From Passion to Profit – Part 2
From Passion to Profit - Part 2
By Brett Florence
So, how do I make my work and myself attractive to my target market? I can only speak from personal experience because I specifically target the high-end market – LSM 8-10, so I will share with you my marketing strategies that have enabled me to run a sustainable photographic business for nearly 20 years.
I am one of many people that weren’t fulfilled in their career and who was looking to change what I was doing with my life. Photography was where my passion really lay, and I was willing to take the plunge and give photography a go as a full-time venture.
I started off, as many people do, photographing for friends and family and they were very happy with the quality of work I was producing. This was great for my ego as everyone told me how fantastic my images were. If the truth be told, that’s because they weren’t paying very much and didn’t have high expectations. As soon as you put a monetary value to your skills and the physical product that you are selling, you are facilitating the creation of certain expectations.
The transition period between hobby and career is crucial to the longevity of your career, as this is where you position yourself in the marketplace – by setting certain precedents that may be difficult to reverse as your career develops and you realize the mistakes you’ve already made.
Understand that the barrier to entering this market, be it any sector in the photographic industry, is pretty much non-existent due to the digital revolution. The rapid improvement of camera technology has meant that photography is way more accessible to the general population than it was when we were shooting on film.
One of the most obvious reasons is that with the digital revolution, you have instant assurance that you have captured an image. When we were shooting film, you would only find out days after the shoot whether you got the shot or not! This, coupled with the decreasing prices of memory cards, means that the input costs after hardware have been purchased, is very low. Compare this to the 25c or more every time you pressed the shutter, and the film ran through your camera, and you’ll understand how much more expensive it was.
Another factor is the current economic climate. There are many people who have been laid off work, or just out of college, or even people looking to supplement a stagnant or shrinking income. The market is now fair game to everyone, and the average client is not too concerned by experience levels or official qualifications. Clients are looking for value and great images and if you can supply that, then you have a chance at making it.
There are many experienced photographers out there that are feeling the effects of a diluted, over-saturated market and are struggling to adapt to this phenomenon.
