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Speakers' Corner - David Hakamaki - part 2 of 1 2 3

by David Hakamaki Published

Is it getting harder or easier to make a decent living?
Harder. There are so many obstacles to creating a living from any business. With photography, we have to continue to educate people on the value of good portraiture. We also have to understand the increasing prevalence of quality and inexpensive technology that everyone has access to and come up with ways to make ourselves and products unique and desirable. Lastly, we need to understand that you need to “do the math” to determine how much you can (or need to) make with photography to be profitable.

How do you stay ahead of the game?
Not only by speaking to Photography groups around the world, but listening to the wealth of information presented at these conferences. I call myself a chameleon. I pick and choose the good ideas and blend them into my photography technique or business in order to make myself stand apart from everyone else. I also continue to reinvent myself (in small ways) to stay current and viable in today’s marketplace.

How do organisations such as The Societies of Photographers help?
The Society of Photographers, as well as the many other wonderful photography organisations, are a repository of knowledge. The networking opportunities are limitless and allow you to learn from others in a more casual setting. The conferences provide attendees with a “one stop shop” source of world class educators and techniques. Photo competitions push us to become technically and creatively better, and being a member shows our clients that we are a part of a group that sets the bar exceptionally high and they will have a photographer provide them with great images and service.

Why is The Societies of Photographers Convention such a big deal for photographers?
It allows us to get together in one location to casually network and learn how we can better the areas of our business that need attention. Without this single location, you are forced to search far and wide to gather that information. It provides us an expo that allows us a hands-on experience with products and services that we normally would not have. Also, it gives us time to catch up with old friends and make new friends.

Is it primarily about the chance to learn from the experiences of imaging icons?
Although I never recommend mimicking someone’s work or style, you should utilise what these icons are doing and incorporate it into your own style. These icons are a wonderful source of information, as they have been “around the block” and learned the shortcuts (and pitfalls). You now can utilize what they say and (potentially) bypass the pitfalls or speed up your advancement of photography technique/business acumen.

Your own mentors (living or dead)?
Kevin Kubota was one of the first to reach out to me and inspire me with his approach to photography. Cliff Mautner is another legend that brings a no-nonsense approach to photography and someone who has an amazing eye. Hanson Fong really improved my posing and I consider him as one of the best posing gurus out there. My wife is my biggest inspiration. She has always adopted a never-say-die attitude and always has a positive outlook on life.

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last update 09/12/2022 14:53:05

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