When I hear the debate over generalist and specialist, I'm reminded of "Specialization is for insects," Robert A. Heinlein famously wrote. "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly."
I cannot intelligently comment on your take concerning marketing your specialization. I'm not attempting to market my photography. The joy of retirement means doing what you want, when you want.
Thanks, Eric. I think your comment best exemplifies how important it is to diversify in every aspect of life beyond marketing. Thank you for sharing it!
.. was in a highly unusual space .. when photography reached out & took me with it.. by the scruff of my neck.. & never lets go .. Some shooters blow with the wind .. the ‘Work finds them ! Docu is Daily round here.. Have sold one framed print that I can recall .. 1/2 century of ‘hypermedia artist .. & thrall of McLuhan .. hypermedia ‘generalist .. culture & technology ..
& ‘life intervenes haha ! oh yes it does .. 🧨 & ‘the beginnings of ‘mediatribe .. 🦎🏴☠️🎬
Yes, a great read! And I am printing it out to read more than once and to mark and learn from the tips. And now for a bit of my own "specialization story" and it has "phases". First I was in art schools for about 5 years while in junior high and high school and had art classes also in high school. Never once took any formal photography lessons but concentrated on painting of all kinds, sculpture, charcoal/conte crayon and silver point and making sterling silver jewelry. Went on & off to the Cleveland Institute of Art. Wandered in and out of the Arts Students League in NY where I did nudes from live models. Applied to art schools for college and got into RISD, Tyler School, and Kent State as an art major because I decided to stay closer to home. Loved the classes, but the riots happened there on May 3rd with tanks showing up and then on May 4th the National Guard with bayonets started shooting people.
Depressed and with PTSD, I decided I could not figure out how to make a living as an artist, so never took an art class again.
I did get 2 presents in 1970: A used Zeiss Ikon and used Rolleiflex Twins Lens Reflex. Started taking pics and developing them myself just for fun while I worked on a Bachelors to become a law librarian, got a Masters in Law Librarianship and Information Science with a concentration in database work for legal research. Got a law degree and am approaching 50 years as a lawyer that concentrated primarily on workers compensation defense /risk management in a private firm and later as an Assistant County Attorney. I've represented big time insurance companies, McDonalds, Eastern Airlines, hospitals, trade associations, cities, Miami-Dade County and all of their various departments, including police, fire, seaport, airport. (There was an entire group of lawyers in that municipal law firm--one of the largest in the country-- all working the same kinds of cases and no lawyer in the office was a generalist.)
Along the way while making a living as a lawyer I got into dress design such as my wedding dress, and home fashions, such as drapes, bed spreads and shower curtains. I sold nothing: all was a hobby.
AND THEN: My "specialization" radically changed. In 2010 through present I've never looked back at my old cameras and never used any non- digital camera again. I got the first of 7 iPads and 2 iphones and several Android phones and tablets, and they are my ONLY cameras. I have now amassed more than 5,000 images that are halfway decent, more that are crap, and have been working on 2,500 to sell. I have many Smug Mug galleries behind the scenes -- meaning not live yet--with "general commercial" photos and products to sell and am seeking out other sites for other products such as silk scarves, table linens, upholstery, decorative pillows, wallpaper, fabric for dressmaking , drapes, bed spreads, table linens, and wrapped furniture all based on my photos. I am also planning large scale 8' x10' photos for entry into shows such as "Art Basel" and I'm researching who can print those wall size photos for me.
So what kinds of pics? Anything and everything: from portraits, to street photos, to landscapes and cityscapes, to elaborately designed collages incorporating "things", such as my clothes, jewelry, kitchen items, family heirlooms, dogs, all manner of "home wildlife", including roaches, mice, lizards, rats, iguanas; my old art work, kaleidoscopic and fractal pics, still lifes, wrapped boxes, and jigsaw puzzles up to 10,000 pieces, political and other cartoons, and graphic stories. I submitted one political cartoon about Putin and his "chef" to the New Yorker, but was politely declined.
I certainly can't die: too much to do. But like "Grandma Moses" from the 50's and 60's, there are quite a number of working artists in their 60's to 90's all around the world and the ones I am talking about happen to be female. So I look forward to being actively involved with fellow photographers and artists, lawyers, political junkies, writers, poets, other creatives, Everyone! on Substack. I'll be starting a newsletter here sometime within the next six months, and of course I'll illustrate with my work of all kinds.
