John Bantin 101 Posted December 14, 2011 As an advertising photographer in the '80s, I did a picture of a Walls Pork Sausage that was very successful for the product and its advertising agency but put me in danger of being Britain's top sausage photographer (and never being asked to do an ad for Guinness, Toyota, Petfoods etc). That's because people like to put you in a pigeonhole. I turned down any commission that involved sausages after that and enjoyed a successful career being pigeonholed instead as a 'safe pair of hands'. Since I gave up that career to go diving, I've concentrated on underwater photography and have built up a library of around 350,000 pictures over 20 years. I may not be an award-winner but I have found a steady demand for these pictures that net me a useful amount of money each month. However, I've made my name as a diving writer (despite the fact that my pictures are used to illustrate my articles and articles written by others and are seen (unattributed) elsewhere. I was recently commissioned to write a book of short stories about diving and the 70,000 word manuscript is now with the publisher. I am the author. Imagine my surprise when the marketing dept. of the publisher (in charge of the cover design) sent me their finalised version of the cover of my book with a photograph by someone else! Well, I'm a writer. How could I possibly have made any suitable pictures! Pigeonholed again! (I just wanted to share my anguish with you all!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWBrooks 26 Posted December 14, 2011 Could be worse, you could have been Britain's top sausage photographer...... What an accolade..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Bantin 101 Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) Could be worse, you could have been Britain's top sausage photographer......What an accolade..... Exactly...By the way, I was with Navot and Tova a couple of weeks ago. Edited December 15, 2011 by John Bantin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpio_fish 5 Posted December 15, 2011 Heck, I thought the story was going to go full circle and the cover shot of your book was going to be ......a sausage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted December 15, 2011 You just need a better agent, John. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cerianthus 55 Posted December 15, 2011 where is a `like` button when you need one.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeanB 19 Posted December 19, 2011 I'm apparently known as the 'Pike-man' at the Natural History Unit... Great to be known, although the 'Manta' or even 'Tropical water' man would have been better for location work ... Dean Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnjvv 11 Posted December 19, 2011 Let us see the picture of the sausage!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Bantin 101 Posted December 19, 2011 Let us see the picture of the sausage!!! Alas, I have no way of scanning a 10x8 transparency! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nige Wade 0 Posted December 19, 2011 Let us see the picture of the sausage!!! I'm sure JB's Sausage isn't as impressive as he makes out Merry Xmas Nige Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRC 2 Posted December 19, 2011 Harsh but fair Nige - he is getting on a bit...... (moving back a safe distance....) Paul C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loftus 42 Posted December 19, 2011 I'm sure JB's Sausage isn't as impressive as he makes out Merry Xmas Nige Now he was a Playboy photog once Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted December 19, 2011 It's very disconcerting when sausages and Playboy in the forum, especially when it's JB's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Bantin 101 Posted December 19, 2011 It's very disconcerting when sausages and Playboy in the forum, especially when it's JB's. Get it right! Penthouse! (A rather long time ago. Do you want to see my pictures of naked grandmas? They weren't grandmas when I photographed them!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRC 2 Posted December 19, 2011 Ah remember it well do you John ? - years before photoshopping / inflation of such 'assets' became the norm. Have to go careful here or we will be dragging Jeff in for a professional assessment...... Paul C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
