Rangefinder Magazine

Profile: Mark Bolster
Transforming “Life’s Little Moments”
by Lou Jacobs Jr

With his promotional photo-graphic samples Mark Bolster describes himself as “A well traveled location photographer who transforms people and life’s little moments into extraordinary images for advertising, corporate and editorial clients.” He says he’s interested in working with “a few creative people” who share his enthusiasm and commitment to producing work that “must be conceived from the heart” before it can be made in camera. In Pittsburgh, PA Mark Bolster tries hard to live up to those promotional words.

In 1975, just out of high school he made his first sale to designer Tommy Hilfiger. Using a 200mm lens and home made credentials, Mark shot Hilfiger’s sponsored formula racing car, “for the fun of it.” He framed a print and sold it to Tommy who owned a local store selling jeans, records and smoking accessories. Mark refused a barter and got a $30 check on the spot.

“I was naïve about the business, but photography seemed a great way to make a living,” he admits. To that end he enrolled at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh (AIP) where the courses were basic and diversified, and found himself less experienced than other students. To catch up, he read books and shot self-assignments, using a college photo club darkroom to further his self-improvement.

Halfway through school Mark applied to National Geographic for a summer internship, but was told that his pictures were “boring,” a real world evaluation that spurred him to work harder and give up the idea of being a photojournalist. In the final quarter before graduating (in 1978), Mark worked as an apprentice to Cosimo Zaccaria in Pittsburgh who did beauty and catalog pictures. “I learned a lot of practical techniques, and he taught me how to make fine B&W and color prints,” Mark remembers. “I developed a discrete eye and knowledge of color theory, and realized quickly that what I had learned in school was not enough.”

When Zaccaria offered Mark a full time position as studio manager, he accepted and stayed for two-and-a-half years. “By that time I had a strong desire to specialize in location work and to shoot corporate annual reports. There were few assistant’s jobs in Pittsburgh so I moved to New York, which was scary. I had no acquaintances, little money and still suffered from small town influences. On my first job with well known Michael O’Neill, they sent me for croissants and I came back with Danish. I was too intimidated to ask what croissants were.” Mark went on to assist other still life shooters, but gradually switched to location shooters which he preferred.

Some photographers were temperamental but Mark learned from almost everyone, and adapted quickly. “These were valuable lessons,” he said, “which I applied to working with new art directors later. I assisted for three-and-a-half years in New York before starting to show my portfolio. Assisting is the best way to break into the business, and you can find good shooters as teachers in most major cities now.” Mark figures he assisted about 80 photographers, and though the work was hard, he would do it all over again. He adds, “Stop assisting when you feel you know as much or more than the shooters who hire you.”

Finally on his own, Mark began showing his book to art directors. For his first big job General Electric, who had seen his ad in Corporate Showcase, sent him to Zambia to shoot a copper mine. His week in Africa resulted in a double-page national ad in business magazines like Business Week and Fortune. “I also had some nice portfolio samples,” he says, “despite the fact that in Africa I got severely dehydrated for a couple days.”

In his next break Mark was featured as an upcoming photographer in Art Direction magazine which he remembers was a big ego boost because he was going though a three-month dry spell, but says he was too broke to quit photography. “My wife had a full time job,” Mark explains, “but we saw no future of owning a home in New York.” So in 1985 the Bolsters moved back to Pittsburgh where corporate and industrial work seemed promising. Two weeks later he was hired to shoot a corporate magazine cover by Mellon Bank, still a steady client. Cosimo Zaccaria helped him with a loan, which was repaid in two years. “The loan was a huge help,” Mark admits, “and I’ll always be grateful. I was working out of my house with no staff (I still have none), using freelance assistants.”

Now Mark Bolster was in his element. He explains, “I began building a reputation in the corporate sphere making ugly industrial sites look interesting by lighting techniques, graphic composition, dedication to work and perseverance. On a location, the more control you have usually equals better photographs. Shooting still life increased my understanding of light placement, and types of lighting. I used those principles In a factory. You just need more stuff like a crane for high lights and remote controls to fire them.

“In my opinion corporate/industrial photography, when done right, is the toughest kind of shooting, though I think unique and fresh sports photography could be as tough. Graphic designers hire me because they know I’ll ask questions, and approach the job efficiently. Often there is no budget to send an art director, and I’m pleased when clients trust me to shoot projects and spend their money with no supervision on location.