(And incidentally, there happen to be many creative lawyers-- whether writing fiction, poetry, crime stories that also get made into movies presently and back through history as I'll write about in my newsletter. Even the ABA-- American Bar Association gets involved: they have competitions among lawyer-artists, a yearly "Peeps" Diorama competition, and write up's and publicity for lawyers that write fiction, and of course, there's the career specialty of "courtroom art" where the artist might not necessarily be a lawyer, and there are the artists, sculptors, and photographers that reconstruct faces backwards and project forward when such is needed in a criminal law case. And incidentally, the super-computers that can solve jigsaw puzzles can also solve forensic work as putting together shattered ceramics that have become evidence in a case, and bones in an anthropological or criminal investigation.) investigation.
Alll I can say is wow! And thank you for sharing your story. I dare say you illustrate perfectly that while specialization may work for marketing photography, doing a variety of things is key to an interesting life.
You read my my mind! I was going to say “Wow” to you! After I posted I started looking at your other posts --on the surface for many cause a girl’s gotta sleep, too-- and the sheer variety , ease of reading, authoritativeness and wisdom! Boy, am I going to be busy reading as the days and weeks go on.
Thank you also for your kind words. I’ve had more than an interesting life--a bit too much, actually--such as having too many times having to be under armed guard to either work or live or worrying that I would have to.
One fear had been when a fake offshoot of the “Black Panthers” had been after the family in the mid-sixties when I was a teenager and he /his gang wanted “reparations” jn connection with Mcdonald’s restaurants being located in inner cities.
(That gang was really not like the Panthers but more like a regular criminal street gang with some interesting twists.)
Another in the late ‘80’s when the son of a WC Claimant, his Mom, was on a coke rampage because he didn’t like my defenses in the case and he wanted me to just hand $ over to her because of the mere fact of her having made a claim. (His lawyer, one of the nicest “opposing counsel” year after year had warned me his client was on the way to my office.)
The third I’ll write about in a newsletter because it illustrates some of the kinds of interactions among the players jn a courtroom in a small niche practice where everyone will see each other again. (I’ll be writing about several such situations that illustrate being either between a rock and a hard place in the courtroom, the difficulty staying professional, or even how to remain objective when you know you will see some of the players socially or the Judge wants to start such a relationship. I can feel free mentioning many issues now that it’s 40 years later!)
In any event, not easy to take either the lawyer or the artist out of someone! And both view the world with specialized lens AND there are some surprising overlaps. For example, structuring a large class action defense case is right up the alley if an architect or movie producer! I’ll be writing about that also in relation to an 8 year case involving 911 police and fire dispatchers.
My biggest regret about the intersection of “art” and “law” is that I hadn’t tried to sketch or recreate courtroom scenes through photos immediately afterward. I am thinking of doing that each time I talk about a case. Many players were so indelible that I can even remember their words!
So again, thanks for reading mine / your words of encouragement after I read yours about “specialization v. generalization”. I had already been planning my newsletter but did not know earlier in the evening I’d be speaking about it later in the night because I’d been so caught up in the Substack “Nazi” debate.
You covered this really well. During my 40 years i heard about generalization vs specialization many times and as you mention, shoot anything and everything that interest you. Be as good as you can be in any niches you want to work and again, as you mentioned, be a very good generalist, but promote yourself as a specialist. Then when searching for potential clients, categorize them by their niche. Yes, thats a lot of work but it can be fruitful and rewarding. I marketed my love for outdoor adventure sports to clients and agencies I found in that niche. I marketed as specialist of corporate industrial work to large companies never mentioning i shoot landscapes for joy. And one other important point is the client that you get an assignment from. They are now your new best friend and should be treated as such. Especially ad agencies and design firms. You want to build a relationship and slowly show your depth. They love to see innovative and creative work whether related to their clients or not. The idea and goal is to build deep trust so they think of you for more than your initial niche. An example is the agency that once called me to shoot a campaign for outdoor adventure products based on direct mail pieces i sent of my adventure photography. Three months later they emailed me and asked if i could shoot a Radisson hotel. That was my goal of being a generalist and marketing as a specialist and then building trust.
Excellent! Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I think the value of a longtime client is immense, and they are often the people who bring you opportunities outside of your specialty, because you’re trusted. It’s an ideal place to be.
I would agree with every premiss. Lately, I have been shooting product photography for an online auction house. Not something that I would have ever tried for myself, but I have found satisfaction doing so. I have always considered myself to be a generalist, but I cannot imagine taking the time needed to learn to be a commercial grade shooter of left-handed widgets, regardless of what monetary success I might find.
