Not sure what triggered this thought today, but here’s a phenomenon more unique to the photographic industry than most other career fields – people tend to help each other.  Over and over again I’m amazed at people who ask for help on a photographic or business challenge related to photography and find themselves delightfully buried in answers.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!  There are so many different ways you can get help when you’re just stuck with a challenge.

1) When it’s short term and immediate, use your network, your personal data base.

2) Facebook and Twitterboth keep you in contact with other photographers, but be careful.  You don’t want to go public on a particular issue if you’ve built up your Facebook or Twitter account with future clients.  Be selective in this case, when putting out questions.

3) The Digital Wedding Forum, DWF, is a great resource and, with the years of data already in their archives, you just might find the answer to your question already there.

4) It might seem a little new, but Scott Bourne and I have developed quite a following on www.GoingPro2010.com.  Scott and I don’t always have the answers, but with all our years in the industry you can bet we know somebody who does.  Scott’s blog,PhotoFocus, also has tons of answers to different photographic challenges.

5) Long term questions, in other words you’re not sitting with an immediate need, have the potential to get answered any place you’re going to put a bunch of photographers in a room at the same time.  Get involved in your local guild or regional professional group.  Here in Akron there’s a group who meets on Taco Tuesday, the first Tuesday of the month. A few months ago I spoke at the Dallas PPA.  There were 100+ photographers at the dinner that night and there wasn’t one person who wouldn’t have helped another if asked.  Evey state has groups of photographers who typically get together once a month, but you have to make the effort to find out when and where and then be there!

6) Tradeshows and conventions have been built on a foundation of providing help to their attendees and again they happen all over the country.  From the big national shows, like PPE, Imaging USA and WPPI,to the state level and regionals, there are some great opportunities for you to get the answers you need.

7) Don’t forget the vendors you work with.  For some unexplained reason everybody always seems to forget the expertise at every manufacturer, especially your lab and album supplier.  Even when the problem isn’t theirs to fix, the staff at both of these service groups are well-travelled.  They know so many different photographers and can be an incredible resource.

 8) If you’re not already a member, you should be involved with your state association or the nationals, like PPA or WPPI.  Again, here’s a resource for you to get help when you need it and some times the answer just might be on one of their websites.

9) Look for local programs!  Yeah, here’s where it finally happens – I turn to the shameless promotion of one of my own projects, the Akron Photo Series.  This past weekend it was picked up on Ohio.com and the Tennessean!  Once a month we’re planning on bringing another photo icon to Ohio and proving that people in the Midwest don’t have to travel far for great photographic programs.  By the end of this week registration should be open for all three programs scheduled for this year…Clay Blackmore on October 10 is open for registration right now and Doug Gordon and Tony Corbell in November and December respectively, will be open for registration shortly.

The bottom line is simple:  When you’re stuck with a challenge and the frustration level is climbing, ASK FOR HELP!  You’re part of an incredible industry with a history of photographers helping each other!

Okay, so I can’t believe I’m quoting gossip columnist Rona Barrett this morning:

“The strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it. Whether he has an abscess on his knee or in his soul.”