Some photographers do the work. They find their ‘thing’ and start shooting. High achievers like Nicole England, who started photographing Resident Dog 6 years ago, has since had 2 books published and shot 2 new books last year. Talk about prolific!

But if you’re one of those photographers who has never quite figured out how to make a truly conceptual project, who defaults to photographing models or products and calling it ‘personal’, or who’s shooting randomly and sporadically, there are years going by when something powerful and engaging –and potentially getting you hired- could be getting made.

If that’s you, there’s no use beating yourself up (or burying your head in the sand).

You know you need to make more work with depth.

You know this will attract those higher end creative decision makers and help them want to work with you.

And you know you could have started earlier.

You probably already know this Chinese proverb too:

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

The second best time is NOW.

It’s really not too late to start now.

Your ongoing personal project(s), your marketing, and your client outreach can all start today. Because they’re all connected.

Whatever the year, month, day or time, you’ve got this!

If you need help making a personal project with depth this is a quick heads up that we have 1 place available on The next Series Project, shooting in May. Applications for that place close this Tuesday 4th March as we’re booking the hotel now.

The programme will help you craft, shoot & share a powerful, inspiring project with story and depth in 6 weeks. 5 weeks online. 1 week on location in Istanbul.

You can find out more here: https://christinaforce.net/upcoming-events/tsp-istanbul-2025

It’s a wonderful way to begin the year (and prepare for the 8 week intensive) and as always I’ve been so fascinated by the different perspective each one has. In spite of all being lifestyle photographers they have completely different ways of seeing the world and care about a diverse range of things.

This means that their personal work suddenly feels like it has more depth and I’m excited to see where it takes them.

In my last Bootcamp group from late last year one of the photographers has already won a substantial award for making a project out of what was supposed to be a road trip to Vegas with a friend.

By thinking about her ‘why’ and photographic approach, and what she cares about, the project grew into something that had an idea, an opinion and a voice. And there are now people interested in developing it further in the motion world.

Imagine being a photographer who inspires people like this. Who creates something which leads to offers of TV shows, book publishing deals, and of course, decent briefs and representation.

I’m not gonna lie- most personal projects don’t go viral or get a publishing or TV deal (though I’ve seen it happen). But if you’re thinking about making a personal project with purpose you’re definitely going to feel more excited about making it, and that’s a damn good start to being the inspiration clients need.

And honestly the ‘best’ ones, if best is about elevating your career as a lens based image maker, are the ones the people you want to work with are looking at (like Cannes). They’re not necessarily photography competitions, but industry awards.

Advertising creatives and designers will so often seek out and hire photographers and directors who’ve worked on award winning campaigns in their world, because they want to join the ranks of award winners themselves.

So that’s where I’d start.

But competitions and awards offer so many different potential rewards, and before throwing your money at them all and getting pretty gold sticky pony club rosettes for your images (please don’t be tempted to add those), it’s super important to figure out what your reason is for entering.

1. Maybe now’s a tight time and you need some cash. One of my clients won enough cash to purchase a very decent new truck and was given a free trip to Hong Kong to attend the CA+ photo fest there, where he was signed by a rep.

2. Maybe you’d like to get some esteemed people in the art world to see your work, or a respected agent, or an art buyer. Choosing competitions which have those people on the jury is a fabulous way to get some impactful new work seen by them, even if you just make a shortlist or finals. I used to juror for IPA and always made a note of the work which I thought was impactful, and looked at their websites.

3. Maybe it’s about exposure to a wider audience. Winning most awards will do this but some are more impressive than others. When photographer Trent Mitchell won the Sony World competition with the series he made when we were working together (Image below), he was on national news and got global recognition. Soon after he was signed by a photographer’s agency.

4. Sometimes you just need to show that people are talking about you. Awards can provide PR fodder which helps less visually discerning people like marketing directors feel more comfortable about hiring you, and helps the creative folk sell you.

I can happily say that a large proportion of the photographers I’ve worked with (including Christian Mushenko who made the rooftop image on one of my programs) have been featured in Lurzers top 200 advertising photographers, which is by invitation only and always does a good job of impressing the right people.

