Thinking Big

Vincent Laforet - the well known contract photographer from the NY Times is a very good example of the all-round business photographer that is the future of the image gathering industry. He recently wrote an essay on the sportshooter that has been heavily passed around the photoblog world. I had a chance to re-read it this morning while sitting on a quiet porch, rather than the chaos of my studio. It's a very well crafted document that takes many aspects of the current state of the industry into consideration. As my friend Jason Stang recently said [about how the industry is changing] "either you chose to stick your head in the sand or you don't" -- That said, the basic summery I take to heart in reading Laforet's call to action for photographers is to be diversified. To see ahead of the coming curve and to know that multi-media is going to play a huge part in the evolution of this business. Multi-media, though being an almost cliché word, needs a new definition in its self and a leap in perspective. It's up to us to do that. This generation of photographers has to seize new perspectives for employing our craft as we are up against one of the most obtusely ascending changes that has ever occurred in the industry of image creation. Reviewing Laforet's article is well worth the time it takes to read. It will be interesting to weigh his words against the reality of a year from now. I applaud Vincent for taking the time to put his thoughts and ideas out there for all of us to consider.