Marketing for photographic amateurs – Photography 101 – Class #16
Today we are going to talk about marketing for photographic amateurs sounds crazy
but I'll explain. Let's get into it! [Music] Hi my name is Urban Anjar and this is
Photography 101. Okay, marketing for amateurs sounds like a contradiction. But I'll try to
explain WHY and tell a little bit of my personal story, then I'll explain HOW and a little bit
about the timing, WHEN you should begin marketing yourself. okay first the WHY question and
it's not so self-evident. We have examples like Vivian Mayer who never showed her pictures or
marketed herself. But I think the camera is a key, a door opener. A key to adventures and exploring
and a door opener to places and persons, and by entering those doors you get more
experience and those Adventures the exploring, the places and persons you meet will give you more
experience to take on even greater Adventures. Experience opens more doors I'm still NOT talking
about money, NOT talking about leaving your day job and becoming a full-time Pro or something like
that…
But becoming a more loving amateur. Maybe you can give some something back to your local
community, to your sports club, your Parish, your village, your Association, your charity.
You can do good with photography. While having fun and learning and getting more experience.
So get more experience. But you need to handle people's perception. Create the right IMAGE, not
just the image in your files or on your prints, but in people's MINDS. You need to communicate.
you're not that weird figure, the creepy one, the bad one. Are you? You need to be perceived
as serious enthusiastic and with at least some skills. You need to develop some kind of
professional ATTITUDE, even if you're not a pro. Before I sold my first print I was member of
a volunteer search and rescue team and made some pictures on our exercises. Then I volunteered to
work with Stage Security on a major music festival in Sweden naturally I brought my camera to shoot
when I was off.
But the team's photographer called sick so I got that role. I stood there with
an entry level DSLR, a kit lens and a cheep tele zoom – Together with that gang. Well I came
home with some decent shots. Soon I went to other festivals and concerts. Like this local Festival.
I was asked to be a project manager for a photo competition that included being a member of the
jury and also handle the opening of an exhibition. People began to know that I was a photographer.
A former colleague called and asked me to shoot on the IRONMAN competition. That meant shooting
also from the back of a motorcycle. I shot some local events and celebrations and also the prices
is for a lottery. I had been exploring portraits and studio lights. First some selfies like this,
and then some friends and colleagues.
Soon I got responsible for coordination of shooting port
portraits for the new web at the University. I continued to shoot music events here from
a concert in barn in the middle of nowhere, not far from home. This was the first time I saw
Saga Björling magnificent musician, neighbor, good friend and favorite model. I have made lots
of photos with her latest this weekend. Now to the HOWs, well the first thing is bring an actual
camera, you will immediately be recognized as a photographer or at least "a guy with a camera".
And think of yourself as a photographer. Post on social media that's important and soon enough you
also should print business cards, that reminds me that I have to order new ones because I have a
new telephone number and stuff.
And maybe make an exhibition, maybe not in the posh galleries
or something but at the cafe, the library, the grocery store or whatever. WHEN? I think
before you begin to Market yourself you need to consistently come home with usable pictures.
Most photographers come home with lots of crappy pictures.That's getting more experience. Just
never show them. What matters is that you from every shoot get one or a handful of well composed,
well exposed pictures, with a main subject sharp. Pictures you CAN show to people. And you're not a
beginner anymore? Well how do you know? You don't! Or, maybe you made at least thousand of your
10,000 hours doing and studying photography? Or maybe someone, who isn't your mother, says your
pictures are good. And you are becoming depending on skill – not on luck. You have a clear idea on
what to shoot, where to stand, what kit to use, and how to utilize the light.
You may still set
the camera on AUTO, but at you at least manage to use exposure compensation when needed. You
may still shoot jpeg, I did, but soon you will move to RAW. You may use a lousy camera and poor
lenses that doesn't affect the pictures too much. But you will soon change to a kit that fits
your hands better and handles bad weather in a better manner. So "come out" as a photographer, if
you're ready for it, and see you out there! Bye! [Music]
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[Music] [Music] oh [Music] he [Music] oh oh.
