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My loyalty is killing me...
So I've had a manager on a no contract basis for the past 8-9months. Apparently Me signing to him is not going to happen simply due to him not bringing me any substantial work (As in paid) or enough models to shoot at all. He does have other photographers that he says are signed to him for which I thought maybe I'm not getting enough work or at all because he has obligation to them first. He has said to me that it takes time of which I know but no matter how much time goes by if I'm not getting any models via his management to shoot then why am I associating my studio with his management. I've now decided to go in a bit of a different route with my studio and start shooting High Fashion-Commercial-Editorial work. How would I go about getting management to help me get work in those fields of photography and actually manage my career? I have my own plan on doing so if somehow I'm not able to get representation. Just wanted to get everyone else's opinion. Jan 28 15 06:08 pm Link KBStudio wrote: how do you intend to have fashion-commercial-editorial work if you have no images that show you can do those things? managers don't pick-up photographers that aren't making money. it's not in their interest. if you don't have the money base, only the wannabe managers will be knocking. Jan 28 15 06:13 pm Link Leonard Gee Photography wrote: So bust out the wallet pay some pro models, shoot eye popping images and then the manager's and booking will come? Jan 28 15 06:23 pm Link Is your manager representing other photographers? Have you asked what their opinions are regarding your manager? Has he gotten them work? Are they happy with his services ? Basic Homework . . . Jan 28 15 06:28 pm Link Ken Marcus Studios wrote: Thank you Ken. I'm on it. Jan 28 15 06:34 pm Link I would contact all the pros on here like you are doing to find out how to cut in on their income...am sure they will help you....sorry...just abit of sarc....your work will define you, keep doing it, if it is working, you will get somewhere... Jan 28 15 06:46 pm Link "Editorial" implies magazines. If you want to do editorial work then you have to produce work that appeals to the editors at the magazines where you want to be published. Just by looking at your portfolio it seems that you haven't spent much time digesting material published in fashion magazines. Your photos have more of a men's magazine appeal. To create a portfolio with editorial-type work I think you just produce editorial-type work. Whether you get it published or not is somewhat academic. I believe you have to demonstrate a strong opinion with your work, and if editors like your opinion then they publish you. After they publish you then maybe they hire you for specific projects. Jan 28 15 06:49 pm Link mophotoart wrote: Aside from the sarcasm thank you. Jan 28 15 06:51 pm Link Carl Herbert wrote: Thank you for the Editorial advice. I'm coming from an Eye Candy/Urban Glamour back ground that why my port looks the way it does. Jan 28 15 06:58 pm Link KBStudio wrote: I admire your loyalty. Jan 28 15 07:27 pm Link KBStudio wrote: Do what everyone else does, test with models who want to build their books, and pay for super awesome great fantastic models as your budget allows. But first, spend some time researching fashion / editorial / commercial images and find some things that appeal to you for inspiration. Also, finding good wardrobe stylists and hair/makeup artists will help a LOT. You're more or less in the NYC area, this should be reasonably easy. Good luck. Jan 29 15 12:03 am Link KBStudio wrote: I am signed with an agency that reps me and they have gotten me a few jobs. As a matter of fact, I am currently editing a shoot I did through them for an interior design company. Jan 29 15 11:02 am Link Sounds like you are looking for pro representation, but you have to recognize that such agents need specialists, and not generalists, that are different from one another, to represent. So you need to know who, and what kind of work they do, they already represent, to see if you are differentiated enough, to be represented. Jan 29 15 11:52 am Link Doesn't sound like you have an effective Manager. You might consider the consulting services of an organization like Wonderful Machine (including editing, estimating and production) a la carte: http://www.wonderfulmachine.com Regarding building a fashion portfolio, I saw this article on F-Stoppers but haven't had a chance to read it yet. The title seems to address what you are asking: https://fstoppers.com/commercial/how-bu … dget-56019 Jan 29 15 12:48 pm Link KBStudio wrote: That's a Very Good Question.. but if you have signed a Non-Exclusive contract..go do your thing..and if he sends you Models and added plus.. Jan 29 15 12:56 pm Link If you want someone to manage you then let someone manage you. Beyond that most managers aren't going to even look at the little guy. The simple fact of life is that "most" photography businesses start slowly and gradually build over years. Many years not just a few. There are ups and downs but so long as there is over all growth it's still progress. As photographers most of our business is referral or word of mouth. When you get a paying client make damn sure that you make them happy. Sooner or later someone will refer you to bigger and better clients and this is how business continues to grow. Because I only know my own story I'll once again use myself as example. (My story is about corporate photography, not modeling but the basic idea is the same.) I was once offered an opportunity to shoot evidence for law firm. It was good money and I was getting regular work from them. Something to the tune of 2 - 10 gigs a month. This is certainly good. Then one day they refereed me to a different law firm who in turn refereed me to more law firms. Sooner or later I was refereed to a political lobbing and consultation firm and they introduced me to several US Congressmen and State Senators. OK, these days I still shoot for the original law firm but I also shoot Public Relations and Advertising for lobbyist and US Congressmen and State Senators. I've also done bit work for the Pennsylvania Lt. Governors office and the judicial system but those gigs aren't very frequent. Business can always be better and there are ups and downs but all and all things are good and getting better. I am also quite proud of my accomplishment over these last 9 years. I feed and care for my family with my photos and like many of us that once seemed a nearly unattainable dream. OK, working for congressman, senators, law firms and even an occasional, but rare, assignment gig from a magazine but the simple fact is that there isn't a decent manager out there that will touch me. I just don't earn what they need/require to turn a buck off of me. Not at this point in my carrier anyway. It is what it is. I'm not what they want and I'm OK with it. I have good clients. No, I have great clients but I'm still the little guy and I have no delusions to the contrary. Seriously consider not worrying about a manager/agent. Grow your business naturally and if the time ever comes that a manager is needed then consider it but few of us are really in that arena or working the types of jobs where we need one or more importantly where they need/want us. My two cents. Jan 30 15 01:21 am Link You have zero high fashion images. Eliminating all of your urban eye candy and building a solid portfolio is step one in your career path. No serious manager/agent will be interested in you until you have published editorials in the top fashion magazines, $100K+ in revenue a year, and years of solid work in the fashion industry. Jan 30 15 06:14 am Link |
