I was eight, and not one bit interested in those historic machines and pictures of pit ponies and canaries (as much as I loved pit ponies and canaries). Nope, not down there.

‘Get me out of here!’  was all I could think.

As an adult sometimes I think life can get a bit claustrophobic, specifically when options seem to diminish. It’s why I chose to work for myself and not for a big company, and I suspect that’s how it is for you.

Freelance life is not for everyone, but for most photographers it’s a choice which involves a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, and in spite of this, most would not have it any other way.

Still, the confusion and uncertainty ‘out there’ has made life a bit harder over the last year or so.

When you’ve lost a few too many jobs which you bust your gut bidding, and you’ve had more quiet spells than usual, it can become hard to see the big picture and easy to feel a bit hemmed in or trapped – even when you work for yourself and you know that being a lens based image maker is your life’s calling.

Last week I talked about ‘shaking off’ that feeling of being irrelevant (you can read it here) and it applies to feeling trapped too- we are often the makers of our own prisons.

But I know that’s more easily said than done.

So as we approach the end of 2025, I want to remind you that now’s the time to revisit your direction, because as you know, if you want to rise above the noise you need to start the year with absolute clarity.

Or it can hit you with a thump.

There’s no easy way to face that feeling of irrelevance.

One day you’re flavour of your industry, being hired by all and sundry (if you can fit them in), and suddenly you’re wondering how you missed out on those jobs – briefs awarded to photographers who are, well, different to you. Maybe it’s gender, or age, nationality, whatever- it’s simply that feeling that you’ve been left behind, or left out.

You become an outsider, not an insider.

You don’t have to be a white guy over 50 for this to happen (though that might be you). You might have had a baby or a health issue, taken time off to raise kids or renovate the house, or simply become overwhelmed with industry changes. All ways you can find yourself on the outside looking in, and wondering where the door went.

Here’s the thing.

If you really want to get back ‘in’, sometimes you need to jump the fence or jimmy the door. Or find a window. It will take effort, but the first step is to believe you’re worthy of it.

To be honest, others may not see you as an outsider- it may be your monkey mind telling you that, when in fact you are admired and respected but keeping yourself small.

Shake that off- if you project it, they’ll start believing it.

Once you’ve convinced yourself that you’re still an experienced lens based image maker, capable of creating beautiful work and delivering on decent briefs (which, by the way still exist), I’m a huge fan of owning where you are right now. What have you learned from your experiences over the last few years and months? What do you have an insider’s perspective on?

Becoming relevant also means leading from the front; looking at what’s happening in the world and sharing your opinion and voice, and the best way to do this is through personal work (which will also help you feel your way back into that place of ‘Yup I can do this’).

Even if you’re feeling really happy with where you are, thank you very much, doing this will keep you relevant and top of mind.

It’s just a start, but it’s a powerful one.

Most artists start this way.

Even now you’re probably playing with new gear and ways of showing things- certainly if you’re continually growing. (That’s one of the things I love about advertising photography- every job brings it’s own challenges and learnings.)

But if you catch yourself looking at other photographers, especially your competitors, and emulating their style- maybe to show that you are very capable of doing that work too- you could be sabotaging yourself as well as your brand.

(After all, your brand is you).

Creativity isn’t doing what others have done, and trying to match what’s already out there.

It’s coming up with ideas and ways of doing and saying things that haven’t been done or said before, or photographed/ filmed in that way.

Now more than ever you need to be a leader not a follower.

• Make imagery in your own brand voice, and which says something unique (it can be funny, sad or serious- it’s your thought so it’s perfect).
• Find your tribe- the people who want that work and will pay good money for it, or something similar. People who want you to elevate their brands with your magic.
• And stay visible to those people, repetitively, consistently, reliably, whether they reply or not.

You don’t have to be someone else to succeed. It’s OK to be who you are; it’s just a case of working out what you want to do with that.

But if you’ve been told that your niche is a type of industry like Pharma, automotive, sport or adventure, and you’re only targeting brands in those niches, you could end up with quite confused messaging.

That’s because brands in the same industry are all competing, and anxious to stand out from each other by targeting different types of consumers.