When I hear the debate over generalist and specialist, I'm reminded of "Specialization is for insects," Robert A. Heinlein famously wrote. "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly."
I cannot intelligently comment on your take concerning marketing your specialization. I'm not attempting to market my photography. The joy of retirement means doing what you want, when you want.
Thanks, Eric. I think your comment best exemplifies how important it is to diversify in every aspect of life beyond marketing. Thank you for sharing it!
.. was in a highly unusual space .. when photography reached out & took me with it.. by the scruff of my neck.. & never lets go .. Some shooters blow with the wind .. the ‘Work finds them ! Docu is Daily round here.. Have sold one framed print that I can recall .. 1/2 century of ‘hypermedia artist .. & thrall of McLuhan .. hypermedia ‘generalist .. culture & technology ..
& ‘life intervenes haha ! oh yes it does .. 🧨 & ‘the beginnings of ‘mediatribe .. 🦎🏴☠️🎬
Yes, a great read! And I am printing it out to read more than once and to mark and learn from the tips. And now for a bit of my own "specialization story" and it has "phases". First I was in art schools for about 5 years while in junior high and high school and had art classes also in high school. Never once took any formal photography lessons but concentrated on painting of all kinds, sculpture, charcoal/conte crayon and silver point and making sterling silver jewelry. Went on & off to the Cleveland Institute of Art. Wandered in and out of the Arts Students League in NY where I did nudes from live models. Applied to art schools for college and got into RISD, Tyler School, and Kent State as an art major because I decided to stay closer to home. Loved the classes, but the riots happened there on May 3rd with tanks showing up and then on May 4th the National Guard with bayonets started shooting people.
Depressed and with PTSD, I decided I could not figure out how to make a living as an artist, so never took an art class again.
I did get 2 presents in 1970: A used Zeiss Ikon and used Rolleiflex Twins Lens Reflex. Started taking pics and developing them myself just for fun while I worked on a Bachelors to become a law librarian, got a Masters in Law Librarianship and Information Science with a concentration in database work for legal research. Got a law degree and am approaching 50 years as a lawyer that concentrated primarily on workers compensation defense /risk management in a private firm and later as an Assistant County Attorney. I've represented big time insurance companies, McDonalds, Eastern Airlines, hospitals, trade associations, cities, Miami-Dade County and all of their various departments, including police, fire, seaport, airport. (There was an entire group of lawyers in that municipal law firm--one of the largest in the country-- all working the same kinds of cases and no lawyer in the office was a generalist.)
Along the way while making a living as a lawyer I got into dress design such as my wedding dress, and home fashions, such as drapes, bed spreads and shower curtains. I sold nothing: all was a hobby.
AND THEN: My "specialization" radically changed. In 2010 through present I've never looked back at my old cameras and never used any non- digital camera again. I got the first of 7 iPads and 2 iphones and several Android phones and tablets, and they are my ONLY cameras. I have now amassed more than 5,000 images that are halfway decent, more that are crap, and have been working on 2,500 to sell. I have many Smug Mug galleries behind the scenes -- meaning not live yet--with "general commercial" photos and products to sell and am seeking out other sites for other products such as silk scarves, table linens, upholstery, decorative pillows, wallpaper, fabric for dressmaking , drapes, bed spreads, table linens, and wrapped furniture all based on my photos. I am also planning large scale 8' x10' photos for entry into shows such as "Art Basel" and I'm researching who can print those wall size photos for me.
So what kinds of pics? Anything and everything: from portraits, to street photos, to landscapes and cityscapes, to elaborately designed collages incorporating "things", such as my clothes, jewelry, kitchen items, family heirlooms, dogs, all manner of "home wildlife", including roaches, mice, lizards, rats, iguanas; my old art work, kaleidoscopic and fractal pics, still lifes, wrapped boxes, and jigsaw puzzles up to 10,000 pieces, political and other cartoons, and graphic stories. I submitted one political cartoon about Putin and his "chef" to the New Yorker, but was politely declined.
I certainly can't die: too much to do. But like "Grandma Moses" from the 50's and 60's, there are quite a number of working artists in their 60's to 90's all around the world and the ones I am talking about happen to be female. So I look forward to being actively involved with fellow photographers and artists, lawyers, political junkies, writers, poets, other creatives, Everyone! on Substack. I'll be starting a newsletter here sometime within the next six months, and of course I'll illustrate with my work of all kinds.