“Right now I don’t shoot as many annual reports as a few years ago because they tend to be more conceptual and perhaps less planning time is allowed. So designers may tend to rely heavily on still life pictures that are Photo-shopped like crazy. Photoshop is a great tool, but it’s too often used as a crutch, or to save a shoot. I’m concerned that people may not think photography is believable anymore. In time there could be a shift back to reality-based images.”

Anticipating this trend, about seven years ago Mark began creating a people/lifestyle portfolio. “The pictures have more of an edge to them,” he says, “sometimes blurry, off center, the wrong color and not so predictable. Completely opposite to the buttoned down look of my corporate portfolio. I keep improving this look, and it has paid off in advertising assignments and stock sales.”

As a specialist, Mark has found working from Pittsburgh very satisfying because he is able to attract regional and national clients. He sends his corporate book or the lifestyle book when a portfolio is requested. Corporate work usually requires travel from wherever you live, and he says, “If you are a creative person, you are driven by new challenges and experiences wherever they’re presented.”

Presently, Mark’s work is about 40% corporate, 30% lifestyle stock production, 20% people/lifestyle advertising and 10% editorial, almost all on location, and out of town more than half the time. Stock sales are growing, and he predicts, “I can see myself doing stock almost exclusively, and being very selective about assignments. International Stock is my only agency since 1982. They’re wonderful, ethical people.”
In the past Mark has successfully used ads in various source books, but now he spends the money on stock production. He still does direct mailers and his web site, www.markbolster.com has been quite successful in bringing in new work. He has eight different portfolios available for circulation, and does not use CD portfolios nor a rep – though he feels they may be worthy future options. He believes art directors are happy to get away from their monitors and view actual pictures they can handle.

Mark rents office space in a studio from photographer Vince Graziani, and uses the 5,000-sq. ft. shooting space once in a while for portraits, fashion and testing. The facility includes E-6 processing and digital capabilities and the two photographers help drive each other creatively and discuss business problems. He mainly uses the Canon EOS1n with a full range of lenses. “The tilt/shift 90mm is probably my favorite,” he explains, “and I use it a lot, mainly to throw things out of focus. I also use the Pentax 6x7 system, mostly for environmental executive portraits.” His strobes are Dynalites with Pocket Wizard radio remote triggers, and he also owns a lot of accessory lighting equipment. Mark’s film choices are Fuji Velvia, Kodak VS100, Verichrome Pan and Tri-X.

On location assignments Mark uses at least one assistant, and sometimes more depending on job complexity and budget. “An assistant allows me to concentrate on the photography and on being creative, rather than mundane things. I use several guys on a regular basis who are experienced, fast, responsible and enthusiastic.” On location he hires professional models, but sometimes finds people “off the street,” who can add authenticity to appropriate situations.

Mark’s Travel/Location Tips
Mark Bolster offers some helpful ideas for travel and location work:
• Always book your own travel arrangements, don’t let the client do it for you. They don’t understand the consequences of traveling with hundreds of pounds of equipment.
• On flights always carry your cameras and film aboard, though they may be bulky.
• Carry a cell phone in case a flight is late or cancelled. Call the airline directly for schedules and to rebook.
• Using a local assistant can make life easier. Get recommendations from other photographers.
• In a folio or envelope keep checklists of what’s in your carrying cases, plus directions, maps, shooting scripts and receipts.
• If there’s time, ship your equipment FedEx to the location ahead of time, or rent equipment if working in a major city. Costwise these alternatives are about the same as carrying it as baggage, which may be more stressful.
• Avoid e-tickets (ordered electronically via Internet). They may slow you down if travel plans need to be changed.
• Location photography comes down to budgeting your time, having plenty of patience, especially for lighting, choosing a quality level that satisfies the client, and then shooting.

Mark is much influenced by good design and color psychology, and has been especially inspired by Jay Maisel (“for his composition and eye for light”) and Bruce Weber (“for his spontaneous eye”). He is also continually aware of careful business negotiations. He says, “Clients may try to squeeze photographers’ fees illogically, and we must know when to say ‘no’ to avoid exploitation. In the realm of publication rights, we have to repeatedly educate buyers that we charge separately for each medium in which images will be used. We should also realize that if we try to undercut legitimate fees others charge, we are our own worst enemies. When professionals can make colleagues understand how to value their work more highly and stand up for their rights, they help improve our creative climate.”

Mark Bolster can be reached at: mbolster@icubed.com or by phone at (412) 231-3757.

Lou Jacobs Jr. is the author of 23 how-to photography books, the latest of which, The Big Picture, was recently published. He has taught at UCLA and Brooks Institute of Photography and enjoys shooting stock on his travels in the U.S. and abroad.