Want potential clients to know you better?
Try making a behind-the-scenes video
Twenty-five years as a fashion photographer I never said the phrase "pout baby pout" to get an alluring look out of a model.
I have used the phrase to poke fun at my own industry, but that's only because the stereotypical idiom seems be the only one that the public, the pedestrians, seem to recognize as being associated with fashion shooters. So I did some historical digging. There is no recorded history of any photographers ever using that phrase. There are, however, gobs of examples of actors acting the role of photographers using "pout baby, pout" everywhere. What a dreadful stereotype.
Key Points
- Keep the video short - less than 5 minutes is ideal
- Don't constantly play to the camera. The only exception is if you break away to do something fun or comical
- Avoid heavily cluttered scenes that don't view well on the small screen
- Promote your videos on social media sites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and MySpace so that they can be found by potential clients
The cult of personality
It is difficult to judge a photographer's personality by looking at his or her work. I know plenty of shooters who are really gregarious, but shoot really dark images. Conversely, I know some pretty morose people who shoot images that make Mickey Mouse look like a goth maven. So while your portfolio is a big part of your story as a photographer, it is not the whole story. The personality element is a significant part of your package. Anyone who has been repeatedly booked because an art director or magazine editor likes working with you can attest to this. Unfortunately getting your personality in front of the people who can hire you isn't all that easy.
Dancing with Jane
Years ago I was trying to shoot for a small boutique agency in Los Angeles that was started by two creatives who had spun off from a large agency. According to my agent, they liked my work but were concerned that I might not be willing to push boundaries. The assessment was fair based on my work alone. I have a clean uncluttered style that is antithetical to the fantastic images produced by someone like David La Chapelle. I was frustrated because I knew if I could meet these guys they would see me in a different light. Unfortunately, and understandably, these guys had zero time for a face to face. But they did invite me to an agency party at Bar Marmont on Sunset Boulevard.
When you walk into Bar Marmont, you enter at a level that overlooks the bar so that everyone can easily look up and see who's just arrived. Back then, there was a well known male cross-dresser who hosted the door. His look was chic 1930s and '40s starlets-to-the-nines. Anyone who walked in the door, male or female, got conspicuously flirted with in a fun, dramatic way. When he flirted with me, I flirted right back and we ended up in a quick dance step that ended with a slight dip and quick kiss. As I walked down towards the applauding partygoers, the door vamp gave me an exaggerated slap on my fanny. With a dramatic entrance I was able to dispel the conservative assumptions about me, and had a quick dance with Jane Mansfield.
Let me show you what's behind the curtain
Far more reliable than looking for opportunities of sensationalism is the use of behind-the-scenes videos on your website. I've spoken to many art buyers who have expressed that they, their art directors and their clients are interested in the type of photographer they are going to be working with. This is not to say there is a "right" type of personality to have. Far from it. I can name more that a few art directors who would deem my personality not heavy or street enough for the type of look they want. This is why it's so important to be yourself. Your personality has a market. If you try to affect something for your video in an attempt to anticipate your viewers' needs, you'll come off as fake and transparent.
A short vignette of you in action can give potential clients a favorable glance of the man or woman behind the camera. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- A vignette is a brief, evocative episode. That means you need to take whatever footage you have of your behind-the-scenes adventure and edit it liberally. Anything beyond three to five minutes is too much.
- Think of the vignette as a trailer for the movie about your behind-the-scenes life. Look for strong beats and funny moments that you can cut into and out of fast. If you're feeling intimidated, go to www.apple.com/trailers and spend an hour watching movie trailers. Then open iMovie and cut your own.
- If you have a PA shooting footage of you behind the scenes, don't play to the camera. Just do your thing as if the camera isn't there. The exception to this is if you break away from what you're doing to do something fun or funny for the camera. It's a delicate balance, but if any of your friends groan when you're showing them the footage, there's a problem.
- Keep in mind that the video is going to be viewed in a small window. Heavily cluttered scenes don't play well in that environment so be mindful of your location. Use your instincts. If you feel it's difficult to view, so will everyone else.
- The pay off. Nothing is more often forgotten in a behind-the-scenes video than the payoff. After taking a viewer on a little saunter around your set, make sure to close the video with the final image (or two) from the shoot. That's the most exciting thing about a behind-the-scenes video-to see the result of all the gear and crew that the viewer just watched in action.
- Keep in mind that your vignette doesn't always have to be told as a "behind-the-scenes" story. Dig deep in your creative psyche. As the use of behind-the-scenes video becomes more prevalent among photographers, your personality will really stand out if you take other creative approaches.
- One of the best examples of a behind-the-scenes video was created by Alexx Henry for a project he did with Outside Magazine. You can watch that video by navigating to http://livingartmedia.com/outside/
A behind-the-scenes video will not get you anything without quality work leading the charge. So don't knock yourself out shooting a video when you should be augmenting your portfolio. The behind-the-scenes video is an accessory.
Follow me, everywhere
These days, the people who hire photographers are increasingly scouring through social networks to get a feel for an artist's personality before hiring them. Most prevalent are Facebook and Twitter, and, occasionally, MySpace. Controlling your identity in these environments is an important consideration for your business. If you make your social network address available in professional circles, be conscious of the content you post. If you have a colorful personal life, you might consider two separate social networking identities, one for work and one for friends.
On the work identity, posting stories, images and videos of your work life is a brilliant way to project who you are in a low maintenance, easy-to-set up way. It also gives you an opportunity to build a fan base for your work. Again, be careful what you post on the Internet because once it's out there, it's out there for good.
Pout baby, pout
So how do you get a model to get those beautiful lips to look like they're pouting without reciting the stereotypical line? Have her say the word "shoe".