Interview of a photographer's agent

Photos Diane Vasil

Marketing and sales in the photo biz have always been a focus and passion for Sarah Galperin. Six months ago, shestarted Treehouse Repsan agency specilizing in children’s illustration and photography. Sarah adds a social outreach component to her business, supporting a different charity each year, donating a percentage of the company’s income. She tells us a bit about herself and her new adventure.

How did the idea of Treehouse Rep come to you? I have been working as a photography agent for over 13 years, beginning in New York and transitioning to Los Angeles which invariably led me to becoming the Marketing Director for a well known photo studio. Throughout all, my clientele were high fashion campaigns and celebrity shoots. Of course, when the economy started to tank I saw our client base begin to dwindle, but was amazed to find children’s brands not only remained steadfast but started to flourish. This is when my idea came together. As a new parent, I had a vested interest in this market and knew from experience that you must really know and love any product you sell. It was time to carve out a niche, collaborate with like-minded individuals and create an agency that cared about the subject matter over the final product. That is precisely why every artist I choose to work with has to really love and understand children. I don’t want this to be just another job, not for me or for anyone who is part of Treehouse. Although it is not always easy or idyllic – it is very rewarding to work with children. I know all of my artists share this sentiment as well. To document and see life through the eyes of a child keeps me grounded and allows me to have that connection with childhood I still crave (time to time).

Can you name some of your clients as well as the charities that you will help with donations? We just started but ?we have been so fortunate that clients have embraced us. Our client list includes: Vogue Bambini, Lucky, Carters, Polo, Billabong and several local charity organizations that we have collaborated with. It was important for me that this agency be more than just about revenue and giving back to the community is an important aspect to this company – and not just once a year during the holidays.  I donate a percentage of my income to a different children’s charity each year ( 5-10%) and each artist has their individual charity they promote as well.  For 2010, I am working with the www.makeawish.com foundation.  I not only donate monetarily, but am aiding with fundraising efforts for their local event in Los Angeles.  Some of the charities Treehouse artists are working with include Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition and Cleanwater.org.  I will also never turn down a children’s charity that is in need of our assistance, either on a discounted rate or pro-bono.

What’s next for Treehouse Reps? I am so fortunate to work with a wonderful roster of artists. When I set out to create this agency I wanted to make sure I had a nice mix of young and established artists who were all very different from one another; artists who have their own identity and strong points of view. Building an Agency is definitely a work in progress and I hope to add more artists as time goes by…. maybe stylists and other talent as well but most importantly, I am excited to see how it will all come together.

Treehouse represents Diane Vasil, Harten, Claus Wickrath, Sara Jane Franklin and other artists. For more info, visit www.treehousereps.com