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Are you Running or Ruining your

Photography Business

Straight talk from the clients who hire us

Sonja van Driel

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ISBN/EAN: 978-90-815331-5-7 NUR: 801

May 2013 www.sonjavandriel.com

Copyright © Sonja van Driel All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the publisher’s prior consent. While every effort has been made to ensure the reliability of the information presented in this publication, the publisher neither guarantees the accuracy of the data contained herein nor accepts responsibility for errors or omissions or their consequences.

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Are you Running or Ruining your

Photography Business

Straight talk from the clients who hire us

Sonja van Driel

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From the author p. 07 – 11

Interviews p. 012 - 119

p. 012 Charly Lammers van Toorenburg, CEO of LVTPR - PR Agency

p. 025 Lesley Kooman, photo editor at Panorama - male magazine

p. 033 Eduard Planting, owner of Eduard Planting Gallery – photo gallery

p. 043 Danny Ellinger, owner of Foto Natura – stock agency

p. 050 Nicolas Khayat, co-founder of Abaca Press USA – press agency

p. 057 Louis Zaal, owner of Hollandse Hoogte and representative of

Corbis Images – photo agent

p. 068 Rosemarie Meleady and Vivian ter Huurne – wedding planners

p. 082 Jeroen Bours, owner of Darling Agency - advertising agency

p. 088 Muk Swart, creative director at Media Partners – media agency

p. 093 Jeroen van Zwam, creative director at Publicis - advertising agency

p. 100 SNV- international development organization

p. 106 Laurens Boelens, Manager External Communications and Brand at

TNT - corporation

p. 113 Nicole Kaczynski, Photographic Services Manager at Shell

International Limited - corporation

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Afterword p. 0120 - 134

p. 120 What can you learn from the interviews?

p. 120 The main point is specialization

p. 122 Match versus mismatch

p. 124 Visibility on the World Wide Web

p. 125 Competition is not killer

p. 127 There is work for photographers of all levels

p. 129 Personality is key

p. 131 In conclusion

Word of thanks p. 0135 - 136

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From the author

This book is written for photographers but is not about

photography.

You will not find one word about techniques such as aperture,

shutter speed or white balance. However, you will find vitally

important information about why clients hire you as their

photographer. This book contains thirteen interviews with a variety

of image buyers. I have posed questions on behalf of photographers

who strive to become a pro or who want to expand their clientele.

Clients give answers to such questions as What are your

expectations of us as photographers? How can we get a foot in the

door? What are your motivations for choosing one particular

photographer over another? But also questions related to online

presence, payment rates and specialization have been put to the

image buyers. Knowledge of these criteria gives us valuable insights.

Understanding what clients want and expect helps us

photographers in the preparation of offering our services to the

very ones whom we need to earn our bread and butter.

This book has been written for each type of photographer

regardless of discipline and level, emerging or seasoned alike. The

only fundamental is that they are seriously willing to make or to

continue a career as a pro. Those who see photography only as

some extra pocket change in their wallets, or those who think it is

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“easy money”, will be disappointed. Every effort needs attention

and costs energy. Nothing in life comes easily or by itself. That

includes starting and maintaining a business, building a clientele,

and establishing a name. So don’t go into photography half-

heartedly. It requires too many hours and too much dedication to

achieve success to not take it seriously.

The interviews with image buyers include client-commissioners

from different fields: from advertising agencies to stock agencies,

from multinationals to PR agencies, from magazines and photo

agencies to wedding planners. The interviewees occupy a position

where they are responsible for hiring photographers, representing

international photographers or buying and selling photos from

photographers from over the world.

The interviewees share their thoughts, opinions and experiences

with us. Some are hiring photographers occasionally while others

need a photographer on a regular basis. From time to time, clients

are painfully open in their answers – often illustrated with

anecdotes of mistakes made. On the other hand, they communicate

about the successful relationships that they cherish with certain

pros. It is their frankness that gives the interviews such immense

value. Learning the motives of clients about choosing one

photographer over the other makes it so much easier to

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comprehend how we – photographers – should deal with clients in

order to get repeat assignments.

