1. Pay close attention
The first step in landing your dream job is learning as much as you can about the client, whether we’re talking about a photo editor at a publication or an art director for a brand. “There are a lot of people making pictures now, so you honestly cannot wait to be discovered—which was probably an antiquated concept from the beginning,” the photographer and writer Rachel Hulin, who worked for many years as a photo editor, explains.
“Make friends with the people you want to work with. Explain what you liked about former pieces they ran or stories they commissioned. Show them you’re paying attention to what they’re putting into the world. It will lead to a much more satisfying partnership down the road.”
2. Shoot in the style of your dream client
“I always tell my mentees to shoot for what they’re aiming for,” the UK-based photographer and director Catherine Losing tells us. “In my experience, commercial clients are incredibly risk-averse. There is a lot riding on a new campaign, both financially and in terms of deadlines. They want to hire a photographer who fits the brief and has a proven track record.
“The work you have in your portfolio is what will get you the job at the end of the day. If you have a dream client, create some ‘test’ shoots similar to their creative world. Not only is it great practice to shoot in the style of your dream job; it will also make it more likely that they will want to hire you in the future.”
“The work you have in your portfolio is what will get you the job at the end of the day. If you have a dream client, create some ‘test’ shoots similar to their creative world. Not only is it great practice to shoot in the style of your dream job; it will also make it more likely that they will want to hire you in the future.”
3. Attend industry events
Networking can be important and enjoyable—both face-to-face and in the digital world. “Get out there, be social and have fun,” the award-winning portrait photographer Tom Atwood advises.
“Go to as many photography events as possible and introduce yourself to others. The same goes for gatherings not related to photography. Keep in touch in the metaverse—and be nice to everyone. It will enrich your life. You’ll learn things, and you never know when someone you met ten years ago through a former colleague or neighbour will be in the market to buy art.”
4. Refine your niche
“I think it’s more important than ever to specialise as a photographer,” the Los Angeles-based photographer Tod Seelie tells us. “It’s such a crowded industry these days; you need to pick a lane to try to stand out. Developing a unique vision or style in line with what would fit with your ‘dream jobs’ will go a long way in helping you to appeal to the right clients. You’re never going to be a great fit for every job, so be such an excellent choice for certain jobs that it would seem foolish not to hire you.”
“It’s such a crowded industry these days; you need to pick a lane to try to stand out. Developing a unique vision or style in line with what would fit with your ‘dream jobs’ will go a long way in helping you to appeal to the right clients.”
5. Find common ground
“I think the best way to connect with potential clients and land your dream jobs is to keep it as real as possible with the type of work that you want to shoot,” the New England-based photographer and environmentalist Jesse Burke says. “Shoot what you’re passionate about, and then figure out who would be interested in that type of photography. Once you figure that out, you can go deeper down the rabbit hole. Start looking into companies and employees to see who does the hiring for those same companies.
“Once you’re in the world of people who will be interested in your type of work, your presence will grow because they will naturally like what you’re doing. It’s kind of an organic way of getting your work out there. I have had good luck with this approach.
“I also think another thing people can do to enhance their chances of landing that big job is to figure out what you might have in common with your clients. For example, I’m kind of a dad photographer. I talk about parenting and kid-related things in my work, so when I talk to the people that I want to hire and follow me, we have something in common, and they’re more inclined to do so because of a personal connection. Let’s be honest: everyone has great work these days, so you always have to try to figure out what’s better about you.”
6. Reach out
“When I had gotten started in the photography industry, which was not too long ago, I wish I had known that the photographers that I admire are more accessible than I thought,” the Boston-based photographer Vanessa Leroy tells us. “If there is a photographer or photo editor who inspires you, reach out to them via the contact information they have made publicly available, and you are highly likely to hear back. I pitched my first assignment to a certain (major) publication last week, and I heard back from the photo editor I contacted after one day and signed my freelancer contract the next.”
7. Make a good first impression
“When sending pitches to a photo editor, keep it to one paragraph maximum,” Vanessa recommends. “Clearly explain what it is that you would like to photograph; say why it’s a good fit for their publication (based on their content), and state that you have permission/access to what you have pitched. When writing a cover letter, avoid being too formulaic. Show the hiring team why you stand out by explaining what drives you personally in the world of photography before you begin writing about why you want to work for them.”
8. Be professional (and charge accordingly)
Whether you’re tackling a small local shoot or a major campaign, conduct yourself as if you’re working with your dream client. “Right from the beginning, it’s important to act like a professional and value what you do,” the Sydney-based photographer Kerry Wilson, who works as a fine artist as well as on global campaigns, suggests. “Remember you are building up a business, not just looking for compliments. Charge properly right from the first shoot. You wouldn’t ask any other professional to work for free, so don’t fall for the old ‘the next job will be a paid one’ line. Just try that on your car mechanic.”
9. Edit yourself
“Keep fine-tuning your portfolio in the direction you want to go,” Kerry advises. “Only put the best shots in there—just because it was a paid job doesn’t mean it’s good enough for the portfolio. Remember your portfolio tells someone why you’re different, what your talent is, and what you can add to their vision. It’s easy to put a shot in because you loved the shoot or it was challenging, but the viewer wasn’t there, so it needs to be a great shot in its own right. There are professionals out there that can help you put your portfolio together, tell you where the gaps are or change the order to tell a more powerful story.”
10. Keep at it, and think long-term
“If I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be that persistence and continuing to create work, even when it feels like you’re hitting dead ends, is the only way to achieve your dreams long term,” the photojournalist Maddie McGarvey tells us. “Most photographers don’t have one ‘big break.’ It’s years of grinding, finding your vision, and working on stories that you truly care about that get you noticed. Create work that you’re passionate about, not what you think you should be making, and it will show.”
“Most photographers don’t have one ‘big break.’ It’s years of grinding, finding your vision, and working on stories that you truly care about that get you noticed. Create work that you’re passionate about, not what you think you should be making, and it will show.”
11. Pursue a passion project
“I recommend having a long-term personal project and periodically publishing those images online,” the Utah-based landscape photographer Prajit Ravindran explains. “Keep building on that project so you have a really good collection of images. That way, when anyone thinks about the subject, then your images are the first to come to mind. As an example, my passion project has been capturing images of the crescent moon and its alignment with planets or features of the landscape.
“There are four to five days in a month when the conditions are ideal, and I’ve been going out on all those days each month for the last three years. A lot of the time, I get skunked by the weather, but I have built a decent collection of moon photographs. Recently, I had a brand reach out to me because they wanted images of the outdoor landscape featuring the moon, and my name came to their mind first, as they were seeing the images I was publishing.”
“I recommend having a long-term personal project and periodically publishing those images online. Keep building on that project so you have a really good collection of images. That way, when anyone thinks about the subject, then your images are the first to come to mind.”
About the contributor
Feature Shoot showcases the work of international emerging and established photographers who are transforming the medium through compelling, cutting-edge projects, with contributing writers from all over the world.