Spoiled Baker, Option 1
m A friend of mine suggested that the Babes In The Woods series was not commercial enough for a Workbook ad...or that it type cast me so specifically as a baby photographer. Seeing that these ads are thousands upon thousands upon thousands...oh, you know...I figured I'd try to look at some options. Keep in mind: Workbook is not about self expression...it is about getting ad jobs. If anyone is reading, please weigh in with your opinion.
Spacey Babies, Option 2 
9 comments:
It's about getting jobs, but also about impact, no?... the baby pairing makes me want to look at your name/learn more, the baker makes me want to keep flipping. I also think that the babes have enough obvious point of view that it doesn't seem genre-specific.
I agree with John. Those are a far cry from what a "typical" baby picture looks like. I think they show you know how to approach subjects with a unique and fresh vision. Sure there are those who can't look at a picture of an apple and know the photographer can shoot oranges but are those the clients you want to work with?
The baker shot encapsulates the feeling of the ads you shoot, and conveys what you're all about within the confines of "the advertising photograph". The baby shots are well outside the range of the typical, and are therefore impactful, but it's probably not the sort of impact you want, as you suspect.
To me, the baker shot says "funny clean good production off-kilter point-of-view", while the baby shots say "off-kilter point-of-view what would this ever sell?".
I'm inclined to agree with Rob, although I should preface by saying that ad photography is not my milieu. To me, both shots demonstrate your immense talent, but the baker shows you can excel even in a complex shoot.
I agree, go with both, buy some extra pages!
Someone once told me not to dumb down my work ( it is already sitting on a low rung, but that is another story ). If they can't 'see' what you are doing, then do you really want them as a client?
BUT, we all need clients don't we? So where is the line between pandering to what we think they want to see and what we want to show?
I could make arguments for both layouts, babies are a fresh look at, well, babies, and shows off your style.
The baker is a great representation of what you can bring to a product or campaign, and it still shows off your style.
I'll go out on a limb here and say that you probably have a pretty good level of name recognition and that gives you a little latitude to experiment with your ad. - pt
just my thoughts.
Isn't this something Kate should be deciding? You shoot what you need to shoot ands she takes the tools she needs to get you work so you can shoot babies with ominous skies in the background. Tim it's all good.
Split the difference. I would suggest using the baby in the garage; it is not simply a portrait (although those portraits of the kids are incredible) and it is so much more interesting (the baby's expression, lighting, and environment)than the baker.
I think those babies are far from traditional, and that in itself should be enough to make someone ask more. Hell, I would. It's not like they're in diapers in a high key setting being coddled in mommy's hands. Certainly ain't for a Pamper's ad! I say it worked. Just one bird's opinion, though.
chirp.
+1 for gerry - baby in garage...stops ya for a second to figure it out
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