Manifesto 11.0

Why you take the job.

Every project has three currencies: portfolio, revenue, relationship.
Money is obvious, but it’s not the only reason to say yes. Sometimes you take a job because it’s going to look incredible in your book, even if the check barely covers your expenses. Sometimes you do it because the person on the other end is someone you want in your corner, someone whose network and influence outweigh the invoice. And sometimes you take it simply because it pays, because that’s the job, and the mortgage doesn’t wait for inspiration.

From a bar in Reno with my longtime producer, Rebecca Donaghe, trying to explain how we ended up in a bar in Reno.

But each one has its own traps.
The portfolio sounds noble until you realize you’ve been working for “exposure” for five years and your bank account is still allergic to commas. Yes, you need strong work in your book, but if you’re not getting paid or making connections that lead to paid work, you’re subsidizing someone else’s project.

The revenue is straightforward, but it can be corrosive. You take the high-paying jobs you don’t care about, and they start to fill your calendar. Before long, your portfolio doesn’t match your taste, and your name is associated with work you’d never show a prospective client.

The relationship is the most nebulous. You work with someone because they’re a gatekeeper to bigger things, or because they’re a friend you want to support, or because you believe in what they’re building. Done right, it’s an investment. Done wrong, it’s a long con where you’re the one paying the interest. One key that I learned too late, never make money assholes, it’s just not worth it.

The overlaps are where the game gets interesting.

• Portfolio + Revenue = Well-paid creative work. You like what you’re shooting and you’re being compensated for it. This is a good place to live.

• Portfolio + Relationship = Creative work with key people. Sometimes the money’s not there yet, but you’re building something that will pay off later.

• Revenue + Relationship = Paid collaborations. You may not care about the work itself, but the partnership makes it worth doing.

The holy grail is the center: Portfolio + Revenue + Relationship. Work you love, that pays well, with people who expand your network and reputation. It’s rare, but it happens, and when it does, you should know exactly why and how, so you can recognize the pattern and replicate it.

2012 for Fox Searchlight - Helen Mirren, Jessica Biel, James D'Arcy, Anthony Hopkins, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston.

Most of the mistakes happen when photographers chase only one currency for too long. They become “the cheap friend,” “the mercenary,” or “the starving artist.” Balance is not a cliché here—it’s the whole business model. The smartest operators know how to cycle between the three currencies without getting trapped in any single one.

The job is not just to take pictures. The job is to manage the portfolio, the revenue, and the relationships with equal ruthlessness. That’s the difference between a career and a string of gigs.