Some pharma advertising will be calm, some energetic, some humorous (like the Go To Skincare ad captured by Billy Plummer above), some gritty, some edgy, some serious, some warm and connected, etc. It’s the same for any industry. There are even calm sports brands!

So the way to define yourself as a photographer is not what you photograph and film, but HOW.

If your work is warm and connected, you’ll want to look at getting work from people who need that. And guess what? It won’t just be one niche. It will be an array of brands from banks, to insurance companies to automotive to sports drinks to clothing.

Suddenly more doors will open to you.

It’s much better for your brand if it’s solid and consistent in style and feel, and for you to focus on brands and decision makers who need that, whatever industry niche they are in.

Armed with this knowledge of your own brand feeling, everything else becomes clearer.

• Who to target.
• What kind of personal work to make.
• What to share in your marketing.
• Communication with your agent

So what is your brand? And how does it make people feel?

It’s well understood that tests are when you photograph to try out new gear, lighting and technique.

But when you photograph with an end user in mind – for example, a potential buyer or client, such as an advertising creative or photo editor – you’re really still ‘testing’.

When the outcome you want from the image is to impress someone else, you can tend to compromise what you make, and allow your perception of what other people want to cloud your vision.

At the beginning of your career testing is especially important, to learn your craft and show what you can do, and you probably never stop testing, no matter how seasoned you are.

But personal work is not this. It’s another thing entirely.

Personal work is work you’re making purely for yourself.

Work that actually expresses what you want to say- in YOUR way.

You don’t actually have to share it with anyone unless you like it, and that is so incredibly freeing, once you get your head around it.

Making work that comes straight from your heart and isn’t afraid to express an opinion is super powerful as it’s far more likely to turn heads and get you noticed – and hired.

It’s a win win.

What would you really want to create if you didn’t have to work for anyone?

What would you make if failure wasn’t an option?

I’ll leave you with that this weekend.

I know it can be really hard to let go and trust the process. So if you’re hitting some speed bumps with personal work, there are a few ways I can help:

1. Watch this free presentation ‘It’s all Personal – how personal work gets you paid’. It’s truly inspiring.

2. Consider joining our next Series Project workshop.

“A huge thank you to Billy and Christina for your guidance, willingness to share, support and vision to help creatives around the world.”
– Guy Davies, Series Project attendee

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

As an antidote to this, ex-advertising creative and top ad photographer Billy Plummer and I created an online workshop, taking 20 photographers from around the world through the process we teach on The Series Project.

It was a very intense and privileged experience to watch those projects emerge, and proof that personal work can be made wherever you are, even with limited resources.

One of them was Australian photographer Lilli Water’s project, The Kiss of Death; a highly charged series expressing her fears and sense of isolation during this time, and which is featured here.

It ended up being exhibited in Melbourne and California, shortlisted for highly respected awards, published and selected for Lurzers Archive Top 200 Photographers. She was also signed by a very highly regarded agent.

There’s magic right under your nose if you look, and if you can channel that into a unique viewpoint, it can be mighty powerful (and cathartic).

(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.

I grew up in a working class suburb in a wealthy town in the South of England. My parents were Geordies (from the North East) so we had no relatives nearby.

Later, I met my Aussie husband and we lived in France and Australia and then New Zealand, raising our kids 18,390 km’s from my family (particularly noticeable right now with closed borders).

I’m astonished at how many photographers I meet who are ‘outsiders’.

Photographers who have grown up moving from place to place, who don’t fit in, who didn’t do well at school, or who feel ‘different’ in all its manifestations- mental and physical.

Being an outsider could be why you ended up being a photographer, viewing the world through a lens which conveniently separates you and maintains that perspective and outsider-ness.

It could be why you enjoy talking to strangers and being inclusive and capturing those incredible moments with people you barely know.

It can drive you to be a trailblazer. To be whoever you want. It certainly did that for me.

But it can also be a crutch. An excuse for not fitting in, not allowing yourself to go places you perceive you won’t be welcome.

It can deter you from joining a supportive community (online or in person), stop you talking to a stranger you want to shoot, paralyse you from calling a client you’d love to meet, or discourage you from asking for help.

It can prevent you from reaching your potential.

The truth is, everyone gets to choose.

You can choose to be an insider or an outsider. To be inclusive, or to separate yourself.

Whichever it is, make sure it works for you, not against you.