Trade secrets exist in every industry known to man. In most industries, trade secrets are common, expected, and understood. No one gets all bent out of shape about Coca-Cola keeping their formula a mystery. No one stops using Google because they don't share their search algorithm. Without these secrets, a vast number of companies wouldn't even exist. The whole primus of having a trade secret is having the ability to do or create something no one else can recreate. With that being said, are we as photographers allowed to have trade secrets or are we obligated to share our knowledge with everyone?
Sharing Is Caring
The photography community is known for being open to sharing. There are thousands upon thousands of tutorials, how-to's, and step-by-step guides all over the internet. I absolutely love that about our industry, however I have noticed there is a great deal of backlash when someone doesn't want to share.
I partake in a few photography based groups on Facebook and other social media sites. Most of them are are all centered around the same idea: People share their work then other people offer constructive criticism, shower them with praise, or verbally tear them apart. It's the nature of the beast, but it serves its purpose. From time to time I will see an amazing image that really gets people talking. It is usually these images that stir up the "how did you" comments. For the most part, people are very open to sharing their camera settings, their lighting setups, or even their post-processing. But when someone doesn't "give away the milk for free," the tone of the thread can shift in a very negative direction. I think the fact that the photography community is driven so much by sharing and free advice that it sometimes causes us to feel entitled. It seems as though many people think it's selfish to keep any knowledge to yourself. Why is this the case? Is it wrong for us keep secrets? For many of us, this whole photography shindig is a business. Is keeping secrets what we have spent hours, weeks, or even years to develop wrong? Is it our civic duty to the photography universe to educate our "competition" on how we are gaining the business we are getting? Where does the line begin and end, or is there even a line at all?
My Point Of View
This topic takes me back to the early years of my photographic journey. When I discovered Dave Hill, I was mesmerized by his work. His post-processing blew my mind. I barely understood how to work my camera, so I didn't even know where to begin. I started finding different articles and video tutorials on how to create the "Dave Hill Effect." I watched tutorial after tutorial. Some of them were decent at best and some of them were awful and left me feeling like I had wasted ten minutes of my life. No matter how many of them I watched, one thing remained the same. None of them were actually created by Hill. I remember feeling let down and discouraged that I could never find any information about his personal techniques. All I wanted was for Hill to tell me his secrets so I could create images just like him. Looking back now, however, I am so glad I never found what I was hoping for. The reason being, I was forced to figure things out for myself. I started taking bits and pieces of different tutorials and trying them out. I would mix one technique with another. I would mix a lighting technique I learned from one source with post-processing from another. I would play with different plug-ins, blending modes, layer mask, a little of this, and a little of that. Eventually, without even realizing, I had created something unique. I had developed my own style (a style still evolving I might add). I had found something that worked for me and set me apart. I had found me.
I knew there would come a day when people would start asking me how I "do what I do." To be honest, I welcome questions and I am open to sharing knowledge and advice on general questions about photography. I write tutorials on a regular basis for magazines such as "Advanced Photoshop Magazine." I have always thought that it is better to look at other photographers as friends rather than competition. I love sharing information and helping photographers grow and reach their potential. The only questions that ever really bother me are ones where people basically ask me for a step-by-step guide to creating my images. That is just something I don't want to do. The biggest reason is the simple fact that I'm not trying to make carbon copies of myself. I honestly feel people should put work into developing their own style. Though there may be other photographers out there whose style may resemble my style, I can guarantee that I am the only person in the world who creates images using the steps that I do. I think that is a beautiful thing!
What Are Your Thoughts?
There are a lot of extremely talented photographers out there who absolutely love sharing their knowledge. Von Wong, Aaron Nace, Joel Grimes, Calvin Hollywood, and many others like them put out some amazing free tutorials. The way I look at it is if someone wants to share what they know, then that is amazing and we should be thankful and grateful. On the flip side, I think we should respect when photographers have certain things they want to keep to themselves. I don't think there is anything wrong with having a few tricks up our sleeves, but that is just my opinion of course.
What are your thoughts? Are we allowed to have "trade secrets" or should everything be shared? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter. As always, thanks for reading.
I have learned a lot from other photographers as well and I'm very greatful. I've also put a lot of education out there for people. There are just some parts of my processing I chose to hold onto and keep to myself. Thanks for your thoughts!
I think you were mesmerized by Dave Hill, not memorized. :)
Good article. Definitely food for thought.
good looking out!
I'd like to differentiate between 'craft' and 'vision'.
The craft can (and is) being shared freely, and that is a good thing; I'd be weary if my commercial success relied on a certain craft or technique - if that was found out or duplicated I'd be out of a competivive edge.
However, and this I consider the greatest misconception, vision cannot be shared, it can be shown or taught to see at best.
