CHAPTER 27
Sherman Sells
Veteran photographer Stephen Sherman is on a roll. After
working incredibly hard for months to build a portfolio that will
reposition him as a lifestyle shooter, he is now actively and consis-
tently going on personal visits and utilizing drop portfolios as key
components in his effort to sell his new photographic vision.
“I was getting tired of glorifying corporate CEOs and their
culture. After 9/11, corporate work began to seriously dry up,”
Sherman explains. “After twenty-five years in the business I had a
decision to make. I needed to visually move on. Corporate work
for me was all about telling stories. Lifestyle photography appealed
to me as it provided me an opportunity to continue my narrative.”
Once Steve’s lifestyle book was in production, he realized that
it would speak to a different audience. Graphic designers were no
longer his key prospects. He needed to reach national art buyers.
Unlike the majority of photographers in the commercial
arena, who do not go on appointments to sell their work and
who choose to market their services exclusively via e-mail,
direct mail sourcebooks, and Web sites, Steve knew that he
needed a strong sales component in his program.SEEKING FACE TIMESteve comments,My lifestyle book was completely different from
the corporate work. I needed to build a whole newChapter 27.qxd 6/25/07 7:25 AM Page 167