I read hundreds of blogs each week. I have my favorites in business, design, entertainment and personal musings. These blogs are an endless source of information and stimulation for me. However, I do also have to keep up with what creative business owners are writing about, well, because it is my job. To be honest, these blogs, for the most part, bore me to tears. They should really be called let me show you the work I just finished over (and over) again. Or let me tell you what I love about so and so without any context. It might be just so cute to you, me not so much. To be clear, I am talking about blogs that are an adjunct to a creative business, not THE business of the blogger.
My expertise is not in marketing. I do not know what it takes to get eyeballs to your site/blog and what is most engaging for potential clients. I look at a creative business from the inside out and my work is to make the business underneath your vision as supportive (and exciting) as possible to that vision. So when I read a creative business’ blog, I am looking to see how it establishes your soul as an artist and that of your art. What do you; your art and your creative business stand for. From there, the creative business can build. When all I see are examples of your work without context from you, I am left with only do I like it or not. My assumption is that you are not the only one working in your style and that, if it is your business, you are good at what you do. Into the sea of sameness we go. Once in the sea of sameness, it is hard (i.e., impossible) for the business to be iconic. You are almost forced into doing things the same way everyone else does. And from there it becomes all about money not creation. Not a place you want to be.
With this in mind, take a look at Jeff Ascough’s Image Of The Week series and compare it to his older posts on recent weddings he shot. Even though Jeff carefully edits his wedding images, these posts do not compare to the Image Of The Week series. My vote is that he loses the “here’s my last wedding posts” (or most of them) and stick with the Image Of The Week.
After reading each IOTW entry I know Jeff is deeply passionate about the work he does (photographing weddings), how he does it (being as unobtrusive as possible, framing his image and waiting for the perfect shot) and what his aim is (to capture the decisive moment). His artistry, technique and experience are self-evident. Each post is eminently readable and a fascinating look into how Jeff creates his art. And it does not hurt that he is just that good, with the resume to back it up. In terms of his creative business though, Jeff’s IOTW series sets up everything.
I do not know Jeff and have no idea how his business works, nor would potential clients since there is no information on his services on his site (and there does not need to be). However, I and potential clients reading his IOTW series can assume he does not give clients thousands (or even hundreds) of images to choose from. Each image will be of significance to him, carefully and consciously chosen and presented. Albums, maybe even large prints, are a must and need to be of a quality befitting his work. And whatever Jeff thinks is necessary for him to do his work – assistants, time on site, access, etc. are not negotiable.
Jeff’s IOTW series reveals his soul as an artist and potential clients that want what Jeff has to give will have to work with him his way. My guess is that all of Jeff’s clients do so willingly and gladly. Yours will too.
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All I can say is THANK YOU. As a photographer I keep being told that I need to have a blog, and I’ve actually put one up, but I could never figure out what to say. As you pointed out, all of the photographer blogs out there gush endlessly about how great the subject was to work with, and outside of the names of the people, they all say the same thing. Something that I could never wrap my head around. So even with a background of being a newspaper reporter I could never think of what to say, and so while I had the required blog, it has few postings, and even fewer words.
You have taken the blinders off, and even though it is 3:30 in the morning, I am starting to rewrite my posts, and now I have lots to say, because every photograph has a story behind it, and while I have always talked about those stories in person, I just never thought to put that into the blog.
So again Thank you.
A company’s website is an opportunity for an organization to present their services, their unique points of difference and their work. In contrast, a blog is a chance for the people behind that company to present personal thought leadership, passions and perspective. Far too often, people blur the lines between the two, creating unnecessary redundancy and, as Sean points out, the boredom that accompanies pages and pages of insincere platitudes and over-selling of services.
The cold hard fact is that, when I read a blog, I don’t want to be sold. And yet, ironically, by sharing part of yourself and helping me, as a reader, connect to you personally – helping me appreciate and understand what makes you tick – I am impressed and, therefore, “sold” all the more. People should remember that, be themselves and have faith that it will attract the right kind of people at the right time to your company. In contrast, it will help those who shouldn’t be working with you self-select out, likely saving you professional pain and anguish down the road.
Great post Sean, and something that needed to be said…and hopefully heard.
Thanks Bill — love how you say that you want people to be themselves on their blog and they will sell more than if they actually tried. Awesome thought.
I have a reader who calls me the “Tyler Perry” of blogging. I think she means it as a compliment. The truth is, I only like to write about what I like. I know that people run contest to get followers, but that’s not why I blog. I am in it to be an unique perspective. Sometimes, I just post a room and say. I like this room. Shoot me. Recently, I say a post where the author had re-decorated here dining room. I really liked the room – until I saw where she copied it piece by piece from an image in a magazine. I was disappointed. I very seldom get people leaving comments on my blog. I’ve come to accept it. I get feedback and emails, but no comments. I get jobs ( I just finished working with the Fast and the Furious 5), but no comments. I like being free to just do what I do. Am I crazy? Should I be striving for anything more with my blog? Isn’t a blog, just a place for creative ideas? Please advise.
