by guest contributor Jennifer Tonetti-Spellman
So you took the leap and made the decision to turn your hobby into a business? Congratulations and a high five to you! With the statistics of success versus failure, um, not exactly in a fledgling businesses favor, I wanted to share with you some very common mistakes and traps people fall into when first starting out in the photography business.
Disclaimer: For those who aren’t familiar with me, I’m a very direct person (I’ll point to my NY upbringing for that trait :)). I want to see people succeed and time is money for us all, so I don’t mince words. I’ve mentored a good amount of photographers and time and again I am confronted with some very common business mistakes that can be completely avoided and save you frustration, money, time and tears.
#1. Comparing
How many photographers do you ‘like’ on Facebook? How many of those photographers that you follow make you feel like you are never going to be as good as them, or as creative, or as skilled in editing? The number one trap I find with today’s social media world- and this goes beyond the JSO’s as well- is the constant comparing of work other people do to your own. I’m here to tell you to stop it. Right now. The only way to truly succeed (and by succeed I measure by a healthy repeat client list, industry recognition, and photography awards) is to stop comparing and start DOING. Start carving out YOU. You are your own unique self. No one can ever be you and bring what you can to the table. No one has your ‘eye.’ Why waste time comparing yourself to others when you can be using that energy to learn and inspire yourself? I recently suggested a purge to one of my mentorees of the amount of photographer’s she ‘liked.’ It was driving her literally to tears. I said pick your top 5 and call it a day. Stop wasting time following everyone and start leading your own business and craft.
Find your own voice and shout it out loud!
#2 Copying
There is a big difference between being ‘inspired by’ and being a copycat. Yes, trends will come along and people will be filling up Facebook feeds with their experiments. Certain styles of editing will be hot (matte anyone?) and styles of photography will seem to dominate (lifestyle). That said, you can find some inspiration in other’s work, but to outright copy what they do down to the posing, outfits selected, exact location etc. isn’t complimentary to you OR them. Photography has been around for decades and most everything you think is new is probably old anyway, but I’ve seen cases of outright copying. It makes you look bad. Period. Just don’t do it.
The ever popular matte look that has hit the scene.
#3 Inconsistency in your brand
Look at your Facebook page right now. Do you have 3 versions of your logo on it? 5 different watermarks? Frames around some of your images, but not all? All of these inconsistencies lead the consumer to think one thing: Not professional. And for those who know a bit about branding? Weak brand. You do not, and I repeat, do not have to break the bank and hire an expensive team out of the gate for your branding. In fact, I suggest waiting to hone your voice so you don’t waste money on a logo only to change your mind a few months later. I’m currently in the middle of a very huge re-branding effort. But I’m also approaching my 5th year in business. I did the branding myself for a while (simple, clean is always the best route for that!) but I now know exactly where I want to be, and how I want my own unique voice in the market to be heard. You can start to keep a running board on pinterest with what inspires you, colors you like, looks of sites you like etc. so you are armed when ready to brand. I’ll give you a peek into the process with the mood board my designers at Hey, Sweet Pea put together for me:
For JSO’s I always advise the following: get a clean logo and get a clean template. Let your photography do the talking. Ever get hired based on your swirly colors in your logo? Let the images do the talking and stay consistent when using a watermark and logo throughout not only your site, but on Facebook, Twitter etc. You can’t start building brand recognition when you keep changing things every five seconds. It just looks sloppy. And far from professional.
#4. Blaming the industry
‘I can’t get anyone to hire me because people down the street are giving it away.’ Trust me people, I get it. I’m not cheap. Plenty around me are but I never once wanted to be the cheap photographer people hired based on price, I wanted people to fall in love with my vision and what I delivered and hire me no matter what the cost. I wanted people who VALUE photography as my clients, not ones looking to spend the least that could care less if their child is bright orange. Not my audience. Not my demographic. If you want to be a shoot & burn by all means go out and rock it I say! But if you want to be a custom photographer, you have to weather the storm and realize someone will always be cheaper, and you will never win at that game. It may take more time and more patience, but stick with the ‘ideal’ clientele in mind that you want to attract and put yourself in positions to attract them.
