I received an email from a fellow Director of Photography looking for a photographer who shoots like “so and so” but is less commercial and does smaller productions (you know, 1 assistant instead of 3, that kind of stuff). So I send her a list of people I like and we get on the phone to discuss.
We’re both going down the list clicking on websites and she’s telling me why each one won’t work for this. “Last shoot he did didn’t turn out” and “too static” and “too quirky” and “way to static” and “we use him all the time” and finally heeeeeeeey, who’s this guy he’s perfect.
Well, I tell her he’s been on my list for a year now but I’ve never hired him. And, she literally does the following: Clicks the client list, “good clients, lots of people I respect” and clicks the contact link “great agent, love the agent, solid reputation and tons of great photographers on their roster.”
I’m going to hire him, thanks.
20 Comments
Thanks for the insight, as always. Quick question: how did that photographer get onto your list in the first place? Printed promos, e-newsletter, noticed in other publications, what?
Have a great (short) week.
JS
There was a previous article on how to get on the ‘list’… there is a lot of word of mouth, research, tearsheets that were seen etc before making it on the list…
see? I’m learning something… :D
Names, c’mon we need names. If you’re going to be anonymous, why not at least give more meat to your examples. Us photographers really don’t know what we’re known for. I would love to know if I’m too static or quirky. Who’s that someone he/she was needing images to look like? Let’s see that list of people you like. Who’s too static? Quirky? Who’s the great agent?
And we really don’t know that it’s we photographers, not us…
Now, youse guys — I agree — names —
and Ramses — yes, there has been talk about the list, but how did APE put this PARTICULAR photog on his/her list? Inquiring picture makers wanna know.
Anon.
Pretty sure I have zero chance of ever being on “the list” so I’m happy to read about things in the annoymous sphere…
So… if you don’t already have a great client list and a hotshot agent, good luck.
It’s ironic and frustrating that for all the talk from you editors and art buyers who say you’re interested in finding new talent that you’re really not all that interested in finding new talent. Or that the buying process– via schedules, budgets, and the like– doesn’t easily support the research and hiring of new talent. You want new to you, not new to the market.
I know a photographer who is a phenomenal talent– great vision, solid technical skills, stellar problem solving ability, collaborative working style– and new to the market. This person has been visiting agencies and editors and has been getting fantastic response from buyers and reps alike. Almost universally the push back from buyers has been that this person is not represented. Never mind that this photographer is a solid person with solid work who would be an asset to any project for which they are hired– as yet no buyer will touch this person.
It’s truly difficult to figure out how to build credibility and trust as someone new. Consistency of visibility helps as with all branding and marketing efforts, as does clear vision, great work, and all of the other attributes we all know are important. And yet. I find this trend of judging photographers by their reps to be pretty… understandable, yet exceedingly frustrating.
Let’s avoid the trap. The trap is to read an example of how photographers are chosen and respond by concluding we’ll never be that guy / gal. There were dozens of great photographers who could have killed that assignment. Your not too static and your not too quirky – you are doing your work very well.
Keep chipping away at it; success doesn’t happen overnight . Asking PE for specifics give the feeling of desperation: “I need to be on that list”. I think the point is to take the half dozen points illustrated in this post and apply them to your marketing approach over the next year. If you’re a good professional shooter and you market well, work that is right for you will seek you out.
and lets not forget luck. LOTS of LUCK!
I’m not gonna name names because the DOP would not be happy to find me writing about our private conversation.
Don’t read too much into it. It’s just an example of how things can happen and the triggers in this particular case were the agent and client list.
This was a big job for an over a million circulation publication so the circumstances we’re unique in that regard as well.
wow, this is such a loaded post. photo editors pick their photographers from looking at the client list? From the quality of the agent? Hmm.. I need some one cutting edge..better call Molly Logan. lets see, I need a really snooty photographer, lets call art and commerce. That mentality is phenomenally bandwagonesque. But thats how it works because the system is humungous and systems need order. I counted 149 photographers listed on APEs Agent links and that was just the letter A agents. How do you expect a photo editor to wade through that ocean without some kind of help? The art schools are cranking out newbies at an alarming rate and photo editors are wasting so much time obsessing with finding the next big thing that when it comes time to hiring someone reliable they lean on people everyone else is leaning on to get the job done. And be careful who you work for because if you work for this one then that one wont hire you (doesnt matter what the photographs look like) Client list? Im so stupid. I thought it was about the photographs.
I’m always amazed by the comments on here. Some of you sound like you’re surprised how the system works…some even sound offended. What fantasy world did you just crawl out of? This is how life works- some get lucky without putting any effort into it, some make things happen for themselves, some simply never get noticed at all, and some are a friends of The Editor. So those of you who think “it was just about the photographs.” will either be that 1 in 1000000 that get lucky or you’ll fail.
Ki = on target
If at all possible, put yourself in the position of the person doing the hiring. The guy has a great book but you don’t know him from Adam. Your reputation / job is on the line – do you hire him? Or … do you hire the guy who has references and a great book. Or … a great book and a good friend? Or … a great book and a great rep.
Well … you get the drift.
I hate being on the west coast. By the time I get to reading this blog there are already a dozen comments and someone has already said what I wanted to say.
APE:
I realize its not a good idea for you to post actual names. Along with all the other problems it could cause, giving away too many specifics could eventually lead to someone figuring out who you are and blowing your cover. I’d hate to be the asswipe who gives you up… which would likely force you to close down the blog. I think they would be hunted down and strung up.
Strikingshots:
Its not about being on the list, rather its about seeing the styles they are talking about. Even if it isn’t you, it’d be good to see what they’re looking at. So, the names would be helpful… although as I said, they’re not realistically going to be forthcoming.
Jeff
I agree with Bruce & Ki. For every one of you photographers complaining, think about the crew members (assistants, stylists, models, etc) that you’ve turned away after they’ve marketed themselves to you. I’m sure it was nothing personal, it was just some intuition/referral/originality that you saw that you liked. And so it goes for those who hire you.
Essentially photo editors are a lot more relaxed about hiring someone with whom they haven’t previously worked when they can see that someone ELSE has stuck their neck out first(better yet a number of someone elses). it makes it easier. it’s all about security-minimizing risk, if you will. understandably, they can’t help thinking about that possible conversation with a managing editor that begins “tell me again why you hired this photographer…”. no matter how much they might really want to work with a new photographer.
I’m on that list now. I didn’t start on that list. There was a lot of hard work involved. And yes, I did move to NY.
The way I see it is: do what you do and do it well. That is what my fencing coach used to tell me. Eventually you can’t help but be noticed (and/or hired).
But who am I to pass judgement? I am not even a pro photographer.
However, I do know that it is this philosophy that has led me to be where I am today; Flying around the world riding a bike and doing skids! (I do pretty good skids.) Probably having you guys taking pictures of me.
I agree with Bruce, Do what you love well, and you will eventually be on someone’s short list. You may be on someone’s list now, but the right story hasn’t come along. Be productive and create, thats the only way you will ever get on the lists.
This is just the way how the industry is. I commission photographers and sometimes it’s not just about their body of work. It could be their attitude, by recommendation, or anything. Just one of those things, I guess.
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