Recommendations

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:

I wonder if you have any insight on “collaboration.” I reach out to brands to collaborate and they perceive that I want to create content with them for free. Maybe my approach needs to be retooled or the word “collaboration” means “free.” Any help would be appreciated.

A:

“Collaboration” has become synonymous with “free” in the Instagram age, so utilizing an alternative to that word will probably be a good start. If you do reach out to agencies and clients, know that they are not used to having ideas given to them, so your collaboration could come more in a discussion. I’d suggest DM’ing the creative director or art director or designer to start sharing your passion for your idea. If you have good ideas, I’m sure they want to hear them. Make it a discussion vs a collaboration. Request a Zoom chat once you have a conversation on DM started.

Keep your business moving forward as clients are looking at us to set the trends. Stay hot, fresh, and relevant – here is a helpful tool to get your ideas out of your mind to make sense of the plan you need to put into action ASAP. 

Your topic can be “GROWING FORWARD,” write it on a piece of paper, circle it in the middle of a page, and set it free!

www.mindmapping.com

Q:

How do you recognize a good rep? What are the signs of an agency that genuinely wants to speak in your best interests?

A:

I’m going to answer this question in a big way since it’s such a significant decision. A “good rep” for you may not be the right rep for another photographer. You have some work to do before you jump into anything.

What support qualities would help you grow and shine? What type of people resonate with you, what size rep agency feels really right for you?

After checking out rep’s sites + social media, which have the look/feel/brand that your work fits with? Do you prefer a small or larger rep agency and is their location significant to your type of clients? Does the rep you are interested in charge a fee? Some reps do your production and billing which may or may not work for you. What are the terms of the rep’s contract? Do you already have house accounts that could benefit from a reps support or do you need a rep to agree with not taking a commission (or a lower commission) on those for a certain amount of time? Know your terms and requirements which can help you choose a rep. 

The most important factor in your search is to know your own questions to ask reps and then truly listen to their responses. 

And most of all, do you like who they are? Do they have a good reputation with clients and other photographers?

In literal terms, you want someone who will REPRESENT who you are. If all of this feels right, then I’d think they genuinely will be speaking in your best interests.

The Personal Touch by Terrie Williams is one of the books that helped me find my way of connecting to people in a genuine way when I started SternRep.

Use a schedule to get it done. 

Book yourself for the day and time to check it off your list. 

If you don’t get it done, reassign it until you finish the task.  

One thing we learned early on is that time management is so important. . You really have to figure out a schedule, a time and a place to get it done

If you want an answer to several questions I usually ask just one first, and then wait for an answer before asking the next one.

Don’t call people if you’re not good on the phone.

Q:

What is the standard day rate for a photographer?

A:

The standard day rate, creative fee, or per shot assignment fee for a photographer depends on the industry they are in. I hear editorial is $500 per day unless it’s a magazine cover. Commercial advertising can run the gamut usually starting at $3,500, up to $6,500 or even around $15k for big jobs.

Also, factor location scouting, prep days, travel days and overseeing post production rates into that rate. And then remember to factor in all the costs of each industry.

Unfortunately there is no clear answer here but there are some great resources to reference. Those are noted below. 

Resources available for pricing help: visit @aphotoeditor online for pricing and bidding help, they feature sample estimates

@wonderfulmachine is also great and can step in and help with estimates. 

You can also always reach out to a photo agent with questions and we are often happy to hop on a job with you and negotiate your rates. Send industry related questions to [email protected].

Sales tool number uno: sometimes keeping my mouth shut and listening