This
That
Nothing.
Maybe how to properly bill so they'll stop screwing it up for the rest of us.
I believe if you want play yo have to pay! Join PPA, go to the classes, buy the gear, CUT YOUR TEETH......The "Digital Debbies" and "Weekend Walters" are asking me all the time, "Can I come work for you? So, I can see how to do this too? Sure, here's my wallet, here's my cash register too.HEY! do you want my secrets on how to get a client in the door? How do I keep them coming in the door? How do i survive the digital age? NO WAY!!! TOP SECRET. I have only a few photogs that I let shoot for me, cuz i trust them not to copy me and steal my clients and contracts.
BEWARE OF THE COPYCATS.
Have you seen your portfolio? I want to know your secret. How are you still in business?
Roman... Keep your day job.. washing dishes or emptying trashcans.
Yes sir! Thank you for your advice. You must be definitely talented salesman!
You cannot be afraid that people will copy you. They can steal your clients though. Easily!
There are no secrets in photography, only assholes who won't share them :)
ha! I think whenever someone says "secretes" in anything it's a HUGE red flag to the point where it's almost a scam. For example "secretes" of success, "secretes" of lighting, etc. There are NO secretes IMO. Just busting your ass & hard work. Know your craft, work hard & be nice to people. And equally important is marketing yourself.
Precisely! It's not a secret if I can watch a tutorial about it on Youtube. There are innovators, and adopters. We assimilate until we innovate. Make as many friends along the way as you can. I get so annoyed with the disparaging types who clam up when you ask about their techniques like they're guarding Fort Knox and you're trying to steal their gold. But really though, I hope no one is trying to make a career out of doing work exactly like someone else they look up to.
Assholes? Sharing takes time, and not everyone has the time. There are people who are afraid to reveal their "secrets" but those are usually not worth to learn from anyway.
No worries, I didn't mean this in quite the serious way one could take it. My comment is a bit polarizing but totally said in jest. It was bound to ruffle some feathers.
Mainly my point is that really, what secrets are there any more when everything has a youtube or blog entry about it. There isn't a whole lot of information that hasn't been shared on techniques and anyone with an amazing vision and deliverable is working their tail off to make it happen.
Time, effort, vision. I just find the notion of "secrets" laughable. We're not guarding the recipe for KFC's chicken batter. Even if people learn your guarded techniques, they're only imitators.
It takes two seconds on the internet to find the secret recepie for kfc and thats about the same time it takes to find photography technique "secrets" as well.
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/kfc-original-recipe-fried-chicken-low-fa...
i don't think years of hard work, experimenting, research, sleepless nights should be shared with no rewards, it's business and I'm sure it wasn't built overnight and point of it obviously to make money...But obviously it doesn't stop you from helping someone to a certain point . On the other hand , it's driving me nuts that there are so many tutorials that are more misleading then real deal...
I don't think there is should or shouldn't. It is your choice. If you want to share, awesome, but if you don't; well, you don't ;)
I agree regarding tutorials though. There is an information noise; hard to find good one.
we sell creativity...
Absolutely, that is the business we are in, not change the light that way or that way secrets. That is not secrets, that is just the road to the goal. And its really difficult the get a patent a stretch of tarmac.
Trade secrets in the photography business? Yea... make your own products that beat out top of the line products like profoto, lenses, etc.. don't sell it... period. That's your secret ;)... as I mentioned in my previous comment, our "secret" is our mind on creativity, being original. The more original the more "pop" we get.
What makes a trade or profession is the organisation and maintenance of minimum standards. Some published info is always going to be available. Whaat is important is a requirement to meet a minimum standard of competence and business ability. How good you are and your style is more the art of of photography and this, I suggest, separates the sheep from the lambs. I think we need minimum standards and to promote the benefits of dealing with professional photographers.
I know people are disagreeing. I have to agree with Brandon on this article for the most part. This past year, I was in a head to head with another photographer to get the same client. The type of work I do photographing cars looks maybe simple on the surface, But its actually complicated and the other photographer was trying to create the same look as me. I have spent many years perfecting the technique in the studio and in photoshop. If I shared with him the tricks I have learned, I would have lost a high paying job, and many others since we are approaching the same local crowd. On, the other note, I am VERY giving, and love teaching others about photography and have done classes on photographing cars. There are just some things I keep to myself.
Lots of people missing the point of sharing in any business, ever wonder why Toyota decided to tell the world about the Toyota Production System on which every single modern successful manufacturing organisation in the world base their own business processes? Sharing is not about giving away the little secrets that give you commercial advantage, sharing is about challenging people to be as good as you, creating an aura in which you are the teacher, the best, the target to aim at. It's a marketing technique that gains the business respect and puts it out there as something to aspire to, it only works if your credibility stands up to scrutiny which is why some of the worlds greatest photographers are willing to do it.
