On Nov. 2, 1998, I published my very first post on Photofocus.com. I had been a working professional photographer for many years and when the Internet was just taking off, I decided I would try to use it to give back to the profession I loved.
Back then, there was no social media — no YouTube or Facebook — and there weren’t even “blogs” because RSS (Really Simple Syndication) hadn’t been invented by Netscape yet. There, I said it — NETSCAPE! Most of you won’t even remember Netscape but there was a time when it was as big as it got on the Internet.
A web magazine that celebrates the photograph
Anyway, I called the publication “Photofocus” because I didn’t think it would make sense to be camera-centric. I wanted to celebrate the photograph — not the tool that made it. I referred to the online information source as a “web magazine.” That was fairly common vernacular back then. The design was very simple and I did everything. I built the site, promoted it and populated it with regular content.
I initially concentrated primarily on helping people get the most out of photography. My own life has been blessed in enumerable ways by photography. I felt then — and still feel now — that I owe a debt to photography because of all the blessings I’ve received as a photographer. Later on, we added video coverage, especially when Richard Harrington got involved because his primary expertise was in video.
When I started, I didn’t have any immediate intent to monetize the site. I initially just looked at it as a philanthropic endeavor. It frankly didn’t occur to me that anyone would ever look at Photofocous as a business. (We went on to employ dozens of people over the years and generated more than seven figures in advertising revenue. I know — crazy, right?) More on adding advertisers below.
Like I said, in the early days it was just me. I reached out to all the camera companies and asked them to put Photofocus.com on their PR list. At the time many people looked at the Internet as a fad and some were skeptical as to whether or not they should consider Photofocus a “legitimate” media outlet. Eventually, every company but Sony signed on. (Sony’s PR maven at the time said the Internet was probably just a fly-by-night invention that wouldn’t take off. That statement didn’t age well.)
I did some gear reviews but tried to focus (pun intended) on basic stuff like how to use a circular polarizer or how to use an external flash. I always felt like the story and the final photograph that depicts it should be the center of my teaching efforts. This how-to approach suited my natural writing style. While I have never had any formal training as a writer (nor did I consider myself much of a writer when I started), I have since written more than 6000 articles about photography. That kind of seems like a lot.
Of course, as the years went by and Photofocus.com took hold of a real audience, I started getting calls from companies looking for advertising opportunities. Adobe was the first company to offer such support and frankly, I didn’t even know what to say when they asked how much an ad was. I was in such shock that someone would want to pay me money for access to my audience that I probably sounded like a fool. We eventually agreed on a price. Since then, we’ve helped more than 150 companies — most of them small — but we have had a few big ones like Apple, Canon, Microsoft and others reach the photo/video audience on Photofocus.
Tapping on the power of photography education
About that time I started to get guest posts from other photographers who I would meet on the speaking and workshop circuit. It was around then that I started teaching workshops and speaking at national conferences. I found out the one thing that caused me to believe in the power of online teaching and that is the fact that every day new people are getting serious about photography.
No matter how basic, there’s something that the new person needs to learn and I wanted to offer that information and do it for free. This value of that approach was driven home to me around year 10 of publication when I wrote and posted an article explaining how a circular polarizer works. Now I know what you’re thinking — sheesh everyone knows that. Well, I admit that I sort of thought that too but then something crazy happened. In a matter of two or three weeks that simple article on how a circular polarizer works was the most read and downloaded article on Photofocus.com and it remained the most popular for several years.
I kept trying to teach what I thought was basic enough that it could be valuable to the largest group of people while occasionally mixing in some more advanced or intermediary topics.
As I combined my field workshops, national photo conferences with my blog and eventually one of the first podcasts dealing strictly with photography — i.e., the Photofocus Podcast — I came to realize that we were on to something. Unfortunately, the site had grown to proportions I just couldn’t manage on my own anymore. I also ran into some health problems. So, I sold the site to fellow contributor and friend Richard Harrington. I have woven my way back in and out of Photofocus over the years, contributing when Rich needed my help or when I felt like I had something to contribute. But it’s always been his baby since the handover.
Onward to the next 25 years
I am very grateful he’s kept the site running as we turn 25. Very few of the original photo sites that launched around the same time as Photofocus are still around. Some have had their owners pass away so the sites closed. Some have transferred owners or changed missions. I can tell you that doing anything and making it stick for a quarter century is no small accomplishment.
While many people have migrated to YouTube or social media sites to gain their photographic knowledge, I think there is still a place for this simple blog-style site that anyone can access for free — (I’ll mention here that we have never charged a fee to access Photofocus — it’s been free for as long as it’s been around). While nobody knows the future, I hope Photofocus is around for 25 more years.
One thing is for sure — I won’t be here in 25 years but I am glad my progeny might be. I have had the pleasure and honor of helping tens of thousands of photographers during my career. I will continue to do so for as long as I am able.
One day my voice will eventually go silent as I pass on to the next big photo convention in the sky. When that happens you may or may not notice. But if you do, I hope you’ll remember Photofocus fondly. It has been a big part of my life and the lives of many photographers.
I want to thank those of you who have been with me since day one. The site would be nothing without its audience. Of course, I want to thank the sponsors who helped keep this ship sailing. They were there when we needed them and I will never forget it. I also want to thank the litany of talented photographers, teachers and creators who have been kind enough to contribute to this site over the last two decades. They are all better at this than me and I feel lucky to have had their contributions.
In closing, I want to give a special thanks to Richard Harrington, Levi Sim, Dave Moser, Skip Cohen and Robert Vanelli — all of whom I worked with closely on this project and all of whom made it way better than it was when it was just me.
Thanks for celebrating our 25th anniversary with me. Keep your camera handy and don’t forget to keep your finger on that shutter button. I am rooting for you.
Sincerely,
Scott Bourne
Founder — Photofocus.com