I have learned a lot of things about photography the hard way. One should learn from someone else’s struggles. In this case learn from mine and be a better photographer.
1. Make friends with other photographers – Starting out you have this idea that everyone is against you. At least I did. I looked at all the other photographers that I saw as scolding and disapproving. They were ‘Let’s face it better than me photographers’. I steered so far away from them that I was literally an island unto myself. Isolation doesn’t make great personal or business sense. Once I realized that the other photographers I met where actually wonderful, kind and helpful professionals, it opened up my world. I can’t count how many times a lesson was learned from the person sitting next to me at a workshop. They taught me more than the person speaking. Make friends with a professional photographer that you can to talk to and, bounce ideas off of.
2. Find a mentor – This is beyond making friends with a photographer. Find a photographer who has already achieved success and learn from them. Starting out I always knew I needed a mentor. There was so much I didn’t know, and I was literally waiting around for someone to teach me. I had it in my mind that some amazing photographer would find me, take me under their wing and like a fairy godmother transform my career. Well that never happened! A few things wrong with that. I was not taking control nor responsibility for my own learning. People that are successful at what they do work very hard to get there. They are not going to give their valuable time away for free to show ‘little ole me’ how to do my job. Nor, should they. Find someone you look up to, who is good fit for your career plan and pay them to mentor you. You might also develop a great friendship out of it.
5. Your clients care more about who you are than price – Stop talking about price all the time! Most of your clients don’t really care. Yes, they will ask but that is a default question for them. What they really want to know is: whether you know what you are doing? Can they trust you? Will you make them look good? Will you make them feel comfortable? Do you value the same thing the customer values? Explain your process to them. Show them examples of your work. Show them testimonials if you need to. Show interest and talk to them about their family. Relate with them and have a real conversation. Establish a connection with your client.
6. Make the experience enjoyable – Earning money is great! However, I have noticed that when I am photographing paying clients for an extended period I get very focused on just making them happy. I forget to have fun! I love being a photographer and I want my clients to see that. I try to incorporate one shot at the end of each client session that is creative just for me. It keeps me refreshed and excited for my clients. Also, don’t limit yourself to only shooting clients. For instance, if you love landscapes and flowers then schedule yourself time to go on a hike and shoot landscapes and flowers. If you want to try a contemporary style you don’t currently shoot, just do it! Try and shoot at least one thing for you per month. It will keep your creativity flowing and all around happier.
Treat your portfolio clients as real paying clients. They may get something for free, but it doesn’t have to be everything. You still need to be professional. The crucial point is continue flexing your photography muscle. You can include something for free and still stay in control of your business.
9. Everyone wants to give up – I don’t think I have ever met a photographer who loved their job and thought they were awesome every single day. Everyone has days where confidence slips. Honestly, I think this can apply to every profession. You’re going to have bad days every now and then. Lick your wounds and move on. When unexpected things happen, evaluate what went wrong. Own your work and accept responsibility for it. Learn what to do and what not to do different the next time. Keep going.
10. Be in control of your time – When I first started out, there would be several weeks without a client and then bam, bam, bam. A bunch of clients wanted to book all at the same time. I thought I needed to schedule all the work I could. The impulse reaction was to satisfy the clients schedules and agree to photograph all of them on the same day. Oh, and then I needed to rush and get these client’s images edited right away. I had so much going on that I felt as if I could not get it all done. Then the next week was back to crickets. I learned that just because they all called and asked if I could photograph them on the same day did not mean that they all NEED the same day. Remember that you are the boss and you get to set your own schedule. Do not rush your work just to satisfy someone else’s schedule. It is as simple explaining that you are already booked on that day and offer an alternative date. Most of the time, an alternative date will be totally fine. Controlling the schedule will leave you better rested and better prepared. Quality will bring more consistent work. Editing three or more sessions all at the same time cannot be done proficiently. I am doing better quality of work by controlling my own schedule. I DON’T have to stay up all night editing. The client may WANT their images the next day, but do they really have to HAVE that? You need sleep, you work better with sleep. Be in control of your time. Space it out. Everything will be fine.
