Marketing for the Commercial Photographer

[Valadilene]

Hi there!

I'm new here, and really wanted to get some advice from you wonderful folks. I am trying to get into the Commercial Photography business (I currently work as a photographer for a nanomanufactuering company documenting procedures for training guides) but I'm unsure how to go about marketing myself.

I want to do a host of things, from food to product to interiors, but I dont know how to get my name out there. I know with portrait and wedding photographers you can offer portrait sessions, make deals with florists, caters, ect.. a host of different things that Ive heard at 1/2 a dozen business of photography seminars.. but I have never heard one person focus on how a commercial photographer can market. Since my aim is companies, not so much individuals, and to shoot ads and the like, not portraits, what do I do? I have a business card (or will in a few days) and Im working on getting my website up.. but that only goes so far! Im not looking on how to run a business, more how to market one.

I'd appreciate any input.

[CaptainTom]

Me Too !!!!

[adirty1]

First off you need a book. It's great to have a site but a book is even more helpful in commercial before you are known by editors and buyers. I was talking to an editor the other day and when she has people that just give her a disk or a card it's hard to compare to others that have left their book. It's easy to open up a book or two and compare the photographer’s right there and then. You don't always have a computer or wifi. I know it's hard to believe but that is what she told me. Something else she said surprised me was that photographers are not leaving their leave behinds like they used to. A leave behind is your marketing tool to catch the editor or AD's eye and hopefully they will remember your book and give you call.

Get out the Yellow pages and find every agency in your area that you want to market yourself too from the small firms to the big ones. Start doing your research and find out who is the buyer for the firm. With that research you will find out if the firm has a photo editor or not or if they us the AD for the selection process. Normally it wise to stop in and talk with the secretary/Admin to find out all the details. Bring the admin/sec a coffee, flowers, plant, or a small framed fine art print of yours. Don't ask to see anyone just ask how the selection process works. Networking with the secretary can really pay off in the end. Build a relationship with the person. They are not dumb they know what you are doing but most of them like it and are impressed that you know how things really run in the business. Take this time to learn all you can about her/him. Ask about other firms and see if she knows anyone there. Take that information to the next firm and keep going. You are networking and building your relationship with people that can help you get your book to the right person.

This might take you a while but the payoff is worth it. Of course you can always take the direct approach and just drop your book off with the Admin/REC and hope that it makes it way to the person that needs to see it. With a little networking and relationship building your book will be sure to find its way to the top of the pile more than once. If the editor, buyer or AD asks for your book to be shipped back to you; your Admin/REC just might place that book back in the pile for a second look.

Now the fun starts. You must now figure out how you want to do your book. Do you want to do images on boards or do you want to use sleeves or maybe even a bound book. I used to use images on mount board with velvet backing. You could pick up that image and it just felt rich and well produced. I am now thinking of going to bound books. Like a coffee table book. You need 10-13 images in your book. If you do images on boards have the lab laminate them. No matter what you do your images will get dirty and need to be replaced every now and then. It was so much easier with chromes.

Build a book for what you want to shoot. It's better to have 2 or 3 books then just one book with everything thing lumped together. Book 1 is fashion; book 2 is food, book 3 industrial and so on you get the idea. After your book is done create a great leave behind. Look it up on the net for examples of some creative leave behinds. There are some really great leave behinds out there.

With your leave behind create a business card that will be noticed. I know of one photographer that has done like a collectors set. Every month she has new card that she sends out. She gets calls from people just wanting the next card in the set which in turns leads to business. Pretty damn clever. I have now gone with metal. People just can’t get rid of it which is just what I want... I am thinking of making the CD business card next. If you are mailing your book out you need to include return postage with it and place the book in a box that can be mailed. Or have something to indicate that you want to pick up the book in person.

You now have a complete package of a book, leave behind, business card and if you choose a cd. If you do a cd make it a package deal too. Create a cover and do something on the cd either a stick on image or use light scribe. Just don’t write your name on the disk with a sharpie unless that is going to be part of your marketing ploy. It wouldn’t hurt to create a nice way to package everything together.

