Success as a photographer requires a long-term plan of constantly “growing with the flow”. The busy shoot days come and go and so do the trends of our market. Your business is not about this month; it’s about putting in the right attitude to stay fresh until you retire.
Don’t forget to invest in your career.
What do you do if you are in a SLUMP? In a creative slump, take the pressure off by knowing it’s really normal. You can’t be your artistically motivated self every day. Learn or experience something new to get the inspiration back. Delegate something that you don’t want to do yourself. Ask yourself why you became a photographer and do what feeds that same interest you had back then.
I had a Clubhouse room discussing what to do if you feel like you’re in a slump. There are two types of slumps: when work is slow and when creativity feels blocked. Today, we’ll focus on creativity.
First, take off the pressure. It’s normal to not feel motivated every day; it’s part of the job. Reducing this pressure can really help. Next, try something new. Step out of your routine—go to a movie, book time at a café, or read a book at a theater. Doing something different might spark artistic inspiration.
If you have tasks hanging over you that you dislike, such as bookkeeping, organizing files, or managing hard drives, consider delegating them. Hire an assistant, enlist an intern, or ask for help. You don’t have to do everything yourself.
Remember why you became a photographer. Reflect on who you were back then and what fueled your passion. Find activities or experiences that remind you of that initial excitement and passion. Even if it’s hard to see right now, reconnecting with that true, passionate place can enrich your life. Go find it.
In the directing world, spec work is a way to break in. In photography, would you recommend photographing specific brands on spec to build your portfolio, or using no brands whatsoever?
In the photo world, clients want to see your overall style match their brand. Build your portfolio to show the look and feel your favorite clients cater to, and use this “spec” concept to incorporate the products your ideal clients will need to see. If you want to get beer campaigns, put in some cans or bottles and show off how your shiny condensation skills fit your cohesive vibe. Displaying the type of product is more important than the specific brand of the product.
How do we come back now to “normal” life after this wild lockdown experience even BETTER than before?
If anything, this paused time gives us the wake-up call of what needs a revamp, a boost, an upgrade. What can we do differently now?
I’m noticing what is working well for me, where I thrive; the other stuff is no longer adequate. Use your natural momentum and run with what DOES work for you!
I have a question for you: How can we come back stronger as everything gets started again and things are moving forward? How can we come back better and higher than before? What are some strategies we can use?
One thing I’m doing is staying active and visible. I’m putting myself out there through various channels—whether it’s Clubhouse, Instagram Live, Instagram Stories, Facebook groups, or webinars. Engaging in these activities gives me an energetic, positive feeling, and doing this video feels right and energizing. Find what makes you feel energetic and incorporate that into your routine.
Another strategy is talking to people. I find that checking in with others and brainstorming about the business can generate new ideas for both parties. This exchange of ideas can be really beneficial.
Additionally, put yourself in a position to objectively evaluate how others are performing. Compare your work to that of others who are active in the industry. You can ask producers or potential clients who they are working with, or consult reps. Look at Instagram Stories and see who’s working and why. Assess why others are succeeding and how they reach the level you aspire to.
Do your research and education to understand your industry better. Look at your work from a business perspective rather than a personal one.
So, what’s your answer? How will you come back stronger, higher, and better? Share your thoughts!
Are you in a slump?
Your definition of “work” may be what is actually in a slump.
Restricting ourselves to actions only associated with direct financial compensation will deplete the exact goal we are seeking and thus, make you feel you are in a slump.
Listen to what you are experiencing, open the studio doors; work requires allowing the many parts of us to flourish and feed what makes us good at what we do.
Slumps. Are you in a slump? We have this thought about work, that we have to make money and that is the purpose of it. This work energy that we can keep ourselves in and keep fulfilling and flourishing like supporting it. So we can then become better and successful in the financial way but we don’t always have to feed ourselves just by doing what we think is work. That’s why I do AskSternRep. Caleb Kuhl built a chicken coop, and an office and he has a youtube channel discussing technical aspects of photography. That kind of stuff feeds you and it is actually creating more of that work that you want. We just don’t always see it as working. Take time for yourself when you need it instead of thinking you’re in a slump and focusing on the negative part of all this.
What’s the best way for new photographers to grab attention at larger ad agencies?
Being honest to clients that you are a new photographer offers two advantages – undiscovered talent and the goodwill of opening the door. What is new has value in our business as it is built on new ideas. The key to this working well is that you show hot, fresh, cutting-edge thinking they have not seen before. Your newness is an advantage you should be using while you can.
As a freelancer, how do we go to work each day when we aren’t “going” to work?
Truth is, we have to stay plugged in to stay on track.
Use our industry resources to keep as actively involved as if you were punching the time card.
“I noticed that the photographers we work with that we see getting rehired again and again are great problem solvers. They find creative solutions and freely offer their perspective and opinion in a way that instills confidence in the client. We often see when a big project of importance comes around, the agency art directors will want to speak with us from the very beginning, and it becomes clear that their level of comfort and confidence is with a trusted creative partner.”
Guest Post: Executive Producer, Michael Horta
Some photographers get the job over and over. The client keeps going back to them. Why is that? How do we do that? They want a problem solver, they want a partnership. If someone can bring up issues that the client might not even know of yet and become a resource to them to make their job even better to make them look better than they even are, they will hire you. Learn how to be their partner in this, not just for that one job, but the long term.
The one job requirement for our creative careers is that we continuously stay inspired.
To be a creative means you have to be creative. Mix it up, try new things, and even when they fail, who cares; you are following the buzz that will take you places.
How do we stay inspired? The main part of our business is as creatives we have to keep the creative juices flowing. We can’t just get stuck in the ways that we already know. This is a constant throughout your career. Try something new, shake it up, even schedule yourself for it. Try something new on this date, every month. It doesn’t have to be a success, but think about things you haven’t tried before. You don’t have to know how it’s going to end up, to begin.
The best way to do better at our jobs is to know where we stand now. Look at what isn’t going your way and own it, use that info to get better instead of wasting your time blaming anyone/anything else.
The best way to grow and stay successful is to know where we are right now. It’s a little hard in our bubbles to know where we are when others don’t really tell us. It’s a bit awkward to get that information from people in the industry. We have to look at the things that happen that might make us angry. Like blaming the trends of the day, or clients, or budgets. The more we blame the less we’re looking at what we need to be looking at in order to grow. When we’re competing against someone for a job, can we find out who gets the job if we lost? Can we look at their work and see they got it because they’re better at that. Do I want to get better at that thing? Do I need to work on that?
