Australian photographer Lilli Waters (who shot this image) contacted me a few years ago.

She’d been advised by a consultant that she should be a food photographer and to show her ‘commercial’ work on her website. She was confused and conflicted.

When I Blitzed her work, as I do with everyone I work with, I took a deep dive into a world of intense beauty – one that I couldn’t believe she’d been told to ‘remove’ from her website. She was a true artist, with unique talent that just had to be shared.

There were no food shots (go figure).

We ditched the ‘commercial’ work in favour of her most stunning personal work and built her entire online presence and folio around this.

Within months she had been signed by Modern Times and Metro, two top galleries she’d been trying to connect with for some time.

Last year she was signed by Sam I am, one of the busiest and most sought after production, photography and film agencies in Australia.

If you’d like me to Blitz your work, as I did with Lilli, you can find out more and book a Blitz here

Once you’ve paid you can choose to have me review your work and identify your most amazing show-stopping images as well as your ‘why’ at any time in the next 2 months.

You deserve to shine.

If you’ve ever had a kitchen, house or garden renovated (or done it yourself), you’ll know that you have to get the master plan right first before focusing on whether the bench tops are stainless steel or marble, or the steps are made of sleepers or stone (or the wall is pink or red).

In fact they’re the very last bit of the design.

It’s the same with your website and outward looking presence.

You might think that you need to revamp your website (and you possibly do) but if you don’t know who you’re speaking to you may go about it the wrong way.

And you may THINK you know who you’re speaking to but if you don’t know who you are as a photographer and brand, you may have that a bit skew whiff too.

A photographer I spoke to yesterday said “it felt like previously I was redecorating and moving the furniture around… but I was in the wrong room”

He was changing the shots on his website and making different galleries, but he didn’t have the basic understanding of his brand.

Before you start ‘fixing’ your website, briefing a designer and clearing out your Instagram feed, I encourage you to always ask yourself these 3 questions:

 
1. Who am I? What is my brand and how does my best work make people feel?
2. Where do I see myself going? What are my goals and what do I genuinely want to do more of?
3. Who will pay for that? What industry, agencies and galleries are they in?

 

With these 3 questions always top of mind, you will be way more focused and waste much less time.

I challenge you to do that today.

If you’d like help assessing your brand and your best work, you can find out more here

I’ve been thinking recently about acclimatising.

If you want to climb Everest, you have to start training regularly at high altitude, and gradually get used to the lower oxygen levels.

The same applies to your photography career.

If you want to shoot global campaigns for multi award winning advertising agencies and inspiring brands, you have to BEHAVE like a photographer who is doing that already.

I think that’s why photographers who have assisted rockstars often become rockstars in their own right. They’ve acclimatised to being around great clients, smooth productions and high expectations.

But you shouldn’t stop doing this after assistant level.

At every stage of your career you should set things in place for your future, so that when you DO start getting those next level jobs, you can deliver in a way that’s expected.

That starts with looking at your brand and making sure it is always aligned with your vision, so you get the jobs you deserve.

I’m torn.

I’ve lived in New Zealand for 28 years, and Australia for 4 years prior to that. Plus I’m married to an Aussie. But I’m a Brit with a Brit passport. Who to support in the Olympics?

Then I received some imagery of athletes from UK photographer Sam Riley, and I found myself rooting for the individuals he’d shot. Suddenly Jodie Williams and Revee Walcott Nolan were top of mind.

Even though the Olympics is a brand that spans hundreds of years, the athletes each have their own unique brand.

They don’t just win a race on their speed. There’s mental focus, commitment to practice, and even (please forgive me) body shape.

Then there’s personality and the way they interact with their fans. And their team.

And you’re exactly the same.

You might shoot certain genres, like sport, or food or fashion, or lifestyle.

But your brand is unique to you.

It will define if you shoot Mercedes or Mini, Adidas or Nike, high tech or raw.

It will influence who chooses to work with you, and the crew you pick.

Your brand should be oozing (in a good way) from your website and outward looking presence.

After seeing the shot, the model paid for a nose job.

She actually had her own nose made to look like the final image.

Horrified, the photographer contacted her afterwards. The model thanked her for showing her how much better it would look.

