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The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum Presents:

An Interview with Miles Hecker by James Morrissey

This interview is ©2008 James Morrissey, and may not be reproduced in any medium without prior permission. All images in this interview are ©Miles Hecker. All rights reserved.

Part II: The Business Aspect of Photography

©Miles Hecker Oxbow Islands

JM: What does your business look like?

MH: Even though I’m retired from full time teaching, I still teach an Intro to Digital Photography class as an adjunct faculty member at Casper College. I sell fine art landscape prints through various outlets. I also do commercial work for various companies as it arises. Finally I’ve pursued publishing my work in the past year.

JM: When was the first time you were published? How long did it take you from your first photographs to become regularly published? How did you go about approaching the magazines and other publishers when you were first starting? How would you recommend this today?

MH: The first time I was published was in college in the schools newspaper.

In the past year, I’ve been published in Backpacker, Natures Best Images, Wyoming Wildlife and Popular Photography.

Many of the big magazines have reader contests. Seemingly silly, these present an easy way for an aspiring photographer to get his work seen by an editor. Some of them pay industry scale for photo use, some pay very little. That said, the exposure is very important when getting started.

Most magazines have a set of submission guidelines for photographers and writers. Follow these and submit a small portfolio of your best work.

I’d like to mention that publication while seemingly glorious usually pays very little. Major mags pay $200 for a full page and $300 for a cover. So, if you get published in 10 major mags you might earn $2300-$2500 a year. I make more than that teaching a single night class for one semester. Glory is not the same as money!

JM: Do you think that the market for photographs in the larger publications being as such that cross over venues are essential in order to make it in the business?

MH: Photos in big magazines get you some name recognition. A full page shot I had in an issue of Popular Photography last year, in theory, could have been viewed by 2,000,000 subscribers.  That's a lot of good PR.  Is it essential to make it? No, but it sure does help.

©Miles Hecker String Lake North Sunrise

JM: Would you like to tell us about the upcoming store?

MH: The store is currently on hold for the time being. We evaluated it's possible sales and thought we should put our efforts elsewhere.  We have offered our first Teton workshop and it's now sold out. Check it out here: http://wyofoto.com/Teton_2007_workshop.html.

JM: How does your website play into your business?

MH: The web site has been a boom in the Public Relations arena. Name recognition and public exposure are vital to establishing a professional presence.

©Miles Hecker Totems

JM: What has the Stock Photography market been like for you (if at all)?

MH: I don’t do stock.

JM: How have you and your wife worked together in order to make your business financially viable?

MH: She’s a CPA. She handles all the business and financial details. This is super as I have no interest in that end of things.

Our biggest increase in revenue has come from a recent commission from a well know LF photographer to do his printing. I've always had a passion for high quality printing. In the past I've got some fill in work from some well known photographers. This recent job, is taking my printing to the next level.  I expect to keep our Epson 9880 printer humming away for the foreseeable future.

The secret to succeeding as a professional is to do what's profitable, not what you like the best, or what makes you famous. To pull it off you have to be flexible and willing to evaluate your efforts on an ongoing basis.

If you would like to learn more about Miles Hecker and his work, you can visit his web site at wyofoto.com/index.html.

You can also read an article written by Miles Hecker at:http://wyofoto.com/Digital_landscape_cameras_2008.html