Comments on: The Viral Evolution of Carli Davidson’s “Shake” Gallery http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/ Daily discussion of photography business issues & photography websites. Marketing and sales tips for smart photographers, plus a dose of inspiration from the PhotoShelter team. Thu, 23 May 2013 18:11:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Viral Photographs Bring Instant Success http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-76577 Viral Photographs Bring Instant Success Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:29:53 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-76577 [...] photographs to go viral all over the Internet. PhotoShelter researched her story and published an interesting piece on the viral evolution of her [...] [...] photographs to go viral all over the Internet. PhotoShelter researched her story and published an interesting piece on the viral evolution of her [...]

]]> By: Carli Davidson http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-29886 Carli Davidson Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:34:06 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-29886 Oops, my agents site is http://www.janicemoses.com/ Oops, my agents site is http://www.janicemoses.com/

]]> By: Carli Davidson http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-29885 Carli Davidson Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:32:43 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-29885 Hey all! So in lieu of the business boot camp, and because I am just now seeing some of your questions here is a response… It’s now been five months since all of this hubbub stated, and I’m still receiving thousands of hit a day on my website! Social media is totally priceless, and I’ve had more of my work picked up recently, such as my pets with disabilities series and my grandpa cat series. I’m hip to the passing craze of Internet hypes and I’ve used this knowledge to build sustainable relationships out of this ‘bubble’. I’ve secured an AMAZING commercial agent ( Janicemosesrepresents.com ) and am bringing in work. I had a publishing agent and I’m excited to see what happens there… I’m selling limited edition (12 each) prints of my work for what I think they are worth and looking for galleries to rep me in big cities. I have an opening here in Portland in a couple of weeks. Oh and then there is the licensing. I am licensing the images worldwide to magazines. I’m picky about who I go with because I want to build a strong and positive reputation as a fine artist, not just a pet photographer. I say this in no way to bash being a pet photographer, but to address the fact that I am a fine artist first, and have been one as long as I can remember. Anyways all of this has been ‘lucrative’ for me as an artist in a recession, and I’ve learned a ton about playing hardball and asking for what I’m worth instead of just taking the first offer. I see this as a very special opportunity to thrive as an artist in my medium, and I’m excited to see how this attention follows me into my future. My father who was a Madison Avenue art director in the days of Don Draper and worked regularly with everyone from Avedon to Norman Parkinson looks at this publicity and laughs… “It was my job to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get that kind of exposure for my clients” he says. I’ll take that for what it’s worth, it’s been a fun ride and a learning experience at the least, and I hope the images resonate with people for years to come. Thanks so much for enjoying my work! Hey all!

So in lieu of the business boot camp, and because I am just now seeing some of your questions here is a response…

It’s now been five months since all of this hubbub stated, and I’m still receiving thousands of hit a day on my website! Social media is totally priceless, and I’ve had more of my work picked up recently, such as my pets with disabilities series and my grandpa cat series.

I’m hip to the passing craze of Internet hypes and I’ve used this knowledge to build sustainable relationships out of this ‘bubble’. I’ve secured an AMAZING commercial agent ( Janicemosesrepresents.com ) and am bringing in work. I had a publishing agent and I’m excited to see what happens there… I’m selling limited edition (12 each) prints of my work for what I think they are worth and looking for galleries to rep me in big cities. I have an opening here in Portland in a couple of weeks.

Oh and then there is the licensing. I am licensing the images worldwide to magazines. I’m picky about who I go with because I want to build a strong and positive reputation as a fine artist, not just a pet photographer. I say this in no way to bash being a pet photographer, but to address the fact that I am a fine artist first, and have been one as long as I can remember. Anyways all of this has been ‘lucrative’ for me as an artist in a recession, and I’ve learned a ton about playing hardball and asking for what I’m worth instead of just taking the first offer.

I see this as a very special opportunity to thrive as an artist in my medium, and I’m excited to see how this attention follows me into my future. My father who was a Madison Avenue art director in the days of Don Draper and worked regularly with everyone from Avedon to Norman Parkinson looks at this publicity and laughs… “It was my job to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get that kind of exposure for my clients” he says. I’ll take that for what it’s worth, it’s been a fun ride and a learning experience at the least, and I hope the images resonate with people for years to come.

Thanks so much for enjoying my work!

