Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
I just read an intriguing article by MDG Advertising that breaks down a new report showing that approximately half of the marketing professionals studied have no idea how to actually quantify the business value of social media.
The question then becomes: if marketing professionals cannot calculate a return on investment for social media, why is everyone still investing in likes and followers?
We got used to hearing about Fujifilm announcing new cameras and other photo gear. But recently, the company launched Film Simulation instant noodles. Yup, you read that right – noodles. Fujifilm is using them as promotional material in Korea, and although it’s unusual, it looks like a successful marketing move.
If you run a photography business, then you know that photography skills alone aren’t enough for success. Good marketing is one of the important aspects of business, and automotive photographer Clint Davis has made a brilliant move promoting his work. He used Lego kits to create personalized promotional mailers for his clients. Clint invested a lot of time and creativity into this project, and the end result sure shows it!
This morning, along with roughly 330 million other people, I received an email from Twitter strongly suggesting that I change my password. They’re also advising that I change it on any other website I’ve ever used that password. The reason is that Twitter appears to be accidentally storing passwords in plain text. And they seem to have no idea how long it’s been happening.
Today, more than ever, everyone is a photographer. From your pocket phone to your full frames, cameras are so accessible and everyone is using them. For many, it is just to document their life and then share it with friends and family. However, there is a large group of people, all around the world, that are wanting to monetise their art. In order to do this, they must exceed the competition, which is an extremely difficult thing to do as there is such a high standard in the field.
With this in mind, having a strong portfolio more often than not isn’t enough to set you apart from the rest of the pack. In this post, we will explore how you can use your personality to help reach your goals and get to the standard you are working hard towards.
This advertising campaign is sure to raise a few eyebrows. Suistudio, a company which makes suits for women, has decided to do something a little different with a familiar theme for their new marketing. A total role reversal. Women in suits and naked guys sprawled around as props. Personally, I think it’s pretty awesome.
I’m going to say it because I have to say it. Some of you may find the images below NSFW. I suppose, though, that will depend on where you work. I don’t like that I had to censor the image above to appease the social media gods, either.
Instagram is one of the key platforms I use for publishing most of my latest works and I have to say, it is a community where I have come across some of the most talented and amazing photographers. Some of them have inspired me too.
However, like other social media platforms, it has its own flaws too but these flaws are more man-made than Instagram algo-made. Instagram is a platform where there are two ways you can grow your following genuinely. One is by promoting your posts by paying Instagram and the other is by having hubs promote your works too. This post will be mainly discussing the latter.
I’ve only been putting content on my YouTube channel in its current incarnation for a relatively short time. I had a channel years ago that did rather well, but YouTube (and the rest of the web) was a much simpler world back then.
Social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter had only just launched. Instagram hadn’t even been thought up. There wasn’t really a whole lot of creators out there publicly on the web, either. Today, it’s all very different. So, this is how and why I market my new YouTube content on social media.
When you say “branding” to most photographers and filmmakers, all they think about is how their logo looks. Branding, however, is so much more than a pretty logo. It’s what you want people to feel when they hear your name or see your work. Branding sets up a level of expectation to potential clients and customers. It’s what separates you from your competitors.
But how do you even begin to think about how you brand yourself and your work? This video from filmmaker Kris Truini helps to explain the basics with some tips to get you started. This is by no means a complete guide, but a good starting point to get you up and running. These tips will lead to more questions, but that’s a good thing. Questions make you think and push yourself. There are no shortcuts.
The goal for just about every photographer is to become respected for what they do. They want to be looked up to and admired. Sometimes that’s by their peers on social media for a little ego stroking. But much of it is more practical. They want their work respected and admired by potential clients. I mean, let’s face it, we all have bills to pay. For those just starting to try and make money from their photography, it is a great struggle.
In this episode of the Daily Creative, Chase Jarvis answers a question from photographer Jason Teale about this very topic. “I’m doing everything to get noticed, but it’s not working.” It’s something all of us have faced or will face at some point. Chase talks about what we can do to get over it.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
Find my work on My website or follow me on Facebook or My page
