When interviewing our latest guru, Lewis Van Arnam, the Artists Representative (photography), I was struck by one of many key points: “The moral of the story is that we help ourselves by helping others.” Though this is also the mantra of several Social Media superstars, you don’t find this quality pronounced too often in the very competitive marketplace of creative professionals.

Most folks are wary of divulging too much, fearful that their wisdom will be used against them, giving fuel to the competition. And although this is the basis of any artist representative, a career founded to support both their clients and their artists, its still music to my ears to hear someone say it out loud. I feel the wave of “old-school” sensibilities rising, like a big “duh, that makes sense, always has, always will.” Sometimes the truth hurts, but it’s also the spark to keep the engine churning.

Wise Elephant (WE): What has been the greatest change in your role as an Artists Representative since the beginning of your career?

Lewis Van Arnam (LVA): I’ve been in this business for a long time, so I’ve seen lots and lots of change. The greatest, in a word, is volume.  I started out with one photographer at a time when agents could actually connect with art directors and creative directors to advocate for their artist.

Over the years the growth rate of photographers, and agents has become overwhelming for clients.  Enter the art buyer. For the record, I love art buyers, but they too have become overwhelmed by an exploding industry. Enter voice mail…(for the record I despise voice mail, but I digress) then e-mail, e-marketing, LinkedIn, Twitter,…..what’s next?

Prospective clients seem to get further and further away and selling has become very impersonal. Photo-agencies are getting bigger and multi-tiered and the agent – artist relationship has changed dramatically.  Today’s photographers are forced to be more aware of their product. Whereas the agent of the past was the artist’s primary voice to the industry, today the photographer’s presentation, both portfolio and website, must speak as the door-opening selling tool. Half our efforts, as an agency, are directed at branding ourselves as a credible, desirable, creative destination. If we’re on the map in these categories, everyone will benefit.

WE:  You mention that you love art buyers. Do you mean all art buyers or the ones who give you work?

LVA:  Hahahaha. tricky question. I’ve made a lot of friends in this business over the years. I’m a people-person and I have great relationships with art buyers and art directors who don’t necessarily give me work (yet). I think what I mean is that I love the concept of, or the existence of, art buying. I would explain it this way.  I have a thing about symmetry. I love it and I’m always compelled to establish it in my life and work. It probably explains why I have so many long relationships. I look at art buyers as the mirror image of myself. Respectively we function as the yin and yang in the business of creative execution. Supply and demand yes, but on a practical level we establish the DNA of communication that takes a concept and fleshes it out to reality. Together we craft the details and build the tools to get that particular job into the hands of the creative team with complete viability. Art Buyers are the voice of their art & creative directors, and we, in turn, advocate for our photographer. It’s a very symmetrical process and I love being part of it.

WE: And voice mail? What’s the deal?

LVA: It’s an insidious concept. Well, maybe it has some merit but I find it frustrating and confusing.  In one instant I plunge from the momentum of pro-active ecstasy to the depths of passive uncertainty, by leaving a message. OK what now? Wait for a return call that may never come? Should I call again? How long should I wait?  Are there rules I don’t know about? This is torture.

WE: What has had the most influence on commercial photography over the past 10 years, past 5? Past year?

LVA: You use the word commercial, so here’s a business answer, usage fees. Believe it or not in my early days as an agent (more than ten years ago BTW), photographers where paid an agreed shoot rate and there was little, or no discussion about how, or how long, the images would be used. Licensing was not part of the vocabulary. So the advent of usage fees and copyright awareness has had tremendous impact on photographers’ businesses. And I think clients have a better appreciation for buying good photography and getting the best bang for their buck.

I would also mention saturation. There’s too much of everything (except clients, of course). The growth rate has been astronomical and I don’t see it slowing down any time soon.  The resulting level of competition has tremendous impact on every (almost) photographer’s survival.

Then there’s the obvious:  first the Internet, followed closely by digital technology. Both elements contribute profoundly to the over-saturation in our business today.

WE: What about being an Artist Rep would be the most surprising to someone who knows little about the field?

