I hope you all had a lovely Holiday filled with great company, food and laughter.
If you read my blog posts this last year I have spoken about being rusty after months of cancellations and lack of shooting because of covid, lockdown, what have you. I have talked about the few sessions I have done, and the struggles I have had. I attributed those struggles to not going out and using my skills on the daily, to lack of practice, if you will. Photography at the end of the day is more a skill than a talent.
No, I am not saying you can not be talented at photography or have a great photographic eye right out of the gate. Many, many skilled photographers have natural innate talent but they have worked hard to hone their skills too. Photography uses technology and the camera as a tool, we become masters of light and reading light to produce the best images we can. That involves skill, skill developed from continuous practice.
One of my photography mentors who has been ill posted a heartbreaking health update that spoke of his struggle to go out and photograph because he had lost the ability to recall how to use his camera. He had made a career using cameras and teaching others to use theirs as well as supporting others with the same passion he, himself, had and an illness took away his ability by wiping his memory of the skill.
I can’t imagine losing my knowledge and ability after the years spent developing this skill and my heart broke for him and yet it put into perspective just how much photography is a learned skill. I am amazed, honored, and proud to have learned from an amazing photographer who even during the hardest challenges of his life is still teaching others.
So that leads me to valuable traits a photographer needs to have besides talent and a burning need to further develop their skill. Which is a great place to end our year and give you something to chew on going into the New YEAR.
Tiffany (Exposure One Studios) in Icy Straight Point, Alaska 2019
You have to be a Business Person:
I said it. Business person. The last thing you think of when you think of photography is what you have to become to be truly successful at it. Taking amazing images, just isn’t enough because there are thousands, hundreds of thousands of photographers who can take amazing pictures. The ones who are finding success are the ones working it as a business, developing business contacts, and systems by which their business functions.
They are the ones who may not be photographing every day but are photographing, well, photographing consistently and have new clients to show for it. They are running ads, making websites, marketing, networking, blogging, finding deals to benefit their clients and finding ways to enhance what they offer.
Being a business person is one trait that can be invaluable as a photographer. It took me awhile to hit my stride as a photographer, as a business person. I spent a long time just learning photography, lighting, gear, how to not take utterly crap photos and I thought it was an art and the more people who liked it, liked my photographs, the more successful I would be. Guys I was so wrong. It wasn’t until I started thinking in business terms, branding terms, and completely revamped my photography business did things start to change for me.
Business is also a process that is continuously evolving, years ago I was learning to invoice and had to physically printed contracts that my clients had to meet up with me to sign. As I have grown as a business person, as a brand, I have found ways to evolve with the times. Now I offer beautiful galleries with instant downloads and online print ordering options. Digital contracts, questionnaires, and invoicing all in the same platform.
Just adding Shootproof to my business arsenal has changed my photography business and brand. It has been the smartest business move I have made to date and is my tidbit to you. Be a business and look like a business, let shoot proof help.
Be Creative
Being creative doesn’t mean doing things in a new and original way. It can be playing with angles, playing with lighting, playing with your camera in the bathroom mirror. When you’re working with clients they have a specific preconceived idea for their photos in their head already and you have to match your photos to this so in the creative sphere you need to make them stronger and more appealing.
In terms of working with clients getting to know them will help achieve the photographs they are seeking and in photography, your style and theirs/their wants may not be close so it is walking a fine line to deliver images to make them happy but feed your creative soul. Getting out and being creative to learn will help when working with clients, even taking a risk can sometimes pay off, if its a risk with a client give them a heads up that way if they are strongly against it you can back off.
Pay Attention to Details
Photography involves a lot of spontaneity which can lead to amazing shots but also little things that can be missed if you’re not paying attention to the details in your frame. I have tossed clients into random scenes for a shot numerous times and spotting crucial details that can make or break the image. These details can be light play, shadows, a hair out of place, car coming into the background, a telephone wire that seems to read as if coming out of their head, and so much more.
It isn’t just about location, design, attitude, look, as it is making sure all the elements play together and there is nothing glaringly wrong. Sometimes the tiniest off detail can ruin a shot. I am not saying you will get every detail right every single time because absolute perfection is an impossibility but the closer attention to detail you have the less post work you will have as well.
Be A Communicator
Being a professional photographer means being a communicator, it is an absolutely necessary trait to success. At the end of the day you have to be able to speak to your clients and hear what they are asking for to accurately and effectively plan a shoot and deliver images they are imagining in their head to them. Being able to share your own ideas and ask for feedback in a clear and positive way will help yield better results and greater client respect.
I spend more time in communication with my clients before and after the session than the session itself takes. I want them to know they matter, their wants and needs matter and that I am there for them and committed to making sure they get the best. Sometimes it’s location and lighting and sometimes it’s how to best have an image made for an application for a dream position. My job is to make the photo side of it as easy on them as possible, to be an enjoyable experience and that all comes from strong communication.
And lastly have fun! Photography is suppose to be fun and enjoyable when you are stressed out and not enjoying yourself it reads to clients and it reads in your images. Go out be creative and build that photography business of your dreams!