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Phil Douglis | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixty Seven: The art of salesmanship – more than a job tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Gallery Sixty Seven: The art of salesmanship – more than a job




As a perpetual tourist, I am constantly the target of a sales pitch wherever I travel. That’s what tourists ultimately provide their hosts –a livelihood. We are suckers for sombreros, jewels, carpets, scarves, trinkets and talismans. No matter how hard we bargain, we will invariably come out on the short end, but yet we continue to come back for more. Instead of avoiding sales people, I often photograph them. I photograph their passion and their boredom, their skill and their craft – in essence, their lives. Whether they sell primarily to tourists or serve the every day needs of their community, they generally are absorbed in their work. For many, selling is a matter of economic survival. Their work is often is more than just a job. It becomes who they are. And that is what I’ve tried to express in this gallery. (You can find additional images of salesmanship in my galleries on the workplace and marketplace.)

The initial dozen images in this gallery were made on my visit to Tunisia in the fall of 2008. I hope to add more examples of salesmanship to this gallery on my future travels.

I present this gallery, as usual, in "blog" style. A large thumbnail is displayed for each image, along with a caption explaining how I intended to express my ideas. If you click on the large thumbnail, you can see it in its full size, as well as leave comments and read the comments of others. I hope you will be able to participate in the dialogue. I welcome your comments, suggestions, ideas, and questions, and will be delighted to respond.


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Phil Douglis02-Dec-2008 21:22
Thanks, Iris, for coming to this gallery. I posted it to feature the art of salesmanship, rather than the marketplace itself. I devote an entire gallery to how to shoot in marketplaces themselves at my existing gallery "The Marketplace -- crossroads of the community" (http://www.pbase.com/pnd1/marketplace ) As far as additions go to this gallery on the art of salesmanship, I will be adding more images from future travels. (My images from past trips, such as our visit to China, are already posted in other galleries.) You are right about the cultural insights and also about the universality of markets and salesmanship. The bottom line is that markets are at the essence of life itself -- they provide food, clothing and other essentials. And of course, they provide cultural artifacts and souvenirs for visiting tourists In they end, they provide a livelihood for the community, as well as a gathering place.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)02-Dec-2008 20:20
This is a wonderful new gallery, Phil. I am always drawn to images of the marketplace in different countries. Although there's certainly a universal quality to all marketplaces, the colors, the dress, the faces, the products, the storefronts, and the architecture give us a fascinating insight into the specific culture of a people. You have certainly presented this with Tunisia. I look forward to more additions to this gallery (perhaps some from our trip to China!)
Phil Douglis29-Nov-2008 05:01
Thanks, Alina -- Tunisia's markets are, like markets everywhere, a clash of sellers and potential buyers. It is a fascinating clash, full of surprises, emotion, and at times, boredom. This gallery chronicles all of these things. I hope to add more examples to this gallery from future trips, as well.
Alina29-Nov-2008 01:35
Very colorful gallery, thank you for showing us Tunisia’s market places.
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