The existence of Photo Agents at all.  I think generally the public understanding of an agent’s role is very superficial. Most people know about sports agents and celebrity agents and the perception is this greedy presence that, more or less, amounts to a necessary evil.  We fight this stigma every minute of every day. Outside the industry no one knows that photographers have reps and it’s always a huge surprise when I explain what I do.

In reality, I believe our role is crucial to both the photographers and the clients. We provide an important service that fills a gap in the process. It’s mostly about communication and trouble-shooting. Photographers tend to be overly emotional, and often too busy, to be objective and attentive to a pending project. Our presence takes pressure off both sides.

WE: What makes a gig a good gig?

LVA: The next gig, from the same client. Then you know that all components of a job were in harmony, from A to Z.

Also, sufficient budgets.  Too often clients want it all but can’t afford it. The resulting “cut corners” usually compromises the end product…. and guess who gets blamed….?

WE: What other career could you imagine yourself doing?

LVA: Well, let’s see…..there’s:
Psycho-analyst, Shepard, Litigator, Magician, Super Nanny, Fuller Brush Salesman, Mystic, Tax Collector, Travel Agent, CEO, Janitor, Philanthropist or Greeter at Wal-Mart.

Oh, wait, you said other……hmmmm.

I’m probably not qualified for any other career.

WE: How did you fall into being a rep?

LVA: Fall is a good way to put it. And, you know, that’s something that I love about this side of the business. Most people fall into it.  In here you can be whatever you want to be, as long as you deliver.  You’re accepted on your merits and there’s something very pure about that process (hyperbole denoted, of course).

I attended art school, Pratt Institute, and fell in love with photography and the creative process. I aspired to be a photographer and was drawn to fashion.

I was fortunate to be introduced to a photographer and I started assisting. Through connections I met photographer Mike Reinhardt and we became immediate friends. I assisted Mike for two years and managed his studio, including everything from accounting and handling bookings, to on-set camera assisting. Mike had (or has, I should say, but retired now) an unbelievably sharp business mind and from him I learned everything, from top to bottom (or was it bottom to top….I worked my ass off for $150 a week). Anyway, it was Mike’s recognition of my growing business acumen that spawned the idea becoming his rep. Thanks Mike.  We made a great team and had 15 very successful years together.

The moral of the story is that we help ourselves by helping others. I never forget the genesis of my career and whenever possible I pass whatever advice I can to the next generation. That’s how it works.

WE: What element separates you from your Rep peers? How are you different?

LVA: Amazingly, I don’t really know how my peers operate. I often make the statement that we work in a vacuum, that is to say, that the competitive nature of the business suppresses a sharing atmosphere.

My business model has always been very hands-on. The attitude is that it is easier to keep a client than to get a new one. Of course we strive to do both. I hear a lot of horror stories about clients being abused by both agents and photographers. That would never happen here. I pride my agency on solving problems before they become problems. The benefit of this way of thinking is universal.

Again, I can’t speak for other agents, but for myself I can say that I truly care about the people I represent. I’m dedicated to the relationships I establish and I think anyone who knows me would agree.

WE: What does photography need to do? Where should it go, if anywhere?

Business-wise? Eliminate editorial contracts. Need I say more?  Remember, my perspective is from the fashion world. Editorial exposure makes photography careers not the other way around. There are some very talented young artists that could really benefit from presence in the magazines. And, I believe the magazines would benefit, as well. There’s no rules, of course, this is purely an evolutionary process.

Creatively? Good luck. What hasn’t been done? The industry is starving for the next new idea but from my observations, “new” is more likely a tweak of something that’s already been done.  So keep tweaking, I guess. Maybe new technology will bring some radical creative thinking.  Some may argue that it’s already happening. They may be right and that actually worries me.

There’s a race to keep up with and embrace technology. Ironically, it’s the same technology that may become a destructive force to many and change the business, as we know it.   When you consider the effects of digital technology, photoshop, high definition video… you realize that photography has to develop a fail-safe mentality.  I read somewhere that on the list of the greatest threats to the continued existence of life on earth is artificial intelligence. We must protect our industry from ourselves. It’s not going to be easy.

WE: Does technique become the leader in photo innovation then? Or style, either, neither, both?

