Photographers Rep, Heather Elder, has a conversation with her photographers every year defining creatively and financially what a successful 2015 will look like. She has a post up on her blog notesfromarepsjournal.com with two very important trends happening in our industry: http://notesfromarepsjournal.com/2015/01/13/want-to-know-what-we-told-our-photographers-about-2015
These trends reveal a change in the conversation she has with creatives where it is now assumed that anyone being considered is 100% right for the project and has the talent, vision and skills to pull it off.
Now, instead of scrutinizing your work, it is about how much can you shoot? What is your vision for the photography? Do you have similar libraries to show the client? There will be a lot of moving parts, how will you produce this project? Are you willing to negotiate? And, will they enjoy being on the production with the photographer?
And social media is a natural conduit where these conversations can begin. Many photographers have the chops, but are not having the conversation with their potential clients. Here’s a post to push you in the right direction.
5 Comments
Indeed photographer’s should be thinking beyond their immediate collection of work, portfolio, exhibition or book and far further forward than their most recent job. Business as a commercial photographer must now offer a comprehensive package of production, PR, publicity, special events, book-keeping and networking. WHile agencies can help to get you through the advertising agency door they can hinder progress via the back door.
My book “Who Needs An Agent?” assesses how commercial photographers might approach their careers more autonomously with may ‘agent’ tips on best practice.
Unashamed promotion is the first lesson!
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More and more it is about the relationship. Vision and creativity are very important, but ultimately people want to work with other people they like and are comfortable working with.
Smart link/article/comment/s, thanks, folks.
I hope we will see those trends reverse because, in my opinion, where losing the creative vision/art skills a photographer has. I was surprised reading the first sentence of Heather’s embedded quote here and kind of feel awkward about it.
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