On the shores of Greece

There is a story in Greek mythology that says that long ago, an Italian sailor on his way to home heard someone screaming from the shores of Greece: “the great god Pan is dead”. It was later on interpreted as meaning that the last of the Greek gods has passed away and it was the end of the Greek dominance on world knowledge.

When I read Ellen Boughn’s blog post this morning, it reminded me of that story. Not that Ellen has suffered any health issues ( thankfully). Rather it’s the interpretation of her entry that has similarities.

Ellen wrote “This blog is done. Almost anything anyone would want to know about taking and selling stock photos from my knowledge base has been covered and more.” only to continue with ” I’m writing another book. but not about photography”.

It is a significant milestone. Ellen has been educating thousands of photographers and agency owners with her infinite knowledge of the stock photo industry. She has been a leading figure who has been at forefront of every evolution this industry has gone through and has never hesitated to put herself, and her knowledge in question, if she thought it was appropriate. Along with her legendary outspoken style, she has touched everyone who has ever been in her contact with her intelligence and brilliance. In a time where everyone is an expert, when anyone can post on Facebook, twitter, blogs, Quora, forums just about everything and anything, her voice was dissipating. Some even thought wise to directly confront her ideas, even thought they had little less than a few sales on Istockphoto as experience. Now, with Ellen’s disappearance from the community voices , we have lost that trail of wisdom that could lead us safely out of the wilderness of this business. The cacophony has increased two-fold. Surrounded by snake oil merchants and self proclaim gurus and coaches, we are left swimming in a sea of gluey opinions that leave us little chance to learn how to swim. Those who enter the stock photo industry market today, or those who wish to grow have little or no options anymore, besides relying on the questionable mutterings of those who have little to teach. Those who have too much time on their hands and flood all and every available public forum with their insipid blabbering.

Ellen’s blog will be missed as will Ellen’s insight and knowledge. We will no longer have access to a glimpse of truth. We will forever miss her writings about photography. And as we continue to travel on our journey into an unknown future, we too will have heard : “the great Ellen’s blog is dead’.

Her blog was here