Recently a photographer asked me how I was getting gigs and organizing my productivity as a freelance photographer.
I let him in on several steps I took to make money rapidly with a simple portfolio and he found it useful so I figured I would write and share these steps for anyone interested in this craft and reading my blog.
INSTAGRAM – I opened up an Instagram account to showcase my photos, my photographer’s eye and images.
FASH.COM – I found a website where I was able to set up my own photography business, it requires basic info and you buy credits to access people requesting for your service (freelance) which for me is photography. I paid $25 to get some credits there and I got access to photography requests at 150 miles around me. I answered requests, referring the clients to my Instagram website and my phone number. I would try to get on the phone rapidly with the client requesting service. Once I got on the phone I would work with the client and sell them my service by being very interactive and working with the client, providing whatever was needed to make the client feel confident that my service would be delivered (most of the times phone conversations made clients confident and secure but it might require proposing a written agreement and contract that you can write in your computer).
In 3 months of doing this regularly, investing about $100 in this website I made over $1,600.
CRAIGSLIST – Using Craigslist was surprisingly useful. I used the phone app to select “creative gigs” and ensured that whenever I saw a photography gig I reached out to the person requesting the service right away so that I would be first in getting the gig. The idea was to reach out to 3-4 gigs requests a day and in a couple of days I would have gigs going.
In 3 months of doing this regularly, investing $0 on this website, I was able to find gigs and make $1,300 in commercial photography, $500 in Real Estate Photography and over $500 on smaller gigs such as portrait photos, gallery photos, etc.
The good thing about this is that some of the requests came from agencies or companies and by servicing these rapidly and professionally they will give you repeated business.
LOCAL BUSINESS – The other obvious way to make money with your photography is using contacts, friends, etc. I reached out to people around me on photography that could be needed such as events, gatherings, etc and in some cases you start shooting for free or at a low rate and it will result in further networking and business. By doing this I made a few hundred in addition to the above.
PRINTS – Through time, building an audience in person, through Instagram and services provided, you will get your work known and you can start offering PRINTS which you can print, frame and deliver at a good price which you make profitable based on your production. This is currently where I’m at and gaining over 300 new followers on Instagram in the last 3 months and requesting collaboration or prints.
TAKEAWAY – Get onto as many mediums as you can and reach out to people with your service. Try to reach out 5-10 times a day and build up business. I can see anybody making it this way and even if you feel unprepared, there are fantastic YouTubers that have documented their journey doing these kind of actions such as Peter McKinnon, Chris Hau and many more.
Let me know what you think about these steps, have you done any of these yourself? Email me with any recommendations of your own or thoughts on this subject!
MAG Visuals 