Professional Photographer - USA (2019-10)

u Has it ever happened that after you’ve  nished a photographic work some de-

lightful detail revealed itself that you hadn’t even known was there? Like a deeply

submerged thought you hadn’t yet given voice to, some aspect needed to bubble

to the surface. So it is with the written word, I  nd. With nearly every issue of

the magazine, there comes a time in our production cycle where I’m excited and

slightly surprised to see a theme arise that had somehow escaped my attention

during the previous weeks of editing and proo ng.

It wasn’t until I was taking

a  nal read of this issue that I

saw threads throughout it high-

lighting the idea of the photog-

rapher positioning themself

as expert. There’s a distinc-

tion between being an expert

and positioning yourself as an

expert. A photographer can

be exceptionally pro cient at image making, but if consumers aren’t aware of

that competence, the photographer may be left to wonder why they’re not earn-

ing the same acclaim as their peers.

Positioning yourself as an expert is not about bragging. It’s about your body

language, the con dence you project, the words you use. It’s not, “I’m the best

portrait photographer in town.” It’s greeting potential clients with a smile and eye

contact, actively listening to them, detailing what you offer and how your sessions

and sales process work, explaining your pricing, and suggesting ways you can

meet their needs. It’s recognizing that many consumers don’t come to a photog-

rapher with an understanding of what constitutes a great portrait versus an av-

erage one. That’s an opportunity to shine as an expert by showing portraits that

demonstrate  attering posing, great lighting, and enhanced composition, point-

ing out how each of these traits speci cally contributes to the portrait as a whole.

“Help your clients understand that they are dealing with an expert, not just an

artist,” says strategist Crystal Washington (“Tech Savvy,” page 28). Wedding pho-

tographer Charmi Patel Peña purposefully presents herself as the on-site expert

when she’s working with clients on their big day (“Vibrant Kinship,” page 66). It

puts them at ease to know she’s focused on doing what needs to be done so they

don’t have to account for the details of who needs to be gathered up when and

where for post-ceremony photos. Baby and maternity photographer Karen Marie

Hourscht understands that clients who have a bad session experience won’t love

their images, so she ensures positive feelings throughout their portrait experi-

ence (“Powerful Feelings,” page 47). “If you are going to call yourself a profession-

al, be a professional in all aspects,” she says.

Your role as expert is in you. You just have to reach down, pull it out, and shine

a light on it for the world to appreciate. •

Jane Gaboury

Director of Publications

THE RIGHT LIGHT

HOW CLIENTS SEE YOU

LEADING LINESEDITOR’S NOTE

COMING NEXT MONTH

A great impression

Vanessa Van Edwards shows how to woo clients

Final cut

A better model for wedding video

Boudoir confidence

Elizabeth and Aaron Vovk share their journey

STAY IN TOUCH

[email protected]

facebook.com/ppmagazine

twitter.com/ppmagazine

pinterest.com/ppmagazine

COURTESY VANESSA VAN EDWARDS

instagram.com/professionalphotographer_mag

©EDDIE TAPP

There’s a distinction between

being an expert and positioning

yourself as an expert.

10 PPMAG.COM