Commercial Photographer: Your Guide to Marketing, Creativity and Growth

This show is about how to be seen as an expert in a particular topic without being seen as a poser and a know-it-all. How do we get that balance? The relevance of building a position of authority is linked to the type of photography you do. How can you build authority?Posting authoritative content on Linkedin. Use your knowledge and experience to help people rather than explain things to them. And in helping them, you are building your authority. Engaging and commenting on other people's content also helps build your authority and give you a good reputation, as you are helping others get their content found too. Blogging This is again helping people, and people will realise you are an expert by reading your blogs. Having your blogs focussed on one area, linked to your area of expertise and focussing your blogs on this areaWebinarsThese are a great way to show people you are an expertPodcasts Being a guest on a podcast can show you to be an expert inyour area. Our guest Toby Lee (listen to our interview with him here) is an expert at this. Another guest, Martin Hobby (listen to our interview with him here), is very good at building his authorityOffline Speaking events: Speak at networking events or biggerevents. This shows you to be an expert. People presume you are an expert as you are on that stage. TestimonialsThese are other people saying what an expert you are. Avoid self-deprecationIn the UK, we often self-deprecate rather than promote ourselves. You can come across as an expert without being pushy or showy. 

Charlotte set up Shot by Char in 2019 and is a brand Photographer. Charlotte studied fine art photography at the University of Manchester. After university, she started working for photographic studios, selling portrait vouchers on the streets. From there, she also managed to secure work as a photographer in the studios. While working in a studio, she also started to build her own business. Eventually, she earned enough money to pay off her debt and started to travel. And while travelling she taught English and worked as a photographer. Gradually, the photography went well enough that she could drop the teaching. Eventually, she moved from shooting tourists to shooting brands. She noticed how there was a big disconnect between the photos the brands andpersonalities who are being photographed. Marcus asks about the market in Thailand, and she says there is less money in Thailand. However, Charlotte says she is still changing her pricing and increasing her prices. Pricing is an area she is still working on. She lives in a relaxed rural area but is getting clients, both local and those passing through. But she also works in the capital, Bangkok, which is very different. She is also building customers in the UK.Charlotte is opening a “creative space”. It has different floors, including a studio, podcasting space, headshot area and a lifestyle studio that you can also rent and stay in as an Airbnb. This is going to be available to photographers as well as businesses. Charlotte Graham has over a decade of professional photography experience working with businesses and individuals across different backgrounds. Her end goal is to take pictures that help open up more opportunities for her clients. She works to capture beautiful photographs that showcase brands’ vision and their authentic vibe. Originally from the UK, Charlotte is currently based in Chiang Mai and covers the whole of southeast Asia.You can find Charlotte on LinkedIn hereTo get the Shoot to the Top Podcast in your inbox every week to ensure you don't miss an episode,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the ⁠Shoot to the Top Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ group to meet fellow photographers, guests and Sam and Marcus.

Are you a commercial photographer afraid to niche down because you think you'll lose work? This week, industrial photographer Dan Barker reveals the secret to making specialisation work. He explains why nichingfor photographers is a powerful marketing strategy that not only reduces competition but also allows you to significantly increase your prices• The Niching Secret: Discover the simple truth that allows you to confidently niche down your commercial photography marketing without having to turn away other profitable work.• Website Tactic: Learn the brilliant website move that instantly communicates your value to clients and ensures your 'About' page is focused on the visitor, not your history.• The Price vs. Competition Trap: Find out why being a generalist is the fastest way to the bottom, and how niching allows you to charge premium prices and accelerate your business growth strategies.Get the Commercial Photographer Guide to marketing and Creativity here.

This is the 100th episode of the show with Jeff Brown, Zoe Hiljemark, Gillian Devine and Martin Hobby. All our guests have been on other shows and you can listen to them here:⁠Using LinkedIn to its full potential as a photographer with Jeff Brown⁠ ⁠Jeff Brown, Photography mentor⁠ ⁠Guest Interview with Zoe Hiljemark⁠ ⁠How to not leave “money on the table” with Gillian Devine⁠ ⁠Guest Interview with Gillian Devine⁠ ⁠Guest Interview with Martin Hobby⁠ Here are a few of the people you might want to check out, that our guests recommend:  ⁠Christian Huber ⁠ (Photographer) ⁠Denise Duffield Thomas, author of Get Rich Lucky Bitch⁠ ⁠Jeff Brown’s travel book⁠ ⁠Simon Marsden, Phantoms of the Isles,⁠ ⁠I am Malala ⁠written by Malala Yousafzai ⁠Martin Parr ⁠ ⁠Perrin Adams ⁠(podcast host) ⁠Uber Suggest ⁠(SEO tool) ⁠Elspeth Vincent ⁠ (photographer)Ella CRM The show covered a wide range of topics including AI, and how it can help and cause problems for photographers.  The guests also looked at the equipment and the directions for the entrance. Photographers needing to include video as part of branding photography was discussed.Where marketing is going was another area that the guests investigated. Investing into platforms you own such as your website and email list was seen as a growth area as getting reach on social media is getting more challenging. Pricing was also a topic for discussion and the need to not have our price low. The group also discussed when to do a free photoshoot, and what to make sure you get out of it.