(And incidentally, there happen to be many creative lawyers-- whether writing fiction, poetry, crime stories that also get made into movies presently and back through history as I'll write about in my newsletter. Even the ABA-- American Bar Association gets involved: they have competitions among lawyer-artists, a yearly "Peeps" Diorama competition, and write up's and publicity for lawyers that write fiction, and of course, there's the career specialty of "courtroom art" where the artist might not necessarily be a lawyer, and there are the artists, sculptors, and photographers that reconstruct faces backwards and project forward when such is needed in a criminal law case. And incidentally, the super-computers that can solve jigsaw puzzles can also solve forensic work as putting together shattered ceramics that have become evidence in a case, and bones in an anthropological or criminal investigation.) investigation.
Alll I can say is wow! And thank you for sharing your story. I dare say you illustrate perfectly that while specialization may work for marketing photography, doing a variety of things is key to an interesting life.
You read my my mind! I was going to say “Wow” to you! After I posted I started looking at your other posts --on the surface for many cause a girl’s gotta sleep, too-- and the sheer variety , ease of reading, authoritativeness and wisdom! Boy, am I going to be busy reading as the days and weeks go on.
Thank you also for your kind words. I’ve had more than an interesting life--a bit too much, actually--such as having too many times having to be under armed guard to either work or live or worrying that I would have to.
One fear had been when a fake offshoot of the “Black Panthers” had been after the family in the mid-sixties when I was a teenager and he /his gang wanted “reparations” jn connection with Mcdonald’s restaurants being located in inner cities.
(That gang was really not like the Panthers but more like a regular criminal street gang with some interesting twists.)
Another in the late ‘80’s when the son of a WC Claimant, his Mom, was on a coke rampage because he didn’t like my defenses in the case and he wanted me to just hand $ over to her because of the mere fact of her having made a claim. (His lawyer, one of the nicest “opposing counsel” year after year had warned me his client was on the way to my office.)
The third I’ll write about in a newsletter because it illustrates some of the kinds of interactions among the players jn a courtroom in a small niche practice where everyone will see each other again. (I’ll be writing about several such situations that illustrate being either between a rock and a hard place in the courtroom, the difficulty staying professional, or even how to remain objective when you know you will see some of the players socially or the Judge wants to start such a relationship. I can feel free mentioning many issues now that it’s 40 years later!)
In any event, not easy to take either the lawyer or the artist out of someone! And both view the world with specialized lens AND there are some surprising overlaps. For example, structuring a large class action defense case is right up the alley if an architect or movie producer! I’ll be writing about that also in relation to an 8 year case involving 911 police and fire dispatchers.
My biggest regret about the intersection of “art” and “law” is that I hadn’t tried to sketch or recreate courtroom scenes through photos immediately afterward. I am thinking of doing that each time I talk about a case. Many players were so indelible that I can even remember their words!
So again, thanks for reading mine / your words of encouragement after I read yours about “specialization v. generalization”. I had already been planning my newsletter but did not know earlier in the evening I’d be speaking about it later in the night because I’d been so caught up in the Substack “Nazi” debate.
You covered this really well. During my 40 years i heard about generalization vs specialization many times and as you mention, shoot anything and everything that interest you. Be as good as you can be in any niches you want to work and again, as you mentioned, be a very good generalist, but promote yourself as a specialist. Then when searching for potential clients, categorize them by their niche. Yes, thats a lot of work but it can be fruitful and rewarding. I marketed my love for outdoor adventure sports to clients and agencies I found in that niche. I marketed as specialist of corporate industrial work to large companies never mentioning i shoot landscapes for joy. And one other important point is the client that you get an assignment from. They are now your new best friend and should be treated as such. Especially ad agencies and design firms. You want to build a relationship and slowly show your depth. They love to see innovative and creative work whether related to their clients or not. The idea and goal is to build deep trust so they think of you for more than your initial niche. An example is the agency that once called me to shoot a campaign for outdoor adventure products based on direct mail pieces i sent of my adventure photography. Three months later they emailed me and asked if i could shoot a Radisson hotel. That was my goal of being a generalist and marketing as a specialist and then building trust.
Excellent! Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I think the value of a longtime client is immense, and they are often the people who bring you opportunities outside of your specialty, because you’re trusted. It’s an ideal place to be.
I would agree with every premiss. Lately, I have been shooting product photography for an online auction house. Not something that I would have ever tried for myself, but I have found satisfaction doing so. I have always considered myself to be a generalist, but I cannot imagine taking the time needed to learn to be a commercial grade shooter of left-handed widgets, regardless of what monetary success I might find.
As a generalist, marketing myself as a specialist sounds interesting. I'll give it a shot! Great read.