5 Tips for Getting Contacted by Brands

A fair amount of people have asked me how I started getting jobs taking photos for brands.  In addition to keeping a healthy online presence, here's a few tips that have worked for me.  Do you have any others?  Please share them in comments! 

1.  Always have your email visible in your profile.

Seems like an obvious tip, but I notice it is pretty common for people not to publish their email addresses publicly on their profiles.  "But I don't want spam," maybe you are thinking.  First off, I think you would be surprised at how little spam you get / how good your spam filter is at picking up offers from Nigerian princes in need of your bank account number.  But, if you're not convinced, make a dedicated email that you are comfortable posting.  

I call my theme "NYC Lifestyle." My feed generally consists of NYC views, shots from NYC events, NYC real estate interiors, views from hotels, luxury brands, and some dining.

​2.  Write a short, clear bio.  

Things to include:

• What kind of photography you do.  This makes it easy for a brand to determine quickly if you may be a match.
• Proof points of your professionalism.  Brands are taking a risk when they reach out to photographers and influencers.  If another brand has made you an ambassador, note that.  If your images are on Getty, call that out.  Anything that shows you have experience will add to your credibility.
• Link to more info.  If they want more info about you, make it easy.  Link out to your web site or online portfolio or LinkedIn page. 

3.  Keep your gallery focused and your quality high.

I'm sure your kids / puppy / new shoes are adorable, but if the photo is not in line with the work you are aiming for, don't post it.  Everyone I know has a separate "personal" account where they post blurry club shots, their cooking exploits, and selfies for family and friends.     

With that, your gallery should be curated to be somewhat niche.  Someone should be able to get a feel for the kind of photos you take by looking at your gallery.  Of course, most photographers are comfortable with a variety of subjects.  But I'm telling you: the focused gallery is going to get the job.  A restaurant group is going to be looking for someone who takes great food shots and flat lays; an apparel brand is going to be looking for portraiture with a look and feel that matches their brand -- you get the idea.   
  
4.  Sign up with any agency you can.

There are load of agencies out there who are looking for influencers -- just Google it.  Sadly, a lot of them are still pretty outdated in their thinking.  They look for a large following without much regard to quality of engagement.  So this method works the best if you already have about 10K or more followers.  Still, it's worth signing up for as many as you can.  Maybe for every 10 agencies I make a connection with, I'll get one job.     

5.  Network!   

Some people call it being thirsty, I call it hustling.  A lot of my work comes from interpersonal relationships and word of mouth recommendations.  Need more info on exactly how to network?  Check out this blog, or this one.