Back when I started out as a pro photographer, I followed what seemed like a very defined and obvious pathway when it came to marketing myself and building a successful photography career.
However, times have changed. We no longer live in that world anymore. What seemed obvious to most photographers back then would feel incredibly limiting today, especially to those photographers who are just starting out.
As photographers, we have more opportunities today than we ever had before, but the hard part is figuring out what road to take. How do you figure out how to balance traditional marketing with social media? How do you navigate the needs and wants of today’s client while still holding your work in high value?
And then there’s the biggest questions of all, how do you find new markets and put yourself out there in the best way possible? How do you build a photography career that compliments the life that you want for yourself?
Check out The ASMP Guide to New Markets in Photography. It’s a wonderful new book that is a must-read for anyone is working in the field or who’s thinking about getting into photography as a career. It’s a well written guidebook that’s packed with powerful and relevant insight from a wide array of working pros, who share their own experiences in how to navigate the waters of the new world.
The internet economy has completely transformed what it means to be a photographer, and the The ASMP Guide to New Markets book not only helps you understand that, it shows you how to forge ahead with a business model so that you can remain competitive, viable and successful in today’s world.
Chapters include:
- Where are the clients?
- The Role of Technology
- Where are the solutions that create compensation?
- Branding your business
- Marketing today
- Selling in the new economy
- New products and services
The book is broken up into three parts. Moving out of an Area of Conflict asks the questions and addresses the changes that photographers face today, whether they revolve around marketing, licensing or how to adapt to new technology.
The Process of Building a Manageable Solution covers how to build a road map and forge ahead with new ideas and strategies. Finally, Case Studies for the New Economy looks at how other successful photographers have transformed their own business models to meet the demands of today’s photography industry. This section features interviews with 30 photographers and explores the unique and dominant approach that each one has taken to create a workable and sustainable business.
Whether you’re a longtime working pro or an emerging or aspiring photographer who is still trying to figure out your own road, The ASMP Guide to New Markets in Photography is essential reading and an excellent reference for anyone who wants to make money with their camera. In case you can’t tell, I highly recommend this book, and I feel that for the editorial and commercial photographer, this book is one of the the best resources that’s available to day.
Note: If you’re strictly a portrait photographer, then you may be better off reading Dane Sanders’s two awesome books, Fast Track Photographer and Fast Track Photographer Business Plan. Check out my review of Fast Track Photographer here. I’m not really a portrait shooter, but I gained some great insight about branding and building an identity from his advice.
We’re now halfway through the second quarter of 2013, with summer quickly approaching. Once that hits, the year isn’t going to slow down and let you take a break. Now is the time to read this book, so do yourself a favor and spend the few bucks on something that will absolutely make a difference in your photography. I guarantee, it will pay for itself many times over. My copy is sitting on my desk right now.
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