PAST
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: In your early years of high school, were you involved in the yearbook? What sparked your interest in photography? Do you recommend all the weekend photographers out there to initially stick with the subjects they know and build from there? Do you have any suggestions on how to build that progression? How did you progress to where you are today in photography?
JOHN WELSH: In high school I was on the track team and during my junior year, I used a Kodak 126 film camera my aunt had given to me to photograph a high jumper. I never worked on the yearbook or even held a 35mm camera, so photography was new to me. When choosing courses for my senior year I signed up for photography and bought a 35mm camera. I had a great teacher who saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue photography as a profession.
I think weekend photographers should stick with subjects they know until they recognize when to challenge themselves. That moment comes at different times for everyone. Having constructive feedback is really important when exploring new ideas or techniques.
My growth as a photographer is ongoing and I intend to keep that mindset. When I want to learn a new way of shooting I dive deep into whatever intrigues me. I think about how to approach whatever I’m shooting and then make it my own.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: Do you still have photos taken from the early years when it all started? What were your subjects? Are the pictures online to share with everyone to compare with your work today?
JOHN WELSH: My early subjects varied from products to portraiture. Showing early photos may make a good blog entry, but they are not for the portfolio. My images from the early years stay hidden since they don’t fit the type of work I currently do. But it could be fun to go “retro” with an entry like that, I may have to dig through the archives and post something!
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What books did you read at the beginning of your photography career that helped you prepare for today? Title of book, author and price of book please…just messing around, the title of the books should be fine thanks to google search. Do you recall any other resources that you referred to heavily to help you prepare for the photography business? We want to know what the must have resources are to fully equip ourselves when and if we ever plan to take that leap of faith.
JOHN WELSH: I don’t have any book titles for you since there were many I liked. For example, when I was learning sports photography, I would cruise the shelves at bookstores for the best sports photography of that year. And when newspapers published quality magazine sections I would save (for example) the Sunday magazine from the Philadelphia Inquirer. They used to publish really good documentary pieces. I still recommend checking the photography section in bookstores but also looking at photographers’ websites since that’s where the best work is found.
Way more important than books are professional organizations. I was an HYPERLINK “http://www.nppa.org/” NPPA member when I was headed in a more photojournalistic direction, now I’m a member of the HYPERLINK “http://www.asmp.org/” ASMP. For photographers who are not yet ready to make the leap there are groups, like local camera clubs or community art centers or artists’ collectives, that fill the same role. I encourage photographers to join some kind of organization and get involved with them.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What was your very first professional photography job? Was this purely out of luck that you were at the right place at the right time? Was there a hidden plan to penetrate the market from within? Would you recommend it to new photographers trying to break into the market and that are having difficulty breaking in? Once you had your first job under your belt was it difficult to get another gig? What did you do to acquire more work besides providing awesome images? Have you ever considered being agency represented? If you are agency represented how did you attract a photography agent?
JOHN WELSH: In high school I sold my first photo to a local newspaper. I had photographed a friend during his routine at a gymnastic meet. That process, shooting, editing, making a print, captioning, contacting editors, etc., gave me confidence when deciding to pursue photography as a profession. I also had an uncle who was a professional photographer. He helped me get started by explaining the business basics. So there were no hidden plans. I want to succeed in whatever I do and photography was the direction where I was headed at that time.
Getting a second gig at the beginning level was not tough. The difficult part is when you try to break into new markets. In Philadelphia, where I reside, having an agent is not a necessity. If I were to relocate or want to break into NYC then I would consider hiring one. A lot of my success has to do getting work from referrals. Sending mailers and other ways of marketing are important, but so is making personal connections.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: After your first job, what was the next photography gig you obtained and how did you go about your execution? Did you apply all that you’ve learned in all the books you’ve read? Did you buy more books or accessed any more resources to help you jump to your next big step in the game of photography? What tools do you recommend that are a must have that helped you get to where you are present day?
JOHN WELSH: Wow, my second job…it wasn’t glamorous (or journalistic) yet it was good for me. For a short time I worked with another photographer who had a contract with a video dating service. This was long before the Internet and match.com (or whatever the popular service is these days). I needed to make the dating service members feel at ease so they would look their best for their profile photos when I photographed them. The lesson I learned was about connecting with people, not lighting or exposure.
The Internet is a great tool where almost anything can be searched for and then learned. That has been my biggest ally especially when it comes to learning digital techniques. But seminars and workshops are also great place to learn and I recommend them as well.
PRESENT
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What keeps the money rolling? Your brand is possibly a huge factor to your longevity? Am i right? Do you have any recommendations on brand building for weekend photographers and/or Photographers in general.
JOHN WELSH: Until recently my work with newspapers was steady. Now that the entire sector is in trouble, the steady work is no longer there. I am concentrating on producing my style of journalism for my corporate and institutional clients. Even though the current economic times are tough, those budgets will eventually return. With newspapers, it’s hard to predict what business model is going to be successful with the future of producing online content uncertain.
