Non-Profits | Editorial & Humanitarian Photographer, Heber Vega.

For the last couple of months, I’ve been involved in the most ambitious project ever in my life. And that also involves my family as well. I once blogged about it here, Photography for Good!, and today I want to share with all of you the very first fruits of our work at The ONE-SHOT Project. Enjoy it!
Thanks for all your support specially to the ones that have helped, donated and volunteered for this cause.

See the following video.

ONE-SHOT – 2011 Workshop Iraq from Heber Vega on Vimeo.

What do you get when you mix Iraqi students and volunteers from four continents with donated digital cameras, classes and photo walks? You get a set of remarkable images, three months of fun, and a lifetime of memories.

The ONE-SHOT Project staged it’s first workshop in the fall of 2011, in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq. The volunteers brought instruction in photography. The students brought an incredible eagerness to learn. And together they all learned a different way to see the world.
http://www.theoneshotproject.com

Credits:
Photography: Heber Vega and ONE-SHOT Students.
Production: Oscar Leon.
Music:
Ukelele Smile
By Robert Critchley and Brent Robitaille
Copyright 2011
Used by permission.

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April 28, 2011 by heber vega

Photographers – How to work with NGOs?

In my first day of blogging again I got two interesting emails, one about some images I had taken at local universities in Iraq and the other one about questions on how photographers can/should work with NGOs. I was planning to write something else for today, but it will have to wait, as I think these are important questions to share and discuss. It will be great if you can add your thoughts or experience on top of what I have answered below. That will help with this project.

Please take my answers with a grain of salt, because they’re only my opinion and I don’t have a PhD on this issue (not yet though ).

I’m not going to reveal the name of the person who wrote that email to me, but I’m going to show you an extract it:

“In my final project, I have decided to go in a strange direction. I am going to be focusing on how professional photographers help and aid NGO’s. Because of my budget, I am sticking close to home, in Cape Town. I am researching how photographers go into NGO’s and take photos, thinking that they are helping but ending up not really grasping the feel or idea of the NGO and not really being able to deliver the right photos.
Things like the attitude of photographers or NGO’s have a huge affect on the photos. Also, being overconfident can ruin a relationship, from the sides of both parties. But, at the same time, researching the effects of right attitudes, ideas and heart can go a long way.
I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for my project.”

Here are the questions:

1. How can a photographer impact an NGO with their skills?

I’d say you could make an impact with NGOs, but go beyond your skills (assuming you know how to use your camera) with your own vision as a photographer. What I mean by this, is that there are many photographers that can get a good shot, a well done photograph of that x NGO project, but what can really set you apart from the rest is your inner vision. The why you do the things you do. Examples are your approach, your way of treating your subjects, etc.

Photographers that have worked on social projects are better suitable for NGOs, as they know how those things work. They have been there before. They understand the challenges for NGOs. So when you add to that a passion, for let’s say, humanitarian issues, then you have a plus for that NGO.
Why? because you both are on the same boat.

2. What do you think are the negative and positive experiences that NGO’s have had with photographers?

Usually miscommunication, not understanding of what to expect on the job, limited budget, and zero art direction from the NGO on the shoot are usually the negative side of things. The positive experiences relating to photographers, are that take more than photos, they try to understand the NGO’s need and at the end they come up with advice into how to use those images and other “consulting” practices. They become a consultant instead of just a photographer. They share their knowledge and art in the job.

3. What have been some Issues that you have had with NGO’s?

I think I pretty much answered that in the last question.

4. What are the expectations of an NGO with a photographer?

Really, unless it is a very important (large) NGO, with experience in these types of jobs, most of the NGOs don’t know exactly what to expect from a photographer. They don’t know the way photographers work and usually they don’t usually know what to do with the images taken for the job. Some of them come with a clear idea of some photographs they may want, but they don’t realize that a photographer can sometimes assist them with a better way of portraying the subjects or need.

5. What are the photographer’s expectations for NGO’s?

Well, to help to arrange the vast array of details that are part of a shoot. Have clear communication. Respect the value of the images by respecting the rights and copyrights of them. The clearer the vision of the NGO, the easier the job for the photographer.

6. What are the biggest mistakes a photographer can make?

Not investing time in understanding their client’s need. Not being respectful. Not having sensitivity for cultures and the differences that may arise on the job. Not being flexible or easygoing with things.

