Get Work and Get Paid! for Photographers June Meeting

Online Assignment #1: Create a List of 20 Clients

The text for this meetup is "2008 Photographer's Market " and you can purchase it

here

We're going to do this step by step, week by week. For this first assignment, you need to create a list of twenty valid clients. For each client you must have the following information:

1. Client Name (i.e. Rolling Stone Magazine, Acura Car Ads, Austin American Statesman, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Vogue Magazine, Rolex Watches, Metallica (the band))

2. Contact Name: this has to be the person who HIRES PHOTOGRAPHERS or BUYS PHOTOGRAPHY for the client. So if it's a magazine, it's usually the 'photo editor' or 'art director'. If it's for a brand, then you have to find out the advertising agency that holds that account and get the contact info. of the hiring person at the AGENCY.

This takes some legwork and emailing and phone calls. Our book for this meetup includes over a 1000 of these exact contact listings but you can also find out yourself without the book. Basically, make a wish list of who your ideal clients are and find out who hires/buys their photography. The key is to get a real, live person's contact info.

3. Contact Phone Number

4. Submission Details: Every client has a protocol for inspecting new photography. Find out how, when, where, what format, etc.

5. Genre, Description of what the Client USUALLY buys. If your skills are not up to par for a client, then don't bother listing them. Aim to list clients who hire/publish photography that matches your skill level and if there are clients you WISH you could go for, then plan to improve your portfolio for the specific purpose of submitting to them.

Okay, so you have a week to compile this list and order the book if you choose to buy it. I highly recommend it. The list comes first because it gives you a goal to work towards. Preparing submissions to potential clients is essential and the reason for all the other business stuff photographers must do to get their work seen and make money off it.

We'll do this together, week by week, task by task. Stick with it and you WILL see the results-in the form of assignments, published photographs and payment for your images. This is the business side of photography. It's what separates the hobbyists from the pros. It's not that hard, it just takes diligence and a certain amount of determination.

Okay, start making those lists! Twenty each. And, put a few extra on there because it never fails that at least 1-2 of the contacts will be outdated and useless.

Also, I'm doing this because several of my photography students have asked me to help them get work, because I believe in win-win and that there's always room at the top. If you complain or annoy me in any way, I'll delete your membership to this group. I only have time for positive people who are ready to have their photography exhibited commercially or in galleries. If you're here to learn, to work and to succeed, WELCOME!

Lorene