Business Trends
Back To Basics Part II
Finding Images To Shoot That Clients Will Buy
For a photography business to be profitable, there must be a client base that you can work with and that has an interest in the type of work you do. Getting started or expanding your business involves shooting a lot of images for these clients. The most important question for you is what the best self-assignments for you might be. You will need to identify what direction to take, what images to shoot, and who will buy them. Your big break is just around the corner; it is up to you to take that walk. As a photo rep and a marketing consultant, I divide the business of creating images and finding clients into two areas. One is the commercial client and the second is the consumer client. This distinction is based on how the photography is used. You are never really selling photography; you are selling the use of the photography (basic copyright usage law) or you are selling the original art (prints or albums). So one of the considerations when deciding what you will shoot is how your photos will be used. A commercial client has a business or "commerce" reason for the use of your images. It could be low-end usage such as an exhibit or high-end usage such as advertising. A consumer client (often called the wedding and portrait market) has a strictly personal and non-commerce usage for your images. Stock & Fine Art It is also important to recognize that the subject matter is not an issue when finding images to shoot and sell successfully. The determining factor is how the photos will be used, not the subject. For example, any portrait subject can be a consumer client (family portrait to hang in the living room) or a commercial client (executive portrait for an annual report). So, to determine what to shoot more of, take a look at the images you have already done. What is the common theme running through the images that you feel are your most creative work? What type of work do you want to be known for? All this has an effect on how you approach making the images, what usage a client has for your work, and who the client may be. Your Approach Client Usage Who The Client May Be Putting The Images Together Next month, we will show you how to develop, write, and implement a "plan of action." Our goal is to take the first part of this new year to refresh and renew our commitment to being successful in business! |
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