The High-Income Blueprint: Are you tired of competing for "budget" clients on Facebook and Instagram? Andrew Collier joins us to reveal why the most lucrative Commercial Photography leads aren't found online at all.• The AB1 Income Trap: Discover how to identify and target the "AB1" demographic—clients with high disposable income who value quality over a bargain—and how to speak their language.• The "Physical World" Advantage: Andrew explains his counter-intuitive offline route to market that bypasses digital competition and builds instant trust with High-Value Photography Clients.• The Credibility Gap: Learn why your current pricing might be scaring away your best potential clients and how to "be brave" to secure higher-end Branding Photography commissions.Get our Guide to Marketing and Creativity

Your Most Important Kit: It’s not your camera or your lighting—it’s your body. Sam and Marcus discuss why neglecting your physical health is the fastest way to sabotage your Commercial Photography Business Growth.• The Double Whammy: Discover the specific physical dangers of the "12-hour event" vs. the "editing desk marathon" and how to protect yourself in both scenarios.• The "3-Pillar" Exercise Plan: We break down the exact mix of cardio, strength, and flexibility needed to survive a lifetime in Commercial Photography.• The Minimalist Secret: Marcus teases a surprising kit setup that allows him to shoot high-end results with almost zero physical strain.⁠Download the free guide to Marketing and Creativity here

Want to use LinkedIn to find commercial clients but hate the thought of sending spammy sales messages? You're not alone. This week, Sam and Marcus are joined by LinkedIn expert Craig Dean to unpack a clear, ethical, andhighly effective four-pillar strategy to turn connections into paying customers. This is essential marketing for photographers in the digital age.This episode is packed with useful content, but we've pulled out the three essential takeaways that will most quickly boost your commercial photography business. Stop relying on luck; start implementing a clear planthat converts prospects into paying customers.Listen to discover:Three Things You’ll Learn in This EpisodeThe Four Pillars of LinkedIn for Photographers: You'll find out the four core areas of the platform—including profile, content, and comments—that must all work together to make your direct messaging actually convert.How to Craft the Perfect First Message: Learn the simple psychological technique to build instant rapport with a busy prospect, ensuring they feel noticed and are compelled to reply to your invitation for commercial photography work.The Power of Opinion Content: Discover why sharing a strong, unique perspective on a topic—even if it's controversial—is essential for positioning yourself as a thought leader and attracting clients who truly value your commercial photography.

Jamie is passionate about sales strategy, LinkedIn, socialmedia, and sales training to help businesses improve their revenue and processes. Focusing on selling to different personalities! In this show, he talks about setting up an e-learning course, and we could do this as photographers. After being a podcast guest, the host asked Jamie if he wanted to make an e-learning course with him. They used software called Zenler for the course. Jamie provided the content. When building a course, you need to think about who your target market is. And why do they need your course? You also need to think about the cost of the course.  But the real key is what the value and outcomes people are going to get from taking part in this course. For Jamie’es e-learning course, each module contained amodule made into a video with Jamie talking over the presentation. Sam says that making the videos can put people off doing this. Jamie says to start with the end goal and think of recurring income to spur you on to create the resources. Butit does take time. Sam also suggests running some of the course modules as webinars and then recording them. These recordings can be used for the e-learning course.  This way, it’s part of your marketing.Pricing is another challenge in working out what to charge.Introductory offers are good at the start, but then it’s also getting the affordable price. Jamie’s e-learning course also has an add-on option he sells where they can get some personal input at the end.  Sam asks what you need for an e-learning course. Jamie sayssome guides and workbooks would be good. Video, auditory and written resources for learning. It is also vital that your e-learning course is unique and different to whatever else is out there. Jamie says creating the course is not enough. Promoting the course is a key part of the success of the course. The course will not sell itself. It’s essential to think about whether the people you already market to are the target market for your course or not. You can find James on Linkedin hereThe first Shoot to the Top Webinar is on the 2nd of April and it’s all about getting higher value clients for your business. Tofind out more and book click here. To get the Shoot to the Top Podcast in your inbox every weekto ensure you don't miss an episode,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠clickhere ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shoot to the Top Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ group to meet fellowphotographers, guests and Sam and Marcus.