Branding is very important but in my experience with photojournalism, the photographer is known for his portfolio not for his or her identity in the marketplace. So having a well-defined brand isn’t the right approach for every photographer, it depends on the type of work they do.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What is currently in your photography bag? Please be as detailed as possible for those starting out photographers that want to be just like you. From your photography equipment arsenal, what do you bring most of the time for your commercial shoots?
JOHN WELSH: I use Nikon gear, 2 D2X bodies and 1 D3 body. For lenses I carry a 14-24, 28-70, 105 macro, 70-200 and a 300mm, plus SB800 and 900’s, pocket wizards and Sandisk CF cards. I carry that lineup most of the time. I also have several Dynalite kits for larger shoots.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What is your favorite image in your current portfolio and why? How did you approach the execution? Give us a glimpse on how you construct an image from scratch.
JOHN WELSH: I don’t have a favorite image but I do have a favorite body of work. The portfolio at HYPERLINK “http://www.johnwelshphotography.com/” johnwelshphotography.com gives you an idea of what I do, but the images I like most are from the Iceland project. I spent several years traveling between the U.S. and Iceland to photograph the land. The project challenged me since I am not a landscape photographer and I usually work with people. Those images are found at HYPERLINK “http://www.iceland-landscapes.com/” Iceland-landscapes.com.
I can’t really describe how I construct images since I don’t view the process of creating in that way. For me it’s instinctive and intuitive. I’m also a storyteller so I observe and look for moments that relate my experience. I had a HYPERLINK “http://www.iceland-landscapes.com/media8.php” review written up in the Philadelphia Inquirer when the Iceland project was exhibited locally and the reviewer described the images as being “in the area between documentary photography and art,” I really liked that description of my work.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: Is having your own studio space essential for any commercial photographer. Do you have a photography studio of your own? If so, what do you look for in a photography studio?
JOHN WELSH: I rarely work out of a studio so it’s not essential provided your photography doesn’t require it. Being a photojournalist prepares you to be versatile and I set up as needed for each photo session at each location.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What types of commercial gigs are you currently involved in now and how did they surface? What are your recommendations on how we photographers diversify their product offering from Commercial and stock in today’s marketplace?
JOHN WELSH: I finished some personal work recently and was quite satisfied. I photographed flowers as they were burning and it worked out well. As far as commercial work I’m currently working on more mainstream projects; images for a dental office and a café. Both are looking to create an online presence that is authentic, not flashy and overly commercial. The images I’ll create will show the culture of both businesses and it’s where my story telling fits in. I’ll spend time getting to know my clients so I’m able to communicate who they are.
In the same way a writer finds their voice, a photographer needs to find theirs. That’s what I like to see in a portfolio. So it’s not about diversity of subject, it’s about who the photographer is and hopefully it comes across in their work. That’s what makes a successful portfolio.
FUTURE
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: What are your immediate goals as a photographer and artist? Are you planning on releasing any how-to books? What are your recommendations to people thinking about starting a photography book?
JOHN WELSH: No how-to books are on the horizon for me but self-publishing is an interest of mine. From my perspective, book publishing is a lot like the fashion business. It’s about trends and about how many books a publisher thinks they can sell. If the images happen to be good, it’s a bonus, but it’s not always about great photography. Fortunately, self-publishing services like Blurb for example are there to help us. Photographers will run into the pitfalls of having to learn good design, typography and layout, but at least the option is there for artists to get their work in print.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: A lot of professional photographers are starting to run workshops. Will you start offering workshops in the future? I know TIME is not your friend, but there are ways to get around that maybe offering internship opportunities to intern with you for a small fee during one of your paid shoots. Or maybe provide an opportunity to be a spectator for one of your weekend shoots?
JOHN WELSH: I have been teaching at the one-on-one level (with interns) and also occasional classes at universities so I’m just where I want to be as far as teaching. I feel it’s my responsibility to give back as much as I can to younger photographers.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: I am sure you’ve read many articles discussing how in the future videography and photography will be one? What are your thoughts on that and how will you evolve to the new morphed medium?
JOHN WELSH: I began shooting video several years ago to document my travels and it was a great beginning for me. Now that New Media has really taken off, I have been working on new ideas to offer to my clients. I start with audio interviews and still images and add video as needed. The still and moving image will always have their own place, but the marriage of these elements can work out nicely if done well.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: Ok so thinking about the future and how it is very important in any endeavor especially the photography business. What do you suggest photographers do in the future to solidify their presence in the industry? What will you do to ensure that you remain on top, not taking into account your photography niche?
JOHN WELSH: Keeping up with technology is very important though no amount of it can replace sound fundamentals like composition and being able to capture the moment. Like I mentioned, developing your own voice as a photographer is key.
As far as staying on top? It’s hard to say if there really is a “top” in the business, there are so many great photographers out there. As long as I keep working intelligently and hard, and maybe add a bit of luck at times, I think my business will have longevity.
LAWRENCEATIENZA.COM: Thank you again for your time and giving back. What would you like to leave for us photographers to think about when moving forward with photography for the future? If you have any words of wisdom will be appreciated.
JOHN WELSH: Take some time to reflect on who you are as an artist. The ideas that develop from that process will amaze you. Then shoot those ideas and don’t think of unsuccessful attempts as mistakes, they’re not. They are an important part of growth for an artist.
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