When the book comes back and it will come back don’t get down about it just send it right back out. That book that you spent 1000’s on is not going to make you money sitting at the office. And just because it came back doesn’t mean that you do not send it back to that same person again. Who knows at that time they just might not have been looking for someone that shoots in your style but, next month could be a different story.
Hope this helps. There are a couple really good books out there about how to get in with commercial work. I have the names at home I will try and remember to check this evening.

A_

[Valadilene]

Thanks for the input! sounds great, but just to see if I understand, you are talking about going to ad agencies to do this? or just any company that I'm trying to find work with?

I have an idea for a more original business card, but its in the very very preliminary stages of development. Do you put your images on the metal cards?

Anyone else have any other ways that they market their commercial work?

[adirty1]

ad agencies, marketing groups, Magazines, publishing companies, designers. You can tone it down for smaller businesses that don't use a firm.. the key is to find out who buys the images and who in the shot caller. It's all about the research and I have been lazy the last 6 months. I need to get back to working the smaller firms again.

you can put images on your metal cards if you like. I don't have any images on mine I just have my logo and info embossed on the card. I also have some that look just like a credit card with the signature strip and embossed info on it. I had a show not to long ago and I am now out of cards I need to reorder. for the price of the metal or plastic cards you become a little stingy on who gets the good ones. I also have just plain old paper ones that I give out and carry all the time.

A good leave behind and cards will help you move along with smaller firms and businesses.

[ShaneKislack]

adirty1 is right.

But in addition, most commercial photogs send out post cards and email blasts a few times a year to those contacts they want to work for. You can either put in the time and research whom you want to work for...or buy a list from adbase or agency access. Both provide really good list.

Have a good website with really strong images. By good I mean easy to navigate and simple. The website is the new book. I assist about 8 commercial photogs and none of them are sending out books on a regular basis. Most of the choices are being made from the sites. Thus, the site is now your best marketing tool. Don't cheap out. Look at Livebooks.

The images need to have a style that is yours and need to be in one genre. No one will hire a generalist. They have the money to hire the best food photog or the best portrait guy, etc. Furthermore, they need to represent your personal vision.

Get your name on the asmp find a photog list. Join a source book...whichever matches your style best: altpick, blackbook, workbook, le book, photoserve, etc. Are your images up there with the people that advertise in that particular book?

Lastly, assist. Assisting is the best way to break into the commercial market because you are onset everyday with the people that will eventually be hiring you. You'll get to know these people and they'll recognize your name when you go out on your own. You'll also have a good idea of whom to work for and whom to stay away from. Sometime, in rare occasions, a photog will recommend you for a project because he doesn't have time or it doesn't pay their rate. Once you work for a guy long enough, he might even let you in on how to estimate and bill clients. This is important because it's the only way for you to know what the images you make are worth. I've seen people charge close to $10K (and get it) for a single shot + usage. It's wasn't ripping them off either. He, and the client, just knew the value of that photograph.

Check out burnsautoparts.com and read the manuals and blogs. Read communication arts, PDN and Archive.

It's a great time to get into the business. It's so slow that if you can make it now, you'll be able to make it through anything ;)

disclaimer: if we knew the perfect answer, we wouldn't have time to reply to your post. I'm just telling you what I've seen other commercial photogs do.

[adirty1]

From what I understand by a couple friends that are reps in NYC a real book is more powerful for a no named up and coming then a website.

Those photo marketing books are not cheap... again more established photographers use those.

A really good site to check out is http://aphotoeditor.com/ . It's well worth the read and has some great info on how things are changing and what is working now. Promo cards or leave behinds are the norm. your promo card needs to convey the message that you want the person to see the rest of your work or do you want your promo card to be pinned to the wall for all to see. It's very interesting how the mind of a photo editor works. Interesting stuff about spray and pray approach.

aphotoeditor.com is a time sucker. there is all kinds of great info on there but you have to dig around a little and you keep going as you dig.

one other site with a ton of info on is.

