Like every drug dealer, you want to have the best product. Photographers are constantly looking for that fresh idea or new look or the infamous "secret filter" that distinguishes their work from others. The point is to attract new clients and even "steal" them from your competition. The dealers are in it to make money and so are the photographers.
Now in order to keep clients coming to you for their "fix", you have to constantly supply them with a product that feeds their high. For example: thanks to many social media websites including instagram, models are getting noticed by the amount of "likes" and "double taps" they receive. It feeds their high. Photographers should focus on things that would assist the high. Once a model is satisfied with the product, she labels the photographer as DOPE and tells others about him or her. The best photographers in the model's eyes are the ones who can get them published. When the model realizes that and actually gets published, they will continue to come back for their fix ultimately making them a dealer of your product. The model is now a reflection of your work and certain rules will apply as far as how your product will be distributed.
Selling drugs is illegal and so can photography. Many photographers trespass in order to get to a location for a shoot. Some of the best locations are the ones nobody has used. Today with almost EVERYBODY being a photographer, many of the main locations are parks and anything with graffiti background if they do not have access to a studio location. Experienced photographers understand that versatility is key so some risks are worth getting that perfect shot including trespassing. Many photographers for urban magazines travel from city to city. This creates a problem for hometown photographers. I'll explain more later...
Dealers are also willing to steal product to stay ahead of the game. In a sense photographers do it too in a few ways. Many new photographers are looking to find a style, so naturally, they're going to mimic someone they admire. They will study the work and do their best to reproduce it; Stolen style. Editing software can be quite expensive as well. Rather than pay for it, photographers either burn a copy from someone or download it from a torrent site. Like a dealer who comes across unclaimed product, it saves them money and nothing is lost. Its a win-win situation. Some photographers are also looking for that high so in order for them to become DOPE they may take your model/supplier by offering them their cheaper, more beneficial, or sometimes even better quality. Now back to the urban magazine photographers. The have access to more product and are able to distribute to a larger audience. This is like gold for models. It's the new crack with a limited supply because most of the photographers are only in town for a few days and while they're here it's a GUARANTEED high. Those photographers not only steal product, but they keep the people wanting more and feening for a return. It's absolutely genius
"Never get high off your own supply". This quote could not be more true when it comes to photography. Many photographers get comfortable after becoming established or known in their area/field and are "high" off of their own success. They forget about how hungry they were when they first started and they also forget about the foot soldiers. Those foot soldiers are coming for that top spot and if the photographer is not careful they'll lose the DOPE and the hungry foot soldier will have the juice.
Each day ask yourself; "What would I do to kick my own ass" and your answer will be the key to your success.
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