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A photographer's most important tool is her portfolio, and this is
particularly true for beginners who don't have an established
reputation.
"Having been around, I know how hard it is to get in the door," says
Allure magazine photo editor Clio McNicholl, who receives around 50
unsolicited portfolios a month. Conde Nast's Allure, with a monthly
circulation of almost 900,000, is a prime target for beginners wanting
to get their work seen. "If I don't know who the person is, I ask them
to send me some promotional material. Generally I only see people who
are coming with a direct recommendation from somebody I know," she says.
Many photographers find that websites offer an inexpensive way to
showcase a relatively large quantity of images. Eva Mueller
(www.evamueller.com), a Munich-born fashion and beauty photographer who
has been living and working in Manhattan for ten years, points out that
computer editing is also a method of keeping down retouching and
printing costs.
But despite the medium's advantages, most industry professionals will
still need to see an old-fashioned book before they hire you. By all
means use the web as your calling card, but have something to show them
when they call you in for a meeting.
Many fashion photographers find the sharp, bright imaging of 4 x 5"
transparencies show off their work to best effect. Tear-sheets
(literally, pages ripped from a magazine) are great if you've been
published, but good quality, 8 x 10" prints are also OK. Have at least
20 in your book, and be prepared to leave them for at least a week.
"I like to see a common thread throughout the book," says Clio
McNicholl, who says she can tell within three images whether she likes a
photographer's style. "Tell a story: not necessarily having all the
pictures relating to each other, but I like to have some sort of sense
at the end of it that I've seen that photographer's personality come
through in the pictures."
The images you choose to showcase in your portfolio should be
thematically linked to the job you're trying to get – still-lifes or
product shots if you're going for an advertising gig, for example. But
also throw in one or two other images to demonstrate your range. Strong
portraits are always a safe bet, as they tend to stay in the mind of the
viewer.
Once you've got your portfolio together, the next challenge is to get the picture editor to use you.
"Most people who cold call me haven't done their research, which is the
world's biggest mistake," says Clio McNicholl. "The single biggest thing
that people should do is their research. They should know what the
magazine does, and see how you can apply that to what you do. And they
should at least know the name of the photo editor."
When you submit work to photo editors, remember that you're "showing"
rather than "selling". Editors almost never buy the specific image they
see before them; they're looking for a photographer who can execute
future commissions. You'll need to be persistent in sending out your
work, and ruthless in editing what you choose to show.
The best way to grab an editor's attention is to show previously
published work. But there's a down-side. "Because there's such an
over-supply of photographers, a lot of magazines really take advantage
of that fact," says Eva Mueller. "Some mags have a decent budget, but a
lot of magazines just cover your expenses, they don't pay for your time
or anything. And a lot of magazines don't pay at all." McNicholl says
Allure's rates start at $350 a day for unknown photographers, up to
$130,000 for a fashion spread.
A photograph is a document just as much as an article or an essay, and
picture editors are looking for concise images which clearly communicate
an idea or an emotion. Celebrity portraiture, for example, should
reveal an aspect of the subject's character, preferably one that is in
harmony with the accompanying written profile. Women's magazines all
over the world buy hundred of stock shots every month – typically young
women having fun with their boyfriends, hanging out with friends, or
maybe moping home alone with their stuffed toys – all of which express a
sentiment commonly dealt with in feature articles. If your work speaks
clearly, you'll stand a much better chance with picture editors than
with vague or ambiguous images.
When you're submitting your work, remember:
Photo agencies exist to liaise with clients and sell photographers' work
on their behalf. They benefit everyone from start-out photographers,
who may not have many industry contacts, to seasoned professionals, who
are too busy to take care of business dealings themselves.
Gloria Cappelletti is an agent with the Management Artists' Organization
(MSO) in Manhattan, which represents a stable of prominent fashion
photographers including Stevein Klein, Michelangelo di Battista, Stefan
Sedanoui and Alexei Hay.
"First of all, it's vital to be known, and an agency is in daily contact
with clients and publications," she says. "That's the best way for a
young photographer to be able to have a connection with them, because
usually the photographer is busy taking pictures, and the agent is busy
talking to clients. And that's the way it should be. Usually the
photographer doesn't have enough time to take care of everything."
Agencies can also re-sell your work in several different markets, acting
as a mini publicist and giving career advice. There are so many
agencies – and so many photographers – that Cappelletti says it's
important to research which one may be right for you before making an
approach.
"The young photographer has to understand their target, in terms of
their personal goals the direction the photographer wants to take," she
says. "Everyone is different."
Agents recommend treating your first contact with them as seriously as
if it were a job interview. You should also consider whether they
already represent someone whose style is significantly similar to your
own – there may not be enough work for both of you, and the other
photographer could resent the competition.
A photo agency is not the only place that can sell your work. If you're
more interested in concentrating on your personal vision than taking
commercial work, you can also considering exhibiting in a fine art
photography gallery.
Once derided as a scientific curiosity with no artistic value,
photographs are now one of the hottest growth areas in the international
fine art market.
While gelatin silver prints are the staple of fine art photography,
you'll find a healthy interest both in contemporary photos using antique
methods (such as Chuck Close's daguerreotypes), as well as modern
printing methods, including Cibachromes and C-prints.
Like any artistic undertaking, art photography is unlikely to pay you a
living wage for many years. Although many artists sell their work
directly from the Internet, critical attention and the strongest sales
come from a relationship with a Gallery. While there is now at least one
photo gallery in most major cities, the center of the world art photo
market is New York. Manhattan boasts around 100 galleries dealing in
photographic prints, and prices there tend to be strongest. A
comprehensive list of New York and international galleries is available
at the websites of the bimonthly listings guide Photograph, as well as the Association of International Photography Art Dealers.
Before approaching any gallery with your work, you should telephone and
request details of their submissions policy. Many galleries review new
work only at set times of the year, and even to get in the door of some
places you will need the recommendation of somebody known to the gallery
directors. (Sometimes it helps to drop the name of a well-known critic
or museum director, even if your connection to them is tenuous.)
If a gallery is interested in taking you on as an artist, they'll
probably want to see a representative sampling of your work. Even if you
have one or two knock-out images in your portfolio, a gallery will want
to know that you have a mature body of work with a consistent standard
throughout. Remember that many artists join a gallery simply by having
their work go into the back-room inventory, where it will be shown to
specific collectors, rather than having a public exhibition. Not
everyone is offered a solo show.
The most important thing to remember about working with a gallery is to
maintain a proper business relationship. Every print you give to a
gallery should be inventoried by you – not them – and you should
understand when and how you can expect payment in the even of a sale.
Industry standard is that the artist receives 50% of the retail price of
a photo.
You should also discuss whether you are free to have relationships with
other galleries, or if your gallery expects exclusivity. If you have a
New York gallery, for example, but then arrange to have a show in Los
Angeles, sometimes the New York gallery will expect a cut (typically
10%). However, in return for that, they are expected to deal with
details like paperwork and shipping. Each relationship between artist
and gallery is unique, and you should get as much as possible in writing
at the beginning.
Categories: Fashion Photographers, Fashion Jobs, Fashion News
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