Since then, the photographer has only ever shown the talent as they are. Her shots are intense, honest, and quite frankly, stunning.

Have you ever wondered what effect your photography has on viewers? What about the crew and the people you shoot?

How many people do you think have changed their bodies because of something you did in post production?

How many viewers do you think you have reached with a simple but strong message- good or bad?

What do you want them to feel, say, or do as a result of seeing your work?

You have a lot of power.

Wield it wisely.

You can see more of Sam Harris’s work here

The gathering of my community worldwide never ceases to warm the cockles of my heart. In the next month there will have been meets-ups in Melbourne, Sydney and New York and most of these photographers met whilst doing my programme. At Christmas my Auckland clients descended on a divine restaurant on the Island of Waiheke in the Hauraki Gulf. (Shots from that expedition are currently being shared by Scott McAulay on his Instagram feed here)

As an agent I was constantly connecting my photographers to my clients, especially those I thought would hit it off. Whatever the topic of conversation, these ‘contrived’ meetings always resulted in work for the respective photographer because the relationship was established, and of course it was so much more than photography. The client knew they would be able to work (and maybe even travel) for a day, week or month with this person, and were assured they’d have decent conversations and a good time whilst making great imagery.

Connecting people makes me feel good. Helping people find their commonalities is easy for me.  Knowing that photographers can lead quite lonely lives, it’s been a no-brainer to create a community for photographers who are equally as committed to following their passion and are on the same path- that of my programme.

I don’t think I could have imagined how tremendous the connections would become however.

During my last programme round, three photographers at a similar stage in their careers and with a similar approach created their own accountability Skype group. One is based in Melbourne, one in Auckland and one in Portland. I see them regularly offering each other help and sharing ideas online.

But a post in the group this morning really made me so happy. An Auckland based photographer shared the dates of her New York Exhibition, one she cannot attend. ‘Righto’, chirped some of the New Yorkers. ‘Let’s go then!’ They’re arranging a group expedition as I write.

What makes YOU happy? What do you do to make others lives better without even thinking? If it’s your photography, what aspect of it makes you glow inside and out? Why do you do it? Knowing your purpose can REALLY help you head in the right direction with your photography, your online profile and your target clients.

There’s no doubt that connecting people is a crucial part of my ‘why’. I can’t help myself. I know also I couldn’t ask for a better quality of clients, because they flourish when I do what I do best.

Bruce is a pen name my husband has invented for a script he really wanted to write, but with which he didn’t initially want his name associated. (Oh damn- there goes that secret).

He wanted to be completely free to explore an idea and was a little worried about his reputation; so he invented Bruce Marigold. Every time my hubby finds himself, pen poised, worrying if he can or should write something, he asks ‘ What would Bruce do?’

Bruce breaks rules, pushes boundaries and behaves a little inconsiderately. He is the writer without a conscience; a little mad, a little reckless. He certainly doesn’t care about what potential clients would think, let alone reputation. He might upset his audience, use profanities, make crazy things happen or, God forbid, write in the wrong format.

Of course, Bruce also writes more creatively. Like Ganesh the elephant he is the remover of obstacles. He crushes boundaries and removes unwanted parameters. Like Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie’s alter ego, he can dress wildly, play God and visit earth as an alien.

OK I know you hate writing. Well probably. (If you’re a photographer the chance is very high). But when you’re thinking about your next photography project, why not create an alter ego or Nom de Plume?

Find your own Bruce Marigold and create photography magic. Push boundaries, make mistakes, experiment, be who you want to be, or only dream of being, and when you find yourself worrying what your usual audience would think, ignore it because you’ll have your very own disguise.

My daughter (yes, creativity is in the family) created a fun band with a friend last year whilst she worked on her own album. ‘New Dawn’ girls wear purple kaftans, breathe energy greetings to Astral Nomads from their Facebook page, and broke all the rules of good production by whipping up an album in a day to share with their followers.

What’s amazing is within a month they were being interviewed on the National Radio programme in NZ (and the interview was subsequently picked as one of the favourites of the year), a distributor offered them a contract for their first release, and they are booked for gigs around the country.

