Rating:  Summary: Business and Pleasure Review: ...I think the lesson that is easily overlooked by critics of Mr. Engh's book is that those that follow it's practice GET TO TAKE PICTURES FOR A LIVING!If you love to take pictures, for God's sake, buy this book and do what you love!! Quit working in Target for the rest of your life in the hopes that someday when you retire you'll get to spend more time on photography. No, you won't be able to quit that Target job tomorrow. Mr. Engy doesn't promise that pipe dream. What he DOES do is point out things which I've found to be dead-on correct through experience.... 1. Slow but steady wins the race. 2. The dilligent hand maketh wealth. 3. You don't get anything you don't work for. 4. Just because you like it, doens't mean anybody else will. Another note to the purist that would say that the practitioner of this book's premises is a "Sell Out". If it's art that you want to make -- so much so that you would work a different job as the main monitery support for said art -- why can't you make your 'Art' photography when you finish your work for the day as a 'Stock' photographer? The question is: Do you want to look back at the end of your life and say "I created a picture that rivaled Adams" or do you want to look back over a life in which you can say "I really had a great time with my family and friends. See, here's my wife in 'Ladies Home Journal'. Here's my brother at my gallary opening in New York in 'The New Yorker' (pictures by me). Here's that thing we did down in Cozumel and I didn't have to pay a dime. What a great time!" If you'd like the latter. Quit messing around: 1. Buy the book. 2. Read the book. 3. Read it again. 4. Keep it on a shelf as a reference while you DO what it says. 5. Buy all the books in the bibliography that you can afford and are applicable.
Rating:  Summary: Easy to Read Must Have Review: Author Rohn Engh has written an excellant book that serves as both an introduction to stock photography, and a practical primer for stock photographers wishing to increase their sales. His method of photo analysis (P= B+P+S+I) allows the stock photographer to simply analyze the marketability of a photo before the shutter is released. Mr. Engh definitely re-invigorated our photo game plan with a book that was fun to read and hard to put down. One of the best we have ever read.
Rating:  Summary: Excellant Guide to Stock Photography Review: Author Rohn Engh has written an excellant book that serves as both an introduction to stock photography, and a practical primer for stock photographers wishing to increase their sales. His method of photo analysis (P= B+P+S+I) allows the stock photographer to simply analyze the marketability of a photo before the shutter is released. Mr. Engh definitely re-invigorated our photo game plan with a book that was fun to read and hard to put down. One of the best we have ever read.
Rating:  Summary: Some Good Advice, but a Flawed Premise Review: Before I bought this book, I had perused dozens of reviews, most of which were favorable. I was left with the impression that - like the Photographer's Market - you can't go wrong with this book. For some photographers, I'm sure it *is* quite helpful; Engh's advice is pragmatic and straight forward. And if pragmatic photos are your goal, this book gets 5 stars and not 3. But many photographers are not shooting for pragmatism's sake; they're shooting because there's something emotional or personal which they wish to convey on a visual level. Pictures, rather than poetry or song lyrics if you'd like to look at it that way. Engh seems to disregard this idea all together, once he starts explaining his magic forumla for success.... Once you get to the crux of this formula - that you should be shooting some type of environmental portraiture (people in the context of a specific place) - it implies that if you are interested in photographing something else, you're basically wasting your time. This is frankly a little disturbing. His theory suggests that it is the market's need for a particular kind of photo that should motivate you, and not your own intuition. That is frankly dead wrong in the eyes of many successful photographers. It only works well if you see your photos as a retail product first, and a personal expression (dare I say "art?") second...and some do see it that way, which is fine. Perhaps that is where Engh goes wrong: this book could be more aptly titled "How the Casual Photographer can Sell and Resell Their Snapshots." It is plainly not that useful for the person interested in fine art photography, "fine art" meaning anything which is not born of commercial origins. It's as though Engh thinks the act of photographing is what's most important to photographers - that if you're out there snapping away that's all that matters, so long as the pictures sell. For many photographers this is not what the medium is about. It's not a "make big money in a hurry" kind of business. It requires someone who is unwavering, methodical and patient...not someone with a few rolls of 35mm film, a camera and Engh's magic formula. The best instructor I ever had made one crucial point to his students: to be a successful photographer, your images have to speak to people on a deeper level than the average snapshot. If you wish to make photos of this quality, the *only* way to do so is to shoot that subject matter which is not only familiar to you, but very close to your heart. If you shoot what is only moderately interesting to