Photography News

Telling Clients About Your Other Job

December 31, 2016 by Rene Anthony

One of the articles that caught our attention recently was written by a UK based cinematographer and videographer for Fstoppers, detailing the dilemma that photographers face in deciding whether to tell their clients they have another full-time job. While predominantly angled towards part-time photographers, the reality is, even full-time photographers might find themselves in a position where they work on other tasks or jobs as a part-time commitment.

What one needs to consider in addressing the issue, is that photographers often step into the industry and proceed courtesy of a slow and gradual rise. Rarely, if ever, can a photographer command the sort of work volume that would allow them to commit themselves entirely to a career that often relies upon making a name for yourself and word of mouth. There will also be periods where for a more established photographer there is less volume of work, or personal goals that you would like to achieve, and you decide to divert some of your time elsewhere.

 

Despite this, it’s worth remembering that clients select their photographer from a wide pool of talent. They specifically pick you for a reason – whether that be your creative vision, your portfolio, your reputation, your personality, their taste, or their budget. Once you factor in all these aspects, plus many more, it becomes increasingly evident that the degree of your work commitment shouldn’t dictate whether a client chooses to go ahead with a booking or not.

 

Sure they might view your other commitments as a sign that you are still finding your feet within the industry, or perhaps preparing for an alternative career. But the quality of your work will always remain the same. And ultimately, it is up to you to convince the client that you’re the best person for their job by providing a superior value proposition compared with other photographers. You need to sell yourself.

There are several ways one can justify the existence of another job to support your dream of being a photographer. Explained in a structured manner, yet one that also conveys your passion for photography, all but the most demanding of clients would be understanding about the need to financially support yourself through another job, or even leverage business and client-facing skills you are learning in another role. In some ways, it would be similar to someone who opts to pursue further education while in the corporate world – something that employers have become increasingly receptive towards as they realise the value-added benefits from cross-vocational studies

 

The decision on whether to openly tell your clients about your other career shouldn’t be an obligatory conversation. Should they feel the need to gauge your commitment, or confirm your availability, then of course open dialogue and honesty is an approach that will save you potential headaches or reputational damage down the line. If your full-time job is one that demands extra or irregular hours, this is something you’ll want to be up-front about.

 

There’s no fast track to becoming a successful photographer. If a client opts against hiring a photographer who hasn’t yet made a full-time commitment to the industry, or against a photographer who opts to pursue other interests at the same time, are they really the sort of client you’ll be engaging with for years to come? Don’t forget, a photographer-client relationship isn’t meant to be a one-way street.

 

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