Getting your name out there...

[OFRD_GRL]

So to like Tiffany and those of you who have clients contact you for individual jobs... how did those people hear about you?
Business card? Business listing online/phonebook? Word of mouth?

Or some other secret that none of us know?

I have decided to start using Rich's camera (since he never does) till I get my Nikon and start doing some photography again. I was lucky in Ohio that I had my company get my name out there for me... :) But I'm not entirely sure how to go about it on my own now!

[ColoradoSkier]

I dunno, maybe writing entries for www.onedayonepicture.com would help? :flipoff2:

[OFRD_GRL]

LMFAO yea yea yea buddy i see how it is :)

im lucky to have time to post on my own blog (which hasn't happened in DAYS) let alone another one with how crazy my *real* work has been lately. fawkin new catalogs coming out. lol

things should bee *should be* calming down end of this week though!

[4.0Cherokee]

signs on vehicle with phone # , a web site ,flyers on cars in parking lots ,bussiness cards, best of all word of mouth, ect

[Tiffany]

I take pics of kids...so every where I go I find a kid, find their parent and ask them if I could take some pictures of their kid(s). Then I hand them a biz card with my site and the password to their gallery so they can see the pics I took. Almost everytime they buy prints, about 1 out of 5 will call to ask for a formal shoot.

From there they show/talk to friends.

I am trying to stay away from event photography...outside the occasional kids birthday party. Not my cup of tea and I dont particularly like crowds so working within one would probably drive me crazy.

I tend to target what I want to shoot. Kids, kids sports, models...so its much easier to get my name out there when I work within the confines of what I want to shoot.

[Jeffro600]

Like Tiffany said, taking the active approach and getting out there and making a name for yourself is the fastest and best way to do it. Websites are great for showing your finished products but their limited on how much they will get you in terms of business. Word of mouth is king in this business and if youve shown to produce photos people want, you will get business and you will make money.

Ive gotten ONE client from my website and that was only because someone directed them to it and showed it to them. Ive gotten about a dozen others just from word of mouth. I dont do studio portraits as i dont have the patients to try to get people to conform to what i think looks good. I prefer to take pictures of people in their natural element...sports games, family outings, doing hobbies they enjoy, etc.

Although i shoot some people, I much prefer to take the human element out of my photos and shoot static objects...cars, scenery, buildings, some animals. That way, all you have to do is find a good angle and know how to work the natural light and its easy to get good photos. Ive actually got a job for a hospital out in CA in May. The client doesnt want any portraits but instead wants pictures of the exterior and the offices with people working...trying to capture them hard at work. Should be a fun project.

[OFRD_GRL]

ahhhh thats a really good way of doing it Tiffany!

Never even thought about that!

I also much prefer dealing with non-people subjects. Animals and action are my favorite, but scenery is great too!

[ColoradoSkier]

Jeffro - I am right there with you on not shooting people. The CA gig sounds cool. If you want some good ideas of possible things you could do, try http://davidtejada.blogspot.com/

This guy does incredible work, and has been doing it for some time. Good tidbits throughout his blog.

[Tiffany]

I dont deal with people...kids are not peoples yet...they just like to run around and have fun. I prefer the kids to the models, but the models pay so much more.

I guess for me the biggest thing is that I am not trying to make a living with this photography thing. I already experienced making my fun hobby my job and it was no longer my fun hobby...wont fall down that hole again.

[OFRD_GRL]

Yes, I agree on that!
I made my hobby of cars into a job and started hating my own cars...

[4.0Cherokee]

If there not people what are they ZOMBIES :D

[Tiffany]

If there not people what are they ZOMBIES :D
Kids are kids....they just have fun. It is really hard to take bad pictures of kids...they always make things interesting ;)

[4.0Cherokee]

so true

[OFRD_GRL]

kids are very cool, not nervous in front of the camera or anything, and you never really have to direct them, because they are always being cute or funny :)

[4.0Cherokee]

but you havnt met mine yet :D there lil demons when they want

[thenimirra]

dang it Una...this discussion made me realize I STILL forgot to get you those images! Damn it....I will do it...promise..


Anyways, for me it's been about just getting out there and networking. I haven't advertised at all (even though I'm going to start). My first gig came from an instructor who didn't have the time to do the assignment. He sent out an email to all of his students and out of about 10 folks he emailed, I was the ONLY one who called the contact back and said I would do it. So when you have an opportunity, take it; and let people around you know that you are shooting so that when an opportunity arises where someone needs a photographer, they will immediately think of you.

That one gig led to two others, and those gigs once completed led to more, etc. etc. It's like a domino effect. And you never know when someone you just met will call you in the future, or where you might meet them so be prepared with your business cards. I met a contact at my boss's holiday party...turns out she owns a marketing agency needing photogs to travel to Miami to do some shoots! That gig in Breckenridge came through another contact I gave my business card too that same night at the same party.

I'm good with people, so the networking and socializing and the shooting of events and families works well for me. I understand that you prefer doing non-people shots. However, people shots and events are what get you the funds you need to do the kind of creative work you REALLY want to be doing. My favorite instructor is a nature photographer, but he does senior portraits to make money so he can take his nature tours. I believe being open to any kind of shooting opportunity while continuing to nurture your true passion is the best of both worlds, if you can handle it.

