This is a question I was asked to answer for Task.fm. So, I wanted to share my answer with everyone…
This is a very tough question to answer in just one simple article. However, I believe the fundamentals should be fairly simple to follow. So, I’m answering this question in several parts because it’s not just about the “how,” but also about the “why” behind what you do.
First, let’s take a close look at your photography skill level. If your photos aren’t “speaking” to others (or moving them in some way), then you should address this area immediately. If your strength is not in taking some amazing pictures, a higher level clientele won’t use you. If you are just starting out, this is the perfect time to take some classes, practice your craft, get feedback from others, and invest in the right equipment. But, for the sake of this article, let’s assume you are at the level you should be to take it to the top.
Your next issue will be in knowing who makes up your perfect audience. This is the one area that gets tricky and stumps so many business owners. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that “everyone” is their audience. But, if your desire is to be a famous photographer, you should be very choosy about who you want to attract (even in the beginning). Dealing with the right type of clientele from the get go will often set the tone for what type of people will seek you out. An example of this would be – if you start out taking pictures of babies or family portraits, this is what you will be known for… forever. But, if you start out taking photos of celebrities or what we like to call the “in” crowd, your reputation will establish you as the “expert” at what you do… from the start.
Most businesses, including photographers, will typically start marketing using the same techniques used by everyone else. Although this may sound logical, doing so will make you appear the same and not set you apart. And, given you want to be a famous photographer, that’s not good! It’s very important to stay focused from the beginning in order to build a high-profile image of your business.
So instead of offering a “free” sitting or advertise in the local papers, think of ways that are unusual and targeted to a higher clientele. Some ideas to get you started might be getting active with some of the local charities higher-profile people support. Another idea would be to display your photographs in a photography art exhibit. Very few photographers take the time to exhibit in these and they are perfect for meeting some very elite people.
Speaking of local elite audiences – find your local celebrities and hang out where they hang out. This might be news anchors, politicians, CEO’s of big corporations, sports figures, etc. If you do a little investigation you’ll find the “hot spots” where these high-profile people gather. A lot of times it’s just a matter of finding a well-attended event and taking your camera to snap some photos. If your photos are exquisite, you best believe any celebrity (whether local or international), will want to see the results. In turn, if you have established yourself with this crowd, they will definitely be willing to hand over their contact information.
So, what do you do with all these celebrity type photos if they don’t purchase? Well, this is how you build a great portfolio. Just think of the image you’ll present when showing others your work!
One last item to think about is keeping “you” in the spotlight, too. While you’re hanging out with all the “celebs,” be sure to get a picture of you with the celebrity, too. This makes for a great mention in the press and will keep you in the news, too.
So, as you can see, there is a lot of strategizing that should be done, and protecting your image is crucial for reaching your goal. It’s not merely a marketing, publicity, or business decision to become the best, but more a combination of everything with the right purpose in mind… right from the start.
May all your dreams come true and your fame become huge!
Carmen, The Publicity Diva
P.S. If you’d like to view this answer on the Task.fm site, go to http://task.fm/2011/11/how-do-you-become-a-famous-photographer/
Photography has always been something I love to do but I have never had the money to have the proper equipment to get the photos that would sell. People tell me I have an eye for photography but that doesn’t do you a lot of good without the equipment does it? What other ways are there to make money at photography rather than taking candid shots of celebrities? I don’t live where there are many celebs so that could be a problem. What about animals and nature, there are a lot of nature photos with captions and animal photos floating around the internet, is someone making money off of those? I enjoyed your post and it gave me a lot of ideas, I am very much interested in becoming a photographer so any other information you may have would be greatly appreciated.
