Jul 15, 2019
Today’s episode launches a two-part interview during which Heather jumps out of her usual format and talks to three amazing guests at the same time!
Tune in for an insightful, casual conversation with Ken, Suzee, and Shayla.
Key Takeaways
[:31] Jay Michael Tucker, President of the Northern California ASMP chapter, introduces today’s guests: Suzee Barrabee, Ken Zayne, and Shayla Love as well as your host, Heather Elder.
[4:33] Heather welcomes listeners to a special two-part live recorded series of Dear Art Producer and begins the conversation by asking her 3 guests how they found their way into art production.
[7:08] Shayla talks starting with pizza delivery in Boulder Colorado and making her way to Uber Eats and everything creative in between.
[9:15] Ken ran into photography through a program called City in a School and made his way to FIT and fashion photography before ending up at Gap, Inc./Old Navy.
[11:27] Suzee was a lost soul who answered a want ad!
[14:22] Suzee opens up the conversation about the differences between working the brand side vs being in an agency.
[16:45] Shayla digs deeper into the idea that working client-side can become insular.
[18:57] Ken weighs in on the pros and cons of the increased creative control that working client-side offers.
[20:40] Changes in the industry have affected everyone; Heather is curious to know what other projects than photography her guests are hiring for.
[22:38] Suzee talks about having a more holistic approach. You have a brief [built against a media plan] and money, and the question then becomes what is the best way to answer this brief.
[24:26] Shayla shares the scope of decision-making that needs to happen to deliver on a brief, as well as the weight of performance and results that the producer has to shoulder.
Tip: if a photographer can provide the performance metrics for their past work, it can be a huge asset — and those metrics are very accessible for social media work — you can ask for that information.
[29:33] Heather asks in a crowded marketplace, how do we get your attention?
[30:09] Ken thinks mailers are great; go for larger formats so the work is showcased properly. Emails are good too, he does respond and will do in-person meetings when possible. Don’t hesitate to share your work!
[34:59] Suzee shares what catches her eye. Being freelance, she does prefer emails to mailers (they take too much room in her house!). Every two months is a bit aggressive but she keeps an eye out for everything since she never knows what her next project might be. Instagram is huge for her, include your links in your emails.
[37:19] Relevance is key to Shayla — she is brand-side so she has one focus. Use Instagram as a tool, pay the fees, and target people! Having a face and a conversation to remember is also important, so trying to get a meeting in helps and she often hosts reps.
[41:28] Heather shares her own experience on the importance of meetings in person; art producers are asking to meet her photographers more and more.
[43:35] Suzee shares a personal story about meeting a National Geographic photographer, even when time was short.
[44:29] Love of photography drives the business and it’s important for everyone to make time to meet, even if time is always short. And on this note, Heather invites listeners to tune in for Part 2 of this interview!
Thanks for listening!
In an industry where the rules are always changing, it’s helpful to hear from those on the front line. Heather Elder is the visionary behind NotesFromARep’sJournal.com; visit her website for industry updates, stunning photography and video, and the artists behind the work.
Mentioned in this episode
Create Space, Nicola Sottorio
Media One Audio and Visual, Dan McGonagle
More about your host
Heather Elder’s Bio
Heather Elder’s Blog
Heather Elder on Instagram
Heather Elder on Twitter
Heather Elder on LinkedIn
Heather Elder on Facebook
More about today’s guests
Suzee Barrabee’s website
Kenneth Zane’s LinkedIn
Shayla Love’s LinkedIn