Networking

Q:

Hi Andrea, there is one ‘ism’ no one seems to be paying attention to, especially re women: AGEISM. As a 50 year old woman who has been shooting for a LONG time and really trying every door, window, skylight, chimney, and drainpipe to get into the commercial world, I’ve found very patronizing attitudes toward me that seem totally divorced from the work I’m able to create. While there are places for women my age in the business, virtually none of them seem to involve actually HOLDING A CAMERA. What’s your take?

A:

Ageism is one of the many unfair “ism’s” in our very young-minded industry. Like anything that gets in our way, we have to focus on ourselves and figure out ways to get even better at fixing the core of the problem. I suggest everyone ask themselves what is getting in the way, where we are blocked, and what we can do about it. Ageism is real in photography and advertising; I’ve seen many clients suffer from this as they retire before they are ready. The questions and the answers depend on how we will incorporate our solutions into our business plan.

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 SEO your website and use Google Analytics to see where the traffic is coming in. 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:

Flying to NYC next week from LA for a job with a producer that has booked me on many well paying jobs this year. Have yet to have dinner or a drink with them, if we do get dinner, is that a time where I slap my credit card down and try to pay for the meal? Or they may just cover it and so it goes?

A:

Yes! When you get a job, it is your turn to spoil your clients. Hopefully, your budget is slightly padded to help you take them to a baseball game, buy them the special dinner, whip up some unexpected craft service during the shoot day and then splurge for a nice wrap party dinner for all the crew. It’s part of the job for you (and your rep) to say thank you in all the possible ways without it being too over the top.

Q:

How much influence do art directors have in the decision making process of selecting a photographer for a project?

A:

The decision-making process of selecting the photographer goes through many twists and turns, mostly involving the producer, creatives (art director/creative directors or designers), and the clients. The producers usually bring in the selection of photographers for the creatives to choose their top 3. The creatives will then inform the producer who is their top choice. Our goal is always to be the ‘recommend’ to the client, but ultimately, the client decides.

Q:

In the directing world, spec work is a way to break in. In photography, would you recommend photographing specific brands on spec to build your portfolio, or using no brands whatsoever?

A:

In the photo world, clients want to see your overall style match their brand. Build your portfolio to show the look and feel your favorite clients cater to, and use this “spec” concept to incorporate the products your ideal clients will need to see. If you want to get beer campaigns, put in some cans or bottles and show off how your shiny condensation skills fit your cohesive vibe. Displaying the type of product is more important than the specific brand of the product.

Q:

I’ve been told many different answers on who I should be reaching out to. Creative Directors vs Art Directors. Who!? If there is not an Art Buyer or Print Producer, who do I focus on reaching out to? I’ve been told NOT to reach out to Creative Directors but recently been told I should reach out to them over Art Directors. I’m so confused!!

A:

Your confusion about who to contact is natural since there is no absolute rule book. Client-direct business has a whole different setup vs. ad agencies and is even more ambiguous as they often hire a producer or production company to handle their photography. My secret sleuth style is to see which of the titles (art director/creative director/producer) have many photographer connections on LinkedIn. Then you know they are working with us!

Q:

Hi Andrea, great Insta feed. Your tips are really helping me. Am I free to ask you for some advice? I’m convinced my portfolio is good and I have a lot of experience (15y). But I’m not where I want to be. And I really have no clue how to approach new clients like magazines or advertising agencies. What do I write in my email pitch? What’s the key to get the clients I want? I know it’s not about the portfolio, so how do I convince them to do a shoot with me? Thanks 🙂

A:

The answer usually comes down to your portfolio of images. All the other parts of our business need to be in place, but it comes down to your portfolio being the right fit for what a client is looking to bring to their project. 

Research to know that you are contacting the appropriate people and have your “elevator pitch” ready to go with keywords they can search for when they are looking.

Write a quick and concise email as if you were receiving it. Don’t sound like a sales pitch; sound like a human connecting to another human, and then stay on their radar with your marketing plan. You wrote this question in a very thoughtful and sincere way, so stick to that and be yourself!

Q:

What if we don’t have enough clarity about where we stand now?

A:

It’s a constant challenge to get a barometer reading of where we stand, but it’s also one of the most critical ways to keep business moving in the right direction. So how do we do it when feedback is not readily available? Like many parts of our sporadic business, we need to be inventive and find ways to put ourselves out there. Yes, we have SEO analytics and email promo clicks to monitor, but there are also undiscovered ways unique to us to explore and invent as we go. The more we reach out, connect, stay plugged in wherever possible, and engage, the more we will get a sense of which open doors to follow.

Q:

What’s the best way for new photographers to grab attention at larger ad agencies?

A:

Being honest to clients that you are a new photographer offers two advantages – undiscovered talent and the goodwill of opening the door. What is new has value in our business as it is built on new ideas. The key to this working well is that you show hot, fresh, cutting-edge thinking they have not seen before. Your newness is an advantage you should be using while you can.

Q:

I did some spec work, shared it on Instagram, and tagged the company. They then messaged me and said that they loved the work and then sent me a link with their TOC, asking for full usage in perpetuity. This has happened 3x already. I don’t seem to be getting anywhere by saying, “I would love to chat about licensing and future work.” Any advice?

A:

When we DM a company on IG, we must be aware that we are dealing with social media employees responding with automatic scripted terms, not knowing about copyright ownership or usage rights. The real pursuit is to find the people at these companies who do know our business. It takes digging around to find the right contact, so it’s a time zapper, but worth it for the suitable companies for your images.