It is only human nature to act from our own perspective but, if we

place ourselves in the shoes of clients, it is much easier to win their

loyalty and to make them choose for us. Therefore, any

photographer who interprets the interviews correctly is

undoubtedly able to establish new client relationships in the

industry and to gain attractive assignments. It surely becomes clear

that building up and maintaining a clientele require much more than

being passionate about photography or taking great quality photos.

You will learn that you have many tasks to complete. It requires

networking, cold calling, setting appointments, building and

maintaining relations with clients, and so on.

Your commitment and perseverance is essential to developing a

successful career. Running a small business on your own can be

demanding emotionally and this can have a knock-down effect. If

you are going to get stressed about these tasks, then self-

employment may not be for you. Go and work for an employer and

put the responsibility for generating assignments at your boss’ desk.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Any company would be lost without employees.

So if you choose to find a job with a stable income, go for it. But let

this be a clear choice and accept that being an independent

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photographer is not the best solution for you. At least not at the

present moment in your life.

If you decide to establish your career as a pro, go for it. Building up

and maintaining a reputation depends on different factors, including

your attitude and confidence about making your business grow.

Only those who are capable of combining these essentials will be

the ones who are able to succeed. This is not only my firm belief,

but also the opinion of the interviewees.

OK, now let us turn on the spotlight and focus on our clients.

Wishing you lots of eye openers,

Sonja van Driel

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Interview with Charly Lammers van

Toorenburg, CEO of LVTPR

LVTPR (Lammers van Toorenburg Benelux PR) is an agency

specializing in communications and public relations. It has a staff of

forty professionals. They support corporations and organizations in

communications, events and PR. LVTPR was established in 1994 by

Charly Lammers van Toorenburg and has three branches: two in The

Netherlands and one in Belgium.

More information at www.lvtpr.com.

How do you search for a suitable

photographer for assignments?

First we approach photographers from our short list. We have a

steady group of pros whom we hire regularly. We know beforehand

that we can trust them to deliver great photos.

Earlier, we used to hire photographers via press agencies. As we did

not know which photographer would be sent to our clients, it did

not always turn out well. The photographer is the representative of

our company and should therefore embody our corporate image.

Thus, we prefer to deal with photographers directly and send only

those whom we know and who have proven capabilities.

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What do you expect from photographers in

order for them to be on your short list?

Our first motivation is the quality of his work. Also, we must blindly

trust that he will be reliable with our clients. After all, he is LVTPR’s

representative. Furthermore, the photographer must understand

the essence of the assignment. If our client is satisfied with the

photographer and his results, we will definitely approach the

photographer for repeat assignments.

In other words, the photographers you hire

should complement you?

To us, it is important that the photographer has the ability to help in

the brainstorming process. He needs to get the clear purpose of the

photo shoot and how it should be depicted. Imagine, when taking a

portrait of the managing director, how can you merge the

relationship to the company into the photo? Would you show a logo

or the premises or are you choosing a whole different approach? If

you are missing that point completely, you have not understood the

essence of the assignment. For example, we once sent a press

photographer to take a portrait of a CEO for the annual report of

the company. He took a photo with the CEO behind his desk while

it was messy with papers and other extraneous items. You may not

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think it is an important detail but, nevertheless, the photo is being

used for an annual report and needs to look tidy; it has to reflect

efficiency and a professional business. As a consequence, I have

learned that I should not send a photo journalist to a large

corporation. I’d rather choose a corporate photographer who

understands that a photo needs to be polished and that every detail

is relevant.

Do I understand correctly that it is the art of

choosing the right photographer for the

particular assignment?

Definitely. I admire photographers who are able to add immense

value to photos with apparently simple details. In the nineties, I was

responsible for the PR of the final debate of the elections in The

Netherlands. While many press photographers were standing all

together, focusing on capturing the announcement of the new

Prime Minister, Bert Verhoef (famous and well known Dutch press

photographer) was able to make the ultimate photo. While strolling

through the building of the studio, he looked into a room where the

Prime Minister was sitting in a makeup chair, being prepared for the

broadcast. He had an incredible expression on his face and Bert was

able to capture that in a split second. It was the most significant

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photo and was on the front page of the newspapers the next day. I

have huge respect for photographers who can think so abstractly.

