Inspiration

Part of your job in a creative field is to feed your ideas.

As Director of Operations at SternRep, I spend a lot of my time looking through photographers’ images. 

Sometimes as I am examining someone’s body of work I find a magic spark somewhere in their portfolio. Something pops out at me. An image or series that is set apart from the rest. 

Something highly marketable, different, bold, unique, and really well done. But mixed in with lots of other stuff in their portfolio. 

Sometimes it’s actually about cleaning out your portfolio, of anything that does not have this magic spark. It’s about finding your spark and then expanding your portfolio based on what makes your work strong and different. It’s kind of like your own magical thread that you need to follow to be successful in the commercial market, explore more, grow, and expand.

But if the photographer can’t see or feel or want to follow it, there’s no forcing it…

Guest Post: Olivia Katz

Director of Operations, SternRep

In business, never take it personally if someone doesn’t respond.

I am dedicated to never using the word “just” in my emails, it sounds like I’m apologizing. 

Sound confident.

Don’t apologize for taking time off. 

It’s called making room for your imagination.

To put it simply, shooting what you love can, with the right presentation, lead to assignments that you love. 

Guest Post: Wonderful Machine + Mellissa Pascale

Originally published on Wonderful Machine Member Blog

KNOCK ON ALL THE DOORS.

Don’t take it personally means treating your business like a business. You are a corporate business owner and rather than taking it personally, take it all like a CEO would and ask yourself how you could’ve done it better. See where you can take responsibility and make improvements. 

When you don’t get a job, use that to get better.

When things are difficult, find a way through. Throwing your hands in the air, collapsing in frustration, these things do not move you forward. Pause, collect yourself, and then take action to move forward.