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wrestling with how to adjust。 It was clear to him that he was facing competition and
pricing pressure of a type and degree that he had never faced before。
〃Freelancers；〃 said Greer； speaking about these independent contractors as if they
were a plague of locusts that suddenly had descended on his business； eating
everything in sight。 〃We are now competing
against freelancers！ We never really competed against freelancers before。 Our
competition used to be firms of similar size and capability。 We used to do similar
things in somewhat different ways； and each firm was able to find a niche and make
a living。〃 Today the dynamic is totally different； he said。 〃Our competition is not
only those firms we always used to compete against。 Now we have to deal with giant
firms； who have the capability to handle small； medium； and large jobs； and also with
the solo practitioners working out of theirhome offices； who ＇by making use of today's
technology and software＇ can theoretically do the same thing that a person sitting
in our office can do。 What's the difference in output； from our clients' point of
view； between the giant company who hires a kid designer and puts him in front of
a computer； and our company that hires a kid designer and puts him in front of a
computer； and thekid designer with a computer inhis own basement？ 。 。 。 The technology
and software are so empowering that it makes us all look the same。 In the last month
we have lost three jobs to freelance solo practitioners who used to work for good
companies and have experience and then just went out on their own。 Our clients all
said the same thing to us： 'Your firm was really qualified。 John was very qualified。
John was cheaper。' We used to feel bad losing to another firm； but now we are losing
to another person！〃
How did this change happen so fast？ I asked。
A big part of their business is photography…shooting both products and models for
catalogs； Greer explained。 For twenty…five years； the way the business worked was
that Greer & Associates would get an assignment。 The client would tell Greer exactly
what sort of shot he was looking for and would 〃trust〃 the Greer team to come up with
the right image。 Like all commercial photographers； Greer would use a Polaroid camera
to take a picture of the model or product he was shooting； to see if his creative
instinct was right； and then shoot with real film。 Once the pictures were taken； Greer
would send the film out to aphoto lab to be developed and color…separated。 If a picture
needed to be touched up； it would be sent to another lab that specialized in
retouching。〃Twenty years ago； we decided we would not process the film we shot；〃 Greer
explained。 〃We would leave that technical aspect to other professionals who had the
exact technology； training； and expertise…and
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a desire to make money that way。 We wanted to make money by taking the pictures。 It
was a good plan then； and may be a good plan today； but it is no longer possible。〃
Why？ The world went flat； and every analog process went digital； virtual； mobile；
and personal。 In the last three years； digital cameras for professional photographers
achieved a whole new technical level that made them equal to； if not superior to；
traditional film cameras。
〃So we experimented with several different cameras and chose the current
state…of…the…art camera that was most like our ＇analog＇ film cameras；〃 Greer said。
〃It's called a Canon Dl； and it's the same exact camera as our film camera； except
there's a computer inside with a little TV…screen display on the back that shows us
what picture we're taking。 But it uses all the same lenses； you set things the same
way； shutter speed and aperture； it has the same ergonomics。 It was the first
professional digital camera that worked exactly like a film camera。 This was a
defining moment。
〃After we got this digital camera； it was incredibly liberating at first；〃 said Greer。
〃All of the thrill and excitement of photography were there… except that the film
was free。 Because it was digital； we didn't have to buy film and we didn't have to
go to the lab to have it processed and wait to get it back。 If we were on location
and shooting something； we could see if we got the shot right away。 There was instant
gratification。 We referred to it as an 'electronic Polaroid。' We used to have an art
director who would oversee everything to make sure that we were capturing the image
we were trying to create； but we would never really know until we got it developed。
Everyone had to go on faith； on trust。 Our clients paid us a professional fee because
they felt they needed an expert who could not only click a button； but knew exactly
how to shape and frame the image。 And they trusted us to do that。〃
For a year or so there was this new sense of empowerment； freedom； creativity； and
control。 But then Ken and his team discovered that this new liberating technology
could also be enslaving。 〃We discovered that not only did we now have the
responsibility of shooting the picture and defining the desired artistic expression；
we had to get involved in the
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technology of the photograph。 We had to become the lab。 We woke up one morning and
said； 'We are the lab。'〃
How so？ Because digital cameras gave Greer the ability to download those digital
images into a PC or laptop and； with a little magic software and hardware； perform
all sorts of new functions。 〃So in addition to being the photographer； we had to become
the processing lab and the color separator；〃 said Greer。 Once the technology made
that possible； Greer's customers demanded it。 Because Greer could control the image
farther down the supply chain； they said he should control it； he must control it。
And then they also said because it was all digital now； and all under his control；
it should be included among the services his team provided as the photographic
creators of the image。 〃The clients said； 'We will not pay you extra for it；'〃 said
Greer。 〃We used to go to an outside service to touch up the pictures…to remove red…eye
or blemishes…but now we have to be the retouchers ourselves also。 They expect ＇red…eye＇
to be removed by us； digitally； even before they see it。 For twenty years we only
practiced the art of photography…color and composition and texture and how to make
people comfortable in front of a camera。 This is what we were good at。 Now we had
to learn to be good at all these other things。 It is not what we signed up for； but
the competitive marketplace and the technology forced us into it。〃
Greer said every aspect of his company went through a similar flattening。 Film
production went digital； so the marketplace and the technology forced them to become
their own film editors； graphics studio； sound production facility； and everything
else； including producers of their own DVDs。 Each of those functions used to be farmed
out to a separate company。 The whole supply chain got flattened and shrunk into one
box that sat on someone's desktop。 The same thing happened in the graphics part of
their business： Greer & Associat