Self-promotion is as important as the art you create. If you expect to prosper, you have to communicate your uniqueness. Elegant portfolio shots are where most of us focus attention. Quality studio shots of us at work and being creative can take you to the next level.
A new year approaches. A goal that pays dividends is media coverage. If you’re prepared, you have a significant advantage. A modest investment in advance makes that visibility more likely. You’re a professional artist. Promoting yourself with less than professional photos is like shooting yourself in the head.
Through my first career as an art director in Boston and San Francisco ad agencies I worked with dozens of excellent photographers. Studio shots, product shots, models, locations. You get the picture. I observed how pros light and compose to create powerful images. I learned how to shoot my own work. But shooting myself creating the work was a different problem.
Recently I had three unsolicited opportunities for interviews by online magazines. These were not sit down, face-to-face interviews. They were coordinated entirely through email. A series of questions was provided for response in written form. That was the easy part. The real challenge was providing quality photos of myself at work.
Publications and galleries value provenance. That can be images that connect you with your process: head shots, studio shots, artist-at-work shots. These all contribute to the documentation and authentication of your work. They are also brand building shots. Maybe a friend with an iPhone has captured you in a candid shot. That’s not nearly enough. What you need is depth and variety. You need a library of images of consistent quality.
About 12 years ago, I met Brian McDonnell. He excels at photographing artists and craftspeople at work. He gets it! Through his lens, he captures the connection between personality, process and product. It’s a skill he has honed to perfection. He gently probes to the core of how artists create. His energetic presence and intense attention to “what’s really going on here” tells your story. It’s photojournalism meets brand building. After a short session, he edits and delivers a few dozen publication quality photos. These are remarkably insightful images publications are excited to feature.
As you rank your goals for the year ahead put self-promotion high on your list. Then take a look at Brian McDonnell’s website. His images are exceptional. His fee is modest. His work speaks for itself. Be prepared to succeed. The opportunities will follow.