Photo by Mireia Castane


Joe’s philosophy is that photographers should “not yield to whatever other people want them to be.” He says they should “marry to a creative idea and hold on for dear life until that first campaign.” Though waiting can be a difficult process, in this respect artists need some help. “As an agent, you’re in a caretaking position, where you inherit the obligation of being a therapist through the tough times.”

“Community viability is always a crapshoot,” he says, and for this reason, he’s sometimes forced to tell photographers: “It’s not the time now, but maybe soon.” Because of this, he says “I’ve funded photographers for years until they’ve got themselves to where they’re a huge success.”

“If you believe and stay true you’ll be shooting for $30-$50k day rates in no time,” Joe says. Though, like fishing, it’s more than just waiting with a bare hook; you have to do something to attract the prey. For everything to work, Joe says “there needs to be a personal vision highlighted by a commercial viability.” And to help make that happen, a rep’s job is to steer the school in the right direction.

“If a vision is strong, you’ll change enough minds to start a movement,” he says. “Inertia forms around art; it’s cultish in a way … and it’s my job to help popularize whatever the form or art is.”

“Yes,” he adds, “it all starts with a whisper of a movement at first, and the agent’s job to bring it to the world. You can change the course of your actions to fit the marketplace … but respecting the art first.”