I didn't take the ASMP New York presidency because I wanted a credential. I took it because when I looked at what the organization could be, and what the industry needs right now, I thought I should be the person doing that work.
That's a different reason than resume-building. It leads to different work.
What ASMP Actually Is
The American Society of Media Photographers has been around since 1944. It was founded because photographers decided their work deserved legal protection, fair compensation, and professional standards. Everything it does flows from that original conviction.
In practice: licensing education, advocacy around image rights, community for working photographers who need a professional home, and, increasingly, a voice in conversations about AI, copyright, and what happens to this profession as technology moves faster than the law can follow.
Those conversations are urgent. They need people in them who have actually made a living as photographers, not just theorized about it.
What I'm Focused On
Emerging photographers who don't yet know what they don't know. The gap between being genuinely talented and understanding how to price work, protect rights, and navigate a commercial market that can be actively predatory, that's where people lose years. I want to close it faster for the next generation than it closed for me.
Education that's honest about what commercial photography actually involves. The business side, the legal side, the negotiation side. Not just the craft.
And building a chapter that feels alive, that new photographers actually want to join because they can see what they'll get from it.
Why This Matters to Commercial Clients
When you hire a photographer who is engaged in the profession at this level, you're hiring someone who understands the full picture. The licensing implications of what you're asking for. The standards the industry holds itself to. I'm not going to agree to terms that compromise the work or the relationship down the line.
That's a feature, not a limitation.
If you're building something in this industry, a photography practice, a creative team, a brand that works with photographers regularly, I'd love to be in conversation. And if you're an emerging photographer looking for community and support, ASMP New York is the place to start.
FAQ
What is ASMP?
The American Society of Media Photographers is a professional organization focused on protecting image rights, providing licensing education, and advocating for fair industry standards.
What does the ASMP New York chapter president do?
Leads local programming, advocacy, and community-building efforts. It involves working with the national organization, representing the chapter publicly, and shaping the direction of local initiatives.
How can emerging photographers get involved with ASMP?
ASMP offers membership at various levels including options for students and early-career photographers. The New York chapter holds regular events with mentorship and education opportunities.
Read more
/ How I Became a Commercial Photographer: From a Kodak Disposable to Shooting Global Brands
/ Sun Your Buns: What a Park Picnic Club Taught Me About Community
/ Recreating the Home Office: On-Location Product Photography for Logitech in Manhattan
/ Book Launch Photography and Corporate Headshots for Penguin Random House
/ How a TikTok Search Led to a Full Brand Shoot with Flewd Stresscare
/ Lifestyle Photography for Pacific Foods at People Inc.'s World Trade Center Office
/ On Location with Rifle Paper Co.: Photographing Travel Products in Manhattan
/ Multi-Week Shoots for Thymes and Capri Blue: Candles, Models, and Full Production
/ On Living in New York and Meeting the Most Interesting People
/ On Location with Hasbro: Photographing Play-Doh and Toys with Kids and a Video Team
/ Inside a L'Oreal Matrix Hair Shoot: Afters, Affidavits, and What It Takes
/ Shooting Dairy Queen's Social Campaign at K2 Studios: Mint Chip, Snowdrift, and Valentine's Day
/ The Outspoken Artist Podcast: What We Actually Talked About
/ Building Kaplan's Brand Asset Library: Employee Photography in Brooklyn and Fort Lauderdale
/ How TikTok Changed the Way Brands Find Photographers
/ On Location with Bissell: Lifestyle, Video, and UGC Photography for Pet Cleaning Products
/ Sparkling and Set-Styled: Social Content and GIF Photography for Waterloo Sparkling Water
/ What It Actually Takes to Run a Full Production Brand Shoot
/ On-Location Headshots for the Center for Reproductive Rights: Powerful, Real, and Human
/ On Being a Commercial Artist Who Keeps Thinking About Moving to the Woods
/ What Becoming President of ASMP New York Actually Means
/ Behind the Lens: Photographing Assouline's Archive Library in Manhattan
/ Long-Term Brand Photography for Caribou Coffee: Lifestyle, Social, and In-Store Campaigns
/ Speaking at Index Space: Creative Showcase V5
External
Sigma / Travel the Alps with SIGMA’s Lightweight 18-50mm & 10-18mm Zoom Lenses
Sigma / Behind the Scenes on a Fashion Shoot with the Sigma BF
Sigma / Why I Choose SIGMA Zoom Lenses for Studio Photography
Sigma / A Fresh Look at Berlin Through the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC Contemporary Lens