Should photographers be generalists or

specialists?

I’m certainly not looking for a jack of all trades. I want a

photographer to be specialized in a certain field. This is his added

value, his expertise. Photographers who wander around don’t give

me the feeling that they are following their hearts. Come on, dare to

choose. That doesn’t mean you can never change. It is not an

eternal choice. Take for example, Janusz Szpakowski. My wife and I

hired him to take our wedding photos, eighteen years ago. Apart

from his great photography style, it was the chemistry that made

the results so special. He not only touched the hearts of the ladies,

but the men were also charmed by his presence during the day. This

is reflected in the photos made of us and our guests. It was his

personality that made me decide to hire him as my corporate

photographer as well. I was convinced that he was capable of taking

great images for my clients. When Janusz moved to Barcelona, I

truly regretted that he couldn’t work for me anymore.

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What other qualities do you expect from

photographers?

Appearance and social skills are important. Smell fresh, dress well

and pay attention to the people around you. Take, for example,

Janusz again. Besides his photographic eye, his social qualities

made me want him on my short list.

How do you search for new photographers?

Somehow they seem to cross my path naturally. If I like certain

photos that cross my eye, either on websites or in magazines, I’ll

verify their names. This is how I have found certain photographers

on my list. Therefore, I’d suggest that photographers have their

name mentioned on their photos wherever and whenever possible.

I must note here that when I meet photographers with whom I’ve

never worked, I first verify their references. These are influential in

whether or not I’ll hire them for the first time.

Is Twitter a source for you in finding

photographers?

Not for me, however, photographers can use Twitter to search for

new clients. There are really great opportunities here. Many PR

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agencies, like me, are active on Twitter. By searching on certain

keywords, you’ll find relevant companies, clients or events. Then

you can approach them and offer your photos or services when you

believe you are a match.

Do you search on the World Wide Web for

new photographers?

Not often but, if I have a PR job to be done in another state, I’ll

search the web for corporate photographers in that particular area.

If the photographer’s website looks appealing to me, chances are

good that I’ll approach him. Therefore, photographers should be

findable on the internet and should be aware of regional

importance.

You should realize that a website built in Flash is not indexed at all

by search engines. Your site won’t show up in search results and,

consequently, you will not be found by potential clients.

You are a PR professional. Can you share

some do’s and don’ts concerning

photographers’ websites?

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I am convinced that not only I, but all clients, prefer to hire a

specialist. Therefore, don’t clog up your website with too many

different types of photos. Don’t show everything that you do and

what you can do.

Know what you say and don’t say everything you know. When I’m

looking for a corporate photographer, I’m only interested in

corporate photos. If you are active in other disciplines, such as

wedding photography, then please set up a different website for

those photos.

Are you often approached by photographers

offering their photographic services to you?

Not really, isn’t that odd? I do receive emails from translators or

copy writers on a regular basis but not from photographers. If

occasionally it does happen, the tone of voice and the relevance are

the main reasons for me to decide whether or not I’ll reply. If the

level of communication is poor, I’ll delete the message immediately.

You may wonder what I mean by good level. Good vocabulary

(language) and relevant information that does not raise any

questions. Also I want to know which assignments you have done

before and, very importantly, see quotes from clients. References

and testimonials are more valuable than your own words of how

great you are. Also, it’s vital for me to see that you specialize in

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corporate photography. Chances are much greater for me to

contact you if you have taken all this into consideration.

Let me give you an example of an inaccurate and incorrect

approach. Recently I received an email from a photographer in

which he included a photo of a 6-year old Aboriginal girl in the

outback of Australia. The message was filled with self-serving

rhetoric to show ‘look how good I am’. Now why on earth was he

sending me, at a PR agency, such an email? Let alone the 12Mb of

the email. I am really not the right person to send such a message.

This is typically a case of inside out instead of outside in.

What do you mean by inside out instead of

outside in?

