Digital Photographer - UK (2020-05)

Pro case study

Pro photographer

Susan Porter-Thomas

provides her insight into

the process of adapting

your approach

How long have you been a

photographer? Tell us about yourself.

I have been a photographer now for over

15 years, having worked in the corporate

world of British Airways before then. I

retrained when I was 30 and have never

looked back. I am a portrait photographer

based in west London specialising in

maternity, newborn and family portraiture.

How should a pro photographer react

to shifting markets?

I think it’s important to be constantly

learning and developing. I have always

gone to the SWPP Convention every

January in London looking for new tools

and methods of doing things – be it in

using technology or styling a shoot. If you

never try new things then the customers

will see you as old-fashioned very quickly.

My clients are generally 25 to 45-year-

olds who are stylish and fashion-conscious,

so I need to offer a style to fit that

demographic. If my images are going to be

on display in an expensive London home

they need to look the part. It’s important

toknowwhatpeoplearelookingfor.

Anotherwaythebusinesshasdeveloped

isinthesoftwarebeingused.Iworkalone,

withoccasionalhelpwithretouching,so

I’malwayslookingforsoftwarethatcan

helpmetospeedupmyprocessingof

bookings.Irunmywebsitetoo,soifthere

arethingsIcandothatwillgivetheclienta

betterfirstimpressionthenI’llgiveitatry.

Whatmistakescanaphotographer

makewhenfacedwithchangesin

trendsandcustomerdemands?

Thebiggestchangetothenewbornsection

ofthemarkethasbeentheriseofthe

prop!It’smad,andessentiallyit’sbecome

stilllifewithababythrownin.Iquickly

realisedthatIdidn’thavethepatience

requiredtocreatethesekindsofimages,

butmorepracticallyIdidn’thavespace

tostoreallthepropsneeded.Ialsofelt

uncomfortableaskingnewparents(who

aregenerallyexhausted)tospendmore

thanacoupleofhoursinmystudio,soI

optedforamorenaturalstyleofimagery

fornewborns,andtheclientsloveit.

Knowyourownweaknessesand

thereforebuildupyourstrengths!Andjust

becauseatrendishappeningintheUS,it

doesnotmeanthatitwillworkoverhere!

Susan’stoptipsforupdatingyourbrand

Top

Attheextremes

Developingastyleisaboutmorethansatisfying

yourowncreativeinterests.Asphotographersit’s

essentialthatweprovidepopularimages

Above

Newskillsforsuccess

Despiteworkingintheindustryformanyyears,

Susanmaintainsanopen-mindedphilosophyof

continuallearning

WebsiteSEOMasteryourwebsite

andgetontopoftheSEO(search

engineoptimisation).Withoutthis,you

willneverbefoundbyyourclients.

UseInstagramformarketing

Createafollowingsothatpeoplecan

seeyourworkeasilyandgetintouch.

Keepontopofthetechnology

Withbothcamerakitandcomputer

software,beaheadofthecurve,not

behindit.

UseInstagramforresearchFollow

otherphotographers.Whydoyoulike

them?Canyoudothesame?How

canyouachievewhattheyhave?

KeepyourwebsiteuptodatePost

new images every couple of weeks on

your portfolio pages. Keep tweaking

your website too, with special offers

and specific tips for the time of year.

Website: sptphotography.com

@susanporterthomas

x3 © Susan Porter-Thomas

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