Another common remark I hear a lot? ‘There are too many photographers in my area.’ I live in NY folks. I spit and hit a photographer. Do not consume yourself with what everyone else is doing or not doing. Carve out your own niche. Keep your head down and do your work. Improve on your craft. Challenge yourself so you have so many photography tools in your back pocket you split your pants. Sell your OWN strengths. There may be a lot in your area, but there’s only one you my friend.
#5. The green eyed monster
We have all seen it. The comments that make you think “didn’t your mama teach you if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all?” The hate. The jealousy. The “why does SHE get all these comments when my work is just as good?” people. Because she does. Because her audience responds to her, she is relatable, or maybe her fans just spend more time on FB. Who knows? And you know what? Who cares? Jealousy and being spiteful is a huge epidemic in general in this world, but in this profession it’s showing it’s face more and more as the landscape widens. It’s not good business practice.
Negative energy gets you nowhere. It’s exhausting. And absolutely unfulfilling. Channel the negative to positive and see where life leads you.
About the Author: Jennifer Tonetti-Spellman, owner of JellyBean Pictures is a die hard, natural light photographer based in NY. Her goal at every shoot is to capture awesome in a documentary style with little posing and props work has appeared in Professional Photographer Magazine, New York Family Magazine, and on strollertraffic.com. Her manual {don’t} say cheese was written to address the importance of capturing real smiles along with other tips + tricks she picked up along her journey thus far.
Visit Jennifer at her WEBSITE | BLOG |FACEBOOK pages today!
Literally nodding my head yes the entire time. I recent raised my prices, have lost a lot of business from it, and am weathering the storm. The clients that are coming are ones who love my work and value my talent, instead of the price tag.
I love all these tips! Especially about jealousy! I’ve finally gotten over all that and it’s so freeing!! Just focusing on you. who cares what everyone else is doing. I’ve realized I don’t want to be like other photogs anyway. Not in a bad way, it’s just better to be an individual! 🙂
thanks for posting!
HREAT article, Jen! Was I the poster child for how NOT to do FB?? LOL… I so appreciate your insights and your refreshing NY ways:)!
Thank you. I really, REALLY, R E A L L Y, needed to hear this right now.
Great information! I can really appreciate the direct way it was presented…but with a little humor too. Thank you
Fantastic tips. I nodding my head as I’ve read each and every point.
Great Article! Get’s my head back in the game! Thank you Jen!
Love these quotes-
“stop comparing and start DOING.”
“Negative energy gets you nowhere. It’s exhausting. And absolutely unfulfilling. Channel the negative to positive and see where life leads you.”
Also goes along with one of “The Four Agrreements” – Don’t Take Anything Personally! 🙂
Thanks,
RJP
OMG, I love you. From one fellow NYer to another *applause*!
these are all great. When your art is your work it is so so easy to let these things consume you. It is so easy to equate your self worth with the value of your product.
Thanks all! This feedback makes my heart so very happy. I love how it is resonating- love how some of you are picking up on the soundbites (talking to you Robert :)) and happy to hear the heads are nodding.
Great advice. I love someone that just tells it like it is. I’m probably guilty of a few of these, except the branding, I have a simple logo I bought from Etsy & use it consistently. But the other stuff, well, just get out of my head! Thanks for the reality smack upside the head.
Thanks for the pointers. I’m weighing the decision to jump in or stay the pro-am circuit, so this was timely for me.
I learned a longtime ago to seek and accept mentoring where ever it may come from; I’ll definitely be following your blog.
Thank you so much for this! It was exactly what I needed to read. I have recently done a rebrand and repricing to reflect what my talent is worth. I was a little hesitant at first but have finally resolved to ‘ride out the storm’ as well to attract the clients that will respect and appreciate my talent rather then just trying to get the next bargain.