LVA: It’s important to identify the spectrum of applications and approaches to commercial photography. Remember that photographers tend to think of themselves as artists, creating art, but truthfully there is a balance, in assigned photography, between expression and recording. Between being an artist or a craftsman (both challenging, don’t get me wrong). The swing between complete creative expression and simply compiling information is largely determined the client’s needs and it’s their trust and money that restricts or unleashes the creative forces of the photographer (not to mention the rest of the team). Many sets have become battlegrounds over issues of creative control.

In the days of film (let’s call them the “old days”) photographers held all the cards. They alone knew, or could anticipate, the end results from a day of shooting.  They applied their special techniques and developed their own unique style.  Experience ruled.  Calculated risks, creative decisions made in the camera….these were the  elements that made photographers special… made their  careers. There’s a term “happy mistakes” that comes to mind. If you don’t experiment, you don’t grow. Today the stylistic decisions of what to place in front of the camera, and how to light, direct, manage the set, etc. are still there, but I believe the presence of the digital monitor undermines a photographer’s opportunity to be creative. My concern is that it may eventually alter the perception of their worth.

WE: Do photographers have to reinvent the medium entirely, like moving pictures did to film in the last century. Are we at a point where all has to radically change OR is it that we need to step back and build upon the fundamentals?

LVA: I’m in favor of building on the fundamentals.  Digital technology, as wonderful as it is, has come at us too fast and I believe we’ve made some mistakes.  We’re playing catch-up to adjust for the long-term effects.

Traditionally speaking, half of photo execution is the subject, or what you choose to put in front of the camera and half is how the camera reacts, based on decisions about what lens to use, what type of film, depth of field, shutter speed, light, etc.  Recently we’ve added another half called postproduction and it may become the biggest half (this is Yogi Berra territory) of all.  Images used to be finished in the camera, but today an image is not finished until it’s been digitally manipulated. The word ‘Post” has crept into our photo-speak and photographers must be careful not to lose control of their images.
Digital technology is here to stay, there’s no doubt about it. Let’s use it to enhance our industry, not rule it.  I believe we must maintain integrity for the creator of images and the laws designed to protect intellectual property.

WE: You speak of your industry being hungry for new ideas and then you use the phrase “experience rule.”. Are these conditions reconcilable?

LVA: Excellent question. Even though I (we, really, I’m surrounded by a first rate staff) have oodles of experience (let me know if I’m getting too technical for you), I’m proud to say that I learn something new every day. Our signature is to work smart for our clients. Having a reservoir of experiences and knowledge is only half the picture. Drawing on that knowledge base, with an open mind and understanding of the nuances you’re faced with, completes the process. It’s refreshing and it should be. I love innovation and thinking “outside the box”.  Thinking this way, however, only has value when we are aware that there IS a box (sometimes people can get a little carried away). So, think of the ease that comes from experience and add inspiration….oh yeah, and coffee. We have a lot to offer.

WE:  Do you have a message for your photographers or photographers in general, who are, in your words, battling the unprecedented levels of competition for their survival?

LVA: Forward motion. Find it. Keep it. As in most professions, what you get out is directly proportional to what you put in. Use your tools to advance yourself and take responsibility for your direction. Own your career. I constantly emphasize that photography is a full time job and not restricted to time behind the camera.

WE: Tools?

LVA: Well, yes, I’m not talking about hardware. I mean the resources you develop as you grow. First is talent….creative vision, of course, but creative business as well. Your agent is also a tool. Make sure they have your best ammunition and keep it coming.

Then it’s a matter of maximizing all the opportunities that come your way. Work the connections, do your homework, arm yourself with information. Build your profile however you can. Construct it with great visible work, a strong presentation, relationships and momentum.

I’m discovering that the new generation of digital based photographers understand this quite well. It surprises me. I expected something else, I guess, because it’s so easy to pick up a digital camera and call yourself a photographer. Not so fast. My associate, Stan Brooks, is handling some young photographers who display amazing focus on their careers, and dedication to their creative point of view. Very impressive.

WE:  When you speak of arming yourself and needing ammunition, you sound like you’re in a war.

LVA: I guess you’re right. Is there such a thing as a happy war?  I have so much fun….I love what I do. It’s serious, though, too. Free enterprise is no joke.

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To learn more about Lewis Van Arnam Represents please visit http://lvarepresents.com and http://lavplus.com