Finally, if you want to enter awards, and it’s not just for cash, take some time to make sure your online presence is representing the photographer those jurors and potential clients will expect to see, and don’t let them (and yourself) down.

Every year when my clients’ awards tumble out – all the ones listed above and many more – it makes me proud to know I work with the best in the world, and that their brands are solid and working for them.

How’s yours looking?

Maybe that’s you, too.

For British photographer Nancy MacDonald, this was something she dreamed of but didn’t believe was possible until she made her series ‘Hope has Wings’ on The Series Project program.

Aside from being exhibited in some amazing art galleries, this project won her a very sought-after place on a one-year Magnum mentorship.

If you’d like to learn more about how to create personal work which attracts discerning people in the art and advertising worlds, please do join Series Project co-founder Billy Plummer and myself in 4 days for a live one-off online presentation ‘It’s all Personal – how personal work gets you paid.’

I know you’ll take away some brilliant aha’s from this talk and I can’t wait to share it with you.

If you’re not already registered, you can do so here.

“The Series Project has changed my world. How I see and believe in photography has transformed forever. It was my application piece for Magnum, and I’ve had incredible feedback about it through the interview process. I truly can’t thank you enough.”

-Nancy MacDonald

Not only because it’s a way to flex your creative muscles, push yourself harder and remind yourself why you did this in the first place.

But also because it’s your number 1 marketing tool.

So when this Email dropped into my inbox this morning from New York photographer Keith Barraclough, I called him, and asked if I could share it.

“Christina –

I have an interesting follow up on the power personal projects can have on one’s career.

I know you already know this but it’s always nice to hear of success stories, so thought you could share it – in case there are any doubters.

We have been inundated with emails since this article in The Guardian came out yesterday.

Many are from redheads who love the images and want to take part in the project but also from creatives and news outlets.

ABC News in Australia wants us to join them live on their morning show (via zoom) – we do plan on doing that. YOU Magazine in South Africa wants to write a story and a writer from the Sunday Times in Ireland wants to talk next week. And we’ve been invited to the Redhead Festival in the Netherlands.

Analytics on my website blew up yesterday. 4,551 people visited my site. Visitors came from all corners of the world. Maldives, South Africa, NZ, Australia, Europe, Africa, many Asian countries and of course many in the UK and Canada.

So there have been many, many eyes on my work.

That being said I remember you saying numerous times don’t publish your personal project or reach out to creatives until your website is up to the standards needed for success.

If I had ignored that and all these people saw a website half finished, with bad images and not a proper bio page I doubt anyone would want to hire me. And I would feel awful.

Best part is I have a large ad shoot coming up that is a direct result of the agency seeing the project – we’re taking personality shots of kids.

We’ve been working on this project for 11 years and it’s finally starting to pay off.

Sometimes good things come to those who are patient and are consistent in their approach.

A lot is due to your feedback and encouragement. So Thank You!

Best,

Keith”

This is one of many success stories that proves that making personal work and consistently sharing it can reap rewards, and get you the right commissions and collaborations..

So for you doubters, or flounderers, I hope this inspires you to keep going.

]]> https://christinaforce.net/are-you-doing-any-of-these-three-things-2/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:41:41 +0000 https://christinaforce.net/?p=8074 This is my dad, and yesterday was his 86th birthday.

In the late 70’s he wrote a quality control system for the developing computer industry. The system was adopted by British Standards (BS 5750), and today, manufacturers of most camera companies use the same quality control standardisation (now updated to ISO 9000).

Dad is systems obsessed, and I think some of this trickled into my genes, because I do love seeing where processes can be systemised. (Also we’re both Virgo’s if you’re into that kind of thing.)

Setting up systems and processes means I don’t have to waste time on the things I don’t enjoy, and can instead invest my time into the things I love.

As a photographer you’re often fighting fires and responding to what needs to be done; clients want things NOW! Or even yesterday.

I get it. As an agent I was always in reactive mode when it came to client needs and requests. 11pm calls from Hong Kong? Part of the job.

But marketing was one of those wonderful things I could be utterly in control of.

Marketing is pro-active, and as such you can systemise it.

