This article is written for both the established and the emerging photographer. If you’ve been in the industry for years and have a good thing going, use these questions as a gut check and to evaluate your current situation. If you’re starting out, you can use the questions as a guide to point you in the right direction and to grow a successful and happy business. Obviously, the article is geared toward photographers, but the questions are the same no matter who you are or what business you’re trying to run. Before we get into the questions, I’m going ask you to do something ludicrous. Forget about the money. For the next 30 minutes, making money isn’t primary, secondary, or even tertiary (that means third … I might have had to look it up) concern. Let’s just think about you, what you want to do and with whom you want to do it. Cool?

Question 1 – What Do I Love to Do?

As a photographer, what moves you? What do you love to look at? What do you love to shoot? Is it landscapes? Wildlife? High school seniors? Brides? If you had to pick just one thing to shoot, what would it be? Now, write it down. Seriously. Do it.

Question 2 – Who is My Target Market?

Of course we all want the whole world to buy what we’re selling, but right now, forgetting about money, think of your perfect client? It’s a busy world full of noise, and if we target the whole world, our voice is drowned. However, if we narrow that market, shrink it down to much smaller and very specific pool, the noise level is lower, and our voice can be heard. People start to notice us. So ask yourself: my perfect customers … where do they work? What do they do for fun? What are their hobbies? How do they socialize? Make some specific assumptions and come up with a very narrow group of people.

Let’s say, for example, that I love shooting high school seniors. But to just say that is not enough. I have to narrow it down. Get myself a small sliver to market to. Does that mean I can only shoot people that fit my target market? Heck no. But by getting specific, I can create very specific branding and get their attention. As I build awareness with this group, my presence will naturally spill out and I’ll be seen by others as well.

Let’s look at an example of this method of segmentation. Several years ago, Apple had the novel idea to launch a new music player called the iPod. Of course they wanted the whole world to see and purchase their new device. However, they didn’t target their marketing toward my mom, or the business executive, or the 10-year-olds running around. Their market was music enthusiasts between the ages of 15-35 who own a Mac. That’s right, at the time the the iPod was launched, it only worked with a Mac!!! Even today, after significant growth in market share, the Mac now only owns 6.45% of the global market. But a few years later, guess what? My mom, just about every 10-year-old, and most business executives own an iPod of one form or another. Why? Because they made a phenomenal and superior product, then made serious waves in their target market. Then, their target market became iPod evangelists, spreading the word for them!

So let’s go back to my high school senior discussion. How do I narrow the market even further? I could focus on seniors that are into music and play in bands. Or maybe I focus on the thespian seniors. Or the jocks, or the dancers, or the fashion forward. It could be anything. Just pick a genre that matches your own interests so you can both relate to and enjoy working with them. Now write all this down below the answer to question one.

Question 3 – How Do I Get in Front of My Target Market?

Now that you have identified a small group of people and have figured out where they are, what they’re into, and where they socialize, get in front of them. Let’s say for example I chose the jocks. Talk to the coach about shooting some games and get permission from the parents to post images from the games and tag the players on Facebook. Talk to the coach and tell him for a limited time you’re offering to shoot a “game spotlight” as part of the senior package. Maybe team up with other sports related vendors to put together a “welcome packet” to give parents of the athletes at the beginning of the season. Get out your pencil and brainstorm how to get in front of YOUR target market.

Now, let’s put it all together (you can start thinking about money again, even though I’m sure you cheated already). At the end of the day, the objective is to figure out what you love to do, identify the people to whom you want to offer that service, and then make yourself heard. The more narrow your market the more you can focus your voice and the more likely it is that you’ll be heard. Now get to work, and start marketing!

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz is the President & Founder of The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation for International Photography, a non-profit international organization created for fostering social discourse in underrepresented communities throughout the world by encouraging emerging and established photographers working in developing nations to keep their lenses fixed on the plight of the poor and the disenfranchised.

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz was born in the barrio of Pozo Hondo, Guayama, Puerto Rico. The eldest of ten children of a poor, blue-collar sugarcane working family, he grew up in a corrugated tin shack with dirt floors and no running water. Rivera-Ortiz’s father worked in the sugar cane fields of Central Machete and Central Aguirre in the declining days of the Puerto Rican sugar industry. Following the Zafra or sugar-harvesting season, his father labored as a migrant farm worker in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.

Rivera-Ortiz is noted for his social documentary photography of people’s living conditions in less developed nations. Rivera-Ortiz’ work is collected at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, and most recently by The Nelson-Atkins Museum and its famed Hallmark Photographic Collection in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2012, his work on the lives of the poor was selected by Columbia University Joseph Pulitzer Graduate School of Journalism (where he received his Master of Science degree), among the “50 Great Stories” produced by alumni over the last century.

