With the photographer market being saturated the way that it is, it’s easy to fall into the idea that it’s a photog-eat-photog world out there, and other photographers are your enemy. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Just as singers can support other singers and actors can support other actors, we photographers can support and encourage our fellow shutterbugs!
Get away from the “me” mentality
Since the person you spend the most time with is yourself, it can sometimes be hard to remember that not everything is about you. Your struggles (well, your photographic struggles, at any rate) are not unique to you. There are thousands of photographers stumbling over the same obstacles as you, such as increasing their client base, perfecting their editing, and just generally making their business as successful as they can. It can feel like you’re competing for the same jobs and over the same customers, but, actually, there really is enough work for everyone. Take where I am, for example. In Wake Forest, North Carolina, I’d wager there are at least 200 photographers (I know of about maybe 50 really active ones). That sounds like a lot of photographers! The population of Wake Forest is about 40,000. Now granted, not each person is going to need a photographer. Some of those people are kids; and some are husbands (who, in my experience, rarely book photography sessions; that may be a market worth pursuing, photo folks!). So, even if we cut that in half to 20,000 people in need of photography, that averages out to about 100 sessions per photographer per year if the people book one session a year. That’s about 2 sessions a week for a photographer, but often people need more than one session a year, as the same person often has different photography needs over time. Say a family of 4 is expecting a child and needs to move into a new house because they’ve outgrown their old one. In one year we’re looking at real estate photographer, maternity photographer, newborn/birth photographer, and a family photographer. Admittedly, a couple of those photographers could overlap but with people’s varying tastes in styles there are plenty of jobs for the plentiful photographers. If you’re not getting the jobs, don’t fall victim to blaming others for the way you’re doing things. The only actions you can control are your own. So take control of your photography and your business, and as you climb up, reach down and help someone else.
Like, comment, and share their work
With Facebook’s new way of doing things, it can be hard for photographers to get their work seen even when people have already liked their page. When you see a good-looking picture, let them know that their lighting is on point! If you’re shy and you enjoy the picture but you don’t want to try to articulate it, go ahead and give it a like. If the photo is super awesome and something you enjoy and think your friends would enjoy, go ahead and give it a share! I tend to like a lot of family photography, but only really get moved to share awesome fashion or pet photography.
Give supportive CC when asked
I’m a member of several different photographer groups on Facebook, both local and international. One of the benefits of these groups is that they can be a really great place to get and give feedback when asked. Make sure they ask for constructive criticism before you dole it out. It’s incredibly rude when you just assume that your opinion is so important that it must be “heard” whether they want to hear it or not. A key word in the phrase “constructive criticism” is “constructive.” Start off by saying something that you like about the picture, and then suggest something that you think would help make it better or tips on achieving the specific look that the poster said they were trying to get to.
Refer your friends and family
As I said earlier, different photographers have different styles and shoot different photography types. If you come across someone who is looking for a more glamour look to their pictures, go ahead and refer them to a photographer that you know shoots that look. If you know a stellar real estate photographer, pass their name along to someone selling their house or to that real estate agent that you just met. If someone does great product photography, give their business card to your friend who just opened an Etsy shop.
Hire them!
And, of course, support your fellow photographers by booking them yourself! Maybe even work out a session trade so you both are able to get your family photos out of the way! Are they putting together a great lighting workshop? Sign up and learn some new things!
What goes around comes around, so make sure you are putting out good vibes and feelings, and positive energy will return to you. When you live life as a good person, people enjoy being around you more, you get more valuable networking connections, you’re able to learn more from people, and you’re able to have a better life. As you support more people, those people and more will begin to support you as well. Smile, you’re part of the great circle of life. Happy shooting.