proven record of success. Few are willing to break in a new
talent, not even when the artist has a unique vision.
Ralph Mennemeyer, a seasoned agent located in New York
City, has much to say on the topic of taking on new talent.
“From a rep’s standpoint,” he says, “building a newtalent is
an investment. Agents don’t just get you assignments; they build
and develop a career for you. It is not a relationship that either
party should enter into lightly.”
The term “new” in itself is a double-edged sword, says
Mennemeyer: “It takes time to build a career (often three to
five years of hard work by both the rep and the photographer).
Even if the talent has been shooting for years, if the buyers
I am seeking to connect with do not know him, he is still a new
talent to them. In addition, it takes time to make the connec-
tion in the buyer’s mind that associates a given talent with a
certain rep.”
Is talent the most important quality that agents look for in
a photographer?CREATING A SUCCESSFUL TEAM“Talent is a big part of the equation,” Mennemeyer explains.
“I have to love the work and know that it’s marketable. But talent
alone won’t interest me. A photographer needs to be willing to
work toward the goal for as long a period of time that’s needed
in order for the team to be successful. Photographers that are
team players are the folks I choose to work with.”
Mennemeyer continues:Often photographers will become impatient. They
will be short-sighted and may be vested in obtaining
individual assignments, not in building a career. They
may “jump ship” in the hope of speeding the process
along, and look for another rep. Most often that will
have little or no effect. There is a difference between
“scoring jobs” and “building a career,” and in today’s
society of instant gratification, I think it’s rare to find
photographers who understand the difference. If
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