The Interview

1. Tell us something about your business and how long you have been a professional photographer?

My career begins in the seemingly unlikeliest of places by modern standards — in poverty. Photojournalism partaken as a means of creating news stories about the lives and struggles of people is extremely important. My photojournalism harkens back to dirt floor shacks in southern Puerto Rico out of necessity; a necessity for me to begin to heal from the terrible things that come from having been so poor. I needed, and still arguably need, to understand what gives when you grow up this way; what are the long-term effects of such a life not only on the psyche of a people, but on society’s view of those people. Every time I have an exhibition I look for the signs around the room, the reactions. And then there are the questions that move me to my resolve, the ones about stealing souls and purported exploitation. I try to remain calm when I am faced with these, tells me we still have a long way to go to bridge that gap which is one of the reasons why I started my foundation. Since starting my career as a photographer a decade ago I have dedicated every waking hour to this cause. My family needs it, I need it, and the people in my photographs need it.

“Widow of the Mines,” Potosí, Bolivia, 2004

2. What equipment do you use?

I have not taken the digital plunge. I don’t find the texture and in-camera digitally controlled pixel correction palatable to my style of photography. In fact the only digital camera I use at the moment is inside my smartphone. I use a 13-year-old Nikon F5, and two old Nikkor lenses. The lenses I use are so old you can hear the dust as you move the dial this way and that. I prefer black & white photography and use mostly Illford. For color I prefer slide by whoever still makes it although I had a preference once upon a time for Kodak.

3. Where are you located?

Lately I live mostly on a plane. You know you’re spending too much time above the clouds when you start running into the same stewardess. On the ground I spend my time between New York City, Upstate NY, Zurich and Paris, France, when not in the field photographing in the developing world.

4. What type of photography do you like to create?

I am a photojournalist, a so-called Street Photographer. I also have inkling for landscape photography, although publically nobody knows I do this.

5. Price range of events?

My work is not for sale, it has never been. My events are free of charge to the public.

6. When did you notice you had a passion for photography?

I lived for a time with my grandparents. I remember during my one-to-one time with my grandmother how she used to cherish showing me the tattered pictures in her purse. These were a few family pictures that had become so important to her. In those days not everybody had access to a camera. So to have a picture was to immortalize a picture. At age 12, at a summer school for the children of migrant workers in Massachusetts, I took up this illusive camera device and started taking pictures of my migrant classmates. That’s when it all began.

“Side of the Road,” to Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2004

7. What is unique to what you do or what you offer?

The photography I do, for the sake of photography, is not itself unique as many people do it and do it well — thankfully. What is unique is that it is difficult or downright impossible for children who grow up the way I did to make a go of anything especially something so challenging and demanding as photography which costs too much and gives so little back in terms of financial reward. That said, I bring a very personal knowledge of the lives of the poor who find themselves in front of my lens to the field. My photography is not learned in the classroom, it was learned via stick and whip; via hunger, hurt, landfills where we went to find things other people threw away. When I am out doing my pictures I am not some Western photographer come to take pictures of these colorful people over there, I am still, inside, one of those people over there! The people in front of my lens can sense this immediately and let me in like we were long lost cousins, like family.

8. Most awkward moment during an event?

When I made to shake a woman’s hand in a Middle Eastern country where strange men and women do not touch one another even for handshaking. It was temporarily awkward, I was forgiven thirty seconds later and then tea was served and the husband handed me his coat as it got terribly cold there in the desert as the sun went down.

9. What is the scariest thing that ever happened during a shoot?

Bolivia! What a terrific people, what a challenging terrain! So much happened in Bolivia. Early in the trip driving south from La Paz I lost control of my Jeep nearly sliding off the narrow dirt Altiplano road down a precipice of around 19K feet. Another time I got stuck in a muddy river with the river cresting in the middle of nowhere. Not a car to be seen as far as the eye could see, just some random herds of Lamas. Another time I had dynamite thrown under my car during one of those random, widespread Bolivian protests by the native Quechua. I would love to go back. Maybe hire a driver next time around.

“For Ladies Only,” Bandra train station, Mumbai, India, 2010

10. Best advice that you’ve been given in your photography career?

In Athens, during Greek Independence celebration in 1999. The advice was not even from a photographer but from a friend. He told me not to be afraid of pointing my camera at people because as it turns out people don’t bite, not usually anyway. I guess I already knew this but had to be reminded. During that trip I got emboldened, the rest is now history.

11. Best advice that you could give someone else that is pursuing a photography career?

Trust yourself. There is a fine line between listening to others, taking advice, and changing yourself to meet someone else’s idea of who they think you are. By this I don’t mean be deaf to other’s comments, but that you have to trust yourself and your experiences. Also, no matter what happens, never allow the success of your work get ahead of you the person. When you lose humility, and trust me I see it and it’s not pretty, you lose purpose especially in reportage. That’s when you know you have to go do something else.

