The Workbook has been around almost as long as I have been shooting. If you don’t know what the Workbook is, it is a  semiannual industry source book focusing on Photography and Illustration catering to those industries and the people who utilize their services. In the beginning it was books where photographers and illustrators could showcase their work  and have it put in front of creatives that purchased their work, be it for advertising, editorial or various other marketing purposes. Over the years (or decades) it has grown substantially to also offer directories for the image creators to source support services (be it talent agencies, model makers, stylists, or producers) as well as the creatives hiring them  at advertising agencies and design firms. For me, for most of my career it has been my “go-to” for researching people who might utilize my photography.  As the world went digital, so too did the Workbook, migrating their directory to the web and hosting online portfolios for image makers. The Workbook still produces a print version of the of the Photography & Illustration  books – in fact they have gone to printing 2 times a year now instead of just one. I use the online directory on an almost daily basis to track down potential clients and obtain contact information.

This year the Workbook is taking the directory to the next level by spinning it off into its own entity known as Yodelist. Yodelist takes all of the great current database information and puts it in a user-friendly interface and expands the usability by integrating the ability to produce email campaigns. With Yodelist you can research and create custom lists of targeted contacts, manage, update, and stay in contact with vital individuals that hire photographers and illustrators.

As an instructor / mentor I have for years recommended the Workbook as one of the best resources for our industry and with this new iteration I’ll continue to do the same. Workbook has done a great job of staying current with the industry as well as maintaining a top-notch database in an industry that changes more often than the seasons.

If you are not using the Workbook as a support system for your studio, I highly recommend you get onboard! Check them out at workbook.com and yodelist.com.