of days to destroy that hard-built reputation. I have learned the power of walking away from a bad deal. I have learned the difference between being busy and being profitable. I have learned that often that best way to get a client to say yes is for me to say no. I plead with our distributors to learn these basic lessons. I urge them to once again have faith in themselves and the imagery of their contributing artists. I also urge photographers to be more aspirational in their stock output. I believe that photographers need to think twice before playing the volume game of Micro and RF stock and start playing the quality game of RM stock. I think that for most photographers they will find more artistic gratification and increase income from playing in a higher quality market. Better pictures, more money, what’s not to like?

I am publishing this open letter in order to open a dialoge. I invite other industry stakeholders to tell me why my ideas will not work and to share with me their ideas on how to put our industry onto a healthier track. For we are at a point in time where all of us need to come together to share our views and work together for positive change. Otherwise, we can expect more and more talented people from across our industry to end up sharing a place in the unemployment line.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Leslie Hughes Wrote:

I read your article with interest. I would love to speak with you sometime about it. in the meantime, here are some thoughts to consider. I take a similar but different approach. I wrote an article some time ago for MacTribe that spoke about crowd sourcing and the pros and cons and how photographers were going to need to think about how they shoot and what and when to put through to what is simply a new channel. I don’t think you can stop and am a market person. I believe that if there is a demand which there is, someone will respond. So the key – which is the similar part – is to educate the photography community not to be silly in filling that pipeline with cheaply priced images of the “Lexus” product. How I differ a bit is that I don’t think necessarily that this is a talent issue but a product cost and channel management issue. You don’t put the good stuff in the cheap channel. And that is where I see a huge problem that will hurt so many good photographers.

If it takes little money and is fast to produce, than one may be able to produce it for microstock going forward – and s/he who does it best may be able to make money (I think). I am guessing this is what is behind the Getty decision to get into this initially plus the belief that content and the internet will move ever more toward a direct to consumer environment and high volume, low priced opportunity. It would be fascinating to explore how to create images that did not involve the “high priced talent” but maybe we create the opportunity for interns and as you say the farm team to learn by shooting what we know is needed. Focus the high end talent on the high end product. I like to use fashion as a metaphor. Mizrahi has done pretty darn well with his line for Target. But he does not use the same materials, not the same production process. The eye and design sensibility is pretty darn close and people love it.

Any way, I love the high end – please don’t misunderstand me. I think there is opportunity there for the right people. I also agree there is an over saturated market and that there will be more consolidation because of it. However, I also see that so much of how we live in the world is driven by the internet and we are moving away from transaction to collaboration. There is a mass market on young consumers who don’t respond to print in any way. Images and visual media will be an ever increasing part of online collarboration and clients and consumers will want inexpensive access to an ever abundant supply. We want to ensure that those that play in the space do so in a way that ensures integrity and the ability for creators to maintain control and make profit.

Interesting discussion and I love the you are willing to put in out there.

Leslie Hughes
CEO

E q u i d y n e V e n t u r e s
www.equidyneventures.com

The first time that remember watching the setting sun I was sitting on the fallen walls of an ancient Roman city. The sun was bright and red when it set swiftly into the Mediterranean Sea. I was five miles from a hostile boarder and learning to love a moment in time. I was just 13.

I remember watching dawn from Nabi Musa. We had climbed this mountain by torch light during the night in order to watch the sunrise from the spot that legend says Moses came face to face with God. I really don’t know if I believe in God but I do believe in beauty and when that first light reached across the desert and grabbed my heart I learned the meaning of awe.

On a clear night on the shores of Lake Wessota, my new bride and I saw a meteor shower. It seemed that the stars were dancing just for us. Love can do that to a fellow.

This morning the sun rose again. The light danced between the trees while I read the morning paper and this evening it is setting across the field while my old dog pretends to chase bunnies that are no longer there. Once again I am moved. Once again I know that the most beautiful sunset and sunrise that I will ever see, will be the one that I will see tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Rencently I was asked, “What were the biggest mistakes that you have made”? It took me all of two seconds to make the following list:

1. Forget to listen to my gut.
2. Forget to listen to my client.
3. Forget to ignore my client.
4. Photograph with my head instead of my heart and my eyes.

Sincerely,

Zave Smith
www.zavesmith.com

Images from a recent trip though Nova Scotia

Sincerely,

Zave Smith

August, 2008

www.zavesmith.com

Here are three new short stories.