WHERE DOES A PHOTOGRAPHER

LEARN THE BUSINESS

CHALLENGESHARD TO FIND SUPPORT

HARD TO FIND TRAINING

FEWER MENTORS

CHALLENGESMANY PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE NOT HELPFUL AND CAN BE LESS THAN

ENTHUSIASTIC WHEN HELPINGYOUNGER STARTUPS

SOLUTIONSIGNORE THOSE THAT ARENOT HELPFUL AND FOCUS

ON THOSE THAT ARE.RESEARCH WILL REVEAL

THOSE WHO ARE AND THOSEWHO AREN’T

CHALLENGE“Many photographers turn to older

and/or more experienced photographers for help in understanding the business of photography. Many face insults, closed

doors or guidance on everything except business.”

SOLUTIONAsk politely for a small

bit of information.

Demanding too much from oneperson can quite rude.

SOLUTIONSSeek out the best knowledge

you can find… then ask for clarification

Look for mentors and those willing to help in specific ways…

groups, associations, old age homes…

SOLUTIONSJoin trade associations that

are SPECIFICALLY created to helpthe industry…

ASMP - American Society of Media Photographers

APA - Advertising Photographers of AmericaPPA – Professional Photographers Association

SOLUTIONSUnfortunately, talking about this

stuff isn’t sexy… it isn’t glamorous. It is hard work that takes a lot of self

evaluation and personal decisions.

Attendance is low for those meetings that discuss the business side, so fewer

meetings are held.

CHALLENGE“A great business person with average work

will always do better than a poor business person with stellar work. And who makes the decision that the work is good enough to be a business? Other photographers?”

SOLUTIONSThe market will decide. If the photographer is

competent to create work that othersare willing to pay for, then they will

succeed. It is not up to other photographers to create success for you, nor is it in their

ability to destroy your business.

SOLUTIONSDo not seek validation from Flickr,or

Zooomr, or Picassa or some forum on the interwebs. The validation you seek should come from within and from your clients.

Anne Geddes was told she had no chance to be a photographer - by other

photographers. I think she does just fine.

CHALLENGE“The truth is there is a certain point where every photographer (who wants to be more than a hobbyist) feels they are of the level

to move their passion towards passion and profession.”

SOLUTIONSFeeling and knowing are two separate things.

“Feeling” is subjective – “Knowing” is objective. And it takes a lot of work and self

exploration to become educated. It takes asking questions that have uncomfortable answers. It is facing the fact that there is more to do, and then

doing it, that makes the difference – and becomes the challenge.

SOLUTIONSWay too many people make decisions based on

what they ‘feel’ and that can be a terrible mistake.

“Feelings” are based on emotion, not facts. “Knowing” is based on the research,

measurability and assessments needed to determine viability.

Sounds way too technical, but it isn’t.

CHALLENGE“We can argue that some photographers aren’t

“good enough” to be making money or to be successful, but the truth is business is about business. And if this business was one where

only the most talented with the best images were the most successful, the need for the personal

brand might be a completely mute one.”

SOLUTIONSThere is no doubt that the role of marketing can

play a huge role in the success of a photographer. Personal Brand, I feel, is one of

the most powerful tools a photographer can have in their arsenal… but alas, it is not deemed important enough by many photographers.

It is a business where the best images to climb to the top – if pushed along by great marketing.

SOLUTIONSBottom Line: there are a tremendous amount of great photographers out there. Great work alone

cannot make the difference… in fact, it is expected. The difference is understanding the

business and getting the training that is necessary to understand something that is part

art, part marketing, part brand, part technical and totally without any pre-sets or rules.

SOLUTIONSAnd let’s not forget how important sales are in this

grand scheme. All important.

Where can one learn that skill?

Workshops, breakfast marketing groups, schools, audio tapes, videos, CD’s, Books on Tape - and by observing. Observe great salespeople everywhere

SOLUTIONSWorking with a photographer used to be the way

one learned the “ropes”… those days are gone, and assisting is much harder to find.

But information is not.

There is a wealth of information on the internet and libraries on sales… be tenacious. And keep

looking for shooters to assist with.

CHALLENGE“So a business degree helps, but isn’t the total

answer. Even traditional education in other areas help, but isn’t the total answer.”

SOLUTIONSI am ambivalent about degrees of any kind.

Personal bias I suppose.

But a business degree won’t necessarily help. A couple of sales training classes at a JC, or sales

training camps may help for sure.

Photography is a business, but it has enough quirkiness to put it in a rare class

SOLUTIONSI am there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for

photographers. Genres, geography, demographics, goals, personal relationships,

social comfort and more can make it difficult to find a “Way” of doing something.

But there are plenty of personal things one can do to gain market share in one’s area or region. Be

creative – create buzz!!!

SOLUTIONSThe great wisdom that is available from clients,

photographers, mentors and coaches cannot be overlooked. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE.

Selina Maitreya is one coach I know of who has been helpful to so many successful

photographers. Her information is real, and her success rate is measurable. There are others as

well. Be judicious when you hire.

CHALLENGE“So how do photographers learn the business,

which for the most part involves the four components of: sales, marketing,

communication and management? From what I have observed and experienced it involves various cycles of learning, trial,

error, failure, reinvention, success, complacency, stagnation, failure, learning,

trial, error, reinvention, success.”

SOLUTIONSThere must be a plan. And the plan has to

make sense for the photographer. And that is tricky too.But there are paths that have been carved into the

marketing landscape.

There are methods that work. There are ways to create buzz that are defined – at least with a soft edge of definition.

It takes the individual to add the clarity. Others have had similar challenges and met them with success.

So it can be done.

SOLUTIONSFind the success in your world. Model them… find out what

They did, and do the same things… but with your twist.

There are no secrets…

Just planning and hard work.

THANK YOUThis slide show was presented in conjunction with

a presentation on finding ways to learn the business at Lighting Essentials – a Place for Photographers.

www.lighting-essentials.com