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On Tuesday September 29, Wonderful Machine’s very own Marketing Director Neil Binkley was asked to return as a speaker at “The Business of Photography” panel discussion in New York, NY. Louisa Curtis of Chatterbox Enterprises organized the event in which Neil and six other successful agents talked about how the business side of photography has changed recently and, more importantly, what this means for both emerging and established photographers.
The agents’ approaches to the photography business varied between the more old school, “it’s all about my name” way of thinking, to others with a more collective and multimedia-friendly outlook. Neil showed how Wonderful Machine bridges the gap between the two by representing photographers in many locations via a trusted brand and offering a la carte production and consulting, while constantly marketing our photographers to both local and high-end clients. Some agents expressed excitement over social media marketing, while others spoke about the importance of more personal networking. No one was safe from the economic downturn this past year, however, and the agents all understood that it’s harder than ever to find those assignments that you know you’re cut out for. However, one optimistic agent mentioned that the restrictive budgets at many publications and agencies have forced lay-offs of staff photographers; therefore, if you’re the right person for the job at the right moment, you’re much more likely to come home with an assignment.
All the agents stressed that photographers must have a cohesive brand. This includes everything from your business card to your leave-behinds, and your portfolio to your website. “When you invest in yourself and take yourself seriously, it carries over,” said one agent. “It says ‘You can trust me,’” added another. Neil stressed the importance of editing your portfolio, and other agents agreed that ten strong photos are virtually always better than twenty good but less cohesive ones.
Many of the agents agreed that entering prestigious contests is a great way to keep getting your name out there. “Look at the judges,” Neil advised. “If they’re coming from strong agencies or magazines, then it’s definitely worth your time and money to try your hand at it, because you never know — even if you don’t win, you’re guaranteed to get your work in front of someone.”
At the end of the day, your success in the business side of photography has a lot to do with your ability to present yourself as the ambitious and hardworking photographer you are. Have an experienced but removed set of eyes take a good long look at your brand, and don’t let all the work of marketing fall solely on the rep. or the photographer — it’s a team effort to find success.
