Fellow landscape lighting Pro’s: Be careful about the information you are providing to trade mag’s

29 Aug Fellow landscape lighting Pro’s: Be careful about the information you are providing to trade mag’s

By Mike Gambino

I write this blog only 9 days after publishing this article on this very blog https://gambinolighting.com/2013/08/17/select-your-landscape-lighting-designer-builder-with-much-care/

Low and behold I have received a generous offer to contribute to an article that is currently being written about landscape lighting design in another landscaping trade magazine.

Below is the e-mail I received

Hi Mike: 

I found two of your landscape lighting blogs from April 2013 entitled “Landscape Lighting is “IN.”   Is it ok to incorporate a few of your statements in our upcoming article on landscape lighting design tips for xxxx Design-Build? The article is perfect for what we want to portray to the green industry’s design-installation folks.  

We can also use hi res  images.  We of course will give you full credit.  I found this description on your blogsite–should we use this?  Thanks much! 

Mike Gambino of Gambino Landscape Lighting inc.  is a professional Los Angeles-based landscape lighting system designer/ builder who has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years.

I am often asked to contribute content to trades such as this and others. And after being burned on more than one occasion I have learned to be much more selective in agreeing to do this.

Here is my initial response to this offer:

Hello xxx,

Thanks for asking for permission to use some quotes I made on my blog. I would have to read the final version of the entire article first before granting permission. The description would be ok to use providing www.gambinolighting.com is added.

Please provide the finished version of the article as soon as you can that includes the quotes of mine and I will get back to you very quickly.

Best regards,

Mike Gambino

Gambino landscape lighting inc.

Here is the response to my e-mail from the writer

Hi Mike:

I cant give you a copy of the finished article because I never know how its going to turn out until its published myself.  I turn it into an editor who decides.  

I can tell you that I have three other landscape lighting experts participating and that the information covered comes rom the following questions:  I have written more than 50 articles for the landscaping trade magazines,  If you want to contribute your answers to any of these questions, that would be fine  too.  

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR LANDSCAPE LIGHTING ARTICLE

What can landscape lighting do for a property? What are landscape lighting’s benefits and why?

What are tips to designing an aesthetically pleasing yet functional landscape lighting plan?

What are some mistakes to avoid when designing landscape lighting on a project? How do you avoid them?

How is designing with light different from designing with plants? Please explain.

What are some standard design elements that are always included in a properly designed landscape lighting project and why?

 Here is a link to the publication xxxDESIGN-BUILD.

I am a writer on assignment for it. 

xxx xxxxx green industry article portfolio

Here is my follow up question since I am told I cannot see the article before contributing

xxx

Who are the three other contributors?

Thanks Mike G

 Writers response

 Hi Mike:

 Winning trio so far with great insights:  xxxxx xxxxxxx, xxxx Lighting; xxxx xxxxx, xxxxxxx Lighting and xxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. xxxxx Landscaping. Sure would welcome some of yours.  Turning in story end of day tomorrow. 

 Thanks. Xxx

 Here is my response declining the offer and giving my reasons

 Hi xxx,

I spent some time reading some of the articles you’ve written in the past for this trade magazine and others. I think you are a fine writer, well done. I noticed that you’ve never done one on the topic of landscape lighting the closest being an article written in August 2009 on holiday lighting.

The first line of this particular article is-“ Doesn’t it all seem to make perfect dollars and sense for any landscape company to jump in head over heels into the holiday lighting business?” I realize this was not about landscape lighting but this sentiment sums up all that’s wrong with the landscape lighting industry. The holiday lighting message is pretty much the same message of most all articles written about the specialty landscape lighting trade in magazines geared towards enticing the general trades-landscapers, irrigators, masons etc. from entering part time into it. I can assure you that the last thing this specialty trade needs are more part time generalists entering into it.

You are now doing an article on landscape lighting design. Out of the three individuals you have chosen (or who have been chosen for you by the publisher) to contribute to your article not one actually makes their living (like I do and have for 23 years) from actually designing and installing landscape lighting systems for live property owning clients. You’ve got 2 manufacturer reps and a landscaper. With both of these manufacturers I have a conflict of interest as they offer their products direct to the end consumer which is detrimental to design installers like myself and my colleagues. After viewing the landscapers website there are no photos of completed lighting projects. Actually in fact there is not even a mention of landscape lighting or that they even offer this service on the website at all so the expertise that can be offered there seems quite questionable.

Hopefully this is not the case here but typically when manufacturers are involved in articles written by and for general trade magazines the information provided is not always the most accurate and is mostly aimed at getting more generalists to add landscape lighting to their list of services and install their products. In fact only 9 days ago I published a blog for my website describing this very problem with another trade magazine’s recent article https://gambinolighting.com/2013/08/17/select-your-landscape-lighting-designer-builder-with-much-care/ . I’m surprised if you didn’t come across this while perusing my blog.

Thanks for the opportunity to contribute but I must respectfully decline for the reasons outlined above. In any event, if you are charged to write a similar article in the future where you limit the contributors to those that are actually practicing professionals on the topic I would be interested in contributing content to and in providing high resolution photos like you have asked of me on this one.

Best regards,

Mike Gambino

Gambino landscape lighting inc.

The landscape lighting business already has too many unqualified service providers. The cost to the consumer and the damage to the industry is very high.

The writer was very professional and responded with this:

 Hi Mike:

 Thanks for your comments and well taken. I totally understand. 

I unfortunately, have to use sources and storylines/focuses that the editors tell me to use.  Sometimes I’m allowed to interject others like what would have been in your case. 

 I am not sure if xxxx’s choice of sources is tied to any “promotional” relationships established with the magazine–I’m never privy to that being a contributing writer. 

 Lets keep in touch for future stories,,,

 Best regards, 

xx

In final I replied

Thanks xxx,

I apologize if my response was rather blunt in tone but it’s nothing personal with you. I think you know that and I understand how the magazines operate, the extreme pressures they have operating in today’s climate and how they must include the opinion and slant of the advertiser that is supporting their publication. That is just pure economics.

Yes, please let’s do keep in touch for future projects. I will be looking out for your article, lots of luck with it and I’m sure it will be well written as all of your body of work has been.

Respectfully

Mike G

I have written articles in the past (not with this writer) for this particular magazine and I was very disappointed with the editing of the final article and how it appeared in the magazine. I was given (or at least promised) complete editorial control and final sign of on the article however that meant nothing and the editor had his/her own agenda. There is only one writer/editor of pool/water related products industry who after working on several articles over a number of years has never betrayed my trust.

 Bottom line is if you are not part of the solution as a landscape lighting specialist trades person then you are part of the problem. Can you imagine how foolish and hypocritical I would look had I contributed to another article similar to the one I just warned and railed against a mere 9 days earlier right here on this blog? 

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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