you, so too will your photos be moderately interesting...and perhaps not interesting at all. This is to mention nothing of the technical mastery you must posess, as well. Formulas do not a lasting photograph make.... The bottom line is, if landscapes or buildings or some other thing which is often photographed...if that is what moves you, *that* is what you should be exploring with the camera and lens. To do otherwise is to do yourself a disservice (unless you just want to sell a few snapshots, which is fine). Granted, it may take a few years before you can really break into the market with some truly unique and marketable imagery but that's to be expected. Great photographs don't come easy; it takes perserverance and dedication. So, if you can't make money off your work right away (as Engh suggests you should), then you find other means of income as you continue to work on your personal style and technical mastery of the medium. Ansel Adams wasn't taking his masterpieces after 6 months work. Galen Rowell (probably the most talented landscape photographer to come along since Adams) failed to sell his work many times before he finally succeeded. Photography is like any other endeavor in life: if you really want to make your mark, you have to pay your dues. There's no way around it. So the question really is (dear reader and fellow photographer): are you in it to make quick money, or are you in it to make your mark? If you want the quick money, Engh is your man and this book is your book (without question). If, on the other hand you want to achieve a more lofty goal with your work, this book won't help you much other than perhaps to give the proverbial wake-up call. The call which reminds you that no, it won't be easy...but which ignores the possibility that the struggle might bring much greater success than the forumulas in this book.
Rating:  Summary: Easy money. This book will open your eyes!!! Review: I have only gone thru the first few chapters, and already I have gained enough information about making and selling editorial stock photgraphs to pay for the book. It is apparently a reprint of previous versions, but the authors honest 20/20 hindsight into the work of stock photography is very encouraging. It may not be for everyone, but if you are interested in taking pictures of things other than dew laden petals in a rainforest you should at least check this one out!!!
Rating:  Summary: Excellent reference book Review: I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming a professional stock photographer. Rohn Engh's words are encouraging, and fill the reader with confidence. Some of the information is a little outdated, because the internet has changed some of the industry's standard practices. However, the majority of this book is full of practial information that can still be applied today and for years to come. I've read the book 3 times and I still refer to it frequently.
Rating:  Summary: Excellent reference book Review: I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming a professional stock photographer. Rohn Engh's words are encouraging, and fill the reader with confidence. Some of the information is a little outdated, because the internet has changed some of the industry's standard practices. However, the majority of this book is full of practial information that can still be applied today and for years to come. I've read the book 3 times and I still refer to it frequently.
Rating:  Summary: Very Informative Book! Review: I recommend this book highly as a stock photographer. It is informative, persuasive and wonderful! As a lover of photography, I seem to enjoy it, because it tells you how to sell and resell your photos with a formula. I am only halfway through the book at the time of this writing, but I enjoy it already. The author also talks about pricing as well as how and when to contact publishers. He also talks about the '90s way to submit things if you so choose! I also recommend the 1999 Photographer's Market book to see what publications are looking for photos from you. Both books are worth it! Get them today!
Rating:  Summary: Very Informative and Inpsiring Review: If you are beginning a business in photography as I am, this book is a necessity. From years of experience, the author gives all the information you need to start your photography business and send out your first photo submissions in four weekends. Some of this information includes determining markets specific to you and your interests, explaining how to take marketable pictures, and describing how to submit photographs to the markets specific to you. Also provided are details about photo pricing, copyrights for photos, types of rights given to photo buyers and taxes for a photo business. Being a chemical engineer, details and specific outlined procedures are important to me. That is what "Sell & Re-Sell Your Photos" provides. My dream is to quit engineering and be a full time photographer. "Sell & Re-Sell Your Photos" has put me on the right path to achieve this goal.
Rating:  Summary: Sell and Resell Your Photos Review: Rohn Engh's book "Sell and Resell Your Photographs" is a terrific place to start for anyone who has seriously contemplated getting in to stock photography. His advice will help you distinguish between trying to market the same photos that many others are trying to market (very hard to do) versus marketing photos in a niche that he'll help you determine (much easier).
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