7. Do photographer’s attitudes affect their photos?

It depends. I’ve seen great photos from not nice photographers. I think the problem is more about getting hired again by the same people, about trust and building relationships. For sure you will miss other pending shoots if you have problems with your attitude. The nice, kind photographer get those shoots again and again, and every time with a better/deeper impact on their subjects.

8. What are the mistakes you have made?

Uff. Many of the things I have mentioned already.

9. What key points should a photographer take into consideration before agreeing to assist a NGO?

Starting with, “Who pays what?” and going until, “Who gets the future rights of the photographs?” and so on. It’s like a normal contract, – you need to think that unthinkable things may happen. Because of this, you have to revise a couple times. You learn with time and you can always update your contracts .

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November 24, 2010 by heber vega

Photography for Good! The ONE-SHOT Project.

© The ONE-SHOT Project | Shot by Heber Vega

I’ve been waiting for quite some time to write about this project. First I was waiting for the wonderful community at IGVP to launch their website back in July, and then because I was really busy working my last month in Iraq. I could hardly wait to be back in Chile to blog about it. But now, after 6-7 weeks in Chile, I’m finally able to start blogging again and I want to do it with this project because it’s a big part of my heart/vision.

If you have been following the blog at www.visualpeacemakers.org you are probably aware of this idea, as they were the first place to write about The ONE-SHOT Project. In fact, this project wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the inspiration coming from those guys. Back at the beginning of this year I was chatting with Mario Mattei and Matt Brandon about an idea they had for a project like this, but in another part of the world. They were talking about donations of cameras and gear in general, in order to provide a group of children with the wonderful gift of learning photography and visual arts. At that time my family and I were looking for an opportunity to develop a similar idea with the children in Iraq, specially the ones marginalized from the local society. So as you can see, it was a perfect match.

So what’s the idea behind this project? “ONE-SHOT is a project created for economically, physically, and socially disadvantaged 10 to 17- year-old Iraqi adolescents that are living in unfavorable conditions, without an opportunity for a decent life. At the same time, The ONE-SHOT Project is an initiative designed to create new visual communicators devoted to peacemaking and breaking down stereotypes by displaying the beauty and dignity of Iraqi cultures.” If you are interested in finding more about “Our Mission” you can clic at that link.

Now I want to share some thoughts I had back at the launch of ONE-SHOT’s website. This is so you can better understand our heart and possibilities for this project.

Don’t forget to check the blog at ONE-SHOT as we have some important updates coming. Also, you will find social media links to follow the progress of this project. Finally, you’ll find a link where you will see ways to Get Involved with ONE-SHOT.

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Something that you’ve probably been wondering about is, what about the children who will be selected to be part of this program. Who are they? How are you going to select them? Who is going to select them? The truth is, I’m wondering about the answers to some of those questions myself.

It’s not that we don’t have a clue about how this is going to happen, it’s just that we haven’t started yet, and we’ll probably have to wait until the beginning of next year to really do this part of the project. The question is, what are we going to be doing in the next few months then? Well, first of all, we are planning to work on the ideas that we already have for this project. Let’s see, the team members behind ONE-SHOT have been here since 2003 doing humanitarian projects, so by now we know a couple of things about Iraq and the needs of its people. Still, we have to explore the different angles that this project has.

The one thing that’s very clear for us, and also the reason behind our name, is to be able to provide one shot, one opportunity, one chance for Iraqi children who are struggling with just living. Throughout this project we hope to find the children that haven’t been found by other initiatives, that haven’t been helped by the system, the ones left behind. The case of the “untouchables” in several places around the globe is well known. Some people here are just that; people with the same desires that every human being has. We believe that there are children in Iraq that are not being given the same opportunities as the normal children in the rest of the country. These are the best candidates to be part of this initiative.

When Mario Mattei from IGVP proposed this project for us to do in Iraq, we thought about teaching visual arts to normal Iraqi adolescents, giving them the opportunity to be exposed to the wonderful profession that photography is. But that didn’t totally satisfy my heart. You see, for years I have been wondering about those without privilege in this part of the world; those who are part of our society, yet not. I think in this case, ONE-SHOT is going to be an act of redemption from our “norms” to the underprivileged children of the world. What if one of these children receives a normal education? What if they are exposed to art? What if people care about them? What if they receive an unexpected gift, a heavenly opportunity to improve, to get out… these are some of the things that I’m wondering, but with the certainty that our project will work!