[Oscar]

walk around naked with a camera?

[OFRD_GRL]

LMFAO oscar for some reason i dont think that would get me shooting other people, i think i would end up with a lot of photos taken of me though...

[OFRD_GRL]

and i forgive you sheeba ;)

[thenimirra]

well, I agree that's definitely one way to make a name for yourself. It worked for those weather casting girls on that one network.... ;)

[Tiffany]

but you havnt met mine yet :D there lil demons when they want
I got the same three demon issue, but pull out a camera and the hilarity ensues...kinda funny

[ColoradoSkier]

I understand that you prefer doing non-people shots. However, people shots and events are what get you the funds you need to do the kind of creative work you REALLY want to be doing. My favorite instructor is a nature photographer, but he does senior portraits to make money so he can take his nature tours. I believe being open to any kind of shooting opportunity while continuing to nurture your true passion is the best of both worlds, if you can handle it.

Only if you want to do this as a full time job. I have enough demands on my time as it is, I prefer to do the kind of shooting I want to during any free time I might wind up with. Will take me longer to raise the funds for new equipment, etc, but it stays a hobby and doesn't take more of my time than I have. That's why I stopped doing web development on the side. Even now I have too many distractions going on and need to pare back further.

[Tiffany]

Only if you want to do this as a full time job. I have enough demands on my time as it is, I prefer to do the kind of shooting I want to during any free time I might wind up with. Will take me longer to raise the funds for new equipment, etc, but it stays a hobby and doesn't take more of my time than I have. That's why I stopped doing web development on the side. Even now I have too many distractions going on and need to pare back further.
Thank you Chester! Was trying to find a way to say that without being bitchy. You dont NEED to take pics of people or events to make money or enjoy photography. For me, its about enjoyment...money is secondary...if even that.

I enjoy taking pics of kids having fun. I would do it for free...and a lot of times I do just because it makes ME happy. What makes me happy does not have to make me a buck as well. Learned that a long time ago.

Views are different if this is going to be your fulltime or money making gig.

[OFRD_GRL]

no no no definitely not the fulltime gig... ill enjoy it more this way :)

i really like the idea of just taking free pics and giving them the link to the pics that they can buy!

[Tiffany]

no no no definitely not the fulltime gig... ill enjoy it more this way :)

i really like the idea of just taking free pics and giving them the link to the pics that they can buy!
I have made a nice little penny doing that...and it gives me a smile everytime I look at the pics I took...like the goofy kid at Fat Burger who wouldn't eat his fries until I took his picture eating the fries...or the adorable baby at a birthday party where I was one of the few who spoke english...his smile and my camera fixed that problem real quick.

There are three segments of photographers in my mind, those who do it as a job, those who enjoy it and the smaller subset of those who do it as a job and love it.

[thenimirra]

To each their own. There is no right or wrong. There is only the way of doing things that works best for you. Una asked what we did to get the gigs we did and that's what I shared and have learned.

[ColoradoSkier]

As with anything I say, don't take it too personal. I am very impressed at how quick you have gotten up to speed and are setting this up to be your sole source of income. Reading my comments will also explain why I am being a bit more slow in my approach to "getting up to speed." Different strokes for different folks.

[thenimirra]

I am not taking it personally. As a matter of fact I knew you would say that. ;) The discussion gave me an idea for my recent blog post.

I'm just reinterating the same fact that people should do what's best for them.

[OFRD_GRL]

totally. and the fact you do so well with it is awesome Sheeba!!!

[rockkrusher]

Networking,buisness cards and just showing up somewhere and asking if you can shoot.Word of mouth works far better than anything else at least in this area.I keep a port with me most of the time and show it off.Has landed me some decent gigs.

[OFRD_GRL]

lol it took me a minute to realize what *port* was

i was like WTF (its been a long week)

Thats a good idea, I will have to load some images onto my PDA for that!

[thenimirra]

it took me a minute too.... :)

[rockkrusher]

Woops sorry about that at least I didnt say book and lose everybodycompletly.I carry a portfolio with around 100 8x10's to show perspective clients that I might meet while out and about.
I actualy have 3 different ones in print form to show different types of clients

[thenimirra]

it's funny you should say that... I was thinking I would need to create several different kinds of ports too...

one for photo journalism,
one for fashion, portraits
and one for events....

What different ones do you have with you?

[rockkrusher]

I carry one of general photography that includes portraits,kids shots,some events,couples,and outdoor shots.
If they want to see a little more the second comes out that contains shots for models ports,mild artistic and implied nudes,outdoor nudes and advanced couples shots.Full body make up and theme shoots.
The third is only shown in the studio when I know that the client wants this type of shoot.It contains stronger artistic nudes,fetish/bondage type shots and fantasy couples shots (they want to look like they belong on a romance novel) Shots that include weapons also.
All print in the last 2 ports are printed soley by me and all clients signed a release for me to use the shots of their choice and can request that they be pulled at any time.I hold their right to privacy in the highest reguard.