Jennifer….wise words and true! I nodded all the way through and you put it all SO nicely that there is nothing dis-agreeable about your negatives either….very nice and “thank you” too for saying some of the things we JSO’s NEED to hear but don’t want to 🙂
AWESOME article! I love every.single.point made on here. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sue, you are welcome for the smack 🙂 Steve, glad this was timely for you (and please excuse the blog- I’m in the middle of a brand overhaul myself and that is a temporary placeholder for now- follow me on Facebook as that gets updated way more and I post articles I write for various other sites as well! Eboni- happy to hear you are NOT the next bargain. Charging what you are worth is critical and you already made the leap now just ride it out! Phil, that is great feedback as I know my direct and to the point style is sometimes hard to hear- but it’s done out of love and respect always. Thanks Shannon!
Thank you! I’ve never felt more ready to jump from Hobbyist to Pro. than now. Took the “FEAR” outta me and traded for ‘RIP-ROARIN-READY TO GO!
To Rock the Shot, Jennifer with JellyBean Pictures is a treasure in the ever-expanding photography world. I’ve been waiting and hoping y’all would partner together! ❤
To Jennifer, Thank you Thank you Thank you for writing this. You never cease to inspire me, touch my heart, or say what I need to hear. Please don’t ever stop sharing your photography light with the world. We love you!
Thanks so much for the very thoughtful advice!!! KristieAnn
Thank you so much! Each point rings such truth for me! This is just what I needed to hear 🙂
Then a HUGE hearty high five to you Malonie!! Go get ’em. Courtney. WOW. So honored to have mentored you and love continuing to see you grow in your work. You are an awesome person and your comments and feedback on what I do always make me super happy. So thank you. Kristieann and Joy, thank YOU.
Haha – I loved this~! You’re awesome for sharing these tips and really appreciate your delivery in a way that said it straight!
Wise words, the comparing to others and finding your own voice rings SO true! Thank you for the regrounding pep-post!
There was so much I could relate to in this article…I felt as if you were in my head, listening to my thoughts! Thank you for your honest, straightforward thoughts. Sometims it is difficult to not get discouraged & use one of the “excuses” that were discussed in the article, but after reading this I am reminded to throw that all out the window & get to work!
Love this article! Amazing tips and things to remember as I continue on this photography journey! And I totally laughed at the “matte” part as I am currently in love with the matte look. 🙂
Great article! Pinning this to come back and read over and over again 🙂
Thank you so much Jennifer! Such great and important points! I am just starting out but can already use these tips to put me in the right direction :). Blessings to you in everything!
WOW!! Way to hit the nail on the head!! ALL of them! LOL This was just what I needed, and written just the way I needed to “hear” it!!! Thank you Jennifer for this awesome article!! It’s definitely getting bookmarked so I can re-visit it as needed!!!
OH yes.. I know I fail at many of these things. I’ve only been in business for about a year and I have a hard time staying focused on how to find my look, my brand. I know its somewhere there. I just need to find it. I live in SC but our family is from NY. I hope one day I can learn from you in person. Your work is so inspiring!
Regina- definitely reach out if you are ever in the area and thanks everyone for all of these awesome comments and feedback!
I have read this once before, but I am reading it again now. I am pretty new but have put a lot of work into research, learning and so on. I have great equipment, I’ve invested well…and now because we haven’t been swamped with calls after our big grand marketing ploy that my husband decided on (big banner in the local mall that cost a bit) he thinks we should drop our pricing!!!! I am upset right now knowing that is not right, and he hasn’t put the effort or time into researching pricing or educating himself on marketing. He has no idea what he’s talking about and is just coming up with numbers out of the clear blue sky 🙁 This article made me feel better about my choice to stick to my guns.
Thank you so much for sharing! I needed to read this today! I feel like I’ve been ‘stuck’ bc of things I felt were holding me back. I understand now that we all feel this way & yes I should stop being negative & focus more on the positive & MY style. LOVE THIS! T h a n k Y o u ! ~RP
Great article on mistakes to avoid!! Especially the last point on jealousy. It’s silly.
This is just what I needed to give me the boost to get the ball really rolling with my new photography business!! You hit each and every nail (worry) on the head, and I find your other posts very inspiring!! Thank you, very much!!
Great tips, thank you for the positive p.o.v.!