Why? How do I know this will work? Because we have nothing to lose! When you are at this stage in life, then there’s only one thing that can happen, and that is to win, to stand up, to progress; you got my idea, and probably you have been there as well.

During the past years in Iraq, there are groups of children that we have seen who live in adverse conditions. We have been in refugee camps, with dozens of children not attending school, among other things, with no other expectation than to receive help. We’ve seen children living in poverty, again, with no other expectations than just to have something to eat the next day. Lately, we have been exposed to the reality of big communities living in violence, with clans and gangs killing each other, raping, and other criminal things. What about the children there? Are we going to watch this happen on the news? Let them grow and become the next in the line? We have also been exposed to children with physical disabilities, some of them are not able to talk, or move, but, are they not worthy to try photography? Can they not communicate by images? They are mentally OK, so why are they being treated as if they can’t? They definitely need a chance! We have worked a couple of times during the past few years with the only group of orphans that we have in this area. They are just incredible! I have the best memories from playing with them in our past programs, and I told them I was going to look for ways to help them in the future. Well, here we are in the future. This group has no family, in part because of the years of war and suffering in this country. What if, some people in a different part of the world started a project to help these groups? What if we give them tools to live decent lives?

Are you excited? I am! I just want to start soon, but I know we have to wait until we have gathered the resources to do this well. First, we need the tools (cameras), and then, the most difficult part, select the kids that are going to be part of our first year, the first stage of ONE-SHOT. I hope to have you around during the next few months. We’ll be sharing all the info that we’ll find, including the advances and challenges. Help us in whatever manner you can by occasionally checking out this page. Let the children of this project surprise us! Let them teach us one more time that we are still human, that we have the power to love and to provide redemption to certain unjust situations in this fallen world.

Heber Vega, founder and director of ONE-SHOT.

Archive

May 20, 2010 by heber vega

How NGOs can use the images that Photographers produce! (5 ideas)

© Heber Vega | Iraqi girl sitting outside of an International NGO's center.

[May 20, 2010]

Have you visited any NGOs websites lately? What about other non-profit organizations? Have you found anything interesting? Aesthetically pleasing? How about their photographs? Do you think the non-profits are really putting their voice/cause out there in a way that causes you to engage only with visiting their website? Do you think that’s necessary for them nowadays?

We all know that NGOs, non-profits, and charities, are important, not because of what they can display on their website, but for what they can do on the “field”. There’s where the need is, isn’t it? Correct me if I’m wrong, but if the voice of that cause is not getting out, how is it going to last? What’s going to happen with what they have built?

Jeremy Courtney, CEO from the Preemptive Love Coalition, a non-profit organization working in Iraq, had some comments about this issue in our first 10.Q Interviews. He said some things that were Spot On. Let me share a few of them:

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

“Many NGOs don’t necessarily know what to DO with an image that they value immensely so that it will bring about a monetary return that will justify having spent hard-earned donor dollars on the photographer/image.

…not knowing how to leverage a phenomenal photo into funding for the people we exist to serve. Many organizations have great photos on their hard drives. Big deal. If an NGO doesn’t have someone dedicated to marshaling photographic fodder into a targeted message and call to action, then the NGO is no better off for having paid for (or simply snapped themselves) the highly impact-full photo.

So let me go out on a limb here for this photographic community. If you want smaller NGOs to pay for your services as a photographer, I’d guess many, if not most would be more willing to invest in the photographer who can help us take the beautiful image after all is said and done and leverage that photo into funding. The photographer with the biggest social network, direct mail list, blog following, and the best strategies to help me do that is the photographer who gets my organizational money.” [read more on Jeremy's comments]

Motivated by these words, today I want to speak to the NGOs, charities, and non-profits and give them some ideas on what to do with good photographs. How they can improve/boost their marketing by using good imagery. Please, photographers, feel free to borrow these ideas and present them to your clients. We can all benefit by doing this, can’t we?

First of all, I want to thank some photographers that have shared ideas and thoughts, on how to promote the work of NGOs through photography, by doing that we hope NGOs would be more open to hire good photographers. These ideas have been tested and they have worked!. Thanks to: Gary S. Chapman, Matt Powell, Mario Mattei, and Karl Grobl. These guys responded to an Open Letter that I wrote for NGOs and Humanitarian Photographers.

