Do People Know You Are a Photographer?

I’m not talking about full-time professionals with a studio or a wedding photographer. I’m talking about part-timers or stock or nature photographers that do most work in private and isolated from the public. I try to always have business cards on hand, and I’ve covered my office walls with my work, to create a conversation about my photography. But how many casual acquaintances know that photography is a craft and business that I am pursuing?

A few weeks ago, a man I work with stopped by and said he wanted my opinion about something. I went to his office, and he showed me a set of photographs and wanted my thoughts on which were best. I asked why, and he said he was getting six large black and white prints of Atlanta scenes printed and framed for their new condo. I looked at him and replied, “You want me to help you pick out work from my competition so you can buy his work instead of mine?”

I was half-way joking, but despite many conversations about my craft, he still didn’t understand I was a photographer. This, despite me getting a signed model release from him on a previous occasion, for a picture I took of him.

I looked at the samples of other guy’s work and pointed out some I liked. I also pointed out some that I thought I had done better. The result of this little exercise is I sold 20x24 prints of two of my images in black and white. The bad news is, had we had that conversation earlier, it might have been six 20 x 24 prints instead of two.

How do we combat this? Get the word out at every opportunity. If anyone sees you with a camera or taking a photograph and asks (the rhetorical question), “Are you a photographer?” The answer is a firm and confident, “yes,” followed by handing them a business card. If asked, “Are you a professional photographer,” then, once again, the answer is yes. It’s not, “Well, I’m trying to, uh, well, uh…” It’s “Yes I am,” once again followed by the business card with at the very least, your email address, and website. Don’t have a business card or website? Get them. Soon.

If friends, co-workers, or family ask you to take a picture of them, first get them to sign a model release. This process alone will start a conversation about your business and why you need a model release. Next, discuss sitting fees and how they can order prints. Even if you plan on shooting them for free and not charging for copies, they need to understand that this is an exception, and they are getting a sweet deal. Otherwise, you are just a GWC (a guy with a camera).

Which brings up the main subject, why are you giving it away? Every image you take should have a business purpose. You are selling the image, or it’s for marketing purposes. Are you going to shoot your cousin’s birthday party and give them the shots on a CD? Fine, but add a small watermark in the corner with your website on it. Are you going to print a few copies for the folks at the office? Get a stamp with your email and website and stamp the back of each one. Then it becomes a marketing piece. (And tax-deductible, but that’s another article.)

Of course, this means you always have to do excellent work and put your best foot forward. No matter where you are or what you are shooting, act as if it was a paid gig, and you are producing a saleable product. You can’t give people a bunch of snapshots and tell them it’s professional work. But, don’t give it away if you can charge for it. Even a nominal cost is better than no fee. Free stuff has no value to people. Charge them for it and deliver a quality product, and they will come back.

If I can get this business off the ground (and it’s starting to levitate as we speak), this will be the third completely different business that I have begun. They all have had two things in common. I never passed up an opportunity to get my name in front of people and let them know what I do, and I never gave away something if I could charge for it.

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