Can you remember the first decent paid photography gig you got?
The one where you thought- OMG I’m really doing this!
It might have been 30 years ago or 3 years ago but there’s a very strong chance it was inspired by something you created for yourself.
And you shared it because, what the heck, you had nothing to lose.
But now you know the pitfalls and challenges, and you’re used to your clients making you compromise your production values or creativity.
You may have slipped into the mode of only making work when you’re paid, or making ‘personal’ work to impress clients (see last week’s blog post on that).
Or maybe you’re making personal work but not sharing it.
Either way you’re very possibly not getting briefs you’d like.
Look, no one said it would be easy (if they did they were lying). But I’ve been yakking a LOT about personal work over the last month, and for good reason.
Last week one of the photographers I’m working with Emailed me;
“I’ve had a creative, a director and a producer reach out this week about upcoming jobs, after seeing the beginning of my personal series. Woooohhh!”
That’s evidence, right there.
And it’s one example of many.
I want that to be you, however many years you’ve been at this game.
You’ve got this.