As a photographer, you will have to deal with not just colleagues and clients; you will also have to deal with external people who will help you run your business. This includes people who hire or supply your equipment, people you hire studio space from, people who print your photographs and frame them, people who you hire vans from and so on.
When you become the person doing the hiring, it’s important to remember to treat people how you expect to be treated. This means following some rules to make sure you have good reputation but also do the right things for your own business.
Here are some tips on how to build rapport with your suppliers and contractors.
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Every Photographer at some point will need the support of his or her team. This could be your assistant or a technician, it could be a make up artist or a hairdresser, and it could be your models or your agent. Being someone that people want to work with, works in your favor because with a good reputation, you will be hired again and again.
No matter what kind of photography you do, if you have to work with other people then it’s important to be able to build rapport with them. It could be your clients or your models, it could be your assistant or team – being someone that is professional and can be trusted is important to make it as a Photographer.
Nearly all photographers begin life as an assistant. When the time comes for you to choose your own assistant it can be exciting but is also a responsibility. An assistant works for practically free – there isn’t a wage expected generally speaking, unless you assist in a studio. You are expected to provide travel expenses and lunch money to your assistant. Usually if they have done a good job, then you can give them a bonus.
There are numerous situations where you may need to hire a model. When you are hiring a model for your own projects or for a client it’s very important to test. A photography test shoot means that you call the model in to see if they are able to give you the shots you need. Sometimes a model may not deliver what you need or maybe their look is not suitable. It can be hard to evaluate this without a test shoot.
Choosing a hair stylist for a photo shoot is similar to choosing a make up artist. The most important thing is to look for something you can work with, usually for long hours and someone who has a strong portfolio.
Make-up Artists will prepare your subject or model so that they look the best they can on camera. There are many people around that call themselves make up artists but truly well trained artists are harder to find in you don’t live in a big city. A combination of training and experience will tell you if a make up artists is any good as well as a strong portfolio.
If you decide to pursue fashion photography or work on model portfolios, it’s important to work with a stylist. Stylists have a good knowledge of fashion and trends. They with clothes, choosing outfits that flatter their models and look good on the camera. They will also have an idea of what’s on trend, and the best way to use things like accessories.
As a professional Photographer, you must be able to build strong relationships with people – your clients, your colleges and your team. If you are working freelance, which is quite often the case for Photographers, then you need to think about how you will build a contact list. A good contacts list is essential because it means that you can enlist the help and services of others whenever it’s necessary.
Chinese New Year is a great time to capture some bright, fun and interesting images for your portfolio or even to use as stock library images. The key is knowing where the best place to be is, when to be there and being able to deal with a very busy scenario without losing your cool. Families tend to take their children out for Chinese New Year so make sure you are able to concentrate amongst the many people.