THE WORTH OF A PHOTOGRAPHER/ARTIST IS MEASURED IN EXPOSURE

THE WORTH OF A PHOTOGRAPHER/ARTIST IS MEASURED IN EXPOSURE

I have learned in the beginning that the worth of a photographer and artist is measured in the exposure that they receive. This exposure can be measured in work they have done that has been published for example. Published may be work used for brochures, DVD or CD covers, newspaper advertisements, magazine advertisements, POP displays, and corporate websites. The biggest compliment and type of exposure is to be featured in the news. It may be interviewed on the radio, written about in newspapers and magazines, or interviewed on local or national television news stations, or cable news. Obviously, to be interviewed for the news, the photographer or artist must have subject matter that is involves current events. Some of my most notable art pieces covered in the news have been of the fire fighters of 9/11, support for the troops, breast cancer, healthcare, civil rights, human trafficking and the protection of children.

Recently, I was on a conference call with my agents which included Brian Shires out of Chicago, Michael Resnik out of NYC, Teresa Sullivan out of Nashua, NH, Tom O’Shaughnessy out of Burlington, MA,  Angela Sabatini out of Atlanta, and Brian Nickerson out of San Francisco. They all stressed in the need of continuous press and exposure for my work. Some of my work involves particular social impact issues, and some involve specific times of the year such as Thanksgiving and 4^th of July. All of us have data on all of the consumer magazines in the country and we are putting together a media business plan. One can never be satisfied with the amount of exposure that they have.  There are various attachments of some of the exposure I have received during the years. There are also links to television interviews as well as a website that includes many of my exposure in the past.

NBC News interview
Cable News interview
Media links
Media with reference to the troops

AMY VITALE – THE ONE AND ONLY MODEL I WORK WITH OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA

AMY VITALE – THE ONE AND ONLY MODEL I WORK WITH OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA

I have been living in South Florida for the past 13 years. You would think that because of the migration of people to South Florida that I would have the opportunity in working with a variety of models in South Florida. The truth of the matter is that I only work with one dependable model who is Amy Vitale. I fly models in from New England, New York, Colorado, Georgia, Charleston SC, and Arizona. Models in South Florida seem to be lazy, undependable, and unprofessional. It is not surprising that Florida as a whole has a poor population in terms of economic demographics. I will be working again with Rachelle Ochs who is a model out of Phoenix Arizona on a number of projects. I originally discovered her out of Kingman Arizona on my journey to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Amy Vitale works for various wrestling promotions, not as a wrestler though; but as part of the dramatic act in the matches. She has been in commercials, films, and has been the primary model of Marc Gagnon which the works are marketed by Marc Gagnon Inc. Marc Gagnon Inc., supported by a technology company out of New England and San Francisco, is the marketing machinery out of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and New England. Amy Vitale has been in such pieces as For Our Troops collage, Breast Cancer collage, Healthcare collage, Eve, Grande Design of a New Nation (Betsy Ross collage), The Secret Garden, Defending Wildlife collage are among some of the acclaimed art pieces. The For Our Troops collage campaign can be viewed through the two links listed on this blog.  She has appeared in Playboy Magazine as well as Wrestling Magazines. These tearsheets can be viewed on the Gagnon site of Amy Vitale. I have created a website about Amy Vitale because she has become a well known commodity in the talent world. I have begun marketing her to NYC and LA based talent and model management companies.

Additionally, Amy’s likeness has been featured in a comic book series titled Red Angel.   Red Angel is now available through Famous Faces & Comics, Action Games & Comics, Acme Superstore, and Tate's Comics and Games! 

What the Flux Comics presents Red Angel, a new full color, steampunk, sci-fi comic by author Erin Pyne and artist Russ Leach. Actress/Model/Pro Wrestling Entertainer Amy Vitale inspires Victoria Angel, the captain of the steam airship Red Angel. The Red Angel crew is tasked with defending New Britain from ARC rebels after the Machine Wars of the late19th century. Capturing an ARC ship after a battle, Victoria and her crew discover there may be more to the insurgent Machine attacks then revealed by Global Transmospheric, the leading company in military technology and defense. A link is also on this blog regarding the comic book series. Below pictured is Amy Vitale at a Comic Book convention, the Red Angel Promo, a Wrestling promo shot, the DVD NBC cover of the Fisher House event, and a sample shot from a Amy Vitale shoot. Obviously, I would love to find more people like Amy Vitale in South Florida. How many pearls though do you find in Oysters?

Amy Vitale Supermodel
What the Flux Comics
For Our Troops collage site

Toast to Our Troops site

It’s About Location, Location, Location

It’s About Location, Location, Location

I have seen many model portfolios that were put together in probably one session. These people actually believe that stardom is in their midst. There are modeling agencies that lure models into their offices where in reality they are actually photography mills rather than representing models for actual advertising campaigns or have actual clients (i.e. corporations, advertising agencies, production companies, etc.). In other words, they make their money by having someone part of their staff take pictures essentially around the block from their office in one afternoon for the model’s portfolio and composite card for a sheer $800. Obviously, the more time and effort you put into, will determine what you will gain out of the experience. Minimum time will produce minimum results. This is a constant behavior in South Florida. This transcends to other areas as well. I have been approached by people to get involved in some 70 multi level marketing opportunities which is a get rich quick type scheme.

It is common sense that before working with a photographer, just like any type of engagement of business activity, that certain things should be verified. The photographer’s portfolio should be reviewed for example. Does the photographer have any tear sheets (published work) or his/her work been featured in the news? Has the photographer ever worked with models part of large model management companies? Obviously, the photographer should have in his possession composite cards, agency books, and head sheets proving this.

An On-Location shoot should be well thought out in bringing together the model, the environment of which the shoot will be done as well as the clothes. Obviously, a swimwear shoot, the place may be a beach, a pool, streams and waterfalls in the mountains, for certain type of swimwear such as the jungle type look, a tropical rainforest may be a good idea. I have seen too many shoots that were thrown together and looked too ordinary. A model is looked at either as serious or serious depending on the time and effort spent on their calling card (composite card) or portfolio. From my experiences in New England as compared to Florida, I met far more models that became successful in New England than in Florida. From models like Susan Gallagher, Nancy Donahoe, Lisa Hale, Sheila Benson, Donna Mills, Heather Black,  Martha Longley, Nancy Travis, Martha Gehman, Rhonda Niles, Pamela Gidley, Tracy Pollan, Isabella, Linda Joyce, Mia Sara, Paige Hall, Andi Waugh, Debra Gilbert, Adriana, Julie Shay, Lori Jeanne, Tom Bergeron (Broadcasting and now on Dancing with the Stars) are all people out of the surrounding New England area that I have met from 1982-1997.  This is a short list off the top of my head. The only one I have met from Florida that has been successful is Nikki Taylor and she became successful because of Jean Renard, a photographer out of Boston. There are a couple of other Florida models that have strong potential such as Amy Vitale and Isobella Jade; and that is it. It is more than just having the look. It requires thought, effort, intelligence, and hard work to become successful in whatever one does.

On Location Image site