[ShaneKislack]

Adam, I think for a rep, a book would be a stronger selling point. After all, that's a lot of what a rep does...takes the book around to showings. And to a certain extent, a website cannot compete with an actual book in the hands. However, what I've seen is that less and less clients are calling books in for review. They are making the decisions based on the site. I know that's probably not the best way, calibration issues, etc...but it's what I've seen.

Either way, spend money on your website and book. It would be terrible if someone was calling in your book and you did not have one.

[Valadilene]

All sounds like great advice.. One of my worries is not having the equipment to get it all done.. I need to invest in apower pack and some lgihts.. so far all my images have been done with available lighting or one to two vivitar 285HVs..and I get good results.. but i dont think that will keep me afloat with interiors and other larger work (unless i do alot of masking in photoshop!)

Shane, in regard to what you were saying about a website being very specfic, my problem right now is that i AM a generalist when it comes to commercial work. I am currently focusin gmostly on food but also do product and soon some fashion. I have seen many sites that offer portfolios of various subjects.. is this a bad thing if all the work is stellar? Is it bad to have a few images of other things if I have one MAIN focus? A friend is working on my site currently, not sure how long its going to take her, since its a free-time kidna thing, but Ill have it up for some critique relatively soon.

As for the slowness of the current market.. I just remember.. in the Great Depression, the people making all the money were the sign painters..and thats what we are.. no one else can make money if we aren't 'selling' them.. one of my photography profs told me that after a very depressing debate about the current economy ><

[ShaneKislack]

Rent until you can buy.

Being a generalist=no work is the common wisdom. Look at the great porfolios on the sourcebook sites I listed and tell me the pattern. Granted, you are in San Antonio, which is not historically a big commercial market...so being a generalist may not be so bad. On the other hand, it's a global market now. So you will be competing with the big dogs. The idea is that if you are going to spend $30,000 on a project, you are going to get the best 'babies on white seamless' photographer you can find. Or you're going to find the best industrial factory shooter. It's too easy to find people that specialize in and have worked and mastered that specialty than to take a chance on someone who is pretty good at a few different things.

Having said that, I think you can throw the random pic in everyone once in a while if a) it fits your style b) contributes to the flow of your port. For example, I'm a people shooter but have a pic of a dog in my book. The dog is there because, like my people photos, it's dramatic and shows the personality of the dog.

[Valadilene]

So would you suggest focusing on one type and letting all others fall to the wayside? I have been more focused on food lately, but I dont neccesarily feel competant enough to make it my one and only, but I do have mostly food images.

[park]

Originally Posted by Valadilene

So would you suggest focusing on one type and letting all others fall to the wayside? I have been more focused on food lately, but I dont neccesarily feel competant enough to make it my one and only, but I do have mostly food images.

I doubt San Antonio has enough demand for food photography to support you. I would think broader to start with and narrow down as you get more experience.

FYI, here is the best food photographer in SA that I know of - http://www.tmaurerphoto.com/. I don't know how active she is now as the web site dates are 1999. Give her a call and talk to her about local stylists and tips on starting your business. She is a very nice person.

You should check into joining the ASMP Austin/San Antonio chapter - http://www.asmpasa.org/.

[ShaneKislack]

Fall by the wayside? No. If you love it keep shooting it. Create a separate persona for it or just keep it personal.

[park]

Through another reply to a similar question on another forum, I found a FAQ at http://www.foodportfolio.com/ that is worth its weight in gold. Since he is way out of your area, you might find it easier to contact him or his studio manager and ask for tips on establishing a business shooting food.

Good luck,
Park Street

[Valadilene]

Park- thanks for the info! Ill defiantly contact her and see what she has to say, though I probably won't be in San Antonio much longer. More than likely ill be moving to austin in January, then San Francisco in about two years.. so it'll be interesting trying to get up and running. And I actually already have the foodportfolio.com bookmarked already! Its a great site.

Shane- I mean for business purposes though, not private means.. I'll always shoot what I love.. but is it necessarily a smart idea to neglect those other forms of commercial photography in favor of one niche?