Hey Michael, thanks for the input! Great questions on this topic. As far as equipment goes, you might want to try checking out the various pawn shops or garage sales in your area. You’d be surprised at what deals you can run across using these resources. And, you are right, if you don’t have the right “subjects” to take pictures of, you can’t take the pictures in the first place, huh? But you might also want to try taking photos for various businesses that offer online photo sources to get you started (at least it would be money coming in from your passion without compromising your brand). The idea of animals and nature are also a great start. But use your creativity and bring beauty to your work (using artistic measures) and you’ll be surprised at what possibilities might unfold. Here’s to your success! Carmen
Thank you so much, Carmen, for this intriguing and informative article. I wasn’t just interested in this article as a casual reader, but as a freelance fashion photographer whose been working in the field for ten years. My skill level is comparable to any published / working photog in the business, but I have been lacking in the way of marketing myself in the right circles. I have some questions. I’ve avoided approaching local modeling agencies with my portfolio simply because so many photographers take that approach. Am I right for avoiding that? I thought about approaching a few select actors for whom I have a unique photo concept in mind, but I’m not sure if I should try contacting the agents. I’m not even sure if that will work. I live in a metropolitan city where there are plenty of hot spots and celebrity venues and sightings. So there is no shortage of opportunity for finding the spots or events. I know that my creative concepts can truly complement my muses, but I’m just not sure how to approach them. Do you have any advice for my situation?
Hey Lonnie,
Wow! Sounds like you live in the right hot spot for your type of work! You’ve already figured out a lot of it (or sounds like you have), so just continue looking for the right “connections” to help you get where you want to go. By that I mean to network and mingle with as many models, actors, and agents as you possibly can. Find out where they hang out (and party), and be sure to attend the same events (along with your camera and gifted eye). Take some pictures of the right people, ask them if they would like to have a copy, collect their contact information, and voila! you’re making the right connections to help your career along. This type of industry loves to be in the spotlight, so it shouldn’t be hard to find the right venues to attend. But, after you acquire the right connects, the next step will be finding some creative ways to stay on their radar and deepen the relationship. That’s where a great marketing plan and strategy will help you get where you’re wanting to go.
Good luck and let me know how it goes! Carmen
For those who aren’t quite ready to go to a college, university or art school, you can get off to a good start by joining a correspondence photography course. There are some very good schools like Brooks Institute or the one I took many years ago, New York Institute of Photography. Believe it or not, these are great instructional schools that will teach you not just the fundamentals, but also the way the industry works. That will give you many ideas on how to make money as a freelance photographer. Another valuable lesson you’ll learn is what equipment features and specs you need to be a pro so you don’t have to spend a ton of money on the highest priced equipment. Like Carmen said, there are lots of affordable deals available, but it helps tremendously when you know what you need.
Thanks Jimmie, these are great points (and ideas) for those wanting to learn more about the photography field. I know when we are adding new services and need new equipment (which always seems to be what happens as technology keeps moving forward so rapidly), we always go and learn first and puchase later. I can’t tell you how many times when I was first starting out that I made so many mistakes with equipment that didn’t do what I wanted it to do and felt I wasted my money. So, as Jimmie says, knowing your craft is very essential to buying the right equipment, too.
I have always been very interested in photography ever sense I was in high school, I use to go out and take pictures of clouds and flowers and stuff but I was like your other reader Michael I couldn’t afford to get the right equipment to get the good photos. Now that I have read your reply to him I am going to start looking in the pawn shops and garage sales, that was a great idea, I just never thought that the stuff I found there would be any good. Are you fairly certain that you can find good equipment at these places? I appreciate your opinion on this stuff and really look forward to your reply.
Hi John! Just as Jimmie said in his post – you have to know what you’re looking for before you purchase anything. Be sure to know your equipment and keep a sharp lookout for some real finds. You’re probably not going to find them right off the bat, but if you put some real efforts into “digging” a little, you’ll be amazed at what you can find. And don’t forget to check out the camera stores last year’s models for some good deals and estate sales, too. These will typically have some of your better equipment. Good luck! Carmen
I noticed that you had a lot of great information in your article but I failed to notice much on education. Do you have to have a college degree in order to become a famous photographer? I would like to get into photography for a career but I haven’t been to school and I don’t have a degree. I do have all the equipment I think I would need to do the kind of photography I want to do. So what do you think is it something that I can simply put together a portfolio and show people my work in order to get the career I want or do I need a degree?
