Inspiration

DEFINITION of

“pho-tog-ra-pher”

/fəˈtɒɡrəfə/

ACCORDING TO ASKSTERNREP:

An artist who is bravely inspired to experiment imagery by virtue of what he/she/they do not yet know.

There’s some confusion about our jobs as creatives. I’m representing creatives and you are creatives. It’s a business but you are also an artist. What does that mean, other than trying new things that you don’t already know? There is this balance of business and artistry that you have to incorporate more into your business if you want to keep going.  You are the ones being hired to be an artist on the set. That’s why they’re hiring you. They want to know you’re going to bring new ideas to the shoot.  Are there ideas and ways that you aren’t yet getting the artist out of yourself into your career? How can you be more of an artist?

Cultivate, develop, flourish. 

Show clients how your maturity will work for them, and not against them. Keep up with the times. 

Established photographers have that challenge because a lot of their work might look like yesterday. We have to keep it fresh and innovative. Photographers are hired by clients to be the innovative thinkers that you are, that inspired you to get into this business. The look of yesterday is not what they want. They want tomorrow’s look. I’d love to know how photographers out there, after you’ve been doing this awhile, keep going beyond the trend of today, and inspire yourself to try new things and show clients that’s who you’re going to be. How do you do that? I’d love to hear.

I had a client who wanted to be on the pulse of someone new. We paid that someone–who had never shot an ad campaign–$25K a day. 

-Guest Post: Anonymous Art Producer

There are definitely many changes in our industry. One significant change is that someone who isn’t yet well-known now has the opportunity to get their images seen, thanks to social media—something we didn’t have before. Another change is that budgets are generally decreasing, but that’s not always the case. You can still get paid well, so sometimes it’s important to be a bit more creative and make the most of the opportunities available. That’s what we need to focus on.

Repeat after me…

For 2020 I own all the bells + whistles that I can bring to my career as a creative person. I will explore beyond what I already know, learn new things, and be open to a new level of greatness.

Be thankful for what you do for a living. Your job is to stay in your creative zone. How lucky are we?

What are your inspirational idiosyncrasies?

I mean when/how does your best work happen?

You are an artist and to succeed you must incorporate what makes you tick and call that your “business.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about this because I notice it in photographers, though it’s probably true for everyone. My focus is on photographers, and while everyone has their own style of making things happen, there are sometimes challenges that get in the way.

I want to tell everyone to listen to what’s blocking you and figure out what will help you thrive. What will make you flow and accomplish what you need to in your business? Do you need to delegate tasks, play music loudly, open the door and go outside, or meditate? Identify what you need and respect that you need it to feel more alive, stand out, and achieve your goals. Do the things that will help you succeed in your business.

In any business interaction, remember to follow up immediately so you are believed and taken seriously.

When I meet someone for the first time on the phone or in any other setting, I want to know that they will follow up quickly and express that the meeting was important to them and that it went well. Everything they said should be followed up on promptly—ideally, right away. This quick follow-up makes the interaction feel real. Even if we have a great meeting, we might wonder if it was as good as it seemed or if we should hire this person. How they follow up acts like a test. So, do it as soon as you can.

Use a schedule to get it done. 

Book yourself for the day and time to check it off your list. 

If you don’t get it done, reassign it until you finish the task.  

One thing I learned when I started as a rep—it was in Seattle, thanks to Doug Landreth—was the importance of scheduling. I was an in-house rep, and Doug introduced me to Maria Piscopo, a consultant whose expertise is in scheduling. That really hit me hard; I realized that I needed a solid schedule to manage my tasks. Without one, I struggled to get things done. Time management became crucial for me, and it’s something I still rely on heavily.

Speaking of consultants, they can be incredibly helpful. There are a lot of them out there, and if you ever need advice or recommendations, feel free to ask—I’ll point you in the right direction.

On a workday with time to do what you want, go with the tasks that you are in the mood for. 

I write in the mornings because that is when words flow for me. 

Follow your mood and go with it to get the best results.

One of the most consistent traits I see in successful business people is that they are committed to not taking other people’s opinions personally.

This one’s a bit more personal because, while it applies to life in general, I try to stay focused on business rather than becoming a psychological or spiritual teacher. But it’s fitting because rejection is something we face all the time in this business. We send emails that don’t get responses, we bid on jobs and don’t get them, we try for portfolio shows and don’t make it in.

This isn’t something to take personally—it’s information to help guide us to do better. If you didn’t get the job, ask yourself why. Do you need to bid differently? Does your portfolio need to shift and change? Do you need to test more and bring in new images that will get you the job? That’s what I mean.