Region 1 Visual Journal(ism)

The meltdown of newspapers is suddenly big, big news. Coincidence that the industry became a media darling after the Chicago Tribune threatened bankruptcy? Hometown of President-elect Obama where a bazillion journalists are camped out waiting for the journey east? However we got in the media spotlight (including a sketch on The Daily Show!), with attention comes advice.

I read about 10-20 blogs a week. Up until a couple of weeks ago, reports of layoffs were the most common posts. Now, theme is ‘The Solution’. The world is looking in and dispensing advice for getting out of the mess. New business models, Barclays is bearish on newspaper ads, papers aren’t innovative, and most recently the newest skill necessary - entrepreneurial journalism.

If you don’t have EJ, the advice is get some. Jeff Jarvis at City University of New York is leading the charge with a class by the same name. I suddenly feel hip and trendy.

When I ran my photo business, I tracked unpaid versus paid time per job and vacation time, budgeted monthly office supplies, hired a telemarketer for updating my database, negotiated my contracts, collaborated with vendors, created lists outlining creative process protocol. My ratio was 60% editorial / 40% commercial. Don’t know your ratio? Not good. An employee? You should know your assignment to office work ratio.

The key to a good day is to spend as much time as possible being creative. If you develop and streamline organizational strategies for the daily tasks of your business like invoicing, marketing, processing, and archiving, you give yourself more time to shoot. You have the potential to increase your paid to unpaid time.

Odd twist, but locking in organization provides flexibility and more minutes in your work day. More minutes to shoot. Or in my case, edit those fabulous photos you shoot.

-Sarah Evans