Finding My Feet

Finding my feet in the industry feels overwhelmingly daunting and for the last few weeks I have hidden from this reality, just marketing myself as a student. Although my student status is not a lie, I only have a few more weeks before I’m officially a graduate and it’s time to dive in. The only connection I had to product photographers was viewing their instagram profiles or being directed to their websites through pinterest, but knew networking would help get my introverted self out there.

Every student knows the power of LinkedIn for networking, and I can’t deny it has helped get my name out there. But surprisingly, the real game changer has been something much simpler – DM’ing photographers who’s work I like or who are close by. I DM’d a handful of photographers and was warned by lecturers I probably wouldn’t receive a single response, but they were wrong! One photographer even hopped on a video call with me for an hour, sharing his journey, listening to mine, and passing on invaluable tips. Another met me for coffee, allowing me to pick his brain, while two more generously shared advice over email—offering to let me visit their studios in the future. The response was far more encouraging than I ever expected!

The best pieces of advice given to me:

·      Buy a good quality chair – turns out, back pain is a rite of passage in the many hours spent editing a week. The Herman Miller Aeron is the holy grail, apparently!

·      Always get a 50% deposit before starting the work

·      Always have a contract in place – protect yourself, every time

·      Get a business banking card - Tide, Monzo Business, Starling Business all recommended

·      Use the ‘dithering’ tool when creating gradients to avoid stripes in smaller files

More importantly than any advice they could’ve given, making these connections face to face was so valuable, knowing I have people I can turn to as I navigate the rest of my journey. If you’re a photographer who’s open to connecting, lets chat! I’d love to hear the best advice you’ve received so far – drop a comment.