So let me give you some ideas. Let’s start.

Idea number 1: Start a photo blog and try to publish big photos.

You can share what the Boston Globe has done to share the latest news through only and most exclusively, photography! It’s called The Big Picture. Gary S. Chapman commented that he has challenged those organizations to track the website stats for a few moths to see if the well-tagged and captioned images don’t bring in additional traffic to their main site. He added: “Consistent blogs that are well crafted ALWAYS bring more traffic.”

Idea number 2: Go for Brochures!

Not a new idea, is it? But, what if this time we make it with good images; images that can captivate the viewer and make the people actually read the brochure. You can describe the benefits, services, donation opportunities, and values of their organization. Karl Grobl said, “Brochures are probably not cheap to produce, so it makes sense that if you spend lots of money on brochures, you really need good high quality images.”

Idea number 3: Make an Event,

An exhibit or art gallery per se. Gather all the important people that you want to support your wonderful initiative, and amaze them with a good photo essay projected on the wall. Have prints hanging everywhere, with a video and photography that can summarize what you do on the field. Invite the photographer behind the shots, so that he also invites his own fans to participate on your initiative. Invite the press don’t forget about them!

Karl Grobl told me: “Remember Compelling imagery is powerful… Do you remember Steve McCurry’s Afghan girl? That single photo raised millions of dollars. Here’s a quote from National Geo, “As soon as people saw the story, they asked what they could do to help. National Geographic put up money and matched the funds that were sent in. We’ve raised, I think, more than a million and a half dollars for the cause so far.” You see, a picture is worth a million words, and perhaps a million dollars!”

Idea number 4: Tell Stories! According to successful humanitarian photographers, “It all comes down to story, not pictures. Putting pictures ahead of a good plan can be wasteful. Great pictures aren’t enough. What story are you telling? Who are you telling it to? Does it speak well to that audience? Then, what are you asking them to do?” Think about creative ways to tell your stories, to let the people know why is so that your cause is so important.

Idea number 5: Make a Book! Nobody would reject a nice looking coffee-table book. At least I won’t! These books are very popular and people don’t get tired of buying them. There main purpose is decoration, so try to make multiples designs, colors, textures, stories, etc. At the moment, I’m working for a client and helping them to create their first book. It’s not about their project, but the people they work with. I’m planning to travel to the locations where they currently work and shoot portraits of the people there. You see, nothing fancy, but always compelling to see!

Those are just some ideas to keep you busy for a while. I will try to post others in the coming weeks or maybe some other topics that can help to promote your world-saving initiative. Your work deserves the best, so please invest in it. Hire a good and smart photographer who can help you to meet your vision.

““If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

One last thing – don’t underestimate social media. Bring people around through social media, and then people will hear when your tree falls.

Peace.

Archive

May 13, 2010 by heber vega

Conclusions, Tips, Resolutions on Pro-bono work!

Iraq Dinars, bills - Third part of Trilogy on Pro-bono

Time to take a stand! We can’t continue to ignore this situation (I don’t want to call it a problem). I believe as photographers we have to have an opinion about pro-bono work, and reasons to either do it or not. If you don’t understand what I’m saying, then you should go (back ) to the last two posts of this issue. Read them and then come back here…

Why we should not do pro-bono work
Advantages of working pro-bono

Today’s post is a mix of resolutions, advice, and links to keep you reading and considering this topic.

I have to say, though, that my opinion about pro-bono is a not a black & white situation, where you pick one side and the other is totally excluded. I’ve learned that in several situations in life, the answers are found in some middle ground or better said, “In the balance.”

Here are the two statements (the most important ones for me) that led me to my decision on how to address pro-bono work in my life.

1. I believe that working pro-bono can bring down the value of the industry… IF… it is done with NO purpose.

Why do you want to do pro-bono work? Is there a concrete reason? Is it part of your vision? If your answer is ambiguous, meaning that you do pro-bono work because you don’t know better, or because you think it is always “good” to do, then I have a problem with that type of approach to working pro-bono. I’m not going to re-write all the reasons why, read my first post. But, I can say that if you don’t pay attention to the reasons for doing pro-bono work, then the market goes down, the NGOs sticks to getting everything for FREE, they don’t look for a photographer that knows how to tell their stories, they’re missing opportunities for fundraising, and probably bringing down the quality of their imagery as well. Again, this will keep happening if we do pro-bono work for no apparently reason, with no purpose.

