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by Imagemarks Photography

Imagemarks Photography provides photography services for all occasions.

We understand that every client has unique requirements and will work with your budget to tailor a photography package...

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Education is Key

I'm constantly working to improve my lighting techniques so I'm always looking for on-line seminars or webinars to help further my capabilities as a Professional Photographer. Last week I watched a weekend series from Creative Live, featuring Bambi Cantrell. It was a wonderful series and I picked up a few pointers on posing and lighting, which I'll be using on my upcoming assignments. Take the time to join groups or participate in these activities because you never know when the information will come in handy.

Tips on getting Photography jobs

Years ago, before I had my own business, I wanted to learn as much as I could about Photography. Funny thing is, I'm still learning, it's a constant process. Technology is changing, new products are available, and I want to buy some of them. But it takes money...


Here is the BEST tip I've learned along the way to help you land Photography assignments/jobs.

You MUST Volunteer for an event or Charity


This is by far they best way to get yourself out-there and in front of people who will refer you and hopefully remember you if you do a good job. I worked in a camera shop and someone came in with a problem camera. I had no idea who this person was but I wanted to help him. It was an easy fix as I recall and he was happy. When he asked me how much it would cost, I told him it was "No Charge". He asked if I liked basketball & if I wanted Sixers Tickets! Wow, that was great! He told me that he does Event Management Productions for large corporations and I told him..."I'm a Photographer" :) He had a few events coming up and said he would try me out. I told him I would volunteer for his next event and if he liked my work, he should hire me for the next one. He agreed.
I made this offer because I knew if I immediately gave him VALUE up front, he would react positively to my no-risk offer, and I knew that I could network my services at his event to earn more business. 
Here's what happened next......
The event was the 4th of July Parade and fireworks show in Philadelphia! Wow! I thought this was amazing! I must have taken hundreds of pictures that day! The Liberty Medal ceremonies were held in front of Independence Hall, and there were about 50 press Photographers, including folks from AP! And I was right there along side of them with my credentials for the event-all access pass!
I was able to add photos to my portfolio of:
Senator Arlen Spector, The Mayor of Philadelphia, the District Attorney of Philadelphia, and Thurgood Marshall, who was the recipient of the Liberty Medal! What a great day for me! At night, the Fireworks display was spectacular, but I had never taken Fireworks pictures! Luckily, I learned how to do it quickly and went to an event the day before to test out my techniques. I had the pictures printed immediately and they were great! I ended up selling some of the Fireworks photos to the Fireworks company who published my photo on the cover of their Magazine! And all because I decided to volunteer my time and services. 


A few days after this event, I met with the Producer and he agreed to hire me for his next event in Philadelphia. I earned $750 for 4 hours of shooting, but it was the best (4) hours I've ever had as a Photographer! As it turns out the event was sponsored by some famous Boxing Talent, including Muhammad Ali, Earnie Shavers, and Jake LaMotta-"The Raging Bull", and others like Tim Witherspoon! Incredible event! I met and photographed each of them and other stars who came out to support the event such as Al Green, Neil Sedaka, Rita Farouz, Cool & The Gang, and more!!!
I almost ran out of film! I was shooting with my Hasselblad at the time and 120/220 film + processing was not cheap! But it was worth it....The picture of me with Muhammad Ali is sitting on my desk right next to me. 


I still do volunteer work today. Not because I know I'll get business from it, but because I like the way it feels to make other people happy. Giving back your time and services, regardless of what it is, means something...So get out there and volunteer!

Everyone Has a Story

I'm going to let you in on a secret. How you interpret or use this in your business or your personal life is up to you but, the main point of my blog today is...Ask for your customer's story.


Photography is so much more than the correct exposure or shutter speed, it's about the people and experiences you have along the way. If you really want to be successful, in anything you do, show interest in your subjects life. Why is this so important? Simple. Clients are more than jobs, shoots or events. They're people who can influence your life, long after your time with them has concluded.


Here's a great example: 
When you make a photograph of a person or a group of people, the majority of them will be nervous. Yes, believe it or not, these folks are not used to having their picture taken on a regular basis, so talking to your subject while working with them is vital if you want the best results possible. Someone once told me that you can learn a lot from people just by listening to what they say, but first you have to ask them about their experiences, and then listen for the magic wisdom. 
When people talk about something they are experts on, like their life or experiences, they become more relaxed and less tense. This leads to a better result for you and your time with them. Your images will look better and your clients will like them because they look naturally posed vs. being forced to sit up straight & tilt their heads in an awkward angle :)  AND.....they will remember YOU!


More importantly, you'll likely learn something that you can use later on in life. Everyone has a story. How they started their business by delivering parts on a bicycle 40 years ago and turned that into a multi-million dollar corporation, or working in a garage to create a computer that could capture business information, such as inventory counts and financial data, which turned into a 400 million dollar software company, or deciding that a drill bit, if manufactured properly could be sold to almost every manufacturer in the world! It's incredible to hear from CEO's or business owners talk about how they made it and to hear their passion for success. Hopefully some of that will rub off on you, or someone you tell the story to, and that is why I love working with people. Not all stories are worth repeating and some are way out there...


I was taking engagement pictures of a couple who were preparing for their wedding. Because I was interested in who they are as people, I asked a simple question: How did you meet? I did this because I knew they were nervous but I was truly interested in how they met....I never expected to hear the following, but I tell this story to every couple I can because it's amazing:


The Bride was a police officer. The Groom had a buddy who was a detective and he called his friend and said, "hey would you like to go see an autopsy"? The Groom was a bit unsure but he decided to go ahead and meet his friend. Fortunately for him, the Bride was involved with the case of the deceased and they met in the autopsy room. Not exactly the best place to meet someone given the nature of the situation, but still they met....and the rest is...well you know. 


Not every story will be as fascinating as the autopsy meeting or CEO success, but you'll never find out unless you ASK!