Wk 10 EOC: Small Business Budget Spreadsheet

I thought this exercise to be very helpful. This was definitely a part of my business that I dreaded the most. Now with a little more insight to it all I feel more comfortable with this type of business material. I had some prior knowledge of Excel, but had not used it for this purpose before. It is a little much to take in all at once, but I think the way that it was described and presented in class was very clear and understandable. Of course we only scratched the surface of all of this finance work but I feel like I have a better understanding of it all. Using the program helped organize numerous numbers and math equations with ease. It was extremely helpful with adding, and subtracting different equations. I liked that it automatically adjust the information within the cells every time you make or add an adjustment to your spreadsheet. Having to do it all manually would cause an error if not many. The program prevents you from making the one mistake that could ruin it all. When working with numbers and money, I like knowing that I can rely on the program to handle everything smoothly and effectively. Excel lists your information in various colors that made it easy to find what I was looking for. It also colored certain numbers according to how a money situation is finically. The numbers of an equation will appear red to represent your loss of money, green for when you earn money. Using this helped me to organize the budget for my business currently, and for how I need to operate business in the future.

Wk 9 EOC: Where am I going to be when I'm 40?

I have a few years to go before I reach the big four oh. Before I get there I plan on accomplishing a lot. I’m talking about goals that I have been set out to overcome for as long as I can remember. I few years ago I would have never thought I would be in the position I am in now, excelling in a subject that is very dear to me. I have given endless amounts of time and dedication to get to the level I am at now. Imagining where I am going to be and what I am going to be doing is all a fantasy that I plan on turning into reality, and I know that to get there it will take even more amounts of effort and dedication. Over time it will all pay off. Personally, I would like to be settled with a few kids of my own, and happily married to the right person. I want a comfortable lifestyle that I have earned through my hard work as a professional. Professionally I would like to be at the top of my game. I strive on getting results that are unfamiliar to the eye, and by the time I reach forty I have hope that by then I will have made a reputation for myself as a genuine creative professional in my industry. Business wise I plan on being well off. I never know what the future holds. As the last months of my college experience approaches, business opportunities are all I think about. I know already that I don’t want to be in the freelance business of photography. I am going to be in a sort of business where I am employed. Having a steady paycheck, while doing basic personal freelance jobs here and there on the side is how I see myself making it in this business. I feel as if being raised in Las Vegas has a lot to do with who I am today and who I will be in the future. It’s safe to say that growing up in the city has influenced my perspective on business and individuality. With the city I from giving so much to me, all I want to do is give back to it one way or another. Las Vegas is filled with talent. The only bag thing about it is that a lot of it goes unrecognized. By age forty I wish to be planning on or already have an art gallery up and running. My goal is to have a gallery in the heart of the city that showcases every type of art imaginable. Not by just any artists though. My gallery will showcase original works of art from elementary school level to professional. In my years growing up here I have come to realize that our desert is just a melting pot of different people, with each person unique in a different way. My wish is to show the real talent, and diversity of artists throughout the valley that normally wouldn’t be accepted as “Gallery” material.

Wk 8 EOC: Is She Fair Game?

I think the princess in the film we watched is fair game to say the least. Anybody is has the freedom of press, and people such as princesses and other royalty fall into the group of people that the press are most interested. There is no law against documenting reality. As a public figure you should already know and expect that you are being watched at all times. With that in mind whatever you do in public where others can see you is fair game for anyone who sees it. As far as emotions go, that is a different story entirely. The actor in the film had intent to use his opportunity to get the next best news story. After spending time with the princess, he lost sight of his work. He let his emotions get in the way of what he was set out to do. I liked the way that the film ended. I think it was a pretty clever way to wrap up everything in the end. I think in the end he realized that he was in the wrong doing what he was doing. Personally, I probably would have done the same thing if I were in the news reporter’s shoes. Choosing to not exploit her was probably the best decision. I think it was a fair way to end things for the fact that they took advantage of her. So yes, I would say that the princess or any royal family member is fair game.