2. I believe that photographers should help and do pro-bono work… IF… there’s no other choice for the non-profit organization.

There are tons of causes out there with no money at all, and with a handful of volunteers trying to “save the world”. Well, they deserve the work of humanitarian photographers. They deserve good photography to tell their stories for FREE! Again, free from their end, but at a cost to the photographer involved.

It’s because of these two statements that I believe we should “balance” pro-bono work on our lives. We can’t simply reject it or totally embrace it without making distinctions about these two statements.

Tips

A Situation: As I said in the second part of this trilogy, most of the non – profit organizations in this world have a budget that covered their expenses and salaries. Not all the money that you may donate for a cause goes to the people in need. Sometimes, depending on the organization, a percentage goes to cover all their expenses. If you see that the non-profit is able to rent nice houses, have cars, cover airfare to their workers, receive good salaries, etc. I don’t see the reason why I should do my work for free! There’s no point in doing that, and the non-profit only keeps growing, not putting value on the work that we do and/or on the photographs that we shoot.

There’s even another class of non-profit outfits that work based on getting grants or projects, where donations or donors are not the main income. In these organizations, the value of a photograph is only for reporting back to the grant/project giver, and, of course, for propaganda. Sure, these organizations do a great favor to the world, no doubt about that, but they have better resources to pay for your work, and as they hire consulting firms for their projects, they should invest money in their imagery!

Tip: Next time when you approach a non-profit, make time to understand the ways they are supported, see if it is based on donors, grants, projects, depends on the local government, is part of an oil company that wants to do good, etc.

Tip II: Next time when one of their reps approaches you asking for pro-bono work, ask why, and then nicely ask if that person is being paid for doing their job. If the person volunteers for their cause, then it earned your respect right there, but if not, then they will understand why they need to pay for it. Most of the time they only need to be educated and see the advantages of photography for their cause.

B Situation: I hope that you have been working with signed contracts until this point. If not, this is a great time to start. Not because you have decided to work pro-bono, but because without one, you and the NGO have no responsibilities. You should talk about expectation from both sides, and what the outcomes of this work will be for both sides. Also, you have to understand what will happen to the rights of your photographs.

Are they going to be used only once by the NGO? For a lifetime? Can you post them in your blog? Can you sell them as stock? And so on.

Tip: Read this article written by Matt Brandon “Don’t be an Ass, get a contract.” You will find why is so necessary.

Tip II: Retain the copyright of your images and the right to market those images to other clients. That’s a good way to stay in business.

C Situation: Every time that you think about pro-bono, even if you are starting out and desperately need a portfolio, think of ways where both of you can get something back, a win-win situation. You have to be creative and remember that to help them out not necessary means to work for free. Remember, you are still giving your skills for this cause. I’m going to give you some examples where you and the NGO can both have revenue:

TIP: Offer an exhibit, where people can donate to the NGO, who gets to tell their story while you sell the prints.
TIP II: Make a book where the profits can be split both ways; you and the cause.
TIP III: Make calendars, post-cards and all sorts of stuff where you and they can show your photos and their cause all together.
TIP IV: Make a workshop among their workers to teach them how to take better photos.
TIP V: If they can pay Airfare, or bring you to the field, ask for an extra day or two, all covered, and use that time to build your portfolio stock.

Resolutions

1. I won’t work pro-bono, with the exception of working for the organizations that cannot afford my services (Situation A) and that I also believe in their cause.

2. I will try to find/pick one of these humble organizations every year, so that I can help them with my photography and consulting.

3. If I accept a pro-bono work, I will try to find ways for the organization to somehow pay for my services (Situation C), because I believe that creates intrinsic value.

Links

http://blog.photoshelter.com/2010/05/photography-business-working-with-ngos.html
http://blog.joshmcculloch.com/2007/11/non-profits-pro-bono-work.html
http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/2009/05/dont-be-an-ass-get-a-contract/
http://adamwestbrook.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/do-multimedia-journalism-and-get-paid/

I hope this Trilogy has helped you to better understand the world of non-profit organizations, the pros and cons of working pro-bono, and that finally you can adopt a resolution for yourself for future offers of pro-bono work. The most important thing is to study yourself, your passion, your vision, and go for it!