Hi, I am Thompson! I’m a photographer. I’m
absolute passionate with photography and business and enjoy sharing it with great folks like
yourself. When I am not writing or shooting, you can find me eating, hanging
out and talking with great people.
One of the favorite things about me being a photographer
it has never been a shortage of things to learn about and improve upon. As I
said earlier on facebook, it can also be pretty awesome.
After all, with so many
stuff to learn, where do you really get started?
While I enjoy this Top Ten things I
don’t like that so much gets left undone. So disclaimer: this list is only my
opinion. (I presume some Top Ten lists are just view). In any case, if you are
learning about other subject right now that you may think other photographers
would probably find important then leave your suggestion down the comments
box!
1. Photography
Let me start here, You will always
be learning much about photography! To put it in another way, you should never
thought of stopping to learn about
photography. Try to always be practicing new methods, experimenting with new
ideas, perfecting the fundamentals, and taking risks.
2. Learning
Let me say Learning is about
learning? Huh? I think every
photographer despite what kind are you should be learning much about the best and
most efficient ways for them to learn. For this they will be able to get the
most of their time spent on learning.
As for me, I learn best by watching
videos, reading, and taking plentiful
notes. It might seem similar to the way some people learn, but I’m very specific
about things. I decide to take notes on my computer because it syncs with my
phone and the internet – in that case I can always update notes when think of
new ideas.
As for reading, I usually take out time
to browse on a subject I want to learn, to be honest most publication on the
internet are not quite good. Occasionally I’ll read entire thing that I think it
will be of great value to me, but not often.
Also, audio book and video tutorial are a great way to get a
lot of content as quickly.
The point I am making is that photographers should be figuring out the best
way to digest and retain new techniques and information.
3.
Graphic Design
The internet is where allot of business
is happening right now as you are reading this. As such, so much
communication takes place over the internet which only make huge sense that those
businesses and personality with the best online design and presentation will
appear to be the most professional.
This is the reason I want you to
learn more about graphic design as a photographer. Even if you don’t do much of
graphic design yourself then you can hire
people like me to do you online brand design, you still need to understand whether
or not the design looks good. But I will advice you to learn how to do some of
your graphic and branding design, it’s going to pay off for you.
4. Video
When exactly was the last time you
saw a video (motion picture) online? Either on Vimeo, or YouTube, or embedded
as an advertisement? I believe its almost all time you open the internet.
I will love to let you know that,
most new DSLRs have the capacity and the ability to shoot HDV
(720p-1080p). There are a great handful of industry leaders who are working
to promote this very accessible technology, but I have to be honest with you,
I’m surprised by how dull some photographers are taking advantage of this.
As you may say, yes it takes work ,
yes it’s different, and yes it’s another thing else to practice and learn more
about – but I can tell you it’s the future.
All I can say is that start learning
more about video, and practicing shooting and if you are brave do the editing
yourself in order to gain a unique competitive advantage. I have seen a large
increase in demand of this just in my little corner of the labour market.
5. Workflow
Time is money. This is more true for
professional photographers.
From my own perspective there is a
whole problem I’m going to call ‘unnecessary outsourcing’. In order to save
time some photographers are hiring others to sort and process images, design, print,
albums, and even handle some customer services.
The problem about this is that Some
Photographers aren’t learning on how to do these things by themselves. this
means they aren’t developing the skills necessary to their craft! This kind of photographers
may be successful in short-term, but in long term they will lose business to
other professional photographers who can really do their craft better and
cheaper because they don’t need to hire anyone.
To
relate this to workflow? Time is money. Don’t instantly jump to subcontracting
if you don’t have enough time.
Now, I am not saying that
outsourcing is a bad idea. It’s even better you are not a jack or all trade,
master of non. I just think photographers should be more proficient at the responsibilities
that are essential to their craft, like sorting, editing, communicating with
clients, before giving it to someone else. By all means, subcontract your legal
and accounting!
6.
Social Media
Wow! Wow! Wow! this is the part I’m
so much interested in because I have seen and experience so much effect it has
brought to me as a person and to my business.
Social media has come to stay, like it or not,. If you aren’t using Instagram,
Twitter , Facebook
or Whatsapp to promote your business friend, you’re going to be left behind. While i use
Facebook personally, and also have a Facebook page for my photography business,
I’ve barely struggle in terms of marketing skills. I can’t even imagine how many time and how
much business I’ve lost because I haven’t been diligent in using social media presence.
Some photographers care about Google
Page ranking, friend, I think you should
forget about it now.
I said
this before that photography is a referral business.
Social media is a wonderful tools like Facebook which
is automatic referral machines.
A lot of people search out their friends’ photos and
contact, they want pictures like that for themselves, and can easily see the
contact of who took them. They don’t need
to border their friends who their photographer was, it’s super brilliant.
Find new methods of using social
media to make your business unique, and also help your business stand out.
All though this list isn’t ended, if
you feel to leaving a contribute to the Top Ten in this post why not.
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