]]> By: MikeinCusco http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19134 MikeinCusco Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:49:56 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19134 Excellent article showing the pwoer of social media. The images are different, simple, memorable. Going by the numbers alone I'm sure Carli must be receiving some monetary benefit from all this - if not becoming known worldwide. Must get my facebook page up for my travel company Tambopata Travel and become more active with my photography submissions! Excellent article showing the pwoer of social media. The images are different, simple, memorable. Going by the numbers alone I’m sure Carli must be receiving some monetary benefit from all this – if not becoming known worldwide. Must get my facebook page up for my travel company Tambopata Travel and become more active with my photography submissions!

]]> By: Per-BKWine http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19133 Per-BKWine Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:00:25 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19133 @Allen - that's good to hear. designing for unexpected surges in traffic is not easy. I know from experience. (not on the photo side) @Allen – that’s good to hear. designing for unexpected surges in traffic is not easy. I know from experience. (not on the photo side)

]]> By: John W http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19132 John W Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:44:19 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19132 It's not clear to me how much of this traffic and buzz translates into income. The book contract presumably will make Carli some money. However, as far as I can see, none of the content providers listed above paid anything for any of the images, and now that they are out there for free, what will motivate anyone to fork over money for them in the future? This whole scenario reminds me a bit of the dot com bubble - lots of buzz, and lots of people talking about lots of buzz, but not much in the way of real income. Without actually providing dollar figures, could you guys (PS and Carli) take a look at actual number of sales that came out of all of this? BTW: Cool photos and a fun project - nice work Carli! I want people like you to be able to make a living doing what you do, but I'm not convinced (yet), that social media is a good/productive way to connect with serious buyers. It’s not clear to me how much of this traffic and buzz translates into income. The book contract presumably will make Carli some money. However, as far as I can see, none of the content providers listed above paid anything for any of the images, and now that they are out there for free, what will motivate anyone to fork over money for them in the future? This whole scenario reminds me a bit of the dot com bubble – lots of buzz, and lots of people talking about lots of buzz, but not much in the way of real income. Without actually providing dollar figures, could you guys (PS and Carli) take a look at actual number of sales that came out of all of this? BTW: Cool photos and a fun project – nice work Carli! I want people like you to be able to make a living doing what you do, but I’m not convinced (yet), that social media is a good/productive way to connect with serious buyers.

]]> By: John Dunne http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19131 John Dunne Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:41:12 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19131 Wow, what a fascinating story. Really appreciate Carli's candor in sharing all the numbers behind the scene. Wow, what a fascinating story. Really appreciate Carli’s candor in sharing all the numbers behind the scene.

]]> By: Allen Murabayashi http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19130 Allen Murabayashi Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:01:41 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19130 @per: how did her website survive the surge in traffic? answer: photoshelter! i'm actually not being facetious. i think that's a benefit of using a service vs. hosting your own site. because we're architected to serve a huge audience, her surge didn't really affect our total capacity very much at all. @per: how did her website survive the surge in traffic? answer: photoshelter! i’m actually not being facetious. i think that’s a benefit of using a service vs. hosting your own site. because we’re architected to serve a huge audience, her surge didn’t really affect our total capacity very much at all.

]]> By: Per-BKWine http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19129 Per-BKWine Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:58:19 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19129 Fascinating. But I don't agree with your conclusions. (Although they are of course relevant to the message you want to sell.) What this shows most of all is: - great photography grabs attention, especially if - it is unique It helps that it makes people happy, yes. And why will jowling not work in that way? Because those photos are not good, not in the way that Shake is. In the same way as cute stretching cats would not become viral either. It is just fantastic pictures. But one thing I wonder about - how (HOW!) could her site survive with such a surge in traffic? Incredible! Fascinating. But I don’t agree with your conclusions. (Although they are of course relevant to the message you want to sell.) What this shows most of all is: – great photography grabs attention, especially if – it is unique It helps that it makes people happy, yes. And why will jowling not work in that way? Because those photos are not good, not in the way that Shake is. In the same way as cute stretching cats would not become viral either. It is just fantastic pictures. But one thing I wonder about – how (HOW!) could her site survive with such a surge in traffic? Incredible!

]]> By: Event Photography http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19128 Event Photography Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:13:53 +0000 http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/09/the-viral-evolution-of-carli-davidsons-shake-galle/#comment-19128 What a fantastic shot- love the dog's shut eyes and looks like they are enjoying the shake - great work and a different slant on the normal pet photos What a fantastic shot- love the dog’s shut eyes and looks like they are enjoying the shake – great work and a different slant on the normal pet photos

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