Promoting a developing photo business

[petert]

I need some help/advice...

I know that there are successful fashion/glamour photographers on this forum and I need to tap your brains. Come January, I want to start generating income from shooting model portfolio development. My ego isn't large enough to say that I am some kind of expert, but I have finally admitted to myself that I think I can deliver high quality images that models can use for their portfolios. This year, I made a point of getting as many TFP shoots as I could handle and practice my professional business flow on them. I think that went well and the exercise and experience was completely worthwhile.

Getting to the question, the part that I'm concerned with is promoting the business. Obviously, there's the company webpage and all the tricks for getting it in front of customers... but other than the "my work speaks for itself", what advertising choices have you successful fashion/glamour shooters used to generate business for yourselves? Have you directly contacted models, their agencies, fashion designers, etc. via OMP or other modeling sites? Have you purchased banner ads? Local print advertising? What has worked for you?

With my most sincere thanks,

Peter

[Robin Binder]

Peter, you're not going to get rich off models, most don't have money. But they will pay for Fashion Photos to help them get into agencies. You can contact the local agencies, but most are in bed with certain photographers. There is a certain look that they look for when working with Photographers and if you have hidden photos in your closet they won't use you because of the laws. Fashion Designers will hire you for a set fee but mostly they are working for a producer that is running a show looking for designers. You can find the producer of many fashion show by talking to the local models that work them. It's all about networking and getting numbers.

There is an up tapped source of Makeup Artist in Training; contact the cosmo school for them and they will come for Free to practice on your models, but you don't know what you're getting.

I have my own niche and it's changing every month. lol

The Public is the best place to market to make your success. It's not location, location, location - it's all about marketing, marketing, marketing...

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Look at your market, Austin has not been known for fashion work to say the least, so that makes it a very small pond to try to even be a frog in much less one big enough to get fat and happy in.

Heck Market week at the Trade Center in Dallas probably employes more models than Austin gigs do all year long.

Yes, you may have had many young models come for TFP work with you but that was because it was FREE for them, when you get to the you need to pay for the shoot the numbers drop down drastically and the few big frogs in the market will be hard to displace and when they do retire there probably is someone who has worked with them in their studio ready to step right in.

Go open up your local phone book and see how many modeling agencies -legit ones- hang their shingles in the Austin Metropolitan area and also look at the AMS and the Chronicle and see how much of the advertising space is being bought by local businesses that you know are using local talent in their adds.

Now in the case of Dallas there are many pros who shoot for national clients that are not necessarily based in Dallas and there are a lot of agencies that have a large steady demand for new models to step in and keep their stable full then add in the multiple market weeks that occur at the World Trade/Market Center over on Stemmons and we are not talking about a pond or maybe even a lake but a small sea that can support all sorts of frogs and even a few whales and sharks.

[petert]

Originally Posted by RmgB

Peter, you're not going to get rich off models, most don't have money. But they will pay for Fashion Photos to help them get into agencies.
...
and if you have hidden photos in your closet they won't use you because of the laws.
...
The Public is the best place to market to make your success. It's not location, location, location - it's all about marketing, marketing, marketing...

My goals for 2007 aren't to loose my day-job, but more like to justify the photography expenses. I know that Austin is not NYC or even Houston or Dallas, but there is talent here (models and photographers).

Regarding the "in your closet" comment, I'm not sure what you're implying here, so I'll ask that you explain that to me. I have nothing to hide, just images that I haven't shared or published (as I'm sure that everyone has). Everything I shot has been above board and completely contracted, even if it was just TFP.

Thanks,

Peter

[exposedmedia]

Originally Posted by RmgB

Peter, you're not going to get rich off models, most don't have money.

Any professional model will pay. There are two types, internet models (omp, ots, etc), that won't pay and just look for TFP all the time. Thats not to say there aren't those that are really ambitious on breaking into the modeling industry. They are out there and willing to pay. Then there are professional models who book the big names by there agencies. Even though these pay, a professional model will only need to update there book about 3 times a year. My friend Luke, a Ford model, probably the largest agency in the world, is only required to update his book twice a year, but when he does he will look at paying the prices i'm sure your thinking of charging and they are expected to for professional prints. Like you said they are out there and not just NY. He is with Ford out of NY but lives in San Antonio so gets to fly often. He also books through Kim Dawson out of Dallas. I would try your local agencies and even agencies in Houston or Dallas.

[Robin Binder]

I was in no way impling that you had hidden photos

I just went to meet with an agency last week and they used that term so I used it; I should have stated that -

They are looking for Magazine style photos from their models and a clean headshot. Their models photos are their reputation and ours. They have all these restrictions that makes me think is this worth my time. We'll see if pans out.

Like I said, Market and you will find them; And when you become famous for your style (not that you aren't already) They will come find you to shoot their photo.

only my opinion - not facts - lol

And Yes Ricardo FORD models are the elite... I only hope one day to shoot with one.

Until then I'll just keep learning and clicking away. lol