Big fish, small pond. Small fish, big pond. How about someone else’s pond? I met with a potential client sometime ago who said, “we have some projects that would be appropriate for a local photographer.” This idea that ‘local talent’ is somehow compromised is short sighted and ridiculous. Especially here where I live in Jackson Wyoming. The talent around here is off the hook.
So I began to give this more thought, where does this idea come from that bringing someone in from another place is going provide a better product. I’ve worked for clients in Hawaii, Turks and Caicos, countless places in Europe and all over the US. Yet I may not be good enough to work in my own town! I wondered how I could dispel this myth, how could I break this down and make it clear that talent is right here.
Then I realized, I don’t want to dispel this myth. If someone wants to hire a photographer from New York or Los Angeles and they think that makes them a better photographer, fine. Perhaps there’s someone in New York who wants to hire me because I’m not from New York! I certainly appreciate my clients who fly me around the world and country to take pictures, I can only imagine someone is pretty psyched to come here to Jackson to make a buck.
In another post I’ll be sure to talk about the benefits of hiring local talent.