Hi Kimberly:
My post was only about what a blog can do to support your creative business. Other purposes — SEO, traffic, marketing, creative ideas, etc. — are not my areas of expertise. Write for whatever reason you like and if it is working for you, then that is what matters.
Oh, Perfect! Thanks for sharing.
For 18 months, I’ve struggled with what to blog about. Like Jeff, I believe in the power of a single image. I am lucky that my partner gave me strong instructions not to cave in and post a million images like the majority of wedding shooters out there. Not only does one lose the power of the image that way, but as you point out, one’s blog becomes boring.
Chris told me that our blog should only feature our favorite singular images. I got it.
Thanks Sean,
I really appreciate your insight on creative business and have enjoyed reading your thoughts for some time. This post comes at cross roads for me, where I am re-assessing my firms path and image management. My blog was conceived as an extension to my web site which is a portfolio of work without explanation. What I’ve tried to do with the blog is explain process and context; and in so doing provide a glimpse of our design philosophy. As I move forward and hone in on more decisive firm goals, the view from outside is very instructive and thought provoking.
We’ve found that our funny, silly blogs get way more attention than anything to do with our actual business. We try to limit our portfolio posts and instead focus on things we find interesting or are loosely associated with us and stick sincere posts about marketing, branding, etc. in between. The whole spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down mentality.
Inspiring post Sean- thank you for sharing your thoughts. I sat in a workshop yesterday and heard some great tid bits on the benefits of blogging and SEO but when it comes down to it, blogging is about letting your personality shine.
Amazing post as always, Sean. I have been blogging for a year now (interior design focus) and began mainly because I wanted to keep a record of the things I found inspiring online and on other blogs. I almost never write about anything personal and the most annoying thing to me (and I read about 40 blogs a day) is when I visit a design blog to be inspired with pictures of interiors, and there is only a photo of a fashion model and the blogger has posted that she feels like this picture. I find that many people who have been blogging for a long time do “throw away” blogs like this that don’t matter, or blog about the fact that they are getting on a plane to go somewhere. I think the way to hold on to your readers is to only blog when you have something creative to show or say, be it your work or another artist’s that you wish to celebrate. If you aim for quality in your blog as you do in your creative business, I think it will shine.
-elizabeth (www.modern24seven.blogspot.com)
If you were a photographer and had ever shot a wedding though you would know that most of the background forethought/planning/ anticipation that Jeff claims went into each of his Images of the Week is at best a little exaggerated, and at worst utter nonsense. It’s a spiel designed to convince those that don’t know any better that he’s much more talented at what he does than he really is, and isn’t helped by the fact that none of the images he’s chosen to puff up have been anything to write home about, often displaying poor use of Photoshop dodging and burning techniques.
I’ve almost got to admire him for his sheer nerve in pumping out this crap week after week, but then he’s constantly encouraged by a crowd of people who’ve been told he’s one of the best and seem incapable of thinking for themselves. Perhaps he genuinely believes his own publicity but it’s “Kings New Clothes” all the way for me.
Really interesting post. I’ve followed Jeff’s work for a long time and like the insight into his images/thought process that you get with his IOTW series.
My question is… If we were all to do that would it not be just as boring as everybody posting lots of images? I’m new to blogging and finding my way, very slowly I add, towards a style that suits ME! I’m not a writer, I find that side of it very hard and as much as I’d love to be able to go on about how I saw the light and composed the image etc it’s not something I’m comfortable with. If a blog is to represent the business and the business is the creative person, I would expect each blog to be offered up in a slightly different style that represents that person and different clients will make their decision to book that person based on whether they like their work and can connect with them? Surely what suits one will not suit another?
Sorry if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick 🙂 maybe in a few years with a lot more experience and hindsight I’ll think differently?
Clare —
Think you are actually agreeing with me more than you think you are. My post was just about putting it out there for the world to see and understand how and why you do what you do. Yes, the work has to be great, but that is not enough. If you are going to blog, the reader has to be able to connect with you. And as Mae Kinitup (nice fake name btw) shows, not everyone is a fan. But I LOVE that. You can not and should not be for everybody. Best to use your blog to get those that already love you ever more reasons to do so. How you choose to do that is up to you.
Ssssh don’t tell everyone 🙂 Seriously though most blogs, or rather blogs by wedding photographers, simply cater to vanity, both the vanity of their clientele and and the vanity of the photographers. It’s very much a facebook or “supersize it” mentality which results in the proverbial sea of dross -filled with mediocre detail, dress and “the-most- amazing-couple-ever” images , very few of which have any actual content.
Fear of departing from the norm, i.e. not delivering, and showing, thousands of images prevents many from allowing their own individuality to be seen and results in bring those photographers to a level where the only area they can compete is on price which is not the best place to be.
Thanks, I did enjoy your post.
George
I throughly enjoyed your perspective on this. I am a photography and designer that recently created a blog. I never wanted the blog to be just an extension of my portfolio. That would be redundant and boring. I wanted the blog to be a place where the perspective of what art is what the images captured could be expanded. I actually just wrote a post about the personal experience of art. I would love any and all feedback!
Have an amazing weekend!
http://laluceimagery.blogspot.com/