Closing the deal

Stop paddling backwards

Sometimes, when I review a photographer’s work and identify their hero shots I am met with an incredulous look. ‘But how can that be my hero work? It’s so easy for me!’ No shit Sherlock. It may come as a shock, but doing what you love, especially if you’ve been doing it for a while, can be a breeze. You

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You are not a photographer

If you’re shooting for clients, you probably think you’re a photographer. You wouldn’t be mad to assume this. Indeed, most people probably refer to you as a photographer. But don’t get caught up in believing that’s what you do. If you’ve watched Simon Sinek’s ‘Find your why‘, you may have an inkling of what I’m talking

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Five winning traits of top photographers

Photographers I meet are often stumped as to how they can win those bigger jobs and what they should be doing differently. But they so often make assumptions of those who do; ‘I need an agent’ (This is helpful but not always, and besides you have to prove yourself first.) ‘It’s all about who they know’ (Well,

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One on One

4 steps to win the heart of a photo rep

A few weeks ago I received an Email from a photographer: ‘I have to know, Christina. Why didn’t you ever rep me?’ OMG. This poor photographer had been hanging onto my ‘rejection’ for 10 years. Holy moly. Admittedly his dog had just died, he was having a few stiff drinks and he was feeling VERY

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Seven quick holiday reads for photographers

It’s that funny old week between Christmas and the new year. In Auckland everyone is on holiday although summer is being obnoxiously evasive, dammit. Oh hang on, here it is. Oh and it’s gone again…. Wherever you are, if you’re a photographer and thinking about 2017, you might want some reading material. (For, you know,

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Are you previewing expectations?

When my son was little, he would constantly ask with wide-eyed worry, “What’s going to happen next?” If we were travelling or doing things together as a family, the question was particularly unappeasable. At Christmas he couldn’t bear to leave presents unwrapped under the tree…the idea of surprise and  ‘not knowing’ was far too stressful. By Christmas

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Closing the deal with a bang

Have I mentioned that I’m a Virgo? For what it’s worth, this means that I am finickity about presentation in general. Grammar, design, colours, you name it. Oh, and all the neatly ordered jars in my pantry are labelled, much to my family’s amusement. I studied graphic design back in the early Eighties, and whilst

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