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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
"Friends and Comp: How much information should we share?"
John Strohsacker, Photographer
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Brian Blanco, Photographer
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Tampa / Sarasota | FL | USA | Posted: 1:21 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> As far as I'm concerned, it's very simple: I share everything with my competition.
I loan them gear, introduce them to my clients, give them advice if asked for it and generally help them out in every way possible.
Why?
Because they all do the same for me everyday.
The only way to be successful in this business (in my market anyway) is to be friendly, well-respected and trusted by the guys I work shoulder-to-shoulder with, and "against" every day. I get FAR more work from my colleagues than I would ever get by defending some little "secret" and alienating the core group of freelancers in this market.
I also happen to count my biggest competition as my closest friends. I'd MUCH rather lose a client than a friend. |
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Israel Shirk, Photographer, Assistant
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Boise | ID | US | Posted: 2:18 PM on 10.13.10 |
| ->> Helping out another shooter, I'm all for. Some guy without a clue, who is looking to undercut me and then burn out when he finds out he's broke... I'll pass... |
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Delane B. Rouse, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | US | Posted: 2:34 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> Brian...I've heard you say that same thing on numerous occasions...I think your Tampa area is way more progressive than other areas for some reason. That's GREAT for you guys. When I shot a lot of NYC stuff from 2000-2003 I shared a lot of work/information.
Washington DC...well John Harrington shares a lot in our DC area; others...not so much. Me...it depends...I have some agressive business/financial goals to meet over the net 3, 5 and 10 years so I don't give away as much.
Cheers,
Delane |
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Brian Blanco, Photographer
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Tampa / Sarasota | FL | USA | Posted: 2:38 PM on 10.13.10 |
| ->> Yea Delane, it could just be this market. Everyone really just gets along and works together really well. I mean don't get me wrong, there's one or two we'd like to "vote off the island" but working in this market, overall, is great and we're all really close and look out for one another. Like photojournalism zen. |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 2:44 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> When asked, I'll share whatever general information I can ... as long as the person asking the question is serious about what they are doing ... if they are just looking find an edge to take advantage of me ... not so much ...
I remember when I started out in the late 70's ... those well entrenched in the biz were very closed-mouth and you had to earn your bones just to get a hello from many of them ... now ... all the info you could ever imagine is as close as your nearest Google search query .... in the end ... it's all good ... knowledge is power ... the power to use that knowledge well is a different matter ... |
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Joe Cavaretta, Photographer
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Ft Lauderdale | FL | USA | Posted: 3:15 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> true story from when I was working in Mexico City back when we used that rolled up stuff in cameras that you could only take out in a very dark room..
two photographers waiting for something, i can't even remember what...
fotog A says, man, I only have 2 frames left... should I reload, is he coming soon?
fotog B reaches over and hits A's shutter button, and says "One." |
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Osamu Chiba, Photographer
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Vista | CA | USA | Posted: 3:50 PM on 10.13.10 |
| ->> The only thing I don't share with other photographers is this site ;-) (Of course they are non-members.) I must keep my edge so I won't tell them ;-) |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 4:06 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> Brian
I shared it all with photogs. Gear, at times computers, passed along jobs I could not take on and in return I found that most of those I competed with shared it all back with me.
Now that I am largely in a different field ... that photography directly lead me to in some strange way ... I work the same way with a small core of competitors. They have sent me work, I have sent them work and since the area we're in is such a niche we rely on each other to bounce ideas to make sure we're headed the right way.
Life is not always kill or be killed. |
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Monty Rand, Photographer
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Bangor | ME | USA | Posted: 4:25 PM on 10.13.10 |
| ->> I don't share anything anymore. It's too bad, but I've been burned many times by people who take your ideas and what have you and then do the job for free because for them it's fun. It's amazing how busy or in demand they think they can be when the do it for free. |
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Cooper Neill, Student/Intern
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 8:11 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> As it has been mentioned before, it all comes down to a persons intentions and how they approach you for help. Being a student, whenever I'm out shooting and I run into a photographer for the Tennessean or AP at a concert, I always go strike up a conversation and pass along any tips I have about the act if they haven't heard them before. What goes around comes around and whenever I'm shooting sports the same guys will come up and give me advise on different angles and techniques to try during the game. The photographers around Nashville have been more than willing to help me out and for that I am eternally grateful.
The problem I have with giving out information is whenever I tell other photographers who I shoot for (usually college or younger photographers) the next morning I'll get an email from my editor saying someone met me at a show and said they could do better for cheaper. |
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Craig Mitchelldyer, Photographer, Assistant
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 9:19 PM on 10.13.10 |
->> I'm with Brian, I share anything and everything and all the Portland photographers are real tight and share everything and refer gigs to each other. I wouldn't hesitate to tell anybody anything. what helps one of us helps us all.
I loan gear, borrow gear, give advice, ask advice, send jobs, etc etc etc everyday. I think its a good thing to share. |
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Mike Carlson, Photographer
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Bayonet Point | FL | USA | Posted: 1:23 PM on 10.14.10 |
->> Building from Brian's post, I'd say the key may be to "appear" that you're really sharing everything to keep people happy. I mean, since we're in the same market and he actually thinks we tell him everything his resulting conclusion is that it's some sort of zen. Proof I speak the truth.
(Though, after that I may be the third one he wants off the island...) |
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Mike Carlson, Photographer
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Bayonet Point | FL | USA | Posted: 1:33 PM on 10.14.10 |
| ->> (And lest anyone actually thinks I'm being serious, Brian really does speak the truth about the Tampa market being quite friendly/cooperative rather than cut-throat. While sometimes actual $$$ figures for clients/bids aren't communicated, we do pass along referrals, equipment, and far too many jokes at each others' expense.) |
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Brian Blanco, Photographer
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Tampa / Sarasota | FL | USA | Posted: 1:43 PM on 10.14.10 |
| ->> Mike, for some reason I can't mark your first post with a "Huh?" from my Blackberry so if any memeber could help me out that'd be great ;-) Oh, and off topic, Mike where's my Think Tank bags? So mcu for sharing. |
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