Most photographers fall into photography simply because they love taking pictures. How many of you see yourself as an artist, an artisan that creates photographic stories for the walls of those you have captured?
Our consumer – your consumer devours everything connected to styling the home from gardening ideas and new wall covering concept through to how they design the atmosphere and personality of their homes.
Photography has always played a core role in our heritage, we have learnt so much from the content of the images of our past. Yet we too learn even more about ourselves as we witness the photography of the present.
We have the opportunity to enhance so many homes, leave some many legacies, seal so many memories. Remind many of forgotten times and the now; yet do we ? Do we as an industry print and create enough for the homes of those we have photographed? Thinking just as an interior designer does? Big question!
Our consumer will invest a great deal in a signature piece of furniture and they will in photography; it’s all about learning how to sell what we do far more effectively. We need to start by thinking more about “why we are creating the images” long before we press the shutter of our cameras.
Question: Why are we creating images?
I passionately believe a photograph brings a special magic into a home; a magic that is not that easy to explain. Photographic pictures bring, in my opinion the following:
- A sense of who the people are within the frame
- How they engaged, the relationships they share, past and present
- Their heritage and beliefs
- How they looked, expressions, smiles and the fashion and trend of the time
It’s all about connection – Think about how you feel about any photographs you treasure how can we continue to celebrate our skills on hard drives and not on walls?
Don’t you also think that we create something magical for others? The magic we have created is best, in my view to be printed and even better framed as an art piece.
As you nurture yourself as a photographer, nurture the artist too. As you press the shutter of your camera give more and more time to considering where your image is heading. What’s it’s purpose?
When you’re taking the pictures do you have a final destination in mind? Just as interior designers design objects for specific rooms, start to invest more time in considering and evaluating which rooms, locations or purpose are your pictures designed for.
Do you create images that would
Enhance a hallway?
Transform the atmosphere of the feature room in a home?
Or are you the creator of private viewing only?
Only you will have these answers, naturally we can debate them with you but I sense you will find the answers in your heart
I greatly believe in celebrating photography, your skills and the rightful home of all your work, which is in print and on walls. When I think of photography and how it makes me feel I think about the national portrait gallery.
A gallery full of pictures whether painted or printed. Pictures on walls, studied, admired by many who are inspired by them and learning from them. History of the best kind -that’s just what you do yet on a much more personal scale
Enjoy becoming the artist, whilst bathing in the smiles – Catherine
If you have enjoyed this blog post you will more than likely enjoy this post dedicated to improving sales, or for more inspiration visit Aspire Photography Training.
Photography by White Feather and Co with Jenny Hey worth and Catherine Connor conceptual stylist