Jump to content

Your website Bio... 1st or 3rd person?


jennifer_kirk

Recommended Posts

"Some people write in the third person in order to make their page more friendly for search engines."

 

And this is another good point that Anne brings up. The more, as I understand it, valid content that is similiar on web pages that are linked within one another, home page text repeated on bio age, is viewed as legitimate and more important than other sites without it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like Frederica's version of what to use. On reading some of the business page bio's I find I like the use of the person's name. In that case, I think it should be written by another person. For a personal homepage, I like Lex's version.

 

I would love to actually see Frederica's home page but on going to her hotlink on her photo.net page I find I cannot get to her page. Could you please fix that? I think you need to put the "http:// thingy in there. Also, I cannot get to Ben R.'s page either. I did not check why that might be. Sorry, just a personal peeve of mine, recently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I checked out Fredrica's website too. This is what I noticed. Her Boi was written about her saying "she". The opening page and on other pages she is the writer, saying "I". Then on the contact tab it says "contact us". Now I am NOT critisizing this at all, but I am wondering if this is acceptable in the marketing scheeme? Is it confusing to the average looker? I am considering mixing these elements in my website also. I have a note to the bride from me, and on my information and tip page I write it from me. I am considering having someone else write the Bio page and say "she" (whatever tense it is). Would this be a mistake?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends. On the site for fotografz, we use "we" because there is more than just me some

of the time ... and it's getting to be "we" more frequently. I am an employee of fotografz

which is an LLC.

 

I also wish to build a brand, not just an individual, so I can someday market and hire other

photographers rather than turn away so many double and triple request for the same date.

 

Not everyone wants to do that, so their approach may be different.

 

BTW, this isn't true: "That picture of ice cream you see in ads and displays? It's really lard."

Yes, stylists do the dishes, but the product has to be real.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<i>BTW, this isn't true: "That picture of ice cream you see in ads and displays? It's really lard." Yes, stylists do the dishes, but the product has to be real.</i>

<p>

And in defense of Jon:

<p>

Correct, if it is an ad specifically for ice cream, it must be ice cream. Ironically, it can be a solid chunk of ice cream frozen with dry ice. Further, if the ad is for Ice Cream, the chocolate syrup dripping down the side is most likely motor oil.

<p>

Steaming rice? Try a couple of soaked tampons in the dish of rice after it's been microwaved -- creates a lot of extra steam.

<p>

Though the ad or packaging is for Corn Flakes, it's white glue that looks like milk.

<p>

On camera, <i>often</i> the meat is raw -- and "painted" to look cooked. Keeps it plump and juicy.

<p>

Jon's point in bringing up the old-school trick of ice cream was to note nothing more than that marketing is not all that it may seem. Granted, a lot has changed since the Volvo debacle. Jon's not trying to express or even imply dishonesty. Rather, in marketing, you've gotta put your best foot forward. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and nobody wants to be caught wearing milk-bone underwear.

<p>

Signed,<br>

Jon's Dad

<p>

(Milk-bone underwear may not be available at all locations. The preceding was a dramatization. Celebrity voices impersonated. Void where prohibited. Not suitable for children. Side effects may include drowsiness and a dog biting your @$$.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marry a food stylist, and every meal is a work of art. Buy a assembly line hamburger

dished up by a high school kid and whatdayaget? Kinda like photo labs, huh?

 

Eat at Red Robin, the food served looks pretty close to what's in their ads ; -)

 

Guess who one of my clients is? LOL.

 

These days you are required to have a producer sign a legal document concerning

authenticity and performance of the subject product. Network legal clearance requires this

be on file before they'll run any ad. Props can be done anyway that looks good, just as

long as they aren't part of the subject, or add to the performance claim. The trend with

food stylist now is to use actual products whenever possible. Stand-ins are used to get the

lighting correct, then the Hero is brought out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I worked for a commercial food photographer in Las Vegas for years. Tons of food advertising here, billboards, editorials, print, etc...for all the hotel properties and the ever popular buffet.

 

All the food he ever shot was the real Mccoy. He worked with a couple of different food stylists and we typically spent from 1 to 4 days depending on how many shots he had to take. All the food was prepared and cooked by the stylists. Everything was geled, coated, sprayed, etc...but it was all real food cooked entirely by the stylists and the chefs of the properties. It all had to look exactly like what they served or people would complain, "this is not how it looked in the picture," We often started at 4 am and it took 15 hour days to shoot a few shots. The sylist and photographer bought all the food, the most beautiful fish, meat, etc...in my 7 years with him the only thing we ever used that was fake were ice cubes for some drink shots.

Food photography is the most grueling and tedious, long and intense shooting with a ton of clean up at the end. Its hard and has to be perfect and represent acurately the menu items, it is just sprayed and shined up a bit. We did tons of desserts with ice cream and it was all real food, styled, lit, and shot to perfection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I understand is if you are selling the actual food, it has to be real. Example: The big mac has to be real because they are selling it. The cornflakes have to be real, because they are selling it. The MILK however doesn't have to be real, because the corflakes company is not selling the milk in the box. Same with icecream. The ice cream company has to have the icecream real, but the topping can be motor oil if it is not sold in the package with the icecream. The food on a menu has to be real food, because they are selling that food. (not sure about the ice) But then again, I have never done this kind of work... this is just what I have heard. And, you know, everything I hear is true!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kari, I do supervise food shoots. Now. Leave for one in a few days. Been doing it for 10

years. All the food is real. Food stylists are great, and take pride in what they do.

 

The bread is fresh baked. The sauce on the ice cream is real. There are no marbles in the

soup. The vegetables are real. Yes, steam is added sometimes because it doesn't last long

enough to get the shot. I've never seen anything other than real milk used.

 

Some plastic props are made, like the ice-cubes, because heros melt to quickly. Some

packages are re-designed because the type and illustrations won't show up on TV due to

low resolution. If potatoes are to be shown, they might get a hundred potatoes to get a

perfect one. But why not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find bios hard to write so often have other people provide me with some input. Therefore, part of it ends up written by me, part of it by others. It seems to work better in the third person, especially when accomplishments are mentioned. For instance, if you have won awards, which sounds better? "I am an award-winning photographer" or "She is an award winning photographer"? For some reason stating credentials and accomplishments in the first person doesn't always sound the best, in my opinion anyway.

 

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...