Ultimately, your Bruce Marigold, like my husband’s, may evaporate in the same way as the imaginary friend you had when you were a kid.  You may be proud of what you made. Gosh, it might even become what you are famous for. Or infamous- but who cares?

Whatever the outcome you’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain by being truly, authentically creative, with no restraints. What’s your photographer Nom de plume going to be?

‘There’s no way he would do that!’ I’ll think as I sit back, inwardly questioning my husband’s sanity for buying tickets to the film in the first place. All the way home in the car we’ll discuss the things that made the movie mediocre, and almost always it comes down to believability.

I’m not questioning fairytales and sci-fi here. Anything can be believable if all the elements – the characters, the narrative and the acting – are convincing. The director is key to this. I mean, really key; and as a photographer you are also a director.

When I’m reviewing photographers’ work believability has a huge effect on my decision making. A shot can be beautifully lit, and perfectly composed but if it isn’t believable -that is, if it doesn’t feel quite right- out it goes.

It’s the difference between a ‘Wow’ shot and a clunky shot. They’re worlds apart, but sometimes hard to pinpoint, so I’ve compiled some check-points to help you select your most believable shots and avoid shooting, or at least sharing, the duds:

1.Is the shot in your authentic style?

Always my number one check point. Did you shoot the image in a way that is true to your own authentic style? If you’re trying to shoot in a way that doesn’t come naturally to you, maybe because you’re trying to shoot to please someone you want to work for, you may be in trouble. Stay true to your own vision when shooting personal work, and if the commercial work in your folio doesn’t sit well with your authentic style, don’t show it! If you’re struggling with finding your authentic style, consider hiring someone to review your work.

2. Is the subject matter true to your own values?

I am always a little taken aback when a photographer invests a heap of time and energy shooting a pro-bono  job, or a test, for a brand that conflicts with their values, or tries to produce a personal series that doesn’t sit with their ethics, just to try to win a commission from a client with whom they don’t align. If it’s a personal project choose a genre and topic which you actually care about. If it’s a favour or pro-bono or reduced fee commission, this is even more important. If you’re shooting something you care about, whether it’s around the topic of food, or women’s rights, or the planet, the integrity will emerge from the shots, and you will feel better about making the pictures. What do you care about? Take a stand!

3. Are your skill levels up to it?

If you don’t enjoy directing people, don’t direct people! Your subjects will look awkward and unconvincing. If you are a natural light shooter don’t try to set up an entire shoot in the studio. At least not without a damn good lighting assistant. Even then you may not pull it off. If you don’t shoot large or medium format don’t agree to! Clients choose you because of work you’ve shot previously, so do your best to convince them that the way you shoot is integral to the results. If it’s personal work, by all means practice, but if it isn’t what you enjoy, I guarantee the shots won’t be that great. They certainly won’t be believable.

4. Have you compromised on resources?

It is always really obvious when a photographer has cut a corner, or run out of money to execute a shot well. In the shot below, taken from an extreme angle, Kerry Wilson hired professional rowers who could manage the boat and avoid hitting him. The shot was also composited. If you can’t afford a good actor,  the right model,  a decent hair and make up artist, or to complete the shot with good post production, think again about the project you have chosen, or likewise accepting a commission. In either case, find intelligent ways to collaborate with the best people to get the best results, or walk away. I constantly have to throw out shots because the model is a novice (and I can tell), the make up atrocious, or the compositing unconvincing. That’s a shame when your lighting and composition are beautiful. Ultimately no client will thank you for keeping to budget if the job looks highly compromised (and therefore not believable). Which takes us to point 5.

5. Is it over or under polished?

The difference between too little and too much retouching can be subtle but massive. And from photographer to photographer what’s required can be vastly different. David Lachapelle‘s work requires a huge amount of layering and construction, and has to be pulled off convincingly, even though it is make-believe. Too little, or unprofessional retouching, would screw up the look. Naturally lit location work still requires some subtle grading. Too much and it’s in the clunky pile. When I’m judging competitions, I often come across over-polished images that have the very life and soul removed from them. This totally disengages me. Think carefully about the retoucher you work with and manage them well, and if you’re doing it yourself, be aware of falling into the trap of over-treating the shot, or ignoring important detail.

