Release Issued by Allworth Press:

Learn to Compete More Effectively in a Changing Market

The rapid evolution of digital photography and the ease of distribution over the Internet has transformed the photo industry. Everything from marketing and sales to competitive pricing and job security has been affected. And now that the flood gates have come down, everyone from semi-pros to amateurs to the common consumer affects how business is done, whether it's pricing, assignments, or just getting your photos seen by potential buyers. In a market once dominated by agencies and seasoned professionals, succeeding in today's industry demands a fresh new approach.

For those who are just starting out or those who are established photographers trying to compete more effectively in a changing market, Dan Heller’s book Profitable Photography in the Digital Age provides a new and progressive approach to understanding and succeeding in the photography business in today’s market. It will help established photographers find new strategies for diversifying revenue streams and adding nontraditional sources of income. For serious amateurs, this book explores realistic perspectives on what to expect and how to gauge their aptitudes for making it in this highly competitive arena.

“Today, success in photography is more akin to how the nature of politics changed when television was introduced in the 1960's: it’s not about the technology,” says Heller. “It’s about knowing how your target audience has changed.” Profitable Photography in the Digital Age shows how photography is more accessible than ever to the average person, even though making money with photography can be more challenging. It also offers new ways of teaching (and learning) the basics of the photo industry apart from just making an impressive portfolio or reaching the right art director. It outlines some of the available paths to success, examines the methods available and provides the analysis on which methods achieve the desired results.

While there is heavy competition, many new opportunities have opened up and more buyers are entering the field. “The digital era isn't just about making great websites or being great at Photoshop,” says Heller. “One must be able to work within that and many other mediums to broaden one’s reach and market segments. What’s more,” he says, “the buyer’s perception of images and the culture of the business has also taken an abrupt turn that isn't as accommodating to the traditional models as it once was.”

By following Heller’s strategies and integrating the concepts presented in Profitable Photography in the Digital Age, anyone who wants to have a career in the photo industry will have the tools he or she needs to succeed.

Dan Heller is a freelance travel photographer from Marin County, and has been running his business, danheller.com, since 1996 as one of the largest and most heavily trafficked stock photography sites run by a single individual. His clients span across business industries and the globe, from Shell, Airbus, and Kodak, to individuals buying fine art for their homes or offices. He lives with his wife and son in Marin County, California.

Praise for Profitable Photography in the Digital Age
“Dan Heller offers great insights into the culture of the photography business as well good business planning information. This is must read for anyone who is new to or thinking about joining the professional photography business.” —Richard Weisgrau, former Executive Director of the American Society of Media Photographers and Author of The Real Business of Photography

“Profitable Photography in the Digital Age is essential reading for both beginners and seasoned pros who have to navigate the sea of changes that have occurred in the photo business since the advent of the Internet. This is the survival guide for photographers doing business in the new millennium.”—Bob Krist, Travel Columnist, Outdoor Photographer magazine