“Altiplano Slum,” Bolivia 2004

12. Best moment of your photography career?

Meeting a little boy in Kolkata, India, outside a respected restaurant. I saw him through the window standing outside looking in. He had no shoes. Reminded me of so many people in my life growing up on Pozo Hondo or Machete Central or Corazón in Puerto Rico. He reminded me of me barefoot hankering for understanding — hungry in the belly also so much of the time. I hadn’t eaten for over 17 hours by then so I was starved. As soon as the food arrived I asked the waiter to wrap it up and outside gave it to the boy. We became friends. I met his family living there by the Ganges River delta living under tarps and found objects. I hired him with his mother’s permission to translate for me. It was a great experience.

13. How many sessions/events do you do each year?

Enough that I don’t keep count anymore. I just move on to the next thing and try to meet deadlines as they come along. Funny thing is I don’t even read or watch any of these things anymore, perhaps to try to keep a clear mind about it all. I probably will not read this once it goes to press.

Connect with Manuel

Website: www.rivera-ortiz.com

Website: www.mrofoundation.org

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/manuel-rivera-ortiz/3/853/3bb

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ManuelRiveraOrtiz

It was a great opportunity to share with so many of you through the PhotoBiz webinar recently. I had some great feedback, especially in regard to selling images. It seems as if no matter what aspect of my business I choose to discuss, the subject more often than not turns back to the selling of images.

Selling images is a process that we began with the purchase of our first digital camera. It only made sense from a business standpoint when we ran our numbers and figured what the profit margin was on a digital file. It also made sense to me from a creative standpoint because it forced me to be a better, more creative photographer. The more images I could sell, the more profit I could make, therefore, my images needed to be unique and different, creating a sense of urgency to buy from the consumer. I could no longer get away with one or two good images and hoping to make the profit on multiple prints of each.

If you choose to sell images, it needs to be done with great care and thought, keeping the ultimate goal in mind – to sell prints later. For us, the selling of images has become secondary because our clients have learned over the course of many years that our ability to print through a professional lab is far superior to any print that they can hope to make on a home printer and our efficiency for printing far outweighs any time they would spend sitting at a kiosk in a box store. Quite simply, we can do it better.

Also remember that when you price those images, you need to get a “fair” price for both yourself and your client. There is no way of telling what an image is “worth” because unless someone wants it, it really has no value and many customers understand that. They also know that the only market you have for that image is to them – there is no other buyer who might be willing to pay a higher price. Therefore, set a price that creates a harmonious relationship with your client and encourages them to purchase several images as well as to make plans for a return session sometime in the future. We have a target sale average that we like to hit with every sale and do so by pricing our images at a point where our clients believe they get a good quantity of product for the price.

Not every session results in an image sale and there are different types of sessions – promotional sessions especially – where we do not even offer an image sale. If you’re considering selling your images try a test run first before jumping in with both feet. Offer a family or other type of portrait special where the client can purchase the image if they desire and give it a test drive. If you find that it doesn’t work in your market or if you have difficulty wrapping your head around it, then that type of sale is probably not for you.

In the meantime, take advantage of everything PhotoBiz has to offer. With the price of gas on the rise, there is no better sales tool than your website and no better provider than PhotoBiz.

2013 is here and is staring us in the face. Hey you, what are you going to do this year to make a better you???

Before we can look ahead, we must first look behind. Looking back, do you feel like your photography has improved over the past year? Or does 2012 look just like 2011? Will 2013 look just like 2012?

As artists, it should be our goal to continually improve our skills and creativity. Not only to make new and better work, but to keep the love and passion for photography alive. 

So, how do you know if you have improved over the last year? Can you look back over the last year and see improvement in your work from January to December? Can you look at your images and feel some kind of proud ownership? Do you feel inspired and motivated to try new things while shooting?

Or do you feel stuck in a rut? 

If you truly love photography and have a desire to improve, there are two basic rules to help you on your journey in photography self improvement.

Rule #1 – Don’t make the same mistakes as you did last year

The number one rule of getting out of a rut is getting rid of bad habits. The following are a few of the more common mistakes photographers tend to make and repeat.

1. Feeling held back by gear. A good photographer is not made by his/her equipment. A good photographer is made by two things … a good understanding of light, and knowing his/her gear and it’s limitations, and being able to create something unique and creative within those constraints. The beautiful images created by phones (seen all over the internet) is proof enough that the best and most expensive equipment is not necessary to create compelling images.

2. Only shooting for others. Working for others day after day and week after week is a sure death for your love and passion for photography. Make sure you schedule time for your own projects or shooting time. Street photography, setting up a styled or themed shoot, or donating services to a charity are just a few ideas to keep your passion and love for photography alive.