Whether it’s a huge commission or tiny personal project, the work needs to be convincing. Look at your website, your folio, and the jobs you accept. Give them a reality check. Are your shots believable?

I count myself pretty lucky that I can hop on a plane and escape a wet winter in Auckland. However, doing it has reminded me how easy it actually it is to follow your dreams and do what you love. The main thing is commitment.

I learnt about commitment pretty early on at the age of 16 when I discovered (in a book) the world of ad agencies and I decided that I wanted to live in London W1 -my favourite place- and work in the best ad agency in the world. As luck would have it, Saatchi and Saatchi, one of the top ad agencies in the world, happened to be in London W1. (Theres an example of the universe moving to accommodate commitment). Like a terrier I didn’t give up until I had a job there. It took a year.

Since then I’ve committed to everything else I’ve set out to do. Commitment is crucial because there will always be people who, with the best intentions, try to discourage you. Who cares if there were no photo agents in New Zealand? I did it anyway. No one in NZ will pay a consultant? Gosh, there are some grateful photographers out there now.

They’re grateful because one of the things I do is help them uncover their essence. And this helps them commit to moving in a clear direction. It helps them know what to say ‘No’ to, and what to say ‘Yes’ to.

Numerous times a photographer has had me review or ‘Blitz‘ their work, help them re-define their style, and suddenly a client has called them with the perfect brief. Often, all it takes is a switch of mindset to get those rusty wheels turning again. With commitment incredible things happen.

Commitment brings certainty. It gives you permission to focus on the right clients, to create amazing personal projects, to say ‘No’ to that frustrating cheapskate client who is constantly asking for favours, and to jump on a plane to shoot that dream series, or meet a mentor.

I think Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe says it perfectly:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it.

Begin it now.”

So what are you waiting for?

Amazingly he clambered out of his defunct vehicle unscathed. Our garden and front of the house was not, however, and this year we started work on the exterior, deciding we might as well paint the rest of the house and as part of the prep, undertake some long overdue building work whilst we were at it.

My house has felt like a parallel to my consulting practice. From a humble blog I threw together 5 years ago (and a lot of referrals) it’s been growing fast. So many photographers have reached out to me- many of whom I have not been able to fit into my schedule.  I decided I had to build a bigger online world from which photographers could find more inspirational, motivational and practical support.

So the first quarter of this year I have been completely absorbed in rebuilding my new online world, accompanied by the sounds of power tools and the occasional expletive from the builders and painters working on my house.

A few weeks ago the scaffolding came down and the painters reached the 95% finished point. The builder took a holiday and finally we could hear the Tuis in the rainforest again.

This post coincides with the launch of my new website. And it’s only the start. Over the next few months I’ll be rolling out ongoing support options, releasing my book, and reaching out with lots of new content on my blog and in my newsletters. We’ll also be brushing off the Creative Asia Plus world and getting it ready for a bigger and better 2016 event in Singapore in November.

Talking of which, at the last CA+ event Richard Hollingum from online agency Sapient Nitro talked to us about the importance of building worlds. Major brands (and anyone smart enough to understand what consumers want) are no longer selling a product or service- they’re creating worlds. One or two dimensional thinking is no longer adequate. You must offer an experience. As a photographer you’re in the business of selling a feeling (Yup- a feeling. Not photography. Not someone who has the best gear. A feeling.), and what better way to do this than to inject it into everything you share- your website, social media, newsletters, the way you respond to your clients and the service you provide. Your studio if you have one. Everything must feel consistent and stand for something.

It’s not an overnight task- I’ll be the first to admit. It’s no wonder that some of the photographers who’ve attended my programmes are only now launching various aspects of their own worlds. Having first attacked some crucial groundwork they conceptualised a personal project, and only then started building their world, beginning with the website.  But with good foundations in place their world can grow organically and yet remain consistent. Like my house and my consulting world, both which will probably be in building mode for the next year at least, they are ongoing jobs.

Google did it first. They used the mantra ‘build it and they will come.’ And it worked- to the tune of billions of dollars in ad revenue. Now you can, and should, build your world. I look forward to sharing more of mine with you. Take some time to look around, and let me know what I can improve. And I look forward to visiting yours.