I was watching the SAG Red Carpet Sunday night...bahaha! Just kidding, I was wiping snot from kids noses and making sure my husband didn’t die from “the cancer” aka his man cold. I watched clips of the red carpet on Snapchat and got sucked in by my boyfriend, Ryan Gosling. Le sigh....Sorry, daydreaming.
Watching seven second Snapchat clips I got to see beautiful people, gorgeous gowns, grand hair, make up and all the pretty things I don’t wear on a regular basis. Seeing those gowns I was obviously curious who made them. I watched (read: clicked through the stars I didn’t know lol) a red carpet video and after watching Viola Davis, I was left wondering...“Who are you wearing?”
I was a little surprised the interviewers didn’t ask every interviewee that question. Shows you how many awards shows I’ve watched lately. But after a quick google, I was vaguely reminded about #askhermore. Where stars and the public were tired of the red carpet reporters only asking “Who are you wearing?” Which I agree...I mean remember the mani-cam from E! ? A camera with the only purpose of showing off manicures. Insert my eye roll here. We all love to have beautiful nails, but the world has MUCH bigger and better things to talk about than celeb nails.
My first thought after reading about #askhermore was, heck YEAH! Ask her more. These people are in front of millions daily. That’s influence. That’s eye opening. That’s a really big responsibility of doing good in the world.
But I went back to my original reason I was there. Who made Voila Davis’ dress? In the video I watched, the interviewers didn’t ask who she was wearing, and I felt a little pang in my heart; because I know how it feels it be uncredited.
What if she was wearing a dress by some brand new, no one knows their name from Adam, designer. Imagine the how life changing it would be it for that designer to be mentioned even for just a moment. It could launch a career. To have a celebrity endorse you to millions of people! That’s marketing--that’s sales--that’s money. That’s why every one of us works, because you need to make money to live. That’s why giving credit is important.
Actually, giving credit for any creative is more than just important, it’s needed and it’s the right thing to do. Hair stylists, chefs, designers, make up artists, writers, photographers, artists, the list of creatives goes on and on. But I’m gonna focus from a photographers stand point.
I LOVE when clients share their images--I am thrilled and it makes me so happy. I love it more when they give me credit. It gives me exposure and I am able to get more work. I’m able to stay in business to keep doing what I love and help make my family’s ends meet. I am always excited when clients share images of their family on social media. When they tag me or even just give me a shout out--I feel valued. That the time I am away from my family is worth it. The way we all feel when we are given credit--no matter what our profession--for the work we have done.
When you share an image of your family that I took, for me (and I’d venture to say most photographers) it’s more than just clicking a shutter. It’s my work, my art, my creative heart, mind and eyes behind that photo. As much of that photo is you and your beautiful family, I put everything of me into making more than a photo--making magic stand still.
Some creatives don’t need the work or the exposure. But giving credit is still needed and very considerate. You wouldn’t take lyrics or music from a song, and use it as yours to make your own song. People have before...and it’s a big big deal, that hardly ever ends well.
I’m never going to call out a client for not giving credit--ain’t nobody got time for that! I probably won’t know or see unless I went and looked on every client’s page--again--ain’t nobody got time for that. I’d hope they’d love my images and service enough to tell their friends about me anyway. Or those friends would think to ask “who took your photos?” the next time they were looking for a photographer.
Giving credit is simple. Tag your creative. Ask them how they’d like to be credited. We live in a social media world--we are all self promoting. Giving credit by no means takes away from you. Your beauty, the genuine love in your family, the true emotions are never ever taken away by giving credit to the creative.
Heck yeah, we are awesome regular people! Who have a lot more to give (#askhermore) than just pretty faces, dressed to the nines, as we walk hand in hand as a family, in a field or in front of a barn, like it’s the happiest we’ve ever been. #familyphotos
By the way, Viola Davis’ dress was by Vivienne Westwood. It was stunning--just like Viola Davis.
xoxo,
L.