Hey Ronald, thanks for the comment! When this question was presented to me from the Task website, they wanted a public relations viewpoint. So that’s more of the direction I took in my answer. However, since all people learn differently, I would have to answer your question from that perspective. Some learn better by taking classes in their field of interest, others learn by observing others in the industry (perhaps as an apprentice), while others seem to be more inclined to learn the best by living the dream and making their own mistakes from what is affectionately called the “School of Hard Knocks.” I think the key here is to choose the route best for you. Of course, already having your equipment will definitely give you an advantage over others. Good luck on your venture and let me know how it goes as you proceed. Carmen
I can attest that it is worth taking a shot at pawn shops, thrift stores or yard sales because people who aren’t knowledgeable about photography fundamentals often buy cameras because they get seduced by all the gimmicky features and jargon which are constantly being invented by manufacturers in order to move product. So people tend to buy a camera and get enticed to buy a newer model and sell the older model, which is often a camera suitable for a professional or student. So you can find some real treasures if you take a proactive approach and research. If you are a serious photographer, all you need to look for is a camera that gives you total control. The most essential features are: F-stop control, shutter speed control and the ability to change lenses. Make sure the camera you buy is compatible with a wide array of lenses, whether they be name brands or generic brand lenses. Therein lies another tip for equipping yourself with a low budget: Buy lenses made in China. They are suitable for anything a student does while learning. You can take magazine caliber photos with generic equipment. At the end of the day, the key to great photography lies in the creative vision and technical skill of the photographer.
Great ideas, Ana! Thanks for the feedback!
Maybe it’s just my own skepticism or pessimism, but I have my doubts as to the effect that trying to take pictures at social events. Not because no one does it, but rather because so many photographers seem to be out there doing the same thing, especially on South Beach. You can go into almost any restaurant or club and you’ll see someone offering social snap shots with a Polaroid or some other instant format camera and charging a few bucks for the shot. For some reason, my instinct tells me these can be considered commercial photographers, but then again, maybe they are aspiring photographers who are doing what they can to get by until they get higher paying commercial gigs. So I can’t hate on them for doing that. This isn’t just a free for all thing though, because some venues prohibit you from doing this sort of thing unless they hire you for it. So if you’re going to give it a try, its best to give your target venue the respect of checking with them…You may even get a job out of making first contact.
Hey Robert, thanks for the comment! The main point my article covered is the creativity that has to go into building a business out of your photography talent. But that goes for any type of business you start. Yes, you do have to have the right skills, but you also have to have the creativity and tenacity needed to take it to the top. Not everyone out there will be able to succeed, but the ones that have the right focus will have a better shot.
Photography has always been a hobby of mine and I never really thought about trying to get into it professionally because I always thought you had to go to school in order to do that. From what I am reading in your blog though that isn’t necessarily the case. Do you think if you are good enough that they would over look the school thing? That would be great, I am going to start putting together a portfolio of some of the pictures I have taken and see if I can get anyone to take me seriously enough to hire for a professional career. Thank you for the idea and the encouragement.
Hi Stacy, thanks for the post. But, please don’t get me wrong – I’m a big advocate of education. In fact, I still take classes all the time on various subjects to help me learn more quickly. However, if you are letting that one thing hold you back from fulfilling your dreams, you might need to rethink your philosophies. I would suggest you start taking pictures for your portfolio “AND” take classes at the same time. Going to school nowadays is more doable than ever with online classes and nights and weekend classes offered. The only thing stopping anyone today is themselves. But, do keep in mind, the main ingredient to anyone’s success is if others believe what you have to sell is worth buying – so the marketing of your product is also essential to the mix. Good luck and let me know how it goes! Carmen
I heard someone talk about the research work of Malcolm Gladwell and his book, Outliers: The Story of Success. In this book, Gladwell examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success. All through the book, Gladwell repeatedly mentions the “10,000-Hour Rule”, claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. Knowing about this could be discouraging to some persons wanting to embark on a new career later in life. I would be inclined to think this also applies to photography, if it weren’t for my experience in photography (which dates back to 1994) and how easily and naturally it comes to me. Maybe I’m just predisposed to having an aptitude for it or maybe I underestimate the amount of time I’ve spent developing my skill. I guess when you are passionate about something, it doesn’t feel like work or preparation. And when it comes to a highly competitive art form, maybe what they say is true: “ignorance is bliss.
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