Live From PhotoPlus Expo Part 1

Good morning from the cavernous Javits Center where I hope to not have to rely on coffee to keep me going. Just left the "How To Get Work In Advertising" workshop, where David and Claudia Monaco, (Monaco Reps), Michelle Chant (Wieden & Kennedy), Glen Wexler (photographer) and Debra Weiss (moderator) filled the panel and talked about the general sense of the business. What started with no mics later ran into the typical sidetracking and soft talking so that I wasn't able to get my fuzzy brain focused. They did make some clear and important points that I hope Jason Florio will elaborate on later today.

1: Your website is a tool, nothing more. So don't spend so much time and money that the imagery becomes surperfluous to its purpose--to promote your work. Clear and simple seemed to be the preference of all. So don't over design, add music, text, etc. As Claudia Monaco said: Your soul is in your imagery."

2: What makes the website and iPad great, according to Glen Wexler, is that it gives you the flexibility to show several bodies of work. That's something your portfolio cannot do.

3:Don't send large posters as promo work. people have small offices and no where to hang them up. Postcards, small books to keep probably work better for the majority of art buyers.

4: If you don't have a personal style you won't be hired. And show you can produce something and work with clients.

5: The still aesthetic translates into motion, not vice versa, so if you have a feeling for video, do it! If not, put a team together.

So keep you eyes peeled here all day and through Saturday for more and more opinions, news, attitude and surprises from PhotoPlus Expo!