Harassed, overworked art directors and art buyers (most likely the requestee of said folios) would have to begin a search through them all to find the right photographer for a brief. Ridiculously, all the books were inevitably black. (Whose idea was THAT??!!)

But if a red one or a white one, or a box instead of a bag, or ANYTHING different popped out I can guarantee it would catch their eye. (I know, as a rep I tested the theory.)

Of course it did. Creative decision makers are visual beings, like you.

The work in the folio would have been crucial to the decision making (still is, if you get to show yours.)

But the folio cover, or branding, is why they would pick up the book in the first place.

So much pressure!

I’ve been asked this LOTS recently as we approach the CAPIC Portfolio Speed Review in Vancouver in just a few days and Palm Springs Photo Fest next month.

And I have one most important piece of advice.

If you want to work with the person you are meeting, the folio is just an excuse.

Yes it must be beautiful and well crafted, and it must flow well and yada yada. #nobrainer

But in my view you have one job only.

Start a relationship.

If you want to be hired by a creative, recommended by an art producer, or signed by a rep, they need to know and trust you, and feel like you’re someone they’d like to spend time with, and put in front of their clients and teams.

Because that’s a huge part of your job.

You cannot place anything above this most crucial aspect of a review meeting. It’s priceless.

Here are 5 easy things to remember:

1. Do your research and really find out who you’re meeting with.
2. Make a point of telling them why you wanted to meet with them specifically.
3. Chat with them about anything that feels right, and that connects you. Ask questions.
4. When the 5 minute reminder goes, ask them ‘What’s the best way to stay in touch’
5. Get their contact information.

If you do this, the rest will work itself out (especially if your online presence is all gorgeous and on brand.)

So don’t worry if you’re getting on so well with the reviewer that you don’t finish the folio.

As far as I’m concerned, that’s a big win.

Good luck- you’ve got this!

This year I’ve run a live webinar about getting a rep, held a workshop about folio building with CAPIC in Vancouver, and met up with about 20 photographers who’ve done my programme in Melbourne.

I spent 10 days in Havana, Cuba, with 7 photographers from around the world who were shooting their Series Project ideas.

I’ve been evacuated from a restaurant in Mexico City because of an earthquake, whilst having dinner with a brilliant photographer from Johannesburg.

I’ve been Blitzing work like crazy. I really love discovering the truth of who photographers are, and helping them realise it’s OK to be authentic.

I’ve reviewed folios for Palm Springs Photo Fest, and judged for the Art Directors Club (New York) and Pink Lady Food Photography Awards (London).

I’ve fainted on a plane and spent 10 days in bed with the C bug.

I’ve held monthly Q&A sessions with my VIP’s (Bootcamp alumni) about consistency, folios, winning the job and introduced them to yet another agent’s perspective.

I’ve edited a few print folios (no mean feat).

And I’ve just had my last 1:1 calls with my recent group of Bootcampers who started at the end of February. What an amazing talented bunch of photographers from England, USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia. I can’t wait to start sharing their websites and success stories.

I’ve already signed up several new Bootcampers for my October program and we’ve started Blitzing and brainstorming their personal projects, and their ‘why’- all essential stuff to get them seen and hired by good creatives.

This week I have literally just managed to pop my head above water and look around, assessing what I’ve done (TBH that was just the tip of the iceberg) and what I need to do next.

How’s your year been so far? You’ve probably achieved way more than you thought.

Even if you wait until the full briefing meeting, you might feel pressured to have all the answers, and again, to agree to changes and suggestions which may turn out to be unachievable or out of budget.

You may have this buttoned down, but if you’ve been guilty of over-enthusiasm (and honestly we all do love an enthusiastic photographer), I’m here to tell you don’t have to have the answers straight away.

When you’re first briefed, there are 3 simple steps BEFORE you really need to provide all the answers:

1. Be enthusiastic and show you’re genuinely interested.

OK, no brainer. Respond quickly and positively. And if it’s a phone call do not let anyone bully you into a quick on the spot ‘it’s just a ballpark’ commitment. Let them know you’ll get back to them.

2. Get to know the brief.

Research the brand/ client/ product. Identify the holes and gaps you don’t understand. Find the problems and think of possible solutions. Get a producer involved EARLY if needed or call your rep. They will think of questions you may not have considered.

3. Ask questions.

Set up (or have your producer/ rep set up) a call/ meeting to get clarity on questions identified in your research. Find out why they asked you to bid. (It might not be what you expected.) Have a standard checklist of questions to ask, as well as the more unique ones, so you don’t have to guess when you’re busy. Then, let them know you’ll work on solutions and come back to them.

By doing this, you will have given yourself time and space to stop, think rationally, and address their real issues, and when you do submit your estimate (and treatment if required) you’ll be solving their problems, and far more likely to win the bid.

It doesn’t always work out perfectly, but every time you take a brief, you have the opportunity to show you’re a problem-solving, professional collaborator.

He had just been asked where and how a photographer should share his commercial (paid) work.

“Commercial work? Why would I want to see commercial work?”

The creative director looked genuinely baffled.

The fact is, when a decent advertising creative goes to your website they’re often looking for ideas, inspiration and to get to know who you are.

(Let’s face it, they’re hiring your services, not buying a piece of art).

So it stands to reason that they’re not going to find that if they look at ads already made by their client’s competition.

Of course, they may need to see your paid work, in due course.

But your paid work won’t even get a look in if the creative doesn’t like what they see in the first place.

It’s all part of the customer journey.