Email blasts and social media are examples of things you can set in place ahead of time when you’re not busy, so even when you’re on a location shoot, or flat out in pre-production mode, they can continue to tick over, keeping you top of mind with your other clients.

What’s not to love about that?

My dad has dementia now, but systemising my marketing, my meetings and many other facets of my business means I can spend precious time with him, and still continue to invest my time into the things I love, like meeting with my clients, blitzing images, and helping photographers see their potential.

So what one thing are you going to systemise today?

1. Creating work that you think your audience will like (and not what you would make for yourself).
2. Holding your new work close to your heart (for fear of others copying it) or simply leaving it on a hard drive.
3. Avoiding contacting people you know could possibly hire you. (I see you! I know you’re dodging this!)

Yesterday morning I interviewed two photographers who have made an impact in the book publishing world.

Sam Harris has been flown to Photofests around the world to talk about his beautiful and intimate sell out photobook ‘The Middle of Somewhere’.

And Nicole England’s stunning first book Resident Dog sold out within 2 months.

Two extremes of the book world and yet there were three common points that they both reinforced as crucial aspects of getting published:

1. Start by making something you’re passionate about. Shoot what you love!
2. Don’t be afraid of sharing your work, even in other publications. Get it out there.
3. Build relationships with like-minded people, and stay in touch.

These are the cornerstones of my mentoring (which both Sam and Nicole have done) and this process is also modelled endlessly by top advertising photographers around the world, and encouraged by the best agents.

So what are you waiting for?

(If you didn’t know that, now you do. It’s a non-negotiable habit of highly successful photographers).

But something that may be missing from your personal work is a well articulated introduction.

Your perspective, if you will.

You may not think having a brief description or introduction to your personal projects is important.

But it IS.

And this is why:

1. It helps answer questions.

When you make a compelling photographic series it often causes the viewers to ask questions. People always want to know more. Whether it’s on an art gallery wall, in a competition or on a website, help them find out your motivation, or the story behind the series. It will really help engage your audience longer.

2. It helps sell your work.

Everyone wants a story. if you’re selling your work as art you’re way more likely to get buyers across the line with an interesting back story. Your curator will thank you and so will your agent, and buyers will have something to talk about when it’s on their wall.

3. You’re more likely to get it published.

PR people are busy. So are editors of publications. A series of work with words is a GIFT to these people. It’s ready made. It’s articulated. Boom! Instant PR, and in some cases, it’s a series that a publication will pay for. More exposure equals more people talking about you equals more work.

4. It shows you’re a great communicator

Your job as a commercial or advertising photographer is to be an excellent communicator of ideas. That is your role as a lens based image maker and it’s helpful to show that you can do this when shooting personal work. A succinct introduction will show you understand ideas. And that means the world to advertising creatives. Truly.

5. It helps your ideal clients understand who you are.

They can see by your images that you’re an amazing photographer, but how can they better understand your personality? People are hiring YOU so a well articulated project that conveys a piece of your personality is really helpful in helping them understand who you are, and who they’ll get to spend time collaborating, communicating and working with, on set or on location.

6. It makes you THINK about what you’re making. 

Is it an idea, or just a ‘theme’? Or even just a test shoot or project test? I’ve seen way too many half baked ‘projects’ appear as a ‘series’ when they really aren’t saying anything. Having a clearly articulated and honed in idea BEFORE you start shooting will actually make it much easier to know what you’re shooting, how you’re shooting it and why you’re shooting it.

7. It’s a great way to get crew and collaborators on board.

With an idea you can articulate, all manner of people will come on board. Share your vision eloquently and get them excited about what you’re making, potentially saving you money (it’s a personal project right?), and time, and skipping some of those project-stopping hurdles.

Yup, I know it’s writing.

Yup, I know you’re possibly dyslexic.

But you need to find a way to do this, because it will lead to a unique project that’s truly your own.

And potentially get you hired to shoot more of what you love.

Sue Stubbs and I are weaving our way through a throng of mostly men, and into the bowels of a seemingly never ending warren of alleys. We try not to catch the eyes of dubious strangers and look straight ahead.

I hope we can find our way out if we need to, I think.

