How To Get Paid For Your Photography | Stoke-Ness
Excited to share this months newsletter would be putting it lightly.
It’s maybe the best I’ve written. I have so much good things to share I ran out of time to write them all.
In this months issue, I talk about how to get paying clients, share an insane video about rocket wars and tell you where you can photograph an active volcano (not Hawaii).
Be stoked,
Isaac
New Places
Photo by Rod Trevino @rodtrvn
Volcán De Fuego Guatemala
Normally I recommend a place I’ve been, but this month I’m sending you to a place my friend Rod Trevino just visited.
He hiked through mountains and woke up to this view of the volcano erupting. Pretty much the most epic experience ever.
Photographing a volcano has been on my top 3 list for years and now it’s my #1. You can see more of this series on Rod’s Instagram here
Gear
Circular Polarizer
Have you ever seen a photo where it looks like a boat is floating on air? Maybe you’ve seen a photo of an impossibly clear blue swimming hole that looks 40 feet deep? The photographer was most likely using a Circular Polarizer to cut the reflections that bounce off the water, allowing the camera to see into the water.
Circular Polarizers screw on to the end of your lens and also help reduce haze and add color. Find one that fits the size of your lens (it should say on your lens what size you need) and start experimenting. Just be sure to watch how the sky can unnaturally darken making the image look fake.
I’ve added both a cheap option and a high quality option to my gear list HERE Give it a look if you want to try polarizing for the first time.
Who I'm loving on Instagram
Michael (Fluggs to his friends) is a damn good photographer and a great dude. His photos are carefree and joyful, just like he is. On a platform filled with photographer’s one upping each others “bangers”, Flugg’s photos stand out with constant good vibes and a timeless quality.
Give him a follow Here
Music I'm Diggin'
Warmth by ford ft. Sophie Meiers
My friend Alex Strohl has a solid recco for this months song. It’s a song for 10:00pm sunsets and the drive home from watching it dip below the horizon.
Alex has full playlists you can listen to here
10/10 would recommend
Give it a spin on Spotify here.
Videos, Movies, and TV
Rocket Wars by Salomon Ligthelm & Khalid Mohtaseb
I was recently on a shoot for a TV commercial with Khalid Mohtaseb. He was an obvious genius. I was so curious I looked up his work and instantly recognized Rocket Wars.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT: People fire rockets at each other in a 1,500 year old village.
From the film description: “A war to keep the peace. In the small village of Vrontados on the Greek island of Chios, there is unrest. For over a century, parishioners of two Greek Orthodox churches have engaged in a battle on Holy Saturday, firing more than 100,000 homemade rockets at each other’s churches once the sun goes down.”
You don’t want to miss this one.
10/10 would recommend.
Reads
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
You’ve probably heard of Brene Brown by now, maybe even watched her Ted Talk on shame and vulnerability. If you haven’t read one of her books you are missing out. In a sea of self help books and guides to deal with every kind of challenge, Brene Brown’s books ring truer than the rest. Not just an author, she is an actually Dr and researches shame and the effects it has on relationships and our happiness.
This book changed my core beliefs about life in the best way possible.
Buy it Here
or Listen to it for free using a library and and the Libby app
Photo/Video Technique
Before
Your Questions: Getting paying Clients, When to get new gear, How to quit your day job…
Question: How did you learn Photography?
Answer: I was lucky enough to be working with Professional photographers for my job at the time and one of them lent me his old Canon 5Dii. I started shooting and asking questions of anyone I knew that had photo skills. I then became obsessed and soaked up any knowledge I could. YouTube, books, camera manuals, and many conversations. The most important part of learning is to shoot and then go back and edit with an eye towards what you could do better next time you shoot. Do this enough times (thousands) and you will become better.
Question: When to change your gear and your opinion on new VS used gear?
Answer: Get new gear when you find that your gear is restricting your progression. This is a personal observation, but I can tell you that for the first couple of years I shot photos professionally I only owned one lens (16-35mm). You can rent any lens and camera you want for a week for little money. It helps you live the feeling of new gear without the expense.
Used gear is the best way to get gear. Most all of my camera bodies and lenses were purchased used. As long as they are in good shape used cameras are just as good as new for much much less. Something that folks forget, pro level photo gear is tough and doesn’t wear out easily from normal use. If it hasn’t been dropped or submerged in water it’s probably solid.
Question: How do I quit my day job?
Answer: This is a tough one. There are really so many factors here, like how much money you need to cover your monthly expenses and how many folks are relying on you to take care of them.
Here’s how I did it: First I got enough work lined up for half my current salary. I saved as much money as I could, sold a bunch of my favorite things (motorcycle too), cut my lifestyle and spending. I most importantly imagined both the best and worst case scenario with my wife. If she wasn’t on board fully it wasn’t going to work for us.
Worst Case: This wouldn’t work and I promised to get a job stocking shelves at night at Home Depot while searching for a real job during the day.
Best Case: I would learn how to take great photos and make more money than I was before I was working a “real job”. I would be my own boss, travel, and get way more time with my family.
Then I jumped in, struggled, second guessed my decision and worked my ass off. Three years later and I’m finally making a living wage again.
Question: Have you ever felt like you wanted to quit? Why didn’t you?
Answer: Good question. Yes. Too many times to count. I think as a creative freelancer, my emotions are so mixed into my work that any failure, burnout, or lack of momentum makes me doubt what I am doing. Not getting “picked” to do a project is deflating too.
I didn’t (and don’t) quit because I am still obsessed with trying to create new images, stories, and trying out new ideas that inspire me. I often step back and go work on a project just for me, not a client project, not for social media. I find it refreshes me to focus on my ideas and not the feedback that social media or clients give me. As I mature as an artist and creator, realize feeling like I want to quit is natural and will pass. I am meant to do this and will keep at it until my path changes.
Question: How do I get paying clients, how do I pitch clients, how do I make money as a photographer, how do I make enough money to get a car?
Answer: This was by far the most popular question and the answer is simple and the most complicated. Reach out to people who you think might find your photos valuable and ask them if you could help them with creating images and marketing. Do this a lot. All of the time. As much as you shoot photos.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Clients buy your services when they need them, not when you are ready to sell them. Be patient and cast a wide net.
- Bring value to your clients by putting yourself in their shoes. Example: Often the person you are asking to work with doesn’t want good photos as much as she doesn’t want to look like a failure to her boss. Make sure that she feels safe by showing testimonials or some other form of verification that you are easy and safe to work with. Make her look like a genius for taking a bet on you and you will get the sale.
- If your website and social media are all wedding and lifestyle photos then you will have a hard time getting a car brand to pay you for work. Create and share the work you want to get paid to do before you ask to get paid for it.
- Be prepared to do this for years before you actually get the privilege of doing it full time. This is not an instant transformation. You want to get paid like a master then master your craft. YEARS folks. If you can’t imagine doing the above steps in ten years then it might not be for you.
Thanks for your questions! Keep them coming and I’ll keep the answers coming.
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