And if you don’t fully understand who your target customer or audience is, or how they think and behave, you might as well be trying to promote yourself to your grandma. (Yes we know she loves it, but…)

If you’re building your online presence purely around ads you’ve shot, you may be missing out on some juicier projects.

And you may find it challenging to get (or keep) a good agent, who will support you to shoot what you love making.

At the very least, make some time now to get to know who you’re speaking to. It will help, I promise.

Sure it doesn’t quite fit with your other work but it’s so GOOD!

You may even get asked to estimate a job, to be shot just like that image.

You’re the favourite for the job, BECAUSE OF THAT IMAGE, and you almost have it in the bag.

And then they ask, almost casually, 10 minutes before presentation time,

‘Can you just flick us a few more shots like that so we can show the client?’.

There’s no time for more tests and you’re stumped.

What to show them?

The job is awarded to another photographer, the one they trust that they use for everything, and worse still they show them that shot you made as a guide.

I’ve seen this happen so often and it’s the reason I always suggest photographers hold off from showing a unique hero image UNTIL YOU HAVE MORE LIKE IT.

Consistency and proof of ability to deliver are extremely high values in an ad agency, particularly once you get past the creative.

So, if you’ve shot something amazing, go shoot it more.

Extend it into a project of its own.

Think about ways you can expand that idea.

Consider other situations, materials, and objects that you can shoot in the same way.

You’ll feel far more confident about delivering a good result and you’re much more likely to get more work that you love making.

If you’re struggling with throwing out shots you love, have a read of this blog post I wrote a while back: 5 reasons to throw out your babies

(Pastels are extremely messy and create copious amounts of pigment dust but bless him he’s creative and he’s very good at it, so what can I say.)

The colours Unison make are truly alive and can transport you from the intense burnt ochre of the Northern Territory in Australia to the blue shutters of Provence, and the soft greens and pale lilacs of the British Northumbrian countryside, where this cute cottage industry is based.

As it happens, Unison was founded by a photographer.

And it’s not a surprise that this diversity is often reflected through the lens.

This was really highlighted to me when I first took my photographers’ folios to Los Angeles. At that time, many of the art buyers commented on the intense and hard light in shots made in New Zealand and Australia, in comparison to the muted tones of Northern Europe. It was quite fresh to them and they sometimes hired my photographers on that basis.

But they often hired them to shoot in LA, as well as New Zealand, so the challenge was to retain the consistency of their images, wherever they were shooting.

Regardless of light, colour, location and subject matter, your job as an image maker – still or motion – is to be consistent in your approach.

One which can pull together a campaign and make it feel like one brand.

The way you see the world, and the magic dust (not pastel dust thank goodness) that you weave through your work, is what sets you apart.

And that’s what will put you firmly on the map.

And sharing your most stunning work (stills and motion) on your website is vital for that reason.

But nice images alone are not enough.

Because if they like your work they will then want to figure out if you’re someone they want to work with.

Remember, your clients are not buying a picture, they’re hiring a human.

They have to know you can:

• Take a brief and translate it.
• Communicate your ideas.
• Navigate meetings with clients and account directors.
• Pull together the right team and manage them in a calm and unflustered way.
• Collaborate and work alongside the creative.
• Deliver great results.

The tricky bit is, SAYING this is the last thing you should do. (Trust me, they’ll feel SOLD to and will run for the hills. Creatives eh?)

If you’re wondering how to help them understand who you really are, start with your bio and make sure you also have plenty of interesting personal work.

Having an agent is also really helpful to them to know you have backup and resources.

As always, understanding how this discerning audience thinks and behaves is vital to your success.

How much does your website help you get hired by those dream clients?

If you’re a talented image maker and need help communicating and marketing to advertising creatives and discerning visual decision makers, I am still accepting applications for my last 2022 Bootcamp mentoring programme starting early October.

The CD of a large New York ad agency looked thoroughly perplexed when asked about sharing commercial work on a photographer’s website.

This was in a private Q&A I ran for my clients, and the answer didn’t surprise me at all.

The fact is that most decent advertising creatives (you do want to be hired by someone decent – yes?) go to great lengths to see the work you make for yourself.

They’re innovators and their job is to create new work for brands.

So why would they want to look at their competitor’s work, or work they’ve previously made, other than to understand what to avoid?

There may be a place for GOOD paid work on your website, but it’s not for the creatives.

And if you don’t have some lovely personal work to inspire those creatives, you won’t NEED the paid work there, because you won’t get that far down the line.

Ask any decent rep. In a private forum one very established and respected photographers’ agent recently said:

‘I can say with 100% confidence that the photographers in our group that show the most amount of personal work over the course of the year, were typically the busiest by the end of the year.’

Thanks to photographer Sam Harris for this shot made as part of his fantastic personal series ‘Neighbours’, which has recently inspired clients to hire him.

‘House finished, man dead’.

This is so true of anything you share with the world. No sooner is it released than you want to improve it, or start something newer, better.

Worse still, you don’t put it out there at all. Many photographers simply don’t get their folios out there because ‘it isn’t finished yet’.

There is always another shot to add, another project, a bit more retouching, yada yada.

The same goes for websites.

I’m not suggesting you put everything out there the minute it’s made (that can be a mistake).

Or that you share your new website when you don’t know who you’re talking to and what your brand is.

But for goodness sake at some point, you just have to accept that It will never be perfect.

There will and should always be better work around the corner.

(Great! More content for later!)

If you’re procrastinating over contacting clients because the website/ folio isn’t quite ready, don’t wait until you utterly miss the boat.

There are clients out there that have the perfect job for you. Right now.

And it’s your time!