Wk 7 EOC: Progress Towards My Professional Contacts

The business cards that I obtained for my final project consist of an accountant, insurance agent, lawyer, banker, and technical advisers. I got what seemed to be the cold shoulder when asking for business cards from different people, some more than others, of course. The relationship I look forward to the most is the networking I have done with technical advisers. The people who can build me various web pages, and have the ability to make watermarks, logos, or any graphic I may need for my business. It is extremely helpful that I knew this person somewhat before I asked for a card. Having a conversation, and discussing different needs with these people was very easy and reassuring. I look forward to the work I will do with this company further on in my, and their career. Another professional contact that I looked into was insurance. I feel as if insurance is a must in my trade. I work with very expensive and valuable photographic equipment on a daily basis. I feel that it is imperative to insure all of the professional tools of your trade. Accidents happen, and if anything were to affect the flow of business such as damaged equipment, I would give me peace of mind knowing that it’s not gone forever. Networking is key, and with that in mind there are more contacts that I have yet to seek out. 

Wk 6 EOC: Ron Galella & The First Amendment

After watching a documentary about paparazzo Ron Galella, I was inspired. I have seen a lot of documentary films and videos about different photographers that interest me; a documentary about a paparazzi photographer is the last thing I thought would give me insight to the photo business. Ron Galella exercised his first amendment right to the fullest. I think all photographers should go about their work with the same determination and attitude he did. I valued the fact that he did whatever he needed to, no matter the circumstances, to get the next best shot. After watching a documentary about paparazzo Ron Galella, I was inspired. I have seen a lot of documentary films and videos about different photographers that interest me; a documentary about a paparazzi photographer is the last thing I thought would give me insight to the photo business. Ron Galella exercised his first amendment right to the fullest. I think all photographers should go about their work with the same determination and attitude he did. I valued the fact that he did whatever he needed to, no matter the circumstances, to get the next best shot. It amazed me on how he slipped out of every sticky situation by exercising his first amendment right. In the eyes of the law, everything thing he was doing was technically allowed by law. Although some of the measures he went to to get a better picture were a little over the top, and sometimes menacing

Wk 5 EOC: Midterm

After being in this class for five weeks, I have learned a numerous tips and information that plays a key role in my career as a photographer. I have learned the fundamentals of what it takes to create and carry out a successful business in my trade. Being a photographer is hard work that takes a lot of time and patients to succeed. I still have yet to learn what it really takes to become a business. This class has given me much insight on what it takes to be in business, and has given me an advantage that I did not have before. I have gained important knowledge of what it takes to run a business, which gives higher hopes as I step into my career as a creative professional. I think I am doing well in this class. It is a lot more interesting than I originally thought it was going to be. Each week we go over key points that are involved with making a business that I would have never thought of in a million years. I have met all of the deadlines for all of the work that has been assigned. I docked myself points for the accounting software paper because I turned it in a few minutes after the beginning of class. I didn’t want to give myself the full on hundred points for the twitter grade either. Even though I have all of my tweets are in place, there are at most some points with three days in between posts, which is why I decided to give myself eighty out of one hundred. As for attendance I missed a day of class which made it necessary for me to deduct twenty five percent off of participation. I have all of my work done and turned in on time with the few exceptions of a couple tweets, and the accounting software paper. Other than that I feel that I have a good understanding of the Marketing and Promotions material we have discussed for the past five weeks, and have done a good job in this class so far.

Wk 4 EOC: Scary Legal Issues

As an artist I have always had fears about the legal system. Having the title as a creative professional in the photography business brings a lot of fears that I have. First and foremost, legal issues that have to do with my health are what worry me the most. “I can’t tell you the number of times I walk down a sidewalk at night-especially during the winter when the leaves are off the trees-and get poked in the head by a tree twig. As a photographer, my fear is always that I’ll lose an eye, and I panic that the twig that poked me in the cheek could have been two inches higher and poked in the head by a tree twig.” If my vision goes, my profession goes with it. This could eventually lead me into a big mess that I would like to avoid. I have done work for many different people and a few different businesses in my past years as an entry-level photographer. The thought of copy right and legal issues is something that always simmers in the back of my mind. I am a firm believer in recognition. I think someone who is getting recognized for a piece of work that they have done has every right to take credit for it. A scary legal issue I have always had is dealing with copyright issues. I know I for one like getting recognized for a job well done. I have learned from pervious experiences that your work is never safe. A few of my photos from my earlier years as a photographer were being presented and shown as someone else’s. Of course I was much younger, and the situation got handled without a legal issue, but it still puts fear in that back of my head to think that one day in my professional career it could happen again, but at a much larger scale. It’s something I definitely fear and would like to avoid. Other legal issues that concern me are issues dealing with association.

Wk 3 EOC: Where are you now and, where you are going?

