Instagram

ASR: What is something that will make you choose one photographer over another?

AD: There’s a lot of different factors that go into selecting photographers. For me one main one is the client and the project itself. Are they safe, more adventurous, reserved, edgy? Once I figure that out, I determine the vibe of the project. For me mood is a key factor to selecting a photographer. Without knowing the photographer at a personal level, if I can sense the mood I’m going for within their portfolio I feel more confident working with them. There’s a sense of trust without really having to communicate. More and more, I feel that when a photographer is doing something different from the norm. I’m more than likely to push for them. If I get inspired by a photo that pushes my own conventional thinking, they’ve won me over. And that’s the thing with photographers, right? It’s that trust in giving them freedom without really micromanaging them to get the shot you’ve envisioned. I’ve been fortunate enough to have gotten to work with so many talented photographers. 

ASR: How do you find photographers?

AD: Rosters, Instagram, friends in the industry, I keep leave behinds when a photographer visits the agency. Instagram presence really helps too. 

ASR: Why does an Instagram presence really help?

AD: Instagram presence is important to me cause it gives me a sense of their personality. A portfolio is curated but an active photographer on Instagram draws me in on a personal level. Especially when I see work I might have not seen. When I see a photographer’s Instagram that’s not mimicking their portfolio it’s the truest form of connecting with them. Seeing the way they see the world.

Q:

I am always a bit unsure about protocol when it comes to following clients on social media. A client I worked for just posts personal images but his profile is public. Is it invading his privacy to engage or would it be a good move to drop my name by liking pictures?

A:

In today’s world I think clients expect us to follow their IG. It actually amazes me how easy it is to communicate with clients who were hard to reach before. I see FB as the more personal one. Follow them on IG and engage, engage, engage!

Q:

What is your advice to best utilize IG Stories? Especially for creatives who don’t shoot moving images.

A:

IG Stories are the way to go! They are what people are watching now. The feed posts are important, but those are more of a backup portfolio that gets checked out when you are up for a job. Stories are how you stay in front of people and start engaging with those you want to be working with by showing who you are and what makes you tick. People want to get a sense of you, where you live, what you do, what you are up to, behind the scenes on a shoot, where you are going and what kind of life you have. I know you can’t show it all, but branding your IG Stories is just as important as the branding on your website.

So many factors that lead to a rep signing a photographer. Portfolio of course, are you marketable to my client base, communication style–ultimately for me it comes down to my guy. For example, Jeff Stockwell had an Instagram spread that really grabbed my attention and if you look, I think you’ll understand what I mean. That spoke to me!

Q:

Has anyone else been asked to allow a business to repost their image on their business IG? I don’t want companies to solely rely on User Generated Content because then they may not hire many photogs.

A:

Yes, we do get this request often. I leave it up to the photographers because there is a plus and a minus to this. I really see the negative to doing this on a regular basis but perhaps once with each company can be a marketing plan to have that company know of you. When doing this, use it for your own resharing purposes and get the most out of it for that one post. Get their info and have a discussion with them to hopefully lead to more client contact info that can really help you down the line.

Q:

Is there a good way to contact new clients? I have a home studio.

A:

Right now photographers have more open doors than ever before, because we are all feeling more human right now. People are connected with each other and available more than I’ve ever seen. Instagram and LinkedIn are the best options, but clients do not want to hear a sales pitch. Be honest, be yourself while finding your clients on LinkedIn and then engaging with them on Insta. I know this process takes time but use the opportunity we are in right now to make it work for you in the long run.

Q:

How do you feel about using Instagram Stories as a marketing tool?

A:

Insta Stores are EVERYTHING. It’s a new way to market yourself that is available to everyone and completely free. According to research, on average 80% of users ‘Forward Tap’ through Instagram Stories rather than ‘Exit,’ proving how effective they can be.

Q:

Should you create two instagram profiles? One for portraits and the other for products? Or combine both into one profile?

A:

If you have two separate businesses and websites this would make sense. But assuming you don’t, the best way to sell yourself is to have one strong cohesive style that is evident in everything you shoot. Two separate profiles will lower the quality of your work and create the appearance of two separate brands.

The change in our marketing these days is massive. In the past we had a clear route with less options. 

The #1 mandatory way in now is to stay fresh and join the Instagram party. 

This is no longer an option.

I’ve noticed lately that Instagram feed posts aren’t getting as many likes or views as they used to. We know it’s because of Instagram Stories, which have become more prominent. However, as a rep, if I’m researching a client, photographer, or anyone, and I see that they haven’t posted on their feed in a few weeks, I lose a bit of respect and don’t take them as seriously. It gives the impression that they’re not as engaged or haven’t made time for it. So, I still think it’s really important to post regularly on your feed.

Instagram! Get your work out there in the world. More and more often producers are being tasked with finding undiscovered talent. You’ll see that some of the biggest brands are shooting campaigns with photographers that were discovered via Instagram, many of whom have never shot an ad campaign. 

Guest Post: Executive Producer, Rebecca O’Neill

This tells me so much about our market right now. It’s fresh and raw. We have to stay young thinking. Don’t think like an experienced photographer, think young, new thoughts and new ways. That’s what clients want right now. They want what’s hot, what’s new, what’s next. You don’t have to have a big client list to get jobs. That’s a great opportunity. Once again it’s Instagram.