I know I shared a few comments up about my car work, but I also just remembered when I was shooting concerts, I developed a certain style. With a lot of hard work in the "Making the images my own" through retouching, which took several hours on each image, I created a certain look to my work which did me well. I was written about in PDN and other credits. The funny thing was I had concert photographers emailing me wanting to know how I was creating the look to my images step by step. If you like my images or not, its not the issue. But I went into deep thought over this, and struggled with why would I give out all my technique to others when there are gonna use it to get the same clientele. When someone now has the same look as me that's getting me hired, and approaching the same people......
People leaving comments deny this and say lets all share, but they hold nothing back?? I think one thing that should be noted in this topic is to differentiate whether you are doing wedding photography or commercial photography. With wedding photography which is super competitive and more local for the most part, its based not as much on retouching, but shooting style, which as great as you may be, there is less secrets but more shooting technique. Yes true in commercial as well. With commercial work, especially compositing or conceptual, which I believe is more relative to this article, there is a lot more that goes into the photoshop "process", which is leads to more "secrets". Companies across the country know who Tim Tadder is or Dave Hill, and those guys are in direct competition with other great composite artist across the country or world for that matter. If Dave hill gives his technique away to another, that other photographer could easily go after his work at a lesser price. I personally believe the Commercial world is much smaller if you get your name out there. Thou I am sure many will argue.
I know it sounds selfish, and I struggle with it, because I love helping people with this stuff, its a passion to help. But photography is the MOST competitive field in existence. Its not an easy decision. If Apple develop's a new technology, don't think for a second they are gonna let anybody know before its patented. That's just smart business. In our world, if I had already "made it" and was named in the top 10 most important people in photography, may be it would not matter If I gave away my "secrets". The funny part is, the photographers who were asking for my technique's, thought I was some kind of snob for not telling them, but I know they were secretive about their work. Funny.
First the disclaimer, probably in the world of f Stoppers I am an old codger, my experience in Photography goes back way before the internet, digital and into the world of exotic chemical concoctions and dreaming of owning a light meter. I also teach photography, have done for years, it is my living, along with commercial shoots.
Consider that in the dim distant past obtaining knowledge and skill meant you actually went out and experimented, spent money on tools, chemicals, paper and indeed advice. We had no shortcuts via the internet, few forums to share, unless you travelled to a distant get together.
These days I do feel that there is a tendency for young or new photographers to feel a little entitled, they often want the formula, the easy step by step approach and can't see why sometimes that expectation may be just a little unreasonable.
Don't get me wrong, I happily share, via the phone, conversations, blogs, forums and other methods, but business is business. If I have spent years, developing techniques and methodologies by burning the midnight oil, experimenting, testing and re-testing, does it not seem fair that I should or other similar photographers and educators should reap the financial rewards and have some right to decide what is shared for free and what is charged for, ( or used to give us an edge in imaging).
Trust me, its easy and cost free to share if that info is not your IP, it's no cost to you, but when it is your IP, you would be giving away your livelyhood.
Sharing is a good and positive thing, I am all for it, but there is nothing selfish about choosing not to share everything. Its all well and good as say a 21 year old newbie who is standing upon the shoulders of the 150 years worth of now freely obtained photographic information to claim that "all should be shared" but realistically a 21 year old newbie has little to loose and much to gain.
In the end we just need to be fair about it, if someone does not wish to share something we need to respect that, abusing them for their stance is certainly not going to make them feel more like handing over goods.
Hello fStoppers...
Brad I think this is nicely put. I am all about sharing the love in photography for sure! It's been in the family for a long time... Very grateful and love what I do.
After a couple of decades, starting shooting on film, darkroom, making mistakes, college, no college, reading mags/books, winning clients, loosing clients, having several jobs at the same time as photography, moving to digital, learning and making more mistakes, wining and loosing more clients (normal), missing mortgage payments and trying to keep up with the world on the internet, moving at the speed of light.
The little things I do have taken a long time to get right or develop my style what ever that is :-/
Now... It really all depends on how far down the road you are and how comfortable you are financially!
If all your income is from photography then sometimes you might not like to share all those little tricks. With someone of the other side of the world is slightly different. Even so...
I don't mean I wouldn't give advise to someone starting out, on the basics, lights, reflectors and lenses I use etc etc.
But exactly how you use them, well... thats the trail and error and practice...
As far as being asked how to win new clients, keep them and to set up in photography nearby. Lets just say when I figure this out myself then I will be happy to tell you :-)
The vision always comes from inside and you can never teach that...
Cheers!
