Because it's all about gratitude
Monday share.
Or maybe Monday brag.
Or maybe just one of those random small things that make a photographer happier.
Or a bit of all of the above... :)
Those of you who have followed the Earchphoto Blog for a while know that In general I shoot for advertising campaigns and marketing/promotional purposes, and sometime cover sporting events for magazines. My photos get published all the time. I could probably pick a random copy of a trade magazine off the stands today, and find some ad in there with one of my photos. But I guess I'm not social enough, or it's just me being me - I never really cared for publication, photo credit, tear sheets, and all that stuff. As much as it may come as a surprise to some of my photographer friends, I never even kept a record of those kind of things.
Boring. Just not a priority in my world.
Instead, what does matter to me is the small things - the random moments when one image goes beyond its original purpose to become just a little something more. Clearly, it all starts with work, and we are all here to do our job and make profit - but there has to be more, and more comes with all those random small things.
What makes my day? It's the model calling right before Christmas asking for a photo book to send her grandmother who lives on the other side of the world, or a print to use on their kid's scrapbook. It's the athlete asking for a canvas to gift one of their family members, or sharing our image with their friends on social media.
This is what adds a smile to my day. And this is the reason why we never charge models and athletes for anything they wish to use from our photoshoots. Whatever they ask for, they get as a gift: image licensing, prints, photo books, and what not.
Just because.
Think about it, models and athletes get photographed all the time by every photographer on earth, and most of their images get published and shown everywhere and anywhere, often times without anyone asking - hey, do you even like this photo? They have more images than they know what to do with, and probably more than they would ever have time or want to look at.
That is why I feel quite grateful when someone we either worked with or photographed during a sporting event decides to use my images just because they want to, not because it's part of a commercial agreement or written in their sponsorship contract.
Because it's all about gratitude.
So on the random day when the US Women National Team goalkeeper picks one of my images to share on her Instagram, among the many she could choose from - then it's one of those extra smiles I'm grateful for, and it makes for a good day in a commercial photographer's life...
Ashlyn Harris, thank you.
Earchphoto
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#becauseitsallaboutgratitude
