Branding

Q:

I want my portfolio to feel more like me, but it keeps looking like the companies who hire me. I know this is holding me back, but I don’t know how to change this constant process of jobs feeding my portfolio.

A:

Photographers, step one leads to step two. Even those who begin with a clear personalized style path will someday have to balance it to keep the long-term goal in line. The more routine we become, the less artistically inspired it gets. If photographers aren’t testing, the shorter our careers can become. Sorry, cold, hard fact. 

Q:

I’m a freelance photographer who recently took an in-house photo producer job because my area’s industry has been slow, and I need a steady income to get back on my feet. Did I just set my photo career back by taking a temporary in-house producer job? In the future, will clients hire me as a freelance photographer again after they may see me as a producer?

A:

The plain and simple answer across the board is dependent on your branding, which is dependent on two sticking points:

• Will you be branding yourself correctly for clients to consider you when looking for a photographer?
• Will your photo portfolio be strong enough to impress clients?

5 STEPS/WAYS TO IMPRESS A REP WITH YOUR WEBSITE

1. BRANDING/identity – reveal the quick lowdown of WHAT YOU DO as we land on your site.
2. DESIGN – placement and, size of images, overall spread cleanly mapped out with clear intention. 
3. SCROLLING – keep us active, getting busy as soon as we arrive so that we stay.
4. SEARCHABILITY – consolidate your options into clear groupings inviting us to click deeper into a fine-tuned search.
5. STATIC HEADER – reminding us who you are no matter where we go on your site.

Q:

How can a photographer get out of the loop of comparing themselves to others and their careers?

A:

Photographers looking for inspiration must be careful not to fall into the ‘comparison trap.’ Our careers move quickly, and if we get sidelined, assuming there is some correct roadmap to follow, we will get off course and never reach our potential. We are in an artistic career with one requirement – appreciate your “eye.”

Q:

I want to get into Fashion and Lifestyle commercial photography. Can we do two kinds of photography at the same time?

A:

Focusing on various markets comes up a lot for photographers of all types. I used to hear how European photographers were not as pigeonholed as we are in the USA. Hey, we are human and don’t want to be locked into one field when we have a spectrum of interests. The easiest way to approach this is to master one overall artistic sensibility, style, and vibe that can be relevant in several industries.

Q:

Should I work with an agent who has other photographers like me, or should I work with one who doesn’t have a photographer with my specialty?

A:

The first major step in the rep search process is the skillset every photographer must master to succeed – I call it “the objective eye.” You have to be able to judge a “good” image and a “good” grouping of images. Will your work fit well within the rep’s roster, highlighting and amplifying your brand? Your well-curated viewpoint begins with a snap of the shutter and continues into portfolio/feed promotion. The rep requirement checklist grows from there, but this starting point should shape your search.

Finding the Right Rep Checklist:

1. Who reps competing photographers you admire?
2. Which reps work with the clients you want to be working with?
3. Referrals work best, so ask those in the biz like a paid membership resource you are on, consultants, and clients for their rep suggestion. 
4. What type of reps branding best fits your style?
5. Start with a “Temp Rep” situation to get to know if you work with the same approach on a project. 
6. What marketing platforms are most important to you, and which reps meet your standards in their marketing?
7. The most important one is the rep’s reputation. Ask around and get some good reports on those you can trust. 

Q:

What is the importance of a “one-sheet” attachment promo in an email sent to a potential client? How many images and should this promo include any descriptive text about the images, background/bio, pitch, etc., or should all of the text be in the body of the email?

A:

When saying hello in an email, it can be good to have a fast visual sampling looking like it belongs in that email. The key to a one-sheet promo is that it’s a quick relatable read of a small number of images only, not needing that extra step of being clicked to open.

Q:

Are elaborate/over the top promos worth the money to get a client’s attention? If so, should more simple promos be sent first so you are potentially already on the client’s radar?

A:

Depending on your budget, I like to stick with consistent, well-designed promos with a quick, concise message. The expensive promos we can send or hand to clients could be a striking piece that ends up on their wall, getting the attention of a long-standing art piece. I’ve seen this happen, but it’s like going to Vegas and playing the High Roller risky games.

Q:

What do we do with our email promo “clicked” lists?

A:

To know who CLICKS from our email promo to our website supplies valuable feedback shaping our marketing direction. Analyzing this relevant resource can be what you need to know.

1. Put them on a hotlist and use every method to follow up with them, including following and engaging on IG.
2. Look up all the others at that agency or company on Agency Access, yodelist, and LinkedIn to get them on your lists. If your work is applicable for one person at that place, I will put money down that the same is true for the others.
3. If one of your top dream list clients didn’t have any clocks, you know you have some changes to make.
4. Compare the marketplace segments clicking percentages to see which category of clients your work is attracting vs. which types are not being drawn in.
5. When you get an unusual amount of clients or lack of clicks from one email, use that to analyze what was different, like your subject line, the time or the day of the week, wording changes or design.