Here's the thing about a number of these secrets: even if the master tells them to you, you won't be able to duplicate their work. This applies to lots of things in life. There's publicly available cookbooks from the most famous restaurants in the world. Athletes sell training guides. Musicians give masterclasses. Surgeons give out videos of themselves operating. Sometimes they leave something out. But most of the time, they're just better at it than you.
Hi Scott, I agree entirely with your premise, thing is it takes time and vast amounts of experience to reach that fluid intuitive stage, the one where no longer encumbered by knowledge and technical deficiencies you can simply be creative or perform at a far higher level.
I can relate to this in both my shooting and teaching. After 35 years of teaching, thousands of hours in front of thousands of students I have developed a confidence and approach that works well, many photographers in my area decide that teaching might be a good gig for them, but most give up after a little while, same with shooters. Fact is that it takes stamina and dedication to get to the comfortable and perhaps profitable stage....many lose the dedication when faced with the realities of business.
And of course it takes some talent.
Today I run over 50 different workshops, but that didn't happen overnight, its the product of years of teaching, research, practice and more. For all the above reasons I don't too hung up on sharing, the knowledge I provide shortcuts the process for others but the real effort is up to them.
Nonetheless, I think it is very fair to expect a return for ones IP and unfair for others to expect that proprietry IP should be freely given. I should note however that few photographers actually have much in the way of IP but rather are just diseminating stuff they have themselves picked up via the net or from others, and if its already out there then there is no great loss in sharing and little to be gained by not sharing.
In the end I think respect is due to those who put in the hard yards, I am friends with my Doctor for example, I often have a coffee with him, but I don't expect free medical advice everytime I see him, like everyone else I make an appointment, go to the surgery and pay for the service, that's the least he deserves after 40 years of dedication to medicine and patients.
I agree with you and I'm not suggesting things should be given away for free. in fact, all of the examples I cited are things that are sold, not just free (although some "free samples" do exist for each example). I'm all for people getting compensated for their work, especially their cognitive work.
I'm curious your thoughts on this...I purchase a workshop or creativelive course on retouching (or whatever technique). I apply those techniques and sure enough, it starts garnering some attention and more gigs. Do I "share" this info?
I learned the base of my current retouching/ processing technique a little over 3 years ago from another photographer, and it's taken me that 3 years to start feeling like I have a grasp on it and am just beginning to master it. My style is not the same as the person who taught me and my techniques have evolved and changed over the years based on my personal preferences, and I am not even close to being as good as they are when it comes to shooting and retouching. This to me is proof that both talent and experience are a huge part of this, and those are things that I don't believe can be taught. You can be taught any technique though, and yes perhaps you will improve if you actually WANT to improve, but it takes a lot more than just being taught.
I like to teach other photographers, but I am selective of who I teach based on age and what I feel they are capable of. I choose younger photographers because I wish I had started out younger and wish I had someone to guide me when I was starting out as a photographer, and someone to mentor me when I was that age who could encourage me to stay optimistic and not to give up. Part of how I select students/interns is also based on the gradual improvement in their portfolio. This to me shows that they are willing to learn, and that they absorb what they learn, and that I wont be wasting my time trying to teach them. I give regular lessons to my current intern in exchange for helping me in the production of my bigger shoots, and have him come to most shoots so he can learn how I use light and hope that he applies it in his own way to his work. That may seem narcissistic, but I don't care. When I interned for Michael Thompson, just being on set for his shoots and being able to watch him, his team (which is huge) and the models and celebrity clients work was incredibly inspiring and I learned a huge amount by simply being able to watch. This is an experience I hope to also be able to share.
To me it's not about competition and business. It's about sharing something I love with those who I feel will benefit from me doing so, and giving a leg up to those who I think show something promising. My goal is that anyone I teach become a much better photographer than I am. As far as making tutorials goes, I personally don't do it because I prefer one-on-one teaching in person. This to me is much better because I can give feedback and make corrections right then and there, rather than just putting the information out there and not really being able to instruct any further.
As for the comments that were made saying that someone who speaks 50 times a year isn't a photographer and is instead a teacher, I respectfully disagree. I believe it is possible to be both, and possible to also be great at both.
With or without the info, how the image turns out is still largely up to you. You can have the info, but the end image will still vary in each unique situation and you have to be comfortable enough on your own to adjust.
Experimenting to get the desired results vs. getting the info and simply plugging it into your camera will allow you to grow more as well.
Your article takes both sides of the issue - but misses the point, I think; People want to be shown how to do top-level work, without paying their dues, so to speak... Get a job as an assistant -even part-time - even for free, to someone who does what you do. OR go out and test, test, test until you get a particular shot or style perfected. Bottom line; it's the TIME spent perfecting their craft - that makes top level shooters unwilling to give away what they've learned...
Talking about art is like dancing about architecture.