Asia Assignments

CA+ is back, and here’s why you should go

When I was repping photographers I would scoot over to Singapore (and Hong Kong, and beyond) several times a year. Heading off for a sales trip was always a feat of co-ordination and planning. Appointments had to be made with as many people as possible, which, because they are mostly creatives, is a little like herding

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Build it and they will come

Just before Christmas a car crashed into my house. The driver lost control on the bend, over corrected, narrowly missed three terrified joggers, ploughed through our front garden taking with it a mature Camelia, a Daytura, an old rose and a 12 ft Nikau Palm before hitting the wall of the room in which I’d

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Are you expecting the world from your agent?

I’m currently co-chairing Creative Asia Plus, the first folio review programme in Asia. The event is on in just 2 weeks so we have been receiving a flurry of Emails from photographers around the world who are keen to come to Hong Kong to take advantage of meeting so many creatives from around Asia in one day.

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Interview #1- Kelly Pon, CD of BBH Shanghai

Last year I interviewed a series of creative directors and art buyers based at top ad agencies in Asia. I wanted to understand from their perspective how they chose photographers for jobs, how much influence their clients and teams had, and what kind of photography was inspiring them. I first met the lovely Kelly Pon when she

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6 Steps to Cracking a new Market- Case Study #1

Just over a year ago I met one of my top ‘students’. John (we’ll call him that) is an Australian photographer. He had just turned 50 and was shooting local editorial and below the line (read budget) jobs. He earned much of his income from his rental studio business. After some initial planning we established that

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Cracking the Asian Market

‘Happy new year in advanced. I’d like to ask you to send me your photographers’ updated, latest portfolio based on Beauty & hair please? No particular region based please. Plus photographers’ bio or CV together? If I may, please send me a download link or attachment by early next week.’ I received this Email from

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Enter the Dragon

Happy New Year! Most of my Chinese clients and friends are on holiday today, celebrating this auspicious time of year with their families and a cacophony of very loud fireworks. (I was in China during one New Year and thought World War 3 was taking place outside my hotel room window- the booms and crashes

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