Through the last 100+ years top photography professionals kept coaching and teaching photography the younger generations. This has always been the nature of photography. This is also natural for many other artistic professions.

I don't see why such successful photographer like Sean would need to worry about teaching the "competitors". Vast majority of them will remain far below your level. A few talented ones might reach your level or exceed it - but if they are talented and hardworking they would get there anyway. If I had a chance to help some one talented to grow his talent I would be proud of that rather than worried.

Through the last 100+ years top photography professionals kept coaching and teaching photography the younger generations. This has always been the nature of photography. This is also natural for many other artistic professions.

Selling "stock" to the world via the internet where everyone is everyone else's instant competitor has only been around about 10 years.

I don't see why such successful photographer like Sean would need to worry about teaching the "competitors". Vast majority of  them will remain far below your level. A few talented ones might reach your level or exceed it - but if they are talented and hardworking they would get there anyway. If I had a chance to help some one talented to grow his talent I would be proud of that rather than worried.

I'm proud that I can pay my bills with my work.  I don't need to train people so I can eventually not be able to pay my bills to put a smile on my face.

Like I said, I know I'm evil that I don't want Russian photographers to put food on their table - lol...

Hi RT,

  I did make the mistake in CEPIC and I wasn't aware of it. Time passes so fast I must work at being more accurate but I believe what I have shared over the years makes up for that one miscommunication and I will always try to improve my speaking and sharing of knowledge. CEPIC is a conference of just stock agencies owners not Micro stockers so hopefully the ears it fell on were not effected to much by my one mistake. I am human and capable of saying something out of context I think you see rebuttals in periodicals and television all the time from some of our leading information specialists so I don't think I am in a crowd by myself. Just to clarify this has been a good lesson once again for me here as it has made it even more clear that I must be playing my A game when sharing information no matter who the audience. I am glad it has all been cleared up here. If Miklav could change that mistake of mine on his blog maybe we can halt that one piece of information from spreading any further. You never know I might even have made the same mistake or another one when speaking in Russia but we'll have to wait and see, I hope that is not the case.

Jonathan

Thanks Miklav,

 I appreciate all your support and your new mike has some great sound. I thought you did a great job. My hat is off to you and I hope to see you soon. Will you be at Photo East in N.Y. this month? If so please look me up for a cup of coffee and a good chat.

Best,
Jonathan

Hi RT,

  I did make the mistake in CEPIC and I wasn't aware of it. Time passes so fast I must work at being more accurate but I believe what I have shared over the years makes up for that one miscommunication and I will always try to improve my speaking and sharing of knowledge. CEPIC is a conference of just stock agencies owners not Micro stockers so hopefully the ears it fell on were not effected to much by my one mistake. I am human and capable of saying something out of context I think you see rebuttals in periodicals and television all the time from some of our leading information specialists so I don't think I am in a crowd by myself. Just to clarify this has been a good lesson once again for me here as it has made it even more clear that I must be playing my A game when sharing information no matter who the audience. I am glad it has all been cleared up here. If Miklav could change that mistake of mine on his blog maybe we can halt that one piece of information from spreading any further. You never know I might even have made the same mistake or another one when speaking in Russia but we'll have to wait and see, I hope that is not the case.

Jonathan

No problem we all make mistakes, my initial thoughts were that someone else had misinterpreted your information and as a result my concern was that hundreds of innocent folk would be diving for their cameras in order to reap the benefits of this gold mine 

Oh my God.

I have no words!!

Maybe we should make a conference in New York about Russian part on micro?))

And also i don`t understand, why some people are so negative to Russia and people who help us to get success?
I think Jonathan is Great Guy who making a big thing that sharing his info and experience with others. Are you jealous about he is sharing his info with us (Russians)? 

I thought that times when we have a big challenge with other countries for producing milk, weapon and photo are gone!!

Just kidding)) Don`t want to hurt anyone, but i think that no one should say and write such offensive words about great people))

Thank You.

