A Couple of Thoughts About Where Photography Is Today
Making notes at the car wash led to grabbing the laptop and...
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Just a short note today about some ideas I’ve been working on this morning for a longer piece. Turns out it made a nice short little piece of stuff to think about
Mornin’, y’all.
Let's get to some straight talk about the photography business. It's tough out there.
Just being good with a camera isn't going to cut it anymore.
That's an entry ticket, not a VIP pass.
The real challenge now? Creating work that stands out.
That stands way the hell out!
The Middle Class of Photography is Shrinking
Remember when you could land a decent job shooting local events or small gigs by just saying you are a photographer? well, those jobs are drying up. The low-entry level and middle ground is disappearing.
You need to be exceptional, or you're not going to make it.
Leverage Social Media
Unfortunately, here's the deal: if you're not on social media, you're invisible. Platforms like Instagram or X are where clients scout talent.
Your portfolio should be highly visible online, vibrant, and constantly updated. It is more than a collection of images, it is you… YOU… when you are not there. It is your personality, interests, and your gallery of personal work.
Develop a Unique Style
Don't shoot what everyone else is shooting.
Find what makes your photos yours. Maybe it's a certain light, a unique angle, or a narrative style. Whatever it is, make it your signature. People hire you for your vision, not because you can mimic someone else's.
It is far better to be the only than the best. Think about that for a moment.
You are the ONLY one who can do something the way you do it, and that is better than being the best because that implies competition.
Authenticity Over Imitation
Many new photographers think they can fake it till they make it by copying a famous photographer’s style.
Wrong move. The industry is tired of the same old stuff.
Be authentic. Be you. Be excitingly different, boldly aggressive, challengingly minimalistic… whatever you want to be!
Your unique voice is what will get you noticed, not a carbon copy of someone else’s work. When you copy someone else’s work, you can never be better than a copy.
(Unless you are copying someone who was copying someone else who was copying someone else. In that case, you’re screwed.)
Specialize In Your Style
Generalists who all look the same are a dime a dozen.
Specialize. Specialize in your way of making imagery.
Whether it's product photography, portraits, food, or architecture, become the go-to person for that work by being the one they remember.
It doesn’t matter as much what you shoot, what matters more is HOW you shoot what you shoot.
Specialization in how you do what you do makes you memorable in a sea of sameness.
Action Over Theory
You can read all the books and watch all the tutorials, but nothing beats doing.
(Imagine you are a martial arts fan and purchase every single video on learning how to fight, watch ever video there is, and work out in your living room by yourself. Do you think you are ready for the ring where the other fighter has completed 40 or more events? Nope, you aren’t. Doing is the only way.)
Get out there and shoot. Make tons of mistakes, and learn everything you can from them. Every shot you take is a lesson.
Practical experience beats theoretical knowledge every day, any day.
Plan and Predict
In photography, like in cage fighting, you need to anticipate. Know the challenges you might face on a shoot and plan for them. This foresight comes from experience. The more you shoot, the better you predict, the smoother your shoot will go.
Embrace Change
The photography world is changing so damn fast.
What worked five years ago might not work now. What worked last year may not work today!
Stay adaptable. Learn new technologies, explore new forms of art in photography. Be ready to pivot your style or business model if the market demands it.
And the market is demanding disruption at every turn… from bidding to execution to billing to follow-up.
So What Can We Do?
To succeed in photography today (and tomorrow), we’ll have to be more than technically proficient. We must be an innovator, a marketer, and an artist.
Develop your style, make your presence known, and never stop shooting. Carry a camera with you at all times!
In this game, action leads to opportunity. In every game this holds true.
So, go on, get out there, be creative, innovative, and unique.
Be as authentic as possible and make your own beautiful mark.
That's how you'll thrive in this new age of photography.
For those of you who are really intrigued by the idea of cage fighting, here ya go.
Don’t get hurt, and I’ll see you next time.
This is the next 8-Week Workshop we are going to do. Starting February 19, we will examine hard product work to help you build it into your offering, or add it to your portfolio.
The class meets once per week with one assignment per week due. We run the gamut, from packaged goods to cosmetics. Each assignment is created to show you how to meet the challenges of shooting products for your clients.
This is one of the more popular workshops, and I urge you to check it out.
When you are ready, here is how I can help you succeed.
Group Mentorship: a small group of photographers who meet to show images, work on their portfolio, and build their businesses with help from a wonderful group. Lifetime membership for one fee.
One-on-one Mentorship: You and me - working together in an intense 6-month push to get you on the way to over $30K in additional revenue. The work we lay down will help you increase and scale your business for years ahead.
Coming in 2025, a One-on-One, 6-week plan to get your marketing system in place. You will see results immediately, and by results, I mean assigned work that pays you. More coming.
Interesting... but who are you making photographs for? Yourself? To make money? Focus on getting to be good before thinking about making money. Even Avedon and Penn had day jobs. And not jobs they really wanted, because what they really wanted was to photograph for themselves, e.g. ""In the American West" and "World in a Small Room".
If you develop a personal style - when you have shot for 25 years and actually may have a recognizable style - this may not be what your client is interested in. You must adapt.
And one final note. "Unique" in photography? I cannot think of a single photographer, except maybe Daguerre and Fox Talbot who were unique. Everyone stands on the shoulders of those that came before. Embrace it. Don't fight it.
Comfortably shooting local events sounds like a dream. What I wouldn't give to have gotten in when that was the way it could work. Cheers, Don!