Monday Q+A

Q:

How do I get an agent when I have not booked any commercial clients, and I mostly do fine art/conceptual/corporate/family work? If I transition to a higher-end portraiture style and get some unpaid projects with AP & Reuters-type publications, will that help?

A:

 Reps basically need to see a style they can sell to their market. I am only familiar with the commercial advertising world, but I would think that if your work hits the mark for what photojournalism/editorial work looks for, you could get your foot in the door. Yes, photo needs have changed, but the bottom-line truth, in my eyes, is that talented skills keeping up with the times open doors.

Q:

How do I estimate a job when I am given the budget, but the layouts and the producer do not provide all the information I need?

A:

Estimating a job is not an accurate term because we are liable for our “estimate” price. Since an estimate is a “bid” for a project, we have to protect ourselves, as our reputation and the financial responsibility are on our shoulders. 

How I read the situation:

-They may be expecting you to be the creative director, creating their concepts, which is an additional role to be added to your fees. 

-Without all the details, you’ll need to expect fewer shots finished per day due to the exploration time required.

-Call it a rough ballpark estimate, making it clear you’ll need them to allow for revisions once you learn more information.

Q:

 Hi Andrea, we’re starting to get requests for a rate card to keep “on file” for “internal guesstimating.” Do you share rate cards, and if yes, have they led to better or worse outcomes?

A:

I’ve heard of these “rate cards,” and to me, it’s a red flag. I see this as a client who thinks we work for a few hours a day instead of a “day rate.” I get worried they don’t understand usage terms and copyright standards. If the work would be fun for your portfolio and you can consider it a paid test, it might be worth it. I would also respond with a general range of your day-rate fees to see if they respond.

Q:

Where do creative directors, art buyers, etc., look for new talent? I would appreciate any advice I can get. 

A:

The business of photography depends on who sees our images; we have to find every potential method to put ourselves out there. Depending on the type of photographer you are, we have some really good options these days, like Komyoon, Workbook, At-Edge, Blvd, Behance, PhotoPolitic, LeBook, Production Paradise, Found, and Wonderful Machine. They all have a different vibe, go through them and see where you fit best. I suggest asking clients you want to work with where they look for new talent. After you give one of these a try, you can optimize your website for SEO and use Google Analytics to see where the traffic is coming from. It’s a timely process with no easy answer, but if you pay attention to your analytics, you can see what works for you. 

Q:

I’m new to the photo world and would love to make this my full-time job. I’m a little older, and I’m afraid this can be challenging as it seems like a young business. Any tips on how to “break in?”

A:

The image-making world is ever-changing, so we don’t have rules or guidelines beyond having work that’s similar in style, enticing potential clients to imagine you putting your look/style on their product. Age is not the ultimate factor; clients want to see examples that speak to them within a budget they can afford. My suggestion is to work your way in personally with a one-on-one, personalized connection to “open the door” in a more “small town” type of connective way.

Q:

When you say bring the client’s branding into the treatment, do you mean their overall visual language/aesthetic or their actual branding, like their logo, etc.?

A:

Your treatment is all about having the client feel like you “get them.” You are what they’ve been looking for to bring their idea to life! Use every way you can to translate this; it is your opportunity to speak their language with their logo in the titles, and their colors styled aesthetically throughout.

Q:

 I know you have mentioned client contact list companies like Bikini and Agency Access, and I’m wondering if you still recommend these lists or any others? It seems our world is changing with AI and social media in ways that may render the info these lists provide obsolete. Do you still use them?

A:

This will be my first year trying not to use these companies, since AI seems to handle a lot of this info. Also, a lot of this info is changing faster than ever, which we can handle more quickly on our own. I’d say if you need large lists quickly, then these companies can still be helpful, but if we have time to sort through names/clients to specific places, we are doing that on our own right now. I’m curious about what others are doing these days, so please share your list-building process.

Q:

Any advice on sending an unsolicited email when reaching out to a client that I want to work with? I just finished a project that I would love to share with them, but I don’t know the right next step. I would love any thoughts or suggestions on how to approach this. Thanks!

A:

The question is, how do we make our marketing less UnSolicited and more Solicited because an unfamiliar name has higher odds of being deleted.

Here is a list of the top 5 steps to having your work seen vs. deleted:

1. Emails need to be short, quick, and to the point. Having a referral or something personally relatable will always help. IF you want a response, ask a question giving them a purpose to keep the conversation going. 
2. Find the right person in the position who looks for photographers. 
3. Make sure you send your work to a client with relatable imagery, rather than sending food images to Nike. 
4. Invest in the consistent long-term process of marketing vs. a one-off promo now and then. 
5. Engagement is readily available these days and can happen in many ways, so try them all and see what works. Engage, engage, and keep engaging!

Q:

Hey! I was looking over your website for consults. What I really need help with is someone to explain making bid contracts and licensing to me. Is that possible? Your options on the site didn’t touch on that.

A:

Hello! Yes, we do that type of consulting offered on AskSternRep.com. It’s one of our secret specialties, focusing on how to make an estimate clear and concise so clients can see all the particulars they need to know and which terms need to be included. Blink Bid offers a solid bid form, and we can go through it with you to ensure you are covered in your specifics.

Q:

Recently, I’ve lost a few bids because I haven’t given the client an unlimited license. Is this an industry trend? Are clients not paying for usage anymore, and/or are photographers not charging for usage? In my bid, I gave the client all the usage that they asked for, but lost the bid to another photographer who just gave them an unlimited license. 

A:

Giving away image usage licensing rights for free gives up the critical framework that supports a career in photography. The only way to win this battle is to be the best photographer you can be. The better you become, the more clients will be forced to stick with photographers who charge for licensing rights. Those who give it away are on a lower playing field, mostly used when a client does not have a high-end, specific style and can use a more general, undefined look. The only way to not be undercut is to be the precise resource raising their business to that next level. Be the solution, making them look even better for using you!