When your approach is inside out, your starting point is yourself. ‘I

can do this and I walked around with a camera in hand at a very

young age. I have graduated from photo academy so and so’. But

when your approach is outside in, you are telling me how you

connect with my needs. It’s like saying ‘I deliver quickly. I know

what it takes to make a great corporate portrait.’ This is how you

tell me ‘I’m your man; I’m the ideal photographer for your PR

agency’. If a person can communicate to me in such a way, I know

that he will also understand our briefings. These photographers

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have the ability to quickly come to the essence and intention of the

assignment. In other words, these photographers suit me well.

So, before approaching clients, adjust your message to your target.

Be aware of your value, power and strength. Let me give you an

example. Imagine that you have photographed some shoots for

transportation companies. In fact, you can present yourself as an

expert in logistics. You make a list of all transportation companies

you’d like to approach. Develop an emailing and add photos

relevant to the transportation sector.

Another example: you have photographed several parties. The

experience gained was very valuable. To whom are you of interest?

Exactly, event agencies. Approach them and the client will think,

wow, if he can take great photos of parties, he can take great

photos of my events. All I want to say is that your experience

matters and it can make a huge difference in finding new clients.

I know that examples and anecdotes are appealing to your readers,

so here is another one. I had a bad experience with a photographer

who did not specialize in party or event photography. We had asked

him to capture an event. During the shoot, he was in the way all the

time and he had no feeling for the things happening around him.

While the party was really fun, he delivered photos devoid of any

joy or atmosphere. Tight faces, no smiling people. That was a good

lesson for me not to hire him again.

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When choosing a photographer, is it

important that the photographer has an

academic education in photography or may

he be self-taught?

Education is not an issue for me. I have never asked for proof of a

diploma. At first, the work of the photographer should be excellent.

If that is the case, I especially look at him as a communicating

person. Maturity, image, common sense. All these features matter

to me. The character of the photographer is much more important

than any education.

What makes you decide to not hire a certain

photographer again?

We all make mistakes. I won’t stop hiring a photographer because

something goes wrong. But, after being disappointed three times,

it’s over and done. By the way, I’m very loyal to my photographers.

Just like my other suppliers. I have used some of them for more

than fourteen years. Also my staff has been with me for many years.

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Can you share some information regarding

payment rates and copyrights?

Our rates are approximately €450 ($590) per day. We do expect the

photographer to be flexible about his copyright. We often work

under time pressures and don’t want the hassle of asking

permission for any kind of publication of the photo. It’s too much of

a headache for us and for our clients to have to wait for answers to

publicize on different websites, brochures, or in other countries. We

pay the photographer his hours and that’s it. I don’t do business

with photographers who are too strict with their copyrights. Back in

the old days, it was an issue where explicit agreements were made.

But we are living in a different era. It is not an earnings model

anymore.

Do you buy from stock agencies?

Sometimes we buy from iStockphoto. In some cases, we use only a

detail of the photo, whereby it becomes a different image. Stock

agencies are much cheaper than hiring a photographer. We have to

deal with the budgets of our clients; therefore, we do not always

have the option to spend money on assignments and so we are

forced to buy stock images.

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The common thought among photographers

is that the competition in their field is killer.

What is your opinion on this as a buyer of

photography?

It seems that everyone believes he can be a photographer these

days. But when we do business, I want more than photography. You

need to present yourself well and to keep surprising me so that I

won’t change to another photographer. You have to acquire new

clients. Being a photographer is being a small business owner.

Running your business well is a key factor for success or failure.

Hence, if your photography is excellent and you have developed

great business skills, the competition is not really huge.

Finally, can you give some advice to

photographers?

Never stop innovating. Stay up-to-date with new techniques and

learn about issues pertaining to photography and running a

business. Every market changes from time to time. You just have to

move with it. Perhaps you may not be called a photographer

anymore in the near future. There is more and more demand for

moving images in our arena. These days, the majority of our press

releases are accompanied by videos rather than photos. Companies

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and organizations market themselves on their websites in videos,

photos and sound - the so-called multimedia presentation. This can

be a new field for photographers to jump into. In the end, it’s all

about storytelling in images.