Everyday, I hear on the news that a whole bunch of workers are being laid-off. GM will lay-off another 24,000 layoffs as part of its bankruptcy. Many photographers are feeling the pinch of the recession, but very few hare being laid-off. Why? Because photographers as employees have been an endangered species since the late 90s. In the eighties, 25 years ago, I knew of at least a couple dozen of full-time photographers in the lower mainland1 receiving a monthly salary. Today, I only know of 2 salaried full-time photographers, and 1 will either loose his job or quit this year.
Almost all professional photographers are self-employed, and we aren't receiving any bailout. I want my money! I want my bailout, but... In spite of the recession, and the contracting of the economy, the photographic requirements are expanding. People are still getting married, families are getting babies, kids are still graduating from schools and they still want their photos to remember these events. Businesses are still advertising, flyers are still being printed, billboards are still being used... In spite of the recession, photo usage is significantly higher, whatever it's source.
There are big changes in the use of photography, but it's expanding. Our job, as self-employed photographers, is to reach these new users of photography, nobody's going to do it for us. We need to promote. We need to promote on the web. We need to promote on the streets. We need to promote in the...
I am doing just that. I am currently working on a new flyer to expand my market. Flyers are cheap, they can have an immediate impact and will know very quickly whether it will work or not. But can't quit, there will be no bailout from the government, I don't even qualify for unemployment insurance.
1 The Vancouver area with it's suburbs ↑