Younger photographers — and honestly older ones too — need to hear this:
Being wanted is not the same thing as being respected.
I’ve photographed billionaires, finance executives, major companies, politicians, celebrities, and brands people would recognize instantly. Again and again I’ve watched wealthy clients praise the work, praise the vision, praise the talent… and then suddenly become “confused” when the invoice arrives.
One production company told me a commercial shoot would roughly cost $5k. By the time they required a Digi Tech, lighting, assistants, rentals, mileage, travel, hotels during spring break, and gear delivery, my expenses alone were over $6,000. They refused the invoice and said they’d only pay $5k total.
Another company flew me to NYC to photograph top executives over a ten-day period, then refused to pay hold days, food, transportation, or my assistant’s hotel — the assistant carrying gear up and down 47 floors.
Another finance client wanted full rights to the images so they could distribute them to magazines and media outlets. I flew from Dallas to Miami, rented gear, bought custom gels for the shoot, rented a car, and delivered exactly what they wanted. I invoiced $4,150 INCLUDING usage rights. They immediately pushed me down to $3k.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Artists are taught to be grateful for access.
Powerful people are taught to negotiate everything.
Your talent is not the invoice.
Your boundaries are.
Stop subsidizing wealthy clients with your own exhaustion, flights, hotel rooms, assistants, gear, food, licensing, and peace.
If someone has the budget for luxury offices, branding campaigns, private equity deals, magazine PR, and million-dollar image management strategies, they have the budget to pay the artist properly.
I’m no longer interested in being “easy to work with” at my own expense.
Know your worth.
Protect your gift.
And stop apologizing for charging what your work is actually worth.
The Vision For The Future Is Found In The Memories Of The Past. | KEEMO Art
There’s something deeply moving to me about artists who grow up inside rigid systems and still manage to make work that feels expansive, liberated, and completely their own. That’s what I feel looking at KEEMO Art work.
I just bought two of his pieces, including this one, and I can’t stop thinking about them. The work feels spiritual without preaching, emotional without trying too hard, and visually so alive that it almost feels transmitted from somewhere beyond language. You can feel the tension between structure and freedom in it — like someone who came from a religious framework but pushed far beyond its walls into something more universal, human, and honest.
A lot of art wants to look profound. This actually is.
The best artists don’t just make images — they expand perception. KEEMO is doing that.
repost from KEEMO Art
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Today’s art break features an original called, “The Vision For The Future Is Found In The Memories Of The Past.” I feel like the title is pretty straight forward on this painting. However, I would like to say that when I think of the future, I do my best to remain hopeful and I will always do my best to promote and create a positive and inclusive future (and present) for all. Here’s to all of you out here with me. Thanks for being here.
Old Romance Novels | YOU are The One
I bought a giant stack of vintage romance novels for a new art project I’m working on for fun called…The Heroine Chooses Herself.
I’m reworking the covers through collage, paint, altered titles, and tiny rebellions.
Not anti-love. Not anti-men.
Just interested in women as whole people instead of people waiting to be chosen.
Rewriting the mythology a little.
Can’t wait to start cutting these up.