I would say that as of now I am just at the beginning of my life. As I am getting older I have come to realize that everyday is progress. Personally, I feel like I still have a lot to experience for myself. Every thing that I experience has an affect on who I am, and who I will become. I feel like everything has just started personally and professionally. After the past years at the Art Institute I now feel more comfortable as a creative professional going into the field. The past three years have given me lots of time and opportunities to better myself as a photographer. Though I have progressed in the time that I have been in school, I know that I am nowhere close to what I am going to become. I know that I still have a lot more to learn, and a lot more time to grow into the creative professional. My career has yet to start, and I look forward to what the future will bring me. I worked hard to get to where I am now, and I plan on continuing to work hard to achieve what I desire. There will be rough times along the way but I know that in the long run it is all worth it because, what I am doing is something that means a lot to me, and is something I enjoy doing. “It should be you who decides which causes you want to support. That means deciding what is near and dear to you and reaching out to those causes.” I will use the knowledge I have now to help get me grow into the person I want to be. I am going to continue to work to make my dreams today a reality tomorrow.

Wk 2 EOC: Sacrifices I am willing to make

As a photographer, there are a lot of things you will have sacrifice. Careers in the photo industry differ from each other; some jobs are very demanding. One of the things I am willing to sacrifice is being alone. Me, myself, and I. Another thing that I am willing to sacrifice is time. Being a photographer takes a lot of work from behind the camera and away from the camera. “One of the challenges of being self-employed-especially as a photographer-is the presumption of how your time is spent. Few if any, photographers know how their day is spent.” With different occupations there comes different sacrifices. Working a job that takes away from my social life is something that will be hard to do, but will be worth it in the long run. The benefits are what matters. Another sacrifice I am willing to make is relocating. This, just like my social life will be another hard sacrifice to make. I have lived in Las Vegas Nevada all my life. Leaving everything I know, and everything I am used to would be a big change for me. I am willing to do it though. There is s lot of work for photographers here in Las Vegas, but a lot of it is freelance, a cutthroat type of business, with the exception of a couple steady photography jobs. So if you are a photographer here in Nevada relocating should already be a sacrifice you are willing to make. Personal safety is another thing I am willing to sacrifice. I have an interest in photojournalism, and some of the assignments you might need to document could put you in the middle of a dangerous situation. Many wartime photographers make their living by risking their own safety every time they go out to shoot. What ever the sacrifices may be, if the benefits in the end are good for me as a person and for my career as a photographer, I would be willing to make them.

Wk 1 EOC: Haute Couture

In France, Haute Couture is what is used to describe clothing. Not just any clothing, Haute Couture means clothes that are high quality. The clothes are custom made from different designers. Each piece of is made from leading fashion houses with top of the line fashionable materials. I think as a photographer, haute couture is probably one of the best routes to take for your career. Even though it might not be the best paying occupation for a photographer, but the work is consistent. It is a type of business that you need to be on top of your game, and nothing less. “Your current business model must be reviewed. Whether you’re a freelance news photographer, an advertising photographer, a wedding photographer, or a high school portrait photographer, all good business people sit down and examine what they are doing and how they could do it better.” As our society grows, the fashion world grows simultaneously. I think that haute couture is a long way from dying out, which means a lot of money and work for creative professionals such as photographers. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and high fashion has been something I’ve been exposed to for quite some time. If anything I would say that haute couture is at its peak or on the way there. It’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Wk 1 EOC: My Voice

My name is Brian and I am a photographer from Las Vegas, Nevada. I have a wide range of experience in video production, and graphic design, but specialize through the viewfinder of an SLR camera. I have done promotional work for many different companies, and self-employers. Alongside freelance work, I have done personal work for models, and actors to build their personal portfolios. I’ve had most of my experience in studio photography throughout my career as a photographer, specializing in traditional and family portraits. I have touched ground in many different areas of photography as well such as, photojournalism, lifestyle, sports, still life and landscape photography. Landscape photography is a special interest of mine that I enjoy doing whenever I get the chance. Being a fan of sports, sports photography is another special interest of mine and something that I have done work for. I’ve shot multiple sporting events, everything from motocross races to high school football games. Being a photographer it is my job to have a creative eye. Through my work I show everything how I see it. I document what I see how I see it through my perspective. I am always looking for anything interesting and appealing to the eye to freeze in time. I enjoy what I do. My work motivates me to never stop creating. Creating a better image than my last is what pushes me to do my best, and in return better myself as a creative professional and an artist in the process.