Some really good points Katja. I think newbies should be wary of shooting for agencies. For example, the real estate industry is full of major providers in Europe who use new photographers, pay them very little, and then fill up their schedule with cheap paid gigs. It makes photography a gig industry job. I'm seeing it too in commercial photography: particularly food. While these kind of jobs are ok in the beginning, you have to be careful not to get tied in by a non-competitive clause in your contract. You can't build a network of customers, shooting as a subcontractor, and then expect to keep them. These can be really a barrier to making more money although they can get you started. For me, it comes down to marketing (and networking!). Going to business brunches, network gatherings with other businesses is a good way to grow your network, cheaper than online advertising, and you get to build connections one person at a time. Good luck with the channel. I really like what you're doing.
Such good points you are making Jon! Thank you for sharing. I totally see the gig economy point you are making. I have a friend who subcontracted to shoot weddings and was neither able to edit her own work nor to use it for her portfolio. So now, she has tons of experience as a wedding photographer but no portfolio work to back it up. And great tipp with the business networking events. I really want to ride home the point for new photographers that their #1 job will be to have a strategy for how get clients! So thank you for sharing yours.
No worries. It's such an important issue, isn't it. How do we keep going, keep in the business and bring in new colleagues. Thank you for making me think about this@@katjafeldmeier
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Keep going with your amazing videos! They are so helpful!
Thank you so much! I will ❤️
Some really good points Katja. I think newbies should be wary of shooting for agencies. For example, the real estate industry is full of major providers in Europe who use new photographers, pay them very little, and then fill up their schedule with cheap paid gigs. It makes photography a gig industry job. I'm seeing it too in commercial photography: particularly food. While these kind of jobs are ok in the beginning, you have to be careful not to get tied in by a non-competitive clause in your contract. You can't build a network of customers, shooting as a subcontractor, and then expect to keep them. These can be really a barrier to making more money although they can get you started. For me, it comes down to marketing (and networking!). Going to business brunches, network gatherings with other businesses is a good way to grow your network, cheaper than online advertising, and you get to build connections one person at a time. Good luck with the channel. I really like what you're doing.
Such good points you are making Jon! Thank you for sharing. I totally see the gig economy point you are making. I have a friend who subcontracted to shoot weddings and was neither able to edit her own work nor to use it for her portfolio. So now, she has tons of experience as a wedding photographer but no portfolio work to back it up.
And great tipp with the business networking events. I really want to ride home the point for new photographers that their #1 job will be to have a strategy for how get clients! So thank you for sharing yours.
No worries. It's such an important issue, isn't it. How do we keep going, keep in the business and bring in new colleagues. Thank you for making me think about this@@katjafeldmeier