By the way - Jonathan is very Cheerful and kind person - i have a lot of inspiration and positive emotions since we were talking in hall of Holiday Inn Moscow Sokolniki)) I wish to our planet to have a lot of guys like Jonathan and Lee Torrens))

It boggles the mind that a "pro" would go to the Russia of all places, and instruct them on how to take away even more of the business already claimed to be lost.  Was it for the opportunity to write off a sight-seeing trip?  Makes no sense to me.

Sean,
This may come as a surprise to you, but shouldn't really. Russian microstock community is the most active community in the internet, much more active than english-speaking communiuty despite English being the language of internet, and specifically, microstock. There are three internet forums which are more popular than this english-speaking forum.

You shouldn't really worry about new competition emerging in Russia after Jonathan's visit (after all, you have a great portfolio). Microstock is not about attending one master-class, and you know it. There are already enough of microstock heavy-weights in Russia (or rather former Sovier Union).

Yes, it is competitive market, we all compete against each other. But I prefer to fight competition by making myself stronger, and not by weakening the competitors (or depriving them of growth). I would respect myself more if I lose to a stronger competition, than being a leader among the weak. For the last 4 years, I have been very active contributor to microstock forums, openly sharing my knowledge and how I organise my workflow. Yes, I did educate a lot of my competitors, but then that kept me in constant search for even better and more efficient ways to run my microstock hobby/business. I will share those, and will continue to improve my work. In the long run, I will improve more than any of my competitors.

I really enjoyed meeting Johnatan in Moscow, and with his tacit permission I would quote him here (loosely) "Sharing knowledge is good, because it makes you learn something new to share" . Well said!!


One other point.... There is a persistent myth among western microstockers than doing business in this part of the world is easier or cheaper. This is not true at all. If I look into my workflow and cost of living, there is only one aspect which will be more expensive say, in States, than in Azerbaijan (where I live) - that will be professional model hire (which I don't do anyway). Other expenses, and cost of living are higher.

My 2$
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jplxtRW5GX8[/youtube][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4iCvbh5k4[/youtube]
Thanks, Lee and Jonathan.

Quote from: Elnur on October 20, 2010, 03:56

Yes, it is competitive market, we all compete against each other. But I prefer to fight competition by making myself stronger, and not by weakening the competitors (or depriving them of growth). I would respect myself more if I lose to a stronger competition, than being a leader among the weak.

Unbelievably, apparently, you can both grow your own skills and business, and be concerned about the growth of competition from the "most active community in the internet", among other things.  I'd respect myself more if I can keep paying my mortgage - keeping an eye on the threat of competition is just a part of that.

If you were the only competent photographer on I-Stock how successful do you feel the site would be? 

Competition among ourselves is not the biggest threat!  that can be dealt with.  The Agencies themselves, destructive takeovers, internal-politics problems, even useless reviewing is unfortunately our biggest enemy and thats beyond our control

That's absolutely and undeniably correct! I can add to this absurd changes to search engines algorithms too.

Quote from: lagereek on October 21, 2010, 01:03

Sean, I can see your point but then again, look at the industry, everyone in the world is all of a sudden a photographer, now weather its Russia, china or India, I dont think it matters anymore.

Sorry, I didn't mean to be specific to Russia.  As you know, I've had this thought in the past about such things anywheres.  Of course, we have discussed many times here that that area of the world is especially prone to both copyright violations and outright copying.

Absoloutely true!!  Ive been chasing invoice payments there for 2 years. I wont get paid, thats it.

While I don't necessarily agree it is advantageous to the collective whole to produce educational information which propagates and increases competition; in an fiercely competitive market that is becoming more so every day.

I must say I am really tickled about the response to offering that educational help to Russia/Russians. Some of the most talented and prolific artist in micro are Russian and they have been working in micro from the start. They could teach most of us a great deal.

On another note artist who are talented can easily earn a decent living from micro in countries where the cost of living is lower.  I expect to see more and more of the most talented among us cropping up or migrating to countries where living expenses are not prohibitive.