To get the Shoot to the Top Podcast in your inbox every week to ensure you don't miss an episode,⁠⁠⁠⁠click here ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the⁠⁠⁠⁠Shoot to the Top Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ group to meet fellow photographers, guests and Sam and MarcusMarcus says street photography is about capturing incidentshappening around you. He also says there is so much to learn from street photography that all photographers should be doing it. He says the need to work at the moment as you see things is perfect training for other types of photography.EquipmentA street photographer needs to be mobile and discrete. So, no huge camera bags. A camera and a lens or two. He says the lens should be 50mm or wide angle, and the photographer then needs to be close and involved with their subjects. Somestreet photographers use flash for street photography.Location Marcus says it needs to be where people gather. Otherwise, it’s landscape photography.Martin Parr photographs in gas stations, country fairs and other places. Tony Ray Jonesisanother street photographer. He photographed a lot of beach towns on the East coast of Yorkshire.HowMarcus says you need to be invisible as a street photographer.Marcus says one approach is “shooting from the hip”. So, having the camera by your waist. Marcus also thinks pre-focussing also helps.  Marcus says misdirection is another approach. He says to get your camera out walk towards them, but photograph off to the side. But with a wide-angle lens, they are still in the shot, but it doesn’t look like you are photographing them. The third option is simply to ask people’s permission to photograph them. They will very often say yes. Sam asks about the issue of photographing people without their permission. Marcussays the law is on your side as a street photographer taking photographs.Marcus’s final approach is called “pick a spot” This approach is to find a photographic location and wait there for people to go past. What are you looking for?To start with, take some photographs. It doesn’t matter what, just warm up. Then, you are looking for people interacting with each other. People interact with the background or environment.To get the Shoot to the Top Podcast in your inbox every week to ensure you don't miss an episode,⁠⁠⁠⁠click here ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the⁠⁠⁠⁠Shoot to the Top Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ group to meet fellow photographers, guests and Sam and Marcus

Abi and Giles have a background in film and TV. Abi as a producer. They met while working on Jonathan Creek.  Abi says she does the organising side doing the paperwork, keeping the clients happy and getting the next client while Giles does the creative stuff. Giles started doing stills photography as an assistant in the movie industry. He then moved into being a movie cameraman. Eventually, they both got tired of the long hours in the movie industry and set up their own business. They ran the company alongside their film careers for about five years. They now do video. Having done just stills for a long time they are now doing some video. However, they are sticking to short videos and outsourcing to filmmakers for longer work. Marcus and Giles talk a little about equipment. Marcus says he is quite a technical geek and loves focus-stacking. This also allows him to change the look of an image later on if the client wants it. He uses a Sony mirrorless camera now and thinks they are now good. He has moved from Canon to Nikon to Sony over the years. Sam’s asks how they get clients. Abi says word of mouth has been key for a long time. There are a lot of connections and conversations with people. Their clients tend to stay with them for a long time. Their oldest clients have been with them for over fifteen years. Once they get new clients in the studio or on location they tend to keep them. Also, they work a lot with marketing agencies and they have a high staff turnover. This works well with them as staff they have built a relationship with in one agency move to another and then they get introduced as great photographers to the new agency. Abi spent lots of time chatting to clients over lockdown as the clients were feeling low. Her day-to-day job is keeping those connections alive. They are also always suggesting new ideas to current clients. Giles likes to run new ideas with old clients and they really like that and like trying them. Sam asks about their approach to AI. He says it’s here and they love it and want to embrace it, but also he is keeping the enemy close. Giles did do some talks on it but stopped due to the hate mail he was getting. Giles says the generative AI is so much better if you give long prompts giving lots of technical terms to do with the lighting and style of shoot. Giles says it’s great for generating ideas so you are not staring at a blank page. It helps spark ideas. Marcus mentions Scott Choucino of Tin House Studio who does food photography. Marcus says due to AI he is going to make his photography more organic and doing things like shooting on film. Giles thinks it’s great to go back to film. You can listen to our show on film here. But Giles thinks commercially it’s essential to stick to digital. As final advice, Giles says to stick to your rates and value your experience. He also recommends working out how much you need to charge hourly as a minimum to survive with the lifestyle you have.