A few months ago I bid on a huge job with a potential new client. It was a tremendous opportunity for me to really show the world what I was capable of photography and video wise. I spoke on almost a daily basis with the owners and marketing department and put together a most favorable quote. Everything seemed to be going great and I was gearing up to arrive on-site and start shooting the project.

Then, everything stopped.

They stopped taking my calls and stopped responding to my emails. After a few weeks of no response I chocked it up as another excellent opportunity missed.
I thought perhaps it something in my quote, something in an email or a conversation. When you lose a big job like this you question everything.

A few days ago, out of the blue, I sent a text to the owner of the company, asking point blank, if he was still interested in having his project photographed and documented. He called me back within and hour and said yes he was still VERY interested but he has some reservations about my credibility. He said that the word around the industry is that I am employed by one his competitors and in the end didn't like the idea of another demolition company walking around his job site. So he had one question for me. Do you work for Demo Contractor X?

I paused for a moment and said, 'This is my biggest problem with getting work in the demolition industry. Everyone thinks I work for them. I am an independent contractor and photograph on a freelance basis. I shoot heavy construction, architecture and demolition."
While, yes, I have worked for them off and on since 2001 they are not my only client, I am not employed by them nor am I on their payroll.
I know that there are certain 'trade-secrets' in the demolition industry that contractors don't wish to share and I for one will never divulge any means or methods to anyone of another party.

I have a saying, 'What happens at Company X, stays at Company X.' Period.

First and foremost I am an artist, a photographer, a photojournalist documenting the history of the world. I would like the opportunity to document your projects for you while photographing your incredible machinery and workforce. Show the world how your safely take a building or structure down to make way for the new rebuilding of America.

Ultimately, I would like to do a big coffee table book on the demolition in the United States. It would be a favorable homage to the men and machines and history of the business. What do you guys think?