GREAT Simple Photo Minute this week (and more to come)!!! *PRESS PLAY*
<embed src="http://simplephotolife.com/video/episode61.mov" width="320" height="256" autoplay="false" controller="true" type="video/quicktime" scale="tofit" pluginspage="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/"> </embed>

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This is such an important message that I feel a lot of people end up missing. What are your thoughts on Networking? How do you do it? When do you do it? Is it something you make time for? Is it something you go out of your way to do? If you don't like networking, or don't think it works, what are your reasons?

LOLOLOL. cantaffordmikecolon.com That was classic.

Thanks for sharing Anne!!

EDIT: Whoops, I just realized I didn't answer your questions. Sorry, I just got done watching the video. Here are my thoughts further.

"What are your thoughts on Networking? How do you do it? When do you do it? Is it something you make time for? Is it something you go out of your way to do? If you don't like networking, or don't think it works, what are your reasons?"

Networking is awesome and I think key to any career. I wouldn't be half the photographer I've become (and still long way to go) without the amazing friendships I've made with other photographers who have so givingly shared their knowledge with me. I don't know exactly what I "do" to network. What is more important to me is relationship building. To me, it's not so much networking to build my career, it's just awesome to make friends with other people who "get" you and "get" your creative abilities and goals. I think that's why we all love posting our photos here on OSP, b/c we can all notice the little details like composition and lighting and post processing and all the things we work hard to put into a picture... when most people, like our non-photo friends, might see it as simply as a "nice" picture, but not understand the art behind it.

I think when you sincerely become friends with others in the business, you naturally love to give to others and love to see your friends succeed, and you love to help give them more exposure and want to bring them along on this journey with you. People email me all the time saying "I'm sorry to bug you, but can i ask you this question on how you do this and that?" To me, they are in no way bugging me, I love to help and give back because I am extremely thankful for all those that have shared their time and knowledge to help me as I've picked their brains along the way.

Networking isn't something I make time to do... unless it's something like go to OSPS to meet everyone. ha. But it's more something I do naturally. If I run across someone's work who blows me away, I take the time to write them an encouraging email telling them how fabulous their work is. But I like my networking to be genuine like that, not as if I'm trying to get something out of them. So networking isn't something I intentionally do. It just happens. And from there, you click with certain people and you join each other on the race.

I definitely think networking is key to this industry. We're all in this together. Like they said in the video, it's not about having your slice of the pie, it's about all of us working together to increase the size of the pie.

Great questions Anne! You are always a though provoker and I love it!

I agree. I definetly need to buy that domain!

Oooooooh! Aaaaaaah!

Troy.... c'mon... I know you have more thoughts than that!!!

I agree with Scarlette 100% !!!

First... there's a problem with embedding the file... every time I refresh the page, or hit reply... Dane Starts talking again. I'm rocking to Itunes and Dane isn't keeping beat with Keith Moon (well, nobody could keep a beat to Keith Moon, except Keith Moon).

The "Old Guy Mutual Admiration Society" is a very easy trap to grow into. 12 years ago, I couldn't get the time of day from most of the local PPA members. Now, they call me up to complain on how the wedding market is being dominated by the "youngsters". OMG-- I'm only 42!!!

I wonder where the Newbies of the past three years will be in say 10 years? Will they have their own Mutual Admiration Society as well.

I'd like to thank the great community on OSP for helping break out of the mindset of the grumpy old men... even though I can still commisserate with them if they call. But I can also tell them that they've stuck their head in the sand, and ignored not only the technology, but also the new marketing trends -- which include creating a broad community of photographers that don't have to enter print comps (that are more about how the images are printed, rather than what went into making the image).

There, Anne. How's that?

cuz they eat mexican a lot

Bingo!

So how do you embed videos in posts?

ha, too funny john. i've been wanting to learn video for a while now - how to imbed in post and on our blog. Anne helped me out a bunch today.

i bet she ends up doing a tutorial

Networking has different advantages for different people.

1. If you are already established and can network with other already established photographers, you can feed each other business (which also helps you dominate your market).

2. If you are a top photographer, networking with lots of newcomers can only help you. Even if only one out of a 100 (or 1,000) becomes successful enough to help you out, they will remember and will be willing to join your network when they reach that level.

3. If you are a newcomer and can get a top photographer to groom you for his/her network, you have it made.

(But that video is making it a pain to visit this thread.)

I bet Nate learned so fast that he beats me to it!!