3. Keeping to yourself. There is a HUGE network of photographers, vendors, and photography related services out there. Network with other photographers or vendors in your area to bounce ideas off of each other, set up shoots, go on photo walks, or just have the company of others with similar interests. You will find yourself motivated and inspired to try new things.

Rule #2 – Set goals specific to your personal self improvement.

If you don’t make some kind of daily, weekly, and/or yearly goals, it is easy (and likely) to fall back into old habits and not move forward in your photography progression.

1. Learn. Learn something new this year. Period. There are so many resources for learning, that there is no excuse NOT to learn. Workshops and conferences are a great way to learn from specific people you admire as well as networking with other photographers. Online courses and tutorials are available on any photography subject you desire and are accessible from the comfort of your home. And, of course, books and manuals are a tried and true way of learning.

2. Shoot as though you were shooting film (and if you are already shooting film, you are one step ahead). The idea of firing several shots in hopes of getting one decent shot allows one to be lazy when deciding on exposure, composition, and the overall story or vision of the image. One of our main goals in becoming a better photographer should be mastering the elements of making a good image with each and every push of the shutter. You are a PHOTOGRAPHER, not a photoshopper or fixer. Try shooting each and every image as though you had one roll of film in your camera. Shoot with skill. Shoot with reason. Shoot with a final vision in mind. This is one of the best and easiest ways to improve your skills.

3. Reverse engineer photos. Look at your images and decide what you love about them. Then look at your images and decide what is missing or what you don’t like about them. Take others’ images you love and pick them apart…figuring out how they created that image. How did they light it? What makes this image powerful (light, mood, location, etc)? What aperture did they use? Keep your findings in mind as you shoot.

4. Try something new. Probably the single most important thing I have done for myself is the commitment to try something new each and every time I shoot. It might be a new lighting technique. It might be a new pose. Maybe I add motion of some kind. Maybe I work with a new prop. Perhaps I use only one lens the entire shoot to force me to think and shoot differently. I might completely fail at that thing I tried, and I’ll try again later. But, I might also succeed and I have added a new skill to my belt as well as an awesome image to share.

The opportunities to improve are almost endless, you just have to decide what excites you and makes sense for your situation. Choose a goal(s) that make you happy and will help you improve at the same time. This is your year to be a better photographer.

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As a professional photographer, you’re not just competing with cheap, shoot, and burn photographers. You’re competing with FREE! Anyone with a nice camera may consider himself a professional and can find clients who are willing to pay for their services. Competition is increasingly fierce for you, as a professional, to find clients who are willing to pay you for your artwork.

So how can you find these clients who value photography and want to invest in your art? In my 25 years of marketing experience at Coca-Cola Enterprises along with my career as an advertising agency marketing director and photography business owner, what I’ve found is that it all starts by developing a strong brand.

Your brand is how people feel about you. To charge what you’re worth, it’s essential to carefully craft and manage your reputation for being the best at what you do before you start marketing. Yet as photographers, many of us fail to develop a strong brand before we begin trying to attract clients and that’s where we go wrong.

We recently had the privilege of working with Daniel and Clare Troutman of Troutman Photography in Salem, Oregon to give them a brand makeover on creativeLIVE.  The Troutman’s had been struggling to find an identity that truly represented their photography style for the last 18 months. While they KNEW who they were, their brand wasn’t accurately communicating that to potential clients. Like many small business owners, Clare and Daniel were using several logos throughout their website and marketing materials. And while ranking high in search engines, their website that didn’t reflect the style of their photography.

As part of their brand makeover, a professional graphic designer created a new look and feel for their brand that reflected their photography style. But that new logo needed to be reflected every place a potential client came into contact with Troutman Photography so PhotoBiz provided them with a new FLASH+ Portfolio Site with an HTML Mirror, plus a mobile mirror. And the results have been incredible.

If your business looks different every time a client sees you (i.e., your style, signage, marketing pieces versus website, look, personality), you’re making it very hard for them to trust you. And without trust, it’s hard for a client to fall in love with your brand or even refer you to their friends. So what’s to stop them from going next door for the cheaper products of your competitors?  Your brand – when it’s strong – can keep your clients loyal and referring you.

Your brand lays the foundation for attracting the right clients and increasing the results of your marketing efforts. Your fantastic, reliable brand will put you ahead of the competition, whether the competition looks like a huge corporation or the brand-challenged mom-and-pop next door.

Your brand is worth more to the long-term success of your company than most other things. Don’t hand it off just because you don’t know how to manage it. You have the ability, unlike shoot and burn photographers who are focused on volume, to directly oversee the management of your identity and reputation with every single impression. From your logo design to your business card, price menus, marketing materials and website, the bottom line is, your identity and brand are worth protecting and investing in.

I’ll also be doing a webinar with PhotoBiz next week on Tuesday, January 8 at 2 PM EST, so make sure to tune in and learn How to Create Value for Your Photography So You Can Charge What You’re Worth.