Ken’s Shoot Notes Blog

URMC Cancer Center Almost Done!

Posted on April 28th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Shoots, Personal, Rochester NY, Colleges, Medical.

My associate Ron Cronk and I snuck into the building (OK, Security let us in

and we did a time-lapse series of the sun setting through the windows of the new building at the WIlmot Cancer Center.

We had a blast as always and grabbed some outside shots for Leslie White’s publications as well.

I think the Duct Tape bracelet makes the photo (thanks for the shots, Ron!)

Me ruining Ron’s shot.

The craziest thing was when an orderly and a patient (totally hooked up to machines and IVs) wheeled by to see the building progress and we chatted.

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Grafiti @ RIT in HTML

Posted on March 28th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Funny, Internet, Rochester NY, Colleges, Rants.

OK, a lot of this stuff looked trashy, but they were on to something funny in a few of these things… Only at RIT would the graffiti include HTML tags!

… or deep thoughts like this.

Thanks to the two guys that ‘held it’ whilst I shot this.

I’m still process if I thought this was stupid or not ((thinking))

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RIT’s Creative Entrepreneur Talk

Posted on March 28th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Skills, Teaching, Rochester NY, Colleges, Currently Reading, Famous People.

I had such a great time at this RIT event… Had a yummy meal and the best part was an interesting talk from Lauren Dixon of Dixon Schwabl here in Rochester. I know it must be a fun place to work, since all of the DS people I’ve interacted with on clients’ shoots have been terrific. Even bringing their kids on shoots. After telling Colin a few things about Lauren’s company, he said it sounded like the kind of place he’d like to work… so loose and creative.

Our panel had a really great range of experience and it always reminds me of how little my business is compared to everyone else! But I hope some of my experience after 21 years still helps the folks starting out.

Here’s a recap of what I said (…and sorry to keep butting in Elizabeth

• Read much and broadly. You can teach yourself anything just by grabbing a book, and amazing creative things happen when you learn about different areas. Read Wired.
• Learn good business. Simple stuff like being on time, billing accurately, dressing for the event. Read business guru’s. For me it was Tom Peters. Today Getting Things Done or the Long Tail
• Stay Findable… good things happen when people can find you a year or two later. Work on your Google rank, ‘K
• Be a Triple Threat: Wriging Skills, Web Skills, Graphic Design Skills as well as Photography. You never know what you’ll be called on to do or have an informed opinion on. Once when money was tight, I did really well writing on digital photography for a tech journal. I design my own web site. Don’t blow off chances to improve these skills.
• My friend Ron Cronk reminded me of this… there’s a lot more than just shooting skills. I said there was a ’strata’ you move through… Everyone should have the bedrock of good technical skills, or else don’t even show up. BUT people ignore the rest of the layers… Being ‘nice’ and having people skills is key: Do you make clients lives more or less stressful?? Equal to that is being competent in business skills (as noted above) and finally those three things should allow you to grow over time to the top of the heap and really develop refined, masterful skills that really set you apart.
• You must jump in at some point. It’s great to ease into the freelance game while working a job, but at some point you have to go full time. Until you do, people just don’t see you the same, and you miss many business chances for clients to totally rely on your availability

Some things I didn’t get to say:

• Find a good niche you love. Doing a bit of everything can give you experience, but go deep in one area you can be known for.
• Be passionate. You’ll still pull all-nighters if you’re self-employed. You’ve got to love it.
• Work for great, growing clients and clients you can learn and grow with. I’m really bummed I didn’t touch on this one! I’ve been blessed with clients that were on the grow and so the amount of work just kept growing too. You can love and serve the clients that are flat, but if you notice a client is really rockin’, jump on board and give them everything you can.
• Raving Fans . Read it or download the audiobook. iTunes doesn’t seem to have it.
• Learn on the job. When you know you’ve got the basics a client needs covered, push yourself to do more and learn right then, not at some workshop. I’ve always had an area I wanted to improve (Lighting, portraits, web, etc) and so I’d study where I was weak in books and on shoots get the ’safe’ shot the client asked for, but also work on the new skill. Warning: Don’t suck while you do this…you still have to produce 110% of what the client wants and not waste anyone’s time.

Michael (yes, this was shot right during the panel!)

Elizabeth & Rich (sorry for the bad moment, Rich…)

So thanks t o RIT for inviting me and to Rich Getsloff, Elizabeth Lyons and Michael Lomb my co-panelists for their good ideas I’ll now steal

Me waxing pundit-y

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Hey, I’m a “Creative Entrepreneur!”

Posted on March 14th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Personal, Photo, Teaching, Rochester NY, Colleges.

I do a fair amount of talking to groups, but it’s usually about photo topics, digital photography, Photoshop, etc… But this time it’s different.

RIT has asked me to speak at a conference on the business side of my life, which is cool. I’ve often said that I got my early start by being a good businessman first, then a photographer. All photographers that are full-time should have a pretty good feature-set, but I felt that they often blow it on business (personal skills, billing mistakes, showing up late, not fitting in with a high-end group, etc).

One way I’ve summed up my early success is that I was the guy that didn’t screw up. I wasn’t the best, most creative shooter… just the last guy standing. (this stems from a story of working for the AP early on)

RIT asked me if I wanted to be involved in the ‘Networking’ topic, but I turned that down, as I’m an abysmal failure at networking. I hate all of that and often don’t have cards with me. I have been blessed that my business grew because of very kind clients spreading the word, but it was through no plan or system of mine.

Thanks to Deb and Kara for thinking I have something to share. It’s really nice to give back to people starting out. My topic will be on Striking Out on Your Own – Prospering As a Creative Entrepreneur

So maybe I’ll see you there!

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URMC Wilmot Cancer Center Building Progress

Posted on March 12th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Shoots, Rochester NY, Colleges, Medical.

The building is coming along beautifully. It’s been fun to watch it change with each visit. It’s HUGE! With a full floor of research up top.

‘Finished’ signs are showing up all over…

more to come

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Cool Locations

Posted on January 9th, 2008 by HuthPhoto.
Categories: Shoots, Photo, Rochester NY, Colleges.

I’m so fortunate that I get to shoot in so many interesting places in Rochester. I remember the time when the George Eastman House folks asked me ‘Where (in the mansion) did I think I’d like to take the portraits’… I mean, that’s a loaded question! Every square inch of the place is beautiful; I had a harder time narrowing down locations than finding one.

Once a while back I was able to shoot from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School’s bell tower… lots of pigeon poo, but a lovely view and great shots with the bell. I was back at Colgate today (they are getting to be such a great client), and even though I was there for ‘people’ shots, I couldn’t help grabbing these building/window photos.

I guess if you shoot supermodels, that must be easier than shooting regular workin’ folks… and for me, shooting in these locations is just a blast. 

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