Owning your own business isn’t the only solution to how to make money with photography. In fact, I’d go as far to say, it’s not even necessarily the best way to make money in photography either, depending on your ultimate goals. The truth of it is that until just a few years ago, owning your own business as a photographer was more of a long-term goal, as opposed to now, when photography startups are easy to come by and normally one of the first steps photographers take.
Traditionally, beginning photographers worked for experienced photographers until they built up their own portfolio and experience enough to move up in the company, take it over, or start one of their own. Not to say one path is better than the other, of course. I think they both have their place, but there’s a lot to be said about the slowly dying position of a freelance photographer.
Assisting and freelancing my photography skills in the beginning of my career was one of the best things I did. I made money. I learned valuable lessons that still apply today. I made mistakes, but did them on someone else’s dime. I built, and sometimes broke, relationships that taught me more than my photography degree ever did. It was about five years before I started my own business after that and every day of those years molded me into what I am today.
Whether you’re starting out as a budding photographer, or you’re a veteran in this industry, freelancing and assisting has the ability to be one of the best things you do as a photographer. There’s always something new to learn, someone new to learn from and money to be made on days when you didn’t book jobs for yourself.
However, working for someone else comes with a set of rules, and some of them are silent unknowns until you accidentally break them. I even have an ebook that helps out photographers that work for me as well as others around the globe. Here are my keys to success when working for another photographer.
1. It’s not your show
Naturally if you’re an established photographer, sometimes you get the itch to take the reigns when watching another photographer work.
This isn’t the time for that.
You’re there for them so do what they need, not what you think needs to be done. Some photographers, me for example, actually get annoyed if you make photos suggestions or “ooh” and “aww” too much while they’re working with the bride and groom (it makes me lose my focus). Find out how the photographer you’re working for likes to communicate the day of and stick to it. If nothing else, it’ll be a exercise in self-control and biting your tongue.
2. Don’t burn bridges
There are some no-brainers when it comes to working for others, but you might not even be aware of some of these others. Here’s some guidelines that I know myself and other NYC wedding photographers abide by to make sure that you’re developing good industry peer relationships and not burning them to the ground.
Do not hand out your own business cards.
Not to guests, not to the bridal party, not to other vendors, not even to your own mother if she happens to be there. In fact, a good practice is to not even give out your last name, or if they hunt you down on Facebook anyway, to ignore the request. A majority of the business that comes into photography studios comes by word-of- mouth, so the photographer that you’re working for will most likely be quite peeved if you end up getting the referrals from their gig.
Do not call in sick.
If you’re a wedding photographer like I am, you know that sick days are completely non-existent. You’ve photographed sick, practically comatose, and occasionally with a broken bone even. Have the same respect for the photographer that you’re working for and don’t bail on the job with very little notice. If you absolutely are in a coma, then before you gracefully bow out of the job, make sure you’ve already found an adequate replacement for yourself. There’s no stress like trying to find a good replacement photographer last minute, and nothing screams unprofessional like a photographer who doesn’t get that and rudely backs out of a commitment for any reason.
Don’t give it all away.
Some people might disagree with me on this one, but I believe that you shouldn’t perform the same on hired gigs as you do on your own. That’s not to say you’re shooting intentionally poor by any means, but if I charge a bride and groom $10,000 for a wedding and bring out all the stops with off-camera-lighting and the works, I don’t think I should be doing the same thing for a gig that’s paying $500. What would be the reason for any client to hire you if they can get the same thing cheaper working for someone else? There are some things that you do that are exclusive to you and your brand and they shouldn’t be given away while working for someone else. You’re getting paid hundreds and your bag of tricks should be saved for when you’re getting paid thousands.
3. Represent the lead photographer well
Photographers are one of the most seen vendors on the day of the wedding. They’re there the longest, communicate the most with the bride and groom and are around more before and after a wedding than any other vendor – maybe tying with the event planner, if there is one. What that means for you is that even though you’re just the second photographer and will probably hug the walls and be in the background a bit, you’re the face of that company for the day. People are looking at you and judging the company you’re working for based on your actions.
Pay extra close attention to what your personality, punctuality and professionalism are giving off that day. If any of them are negative you’re potentially giving such a poor representation that you’re losing referrals for the main photographer. Act in a way that says you care about the photographer you’re working for and their business just as much as you care about your own.
