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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> 1.1 Million copies of a print
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07/10/2007 09:24:21 AM · #1
when john ( strangeghost) asked me "Are you working on any special projects now that we'll be hearing about in the forums soon?", i had to somewhat defer, because somethings were up in the air...

-----

a few weeks ago, i got a call from a guy who said he had found an image of mine that he wanted to use in a publication, and that everybody he had shown it to was really excited about it, and they all agreed that they wanted it for...

the cover of the 2008 richmond phonebook, both white & yellow pages!!!

it took some doing. he had called on a thursday, and at the conclusion of our conversation he told me the project manager (who was in texas) would be getting in touch with me. she called that evening, around 6, we talked, and she told me she would get me the paperwork the next day.

well, she actually quit the next day...

so, friday, the weekend, and a big chunk of monday went by before i heard from anyone. and when i did, what a trip!

her: i'm sorry, but [so-and-so] is out today. i'll be forwarding you the paperwork. could you forward us the image?

me: i've got the image pulled and ready to edit. it should be ready maybe later today, but at least by lunch tomorrow.

her: uh, we need it now.

me: you've got to be joking.

her: no, we need it right away.

me: [a HUGE pause] you can't be serious. [another HUGE pause] m'am, what you saw on the internet was a 10 minute edit to make a nice image look good for the internet. it is going to take some time to make that print ready. [they had requested a 300dpi 5x7]

her: [a pause] well, we really need it as soon as possible.

me: and i want to get it to you as soon as possible, but this just isn't automatic. you can't just call someone up and say you need an image "right now." it's a lot more involved than that. you want it to look great, and i want it to look great, but that is an extremely complex image, and it's going to take some time to get it right. [sigh] i'll start working on it and get it to you as soon as i can...

her: i really appreciate it! i'll see if i can get the deadline pushed back a bit.

me: [sigh] ok. i'll let you know when it's ready...

her: thanks!

i pulled the image and started to work on it, and realized there was no way in hell i was going to have it looking the way i wanted it to look in a couple hours.

so, i called my team f/ate-mate brad, and got him the original. three or four hours later, it was done to perfection. i can't thank brad enough, because he really came through for me. sometime midway through the editing, verizon called to say that they could wait until the next morning. good thing.

anyways, i got the pdf of the cover yesterday, along with some info for a press release. verizon is going to print approximately 1.1 million phonebooks for the richmond metropolitan area and my credit will be on the front page as "Skip Rowland Photography, Inc / www.skippix.biz". now it's just a matter of waiting until december...



so, when it comes out, i'll be more than glad to sign copies for a beer ;-)
07/10/2007 09:29:11 AM · #2
Congrats Skip! That's awesome.

Your story reminded me of an old adage in business,

"A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."
07/10/2007 09:29:16 AM · #3
Woo... that's cool! Now if you can just get them to impose a $.01 surcharge on everyone's monthly bill to pay for it... ;-P
07/10/2007 09:29:26 AM · #4
Holy smokes Skip, congrats! Everybody looks at their phonebook!
07/10/2007 09:29:40 AM · #5
Congrats! Fantastic image ... hopefully this will boost your business ...
07/10/2007 09:30:07 AM · #6
Congratulations Skip. That is incredibly cool. I'm guessing the little kid inside you (and possibly the grow-up too) has spent the last day or so dancing around the house frantically.

07/10/2007 09:33:54 AM · #7
That's a fair old bit of publicity there, nicely done.
Did they mention where they had seen your image from?
07/10/2007 09:34:17 AM · #8
WOW! Congrats...that is so great!!!
07/10/2007 09:34:45 AM · #9
Congrats Skip!!

Reading your posts a question comes in mind, what do you usually do to make a picture print ready? I have tried printing few of my shots at 11x17, they always come out different from printers than they appear on web! I will search the forums first before I start a new thread!
07/10/2007 09:35:52 AM · #10
Skip, that is AWESOME!!! Congrats on yet another fine feather in ye ol' cap. Very nice of Brad to help out too!
07/10/2007 09:37:36 AM · #11
Wow, that is awesome stuff. If you dont mind me asking, what does the compensation for 1.1 million uses of your image look like? Excuse me if that question is out of line.
07/10/2007 09:38:24 AM · #12
That's some kickass advertising you're getting! Congrats! (Image is nice, too!)
07/10/2007 09:39:39 AM · #13
Nice going! 1.1 mil... wow

Enjoy
07/10/2007 09:40:11 AM · #14
All I have to say is, "CONGRATULATIONS!! You so deserve it!" You are so generous with your time and knowledge here at DPC and you are a super nice person to boot :) Again, "CONGRATULATIONS!"
07/10/2007 10:14:11 AM · #15
VERY NICE! Congratulations!
07/10/2007 10:15:37 AM · #16
thanks, ya'll!

what's the compensation? deferred or upfront ;-) they typically do not pay, but they will, if pushed. i thought about pushing, but knew the value of having my name out there like that was worth far more than the $200-$500 i could have wrangled out of them.

also, this image is part of a collection of richmond area prints i'm developing to sell for office decor.

not to mention, now i have a relationship with verizon, and a reputation of being someone they can work with, which is going to lead to some more work.

where did they find it? they were searching and googling and hunting around and they found it on my website.

how do i process? typically, very quickly, just to get stuff to web. this image, i spent a little more time on the web version than most. i don't really roll up my sleeves for editing until something is committed for print. the native original is a 72dpi 3504pixel file, and i can pretty much size it anywhere from there. i get nice 20x30s without too much trouble.

cheers!
skip

Message edited by author 2011-03-20 04:16:29.
07/10/2007 10:18:33 AM · #17
Congrats, Skip! That's very, very cool. :)
07/10/2007 10:23:36 AM · #18
Does Brad earn a percentage of your future earnings??

07/10/2007 10:25:41 AM · #19
Skip,
With 1.1 million copies you will beat Madona popularity ;)
That's good news. It's always good to know that a good photographer were recognized.
Congrats & Enjoy
07/10/2007 10:28:32 AM · #20
congratulations! that is so cool!
07/10/2007 10:37:58 AM · #21
Ok. . .I want my autographed copy. Beer will be gladly exchanged. I'll even add a bonus two beers. . . even the hoity toity imported kind. Not often I have a chance to have an original work of a renowned photographer -- signed in person -- who I actually KNOW! Woo Hooo. . .well worth a beer or two.

Oh, and Brad. . .you get one too! You ARE the BOMB!

Edit: I type wayyyyy too fast -- and inaccurately!

Message edited by author 2007-07-10 10:39:18.
07/10/2007 10:46:07 AM · #22
Maybe someday they will just put Brads photo on the cover of the phone book with his cell number right below it.


Need help? Call Brad!
555-5555
07/10/2007 10:48:22 AM · #23
Um, WOW!!!!!!!!! great Job, and congrats.
07/10/2007 11:02:21 AM · #24
wish I lived in richmond so verizon would let ME have a Skip "print"
07/10/2007 11:12:35 AM · #25
I called in a few favors from some well-connected friends in Richmond, and managed to get a prevew copy of hte actual production cover:



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