Reps

Q:

What is your process after you’ve on-boarded a new photographer? After discussing where the photographer wants to go and where their work would be a great fit, what is your strategy in regards to marketing? What is a rep’s game-plan?

A:

This is a big question and I could probably write pages! The overall marketing strategy for a photographer really depends on what stage they are at in their career. Some need to revise their website while others need to print a mailer promo. The game plan often begins by figuring out who their potential clients would be (based on the categories in their portfolio) and then emailing all potential clients a “hello” + a link to their work. We create specialized client lists based on what category we are targeting, and I also like to give the photographer a list of 10 “hot” clients to email directly every month. We structure their entire marketing plan which includes social media, portfolio meetings with clients, and upcoming tests.

Q:

What’s the best advice you can give a photographer who is seeking representation?

A:

Best advice to find a rep is to email the reps that interest you. All we want to do is check out your website. If you know people in the business you can ask around and get the word out there that you are looking.

5 REASONS WHY 

I’M NOT REPPING YOU

1. You aren’t the kind of photographer I represent. 

2. You have a bad reputation. 

3. Your work isn’t strong enough yet. 

4. Your work doesn’t have a strong vision or sense of direction.

5. You don’t conduct yourself in a professional manner.

Q:

Andrea, what do you look for in a photographer?

A:

I look for a talented photographer and one that I feel I can help to bring out their very best. 20 years in this business has shown me that it is this dynamic that leads to jobs. This is what it means for me to represent a photographer. I represent them. They come up with who they are and I manage and shape the marketing strategy. 

I’m their voice to the larger world, so they have to be someone I feel proud to speak for. They must have solid talent or we won’t get very far. They also have to confidently know their creative talents because I will take that and run with it. Who they are and the quality of their portfolio shapes the direction and I just take that further.

Q:

What would you say are the pros and cons of being represented?

A:

The pros and cons of being represented are really just about having the right rep for you. Say you are repped by someone your clients don’t know or respect and you also stop doing your own marketing, those would be cons. 

One pro of having the right rep is that they can get your work seen by the right clients. They also help you shape your marketing/direction/style and negotiate your bids. All of this really depends on what your market is. I have found that it is harder to rep a photographer who shoots just about everything vs a photographer who is known for one look.

What a rep needs from you is something to say. Tests, new work, web content, a story, anything to give us something to share about you.

Q:

Can a photographer be represented by more than one rep, in different locations?

A:

Yes, some photographers have east coast/west coast/midwest reps. I don’t agree with this for myself because I’ve worked hard to get to know clients everywhere. 

With the internet I am able to be in NY, Chicago, Portland and Europe as easily as I’m in Los Angeles. 

Just today I have been on calls with people in New York, Kansas City and Los Angeles. I emailed with the UK, Germany and a variety of clients across the US… The only reason to have different reps is if they cover different types of clients.

Q:

What are you looking for in a new photographer?

A:

Guest Post, Jorge Perez: I want a photographer who has a business sense. There are a lot of artists out there who create beautiful art, but if they do not have a mind for business they will not make it. 

I am looking for a partner in crime when it comes to their business. 

You have to be your own agent first, get yourself work. It’s a red flag to me if someone has been shooting for 25 years and has never had a rep. 

Guest Post: Jorge Perez, JP Reps

Q:

What’s the best way for a photographer seeking representation to reach you?

A:

Guest Post, Jorge Perez: I prefer emails. But with that said, you need to be innovative.

You have to “cut through the clutter” . We get a million emails a day. If it’s a new photographer seeking representation – make the email short, personalize it, put the one best image that represents your work. 

Keep it short and quick. Even direct message me on Instagram. Think outside the box. 

Guest Post: Jorge Perez, JP Reps

Q:

Does a rep match a photographer to a project? I.e., does a rep evaluate whether a certain project is actually RIGHT for that photographer; their aesthetic, their vision, their desired projects?

A:

No. Reps don’t have that much power. We are the negotiation voices for our photographers so we are asked to bid someone that they choose. I am sometimes asked to send them a photographer who would be good for their project, but they ultimately decide who they want to bid and then hire.