Business

Gratitude

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Its amazing how effective saying thank you can be.  Do you remember the last time you got a hand written thank you note or small, unexpected gift from someone?  I do, these things always stand out to me and make an impression. I notice that when I send out thank you notes and small gifts, they are equally noticed.  There is nothing more rewarding than to have my holiday cards and gifts received and followed by some nice new opportunities for work from new and/or existing clients.  I look forward to this every year.  As a small business owner it truly is better to give than to receive.

New Year’s Resolutions

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Be more focused – This is probably on my mental list every year, but its something that can be improved upon constantly in my opinion.  I want to continue to fine tune both the work I am shooting and presenting and the client base I am targeting for greater success. Schedule better – planning out the marketing and maintenance of my business on a weekly basis should in theory help me manage my time better.   I have been working up to this over the past few years, and I think I am ready to have all my promo pieces and efforts planned in advance for the whole year.  I have left a few postcards with looser ideas to allow for the most current work to be used in my promotions.    Business maintenance is harder, because it feels as if I never know what will be needed from week to week.  This is a tough one that I always want to do, but never fully achieve so wish me luck.

Get involved with the community – I have taken on two new roles this year: APA Midwest Chair and Portfolio Class instructor at Harrington College.  I am excited to boost my connections with others in the industry from students to fellow photographers and crewmembers.  I always learn a lot from these interactions so I am excited to have some new responsibilities in place to help me with this one.

I’d love to hear other people’s business resolutions too, so feel free to add some in the comments.

I Heart LinkedIn

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I use LinkedIn on an almost daily basis to establish and maintain connections with clients, crew, subjects, other photographers and people I meet during portfolio reviews or other events.  I wish it had been around years ago when I first started showing my portfolios because it’s an incredible tool for staying connected with people, especially if they change jobs.  I can’t tell you how many people I met with 5 years ago that I now have almost no way of tracking down, especially if they have a popular first or last name (or both). I would be surprised if freelancers in any field were not taking advantage of this great connecting tool, especially photographers.  I have had people contact me through the site who were interested in hiring me.  This makes sense. As I have begun keeping better track of all the requests that come for my services, about 80% of them come from referrals or previous clients.

My philosophy is that everyone in my network should have some sort of connection to me in the non-virtual world.  Even if its just a meeting or a request for a quote that doesn't pan out, it’s better than just connecting with people I don’t know.  All the more reason to get out from behind the computer and get some actual face time more often.

Baby Steps

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A few days ago I got a phone call from a recent graduate who wanted some advice on her portfolio and on entering the photography industry.  I enjoy talking to people in the early stages of their careers about what the next steps are because I find that what we discuss applies to people at all stages of their careers and reminds me of what I need to keep working on myself.  This conversation reminded me of the need to break down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps. This photographer said her dream job was working for Italian Vogue.   Cool, I thought, mine too!  But seriously, once we talked about all the steps she would have to take to reach that goal and what she would have to do once she attained it, I think she came away understanding that it was not something to enter into lightly.   Setting some goals that she could actually attain in the next 6 months to a year would be a good start towards getting where she wants to be.  I suggested one of three things:

  1. Move to New York with at least 6 months of living expenses and take an unpaid intern position with the best fashion photographer who will take her (ideally arranged before the move!)  In her free time she should be constantly shooting for her own portfolio with the best models and stylists she can work with and meeting as many people as possible that might eventually hire her as an assistant or throw a small magazine or advertising job her way to help her get started.
  2. If she doesn’t want to move, work towards something that can be attained in Chicago (see my entry about positioning yourself in your market), perhaps trying for a job at a catalog studio for a year or two followed by some assisting for a few more years (or vice versa) so she could gain much needed shooting and business experience to prepare her for starting her own freelance business.  Add the same shooting and networking strategy from above.
  3. Work in related jobs (photo editing, styling, producing, assisting an agent, etc.) either in Chicago or in a larger market that would get her closer to working on the projects she wants without sitting in the directors chair.  Continue shooting what she loves and of course more networking.

None of these strategies would guarantee that she will eventually land a photography assignment for Italian Vogue, but she would at least be a lot closer to that goal than she is now.  Once she reaches her smaller goals she will have plenty of time to retool her strategy based on what she learned by taking the first steps.

Question for the clients – what is your portfolio telling them?

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At what point does a collection of nice pictures become a portfolio that brings in work?  I am amazed at how one could spend hours, days, even weeks searching through online photography portfolios.  Of course there is a range of quality as in any industry, but there are a lot of people out there who have taken some nice pictures.  So how do clients comb through the endless options when trying to hire someone for an original assignment?  I asked a few clients how they separate a great shooter from the herd. Art buyer: My advice is to show what you shoot.  Examples of good lighting and technique are good too but people hire you for your specialty.  If you have a positive personality – play that up too.

My interpretation:  Get in touch with your specialty.  Go beyond just people places and things.  Do you shoot people smiling?  Groups of people?  Individuals in studio?  Is your still life work dark and moody, or light and bright?  The more you can showcase what your exact vision is the better a buyer will be able to match you with a job.

Graphic designer: When I look at a photographers portfolio, especially if they drop their book off or are showing it in person, I want to see examples of the kind of photography I use in my client’s work.  Personal work is fine to show, but I want to know that the photographer can shoot what I will definitely need for a project.  I also appreciate the photographer doing some research on the work our firm does and then shows relevant photography.

My interpretation: If the company designs websites and collateral for, lets say, colleges and universities primarily, they may not be interested in seeing your collection of conceptual food photography.  Being well-researched takes a lot of time and energy, but is well worth it.

Women in Photography

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I recently attended a meeting with a group of other women in the photography industry ranging from established photographers to recent graduates.  Women have come a long way in the past several decades, but it was comforting to hear that I am not the only one who has been mistaken for a stylist, rep, etc. on more than one occasion.  I have been showing my portfolio to prospective clients and had them ask me whose work they were looking at.  This has happened so many times that I come to expect it when meeting someone who is unfamiliar with my work. But I am never offended.  How many times has someone told me I was shooting a CEO and my gut reaction was, “What’s his name?”  We have all made these mistakes.  It’s just not as common for women to be CEOs or commercial photographers.  It’s really not that common for very many people, regardless of gender, to reach the upper levels of any industry.  Family, finances and mental fortitude are just a few of the many obstacles that tend to keep both men and women from rising to the top.

So what can women do to help their chances at success in photography?  Other than not taking it too personal when they get mistaken for someone else, they should do the same thing that men should do.  Persistence and fantastic work are a given, timing and a little luck don’t hurt either.