Collaboration
Collaboration is an interesting animal. And I don’t use the term “animal” randomly. It’s a very appropriate metaphor. Collaboration is very much its own living breathing thing – something independent even of from those who work together or “co-labor” to bring it to life.
Even the most relaxed of collaborators (THEM: “We just want you to do your thing!”) have pre- conceptions that need to be addressed (ME:”What to YOU is ‘MY thing’?”). It is a misconception that the most hands-off collaborator is the most ideal. Quite the opposite. There is nothing more helpful than someone who knows what they want. But as with any evolving concept in which people have strong ideas about their contributions, there are possible pitfalls or unproductive patterns that may arise.
Here are some tips that help the overall work without cramping anybody’s style.
1. DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED
Whether your collaborator is a bride-to-be, an author with a cover concept, or a talent agent with a new direction for a client’s image - it is easy to get lost in the concept. In order to really let the concept solidify, you have to get specific – especially in the most boring minutiae. Make a list:
How many pictures? What end result? What are the specific needs? List ALL shots (This can even become an appendix to your agreement.)
2. WHAT IS THE STORY?
(THEM: What do you mean? We’re just a couple getting married?) Yes, that is WHAT is happening... but how do we want to the story of that day told to people who weren’t there? What is the perspective of the narrative? This applies to ALL categories of work. Talk to the client. Find the story. That information alone might transform a mundane shot into an iconic image. That everyday business headshot may actually be the retiring CEO’s replacement. That simple trade paper shot of two men smiling with their arms crossed might become the older man showing the younger how to tie a bow-tie. (More on my thoughts on genre-blending here.)
3. ESTABLISH YOUR VOCABULARY
Once you know WHAT you’re talking about, define HOW you talk about it. Collaboration dies with miscommunication. It doesn’t matter how strange or simple your terms are. The sooner you find yourself on the same page with the way you talk about the next step.... the quicker you will get there. Example: You hear that the Eskimos have a hundred words to describe “snow”. In collaboration there can be a hundred ways to interpret blanket descriptors like “traditional” and “modern” and “classic” when it comes to people’s taste. Continue to specify. Ask for more details. The greatest victory is not surprising your collaborator with what you deliver, but how well you achieved your mutual vision.
4. STAY OPEN
You are in control of nothing. (*This also applies to real life.) Be flexible - at all stages of the collaboration. What if the great ideas you have been contributing cause an epiphany that makes your collaborator realize they need to tell a different story? Amazing! The work doesn’t start over. The work just became more specific and closer to what the client wants. Victory!
5. REVISIT #1 AND START OVER
Now that you have a clearer picture of what you want, go back and revisit what you need. If this doesn’t change, bravo! If it does change, even better: You have refined the concept even further than the “finished” concepts many collaborator clients bring to the table. Anything that doesn’t come out of this round was likely off-target from the beginning and needed to go regardless. We all now know the best way forward. More than anything, being able to reassess the overall vision is a testament to a healthy and successful collaboration.
6. LET’S DO THE THING
I have had collaborations that have lasted from several months to a few e-mails back and forth to a quick game plan phone call a few days before hand to someone showing me some family photos from years past while I set up my lights. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Everyone just needs to be on the same page. You can never under-deliver if everyone is clear on what is to be delivered. Being diligent in the preparation eliminates stress and saves time for all parties when it comes to execution. Not only on my end, but for the client/ collaborator/ subject/ person writing the check who I want to walk away thinking that working with me was successful without any wasted time or energy. It’s simple logical math. The ultimate measure of the success of a collaboration is being asked back for the next one.