The lack of print media and the trend toward news video have made it almost impossible for a photographer to get his or her imagery in front of viewers. Much like authors today photographers have to promote their own work and the only way to reach a wide and ever global audience is via social media.
Photographers must use Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to in effect “self-publish” in a hope that they will attract a following of potential clients, art buyers and collectors. It takes a certain critical mass of “followers” to cultivate a single sale and the size of that critical mass will vary, but that sale becomes part of a “thread” that will run common through the all social media and hopefully initiate some forward momentum.
Unlike the days of LIFE Magazine, Time and Newsweek when anyone could pick up the latest issue and see dramatic and informative images accompanied by photo credits of names they recognized and even trusted, today the place to find that continuity and consistence of quality is through social media.
Photo: ©2013 David W. Sumner
