As a professional photographer, I’ve come to realise there are two distinct types of photographers. One starts with a blank canvas, carefully crafting an image from the ground up in a controlled studio setting. The other type, which includes myself, is thrown into dynamic, cluttered environments, thriving by transforming chaos into compelling visuals. I don’t … Read more
Running a commercial photography business requires a unique set of skills and knowledge, but one of the most important factors for success is perspective. Just like how a wide angle lens allows a photographer to capture a broader scope of a scene, having a wide range of experiences in the industry can provide a broader … Read more
Every business has a story. Who you are, what you do, where you started, why your business exists. Sharing that with your clients tells them what makes your business unique and differentiates you from competitors. You are the best qualified person to tell your story. Create a narrative about your business and distill it down … Read more
All professions use some form of psychology in doing business. Here I’m using ‘psychology’ in a very broad definition. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken“ Oscar Wilde I’m not going to psychoanalyse myself because I’d have a fool for a psychologist. After years as a chameleon, emulating successful photographers didn’t feel right. Eventually I discovered … Read more
Like all animals, when we gather humans seem to form cliques and photographers are no different! We form partnerships with clients, colleagues and ancillary professions that can last a lifetime. Loyalty is a mutual benefit that rewards everyone. Having been in the workforce for many decades I quickly came to appreciate teamwork. Working collegially meant … Read more
Often associated with medical professionals I think the term “bedside manner” can also relate to any service industry. What got me thinking about this is recently spending a week in hospital as a support person for a family member during COVID19. Unfortunately there were some issues including postoperative delirium. I observed two different approaches to … Read more
Sometimes I hear people say photography has been commodified. Often it’s by someone trying to talk down the profession. It depends on what value you attach to photography. The way I see it commodities are objects that can be compared, often on price alone. When I buy table salt I can decide which offers the … Read more
In the early 2000s my first child was born, I took on a mortgage and my biggest client decided to stop using freelancers. All within a week. To cope I knew I had to improve my time management. Reading Getting Things Done by David Allen I adopted his GTD model. With half of Australia about … Read more
Back in 2006 I was on the education board of a private college. Later that year I was co-opted onto the board of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP), a not-for-profit association. The head of an organisation determines the culture They say a fish rots from the head down and that’s true in business … Read more
Life is full of relationships. Foremost are our personal relationships. In business we have a variety of relationships. Relationships are long term, at least for me. Clients and customers Writing this article my first thought was client relationships. Customers are the centre of business. In making business decisions I first consider how it affects clients. … Read more