Five weeks earlier Sue joined 8 other photographers from around the world to conceptualise and plan a personal project to be shot in Bangkok. This was the first Series Project workshop– the brainchild of British ex advertising creative Billy Plummer, now one of the highest ranking advertising photographers in Sydney, Australia-  and myself.

Prior to creating the workshop, Billy and I realised that advertising photographers are so used to being given briefs by clients, that they’re often not strong at conceptualising their own ideas. No one was teaching them that. Why would they?

The irony is that photographers that do produce strong personal work are in demand. Ad creatives want to be inspired, and great personal work with an idea and well articulated message does exactly that.

So over those initial 5 weeks we jumped onto weekly Zoom calls, and Billy opened up the brains of our willing guinea pigs, a group of ad photographers from Vancouver, New Zealand, Paris, New York and Australia, showing them how to approach personal work in a completely new way.

When we all arrived in Bangkok, in week 6, the photographers had fully formed ideas. Treatments had been prepared, logistics had been worked out, and they were ready to hit the markets, rivers, engine workshops, Sepak Takraw courts and brothels, all with a well researched plan. For once they were treating their own work as well as they treat their clients. Bravo.

As with even best planned production for an ad shoot, there are always curve balls. When the Kathoeys (transgender individuals) who’d promised to meet Sue at our hotel for the photoshoot failed to turn up, she had to find an alternative solution.

My job in Bangkok was to critique the work produced every evening, and be available to talk to the photographers as they arrived back from an all night long mission, or needed a pep talk. To help them make decisions about what shots were left to be made. To help them flesh out their ‘why’. Whatever was needed really.

So, in the spirit of sisterhood, I agreed to accompany Sue in her search for talent in Patpong at night.

Truth be told, I’m always up for an adventure.

Up some stairs and into a bar, where naked women with tassels on their nipples dance around poles.

Nope, we say firmly to the somewhat suspect man who has insisted on making himself our guide, cigarette hanging from one side of his mouth, suit hanging off his small frame.

We want MEN DRESSED AS LADIES we say, for the third time. (We should have learned more Thai, I think.)

More convoluted turns down a back alley, and we’re in the cheaper district.

It’s almost a cliche.

A red lamp is suspended outside a small makeshift building. Kathoeys with torn fishnets loiter outside.

Inside everything is dark red. The lighting, the sticky carpet, the torn curtains.

Chief prostitute, Som Zaza, mans the bar. An elderly Australian man in a suit nurses a whisky on a red banquette seat.

This is not salubrious.

But it’s where we need to be.

Som Zaza is business-like and agrees that she and her girls can be photographed for a price. We arrange to come back the next day.

This shot above is one of the results of the shoot and others Sue made as part of her Bangkok Series project ‘Girls will be boys and boys will be girls’, and it can be seen here.

Since then there have been over 6 Series Projects, both online and on location, and the number of awards, assignments and success stories continues to grow.

If you want to inspire your clients, and stand out from the crowd with compelling personal work, you can find out more about The next Series Project here.

One day she perched out on the furthest end of the furthest branch with some food (undoubtedly more worms from my garden).

They each hopped out, she gave them a nudge, and off they flew.

I have just ‘nudged’ out a group of photographers into their new worlds.

They weren’t babies by any means. In fact they were all very capable photographers.

But they were missing the most important ingredients- visibility and confidence to reach the clients that would give them a better quality of work.

In their 8 weeks with me (actually we managed to extend it to 10) they gained a new understanding of who they are, and a whole new brand DNA and strategy.

They created new personal work, identified the people who would be most likely to hire them, edited and rebuilt their websites, and learnt the steps to get in front of those people they identified (even if it is currently via Zoom.)

I would be proud to recommend any of them for assignments that come my way. In fact, I was able to recommend one of them for an international ad campaign during the programme. (Yes, there is still work out there.)

Unlike that mama bird, who abandoned the nest (such is nature), I love seeing my alumni sharing their successes and supporting them in my Bootcamp community as they grow professionally and reach their ever-changing goals.

If you want this kind of guidance and support, I am now taking applications for my next programme in September. You can apply for a strategy call to find out of you’d be a good fit here.

My greatest wish is to see you fly.