Monday Q+A

Q:

Is my work worth repping–as in, am I good enough to warrant a rep and good enough to get jobs?

A:

I’ll answer this one from the overall perspective of what every rep seeks. What is the ground-level first quick response that makes your portfolio “good enough” to warrant a rep and to get jobs?

• images are a cohesive unit summarizing what you do

• image grouping sections are a quick-read summarized to fit the topic at hand clearly

• the website presentation is clean, swift, and easy with high-grade design

• images are unique; style shows off a talent unlike others

• the artist is a high-level level, experienced professional to assure the client will get what they pay for

Q:

How would you advise a photographer to reach out to new clients to ask for a face-to-face meeting to introduce oneself?

A:

The best way to ask for an in-person meeting is to entice them with an easy and fun excuse, like bringing them a treat or taking them for a coffee/lunch. I would not ask via phone, but I would warm up your potential client with regular outreach via email, IG, LinkedIn, etc. As long as your portfolio pertains to their client needs, you may have a good chance of seeing them in person. 

Q:

Hi Andrea! I want to ask what your relationships are like with your roster. Have you met with them all in person, even those not in the same city/state? How often do you meet in person with your roster? Is this important?

A:

SternRep is a smaller agency with a smaller roster, and we like to keep it more personal in a teammate way. We don’t have to meet in person these days, but we all want to get a good sense of who we are and how we work. Knowing as much as possible before committing to a long-term contract can save us a lot of time. I like to ask around to get other’s input. When I started repping, I’d ask the photographer’s assistants and producers how the photographer treated the crew on set. That was my quick, detective way to find the kind people. Ask around!

Q:

How would you advise a photographer to reach out to new clients to ask for a face-to-face meeting to introduce oneself?

A:

The best way to ask for an in-person meeting is to treat your client as you would want to be treated. A phone call would annoy me so I don’t do many of them. If you can meet the person at an event, that could help, but otherwise, the simple answer is email them with your website as that is what they really need to see first. 

Q:

I have a question and be brutally honest. Is 45-years old too old to start a commercial photography career?

A:

NO! In contrast to popular opinion, our industry is not ageist. Clients don’t even know our ages until the creative call Zoom. The deeper answer is that clients seek young-minded, fresh imagery to match their goal of catching their youthful audience’s attention. You can do that at any age if you can explore new ideas instead of getting stuck on old styles.

Q:

I would like to hear about the importance of treatments. What is a treatment? 

Do photographers create their own treatment? What needs to go into it and what should it look like?

A:

A great treatment is one of 3 keys the photographer needs to get the job:

1. The Portfolio 

2. Creative Call

3. The Treatment

A treatment is a pdf full of all the info to show the creative how the photographer will approach the job. It will include samples of images, locations, talent, wardrobe, etc. 

Yes, photographers create their own treatment, and I have to say it’s like getting their teeth pulled. They are not writers and normally their portfolio speaks for them. This takes a sales type of “showing off” that photographers are uncomfortable with in general. 

It needs to look slick and put together because the creative will read this to know what the photographer is bringing to the project, how they work, how they see this job, and how well they can deliver a packaged expression of their work. 

Q:

Once you do a test shoot, what is the best way to get this new work in front of the right audience?

A:

As a rep, this is one of my favorite topics because this is the purpose of testing. Reps and consultants’ goals are all about shaping the long-road path. I call this- “growing forward.” Every test should have a client in mind, and with that comes the OUTREACH follow-through to share the images with the appropriate “warm” and “cold” potential clients. Outreach happens on all platforms, including personalized communication, to upgrade clients to a warmer level than where they are now. You want to be good enough to be on their list when that specific type of project comes up. This is either a monotonous process or a fine-tuned, distinct, mapped-out marketing plan.

Q:

What are some things to keep in mind when designing a website, as a photographer?

A:

A: Your website should look professionally designed and be easy to navigate. The site should immediately entice your visitor.
Think of who your audience is and use a professional web template to speak their language.

Q:

Do you find that cost consultants have a realistic grasp of the time and costs needed for a job, so the negotiation isn’t a “difficult” process?

A:

The facts on cost consultants:

1. Their job is to find ways to minimize our costs. They must find areas to lower by comparing the other bids and their past experience.

2. We don’t have to agree to every minimizing request as long as we explain our pricing reasoning.

3. They will be experienced with a realistic grasp of the job’s timing and costs if this client repeatedly does the same type of job.

4. Sometimes, the cost consultant is helping lower our budget if we are the #1 pick for the job.

Q:

What is considered a standard “book” for somebody seeking representation…

Is it a website? A physical book? Something else?

A:

The standard book question does not have an absolute answer, but it is good to have a website, an active Instagram presence, and a printed book